8th Grade US History - Orange Team

Welcome to 8th grade US History! My name is Mrs. Krista Kaplan and this is my 16th year teaching history at North Haven Middle School. Throughout my time here I have had the pleasure of teaching all grade levels and I have been in the 8th grade for the past eight years! I encourage you to please take some time to explore my web page as you will find information pertaining to the course, class expectations and classroom policies.

Course Description:

8th Grade United States History is the exploration of the founding of our nation through the Reconstruction Period. Our course work will begin with a review of the settling of America and the Colonies, followed by the Revolutionary War, the Constitution, Westward Expansion, the Civil War and ending with the Reconstruction Period in the United States. We will cover a lot of material throughout the school year through the use of primary source documents, debate and project work.

Classroom Rules & Student Expectations:

Students are expected to come to class each day on time and prepared with necessary items including something to write with and on. Classroom expectations center around the following: RESPECT - yourself, your classmates, your environment; RAISE - your hand, your confidence, your expectations; and FOLLOW- class procedures, all directions, school policies.

As your teacher you can expect me to provide an organized and safe learning environment, to both push and encourage you, and to teach you the skills necessary to have successful educational careers.

Grading & Homework Policies:

Students will be graded based on the weighted grading system established by North Haven Middle School. Tests and projects are weighted at 50%, classwork and quizzes at 35% and homework at 15%. Students are graded individually, as they are all learning at different paces and on different levels and student work is constantly being differentiated. Students are encouraged to not compare their work to their others but to focus on doing their BEST each day. Grading will be a combination of quizzes (both announced and unannounced), tests, projects. homework and class participation.

Homework is used as a tool to either prepare you for an activity to come the next day or to reinforce that days' work. Assignments will vary from week to week, fluctuating between 1-3 assignments. Failure to complete assignments will result in a student's inability to successfully participate in the next day's activity as well as have an overall impact on quiz and test scores.

Dinner Time Discussions: each week students will be given a topic to discuss at home with parents, siblings, neighbors, coaches and friends. These topics may include both historical and current news topics and will be discussed at the end of each school week. Students can expect these to be a reoccurring, weekly homework assignment.

Name: Mrs. Krista Kaplan
Position: MS 8th Grade Orange Team Social Studies
Email: Send email

I will be available after school for help on any given scheduled day of the week from 2:00-3:00pm. Students must have transportation home arranged prior to scheduling after school help. Students are encouraged to utilize their study hall time for further assistance.

Daily Class Schedule:

NHMS follows a 2 day rotating schedule with 4 blocks on each day.

Block 1: 7:33-9:01am

Block 2: 9:08-10:31am

Block 3: 10:38-12:28pm

(Includes Lunch)

Block 4: 12:35-2:00pm

Google Classroom:

All students must utilize google classroom as it will be used in conjunction with day to day classroom work. Parents & Guardians are encouraged to utilize both Google Classroom & Power School as a way of tracking assignments, due dates and student grades. Both sites are linked via the Links page on my website.

To access Google Classroom class pages - please click "Links" above. At the top of the page use the drop down menu that says, "Show Links in Topic", select Google Classroom and hit "go".