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Frequently Asked Questions about
Mr. Ojeda's Class
Below, you will find answers to frequently asked questions
(FAQ) regarding my class. If you have any other questions or concerns, please do
not hesitate to contact me. By working together and communicating openly, I am
confident that we can provide all students with positive opportunities to learn
and grow.
- Mr. Ojeda
How can parents contact me?
In addition to sending notes in your childࡧenda, there are two main ways
to contact me:
E-mail: My e-mail address is
OJEDAMI@edu.elizabeth.k12.nj.us.
Voicemail and Homework Hotline: If you wish to check your child͊homework assignments for the week, you may call the Board of Education Homework
Hotline at (908) 436-6130. My extension is #21914. By calling this extension,
you may also leave me a voicemail message.
What
is social studies? How does this class benefit my child?
Social studies is a broad term that encompasses several academic areas,
including civics, history, economics, and geography. Study in these academic
areas has innumerable benefits, including:
-
Students become
better thinkers and communicators by analyzing and evaluating important events
and ideas.
-
Students develop
an awareness of other cultures.
-
Students build
connections with the past, especially their parts in the long story of human
civilization.
-
Students develop
the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in a democratic society.
When students
inquire as to why they should learn about history, geography and the like, I
respond by asking them about important events in their own lives and the lives
of their families. We discuss the extent to which those experiences have shaped
who they are and what they know about the world. Eventually, the dialogue brings
students to an essential truth: If we wish to understand who we are and where
we堧oing, it helps to know where we are and how we got here.
How do you decide what is
taught?
The New Jersey Core Curriculum
Content Standards outline what students should know and be able to do. These
standards are benchmarked, indicating which skills and content should be
mastered at specific grade levels. All instruction in my classroom is aligned
with these standards. This ensures that students develop a strong background in
the social studies and are well-prepared for future learning opportunities.
How does social studies fit into my child௶erall learning experience?
In the sixth grade, social studies instruction (i.e. world geography) is infused
with the language arts into one humanities course. Over the course of the year,
all students participate in a number of different activities, including:
-
Historical
simulations
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Review games
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Cooperative
learning activities
-
Debates and other
public speaking activities
-
Small group and
whole group discussions
-
Creative and
expository writing
-
Cross-curricular
units (i.e. units of study where students explore how the social studies
interact with mathematics, science, and other academic areas)
-
Viewing of
historical films and documentaries
-
Study of primary
sources (i.e. firsthand accounts of events and ideas) and secondary sources
(i.e. secondhand accounts and reference documents)
What types of
homework tasks will my child be assigned?
Over the course of the year, homework assignments will vary significantly. An
outline of our current unit of study, including homework assignments, can also
be found in the section of this site devoted to
my class. These assignments
may include background reading, interactive notes (see my
Interactive Notes PowerPoint Slideshow), test preparation, and
completion of class-related work. Nevertheless, the following procedures remain
consistent:
It is important to
keep in mind, especially when working on group projects or learning centers (see
my
Parent's Guide to Learning Centers PowerPoint Slideshow), that students
within the same homeroom may have different homework assignments (e.g. Michael
has to finish a writing assignment for homework while Maria completes her class
timeline). In this case, it is especially important that students keep track of
their assignments in their agendas.
What happens if my child is absent?
If a student is absent and misses an assignment, I ask that he/she
complete the assignment for homework and submit it prior to the end of that unit
of study. If the assignment requires specific guidance or instruction that your
child missed, I will make arrangements to meet with him/her during class or
recess. If a student misses a test, he/she should be prepared to take the test
during our next meeting.
What
supplies will my child need for social studies class?
For fourth and fifth grade social studies, students are asked to have the
following supplies:
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One
notebook
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Loose
leaf
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One
pocket folder
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Erasers,
pencils
What are exit cards?
An exit card is a commonly used method of assessing what students
have learned from a specific lesson. Hereਯw they work:
-
Students
participate in a lesson or other learning activity.
-
Each student is
given a blank index card.
-
Students respond
to an open-ended question that relates to the lesson objective (e.g. What
were the primary causes of the American Revolution?)
-
The cards are
graded using an exit
card rubric.
-
While other
students are working on another activity, those students who earned below a 3
on their exit cards meet with me during class to review the material.
What are questions of the day?
At the beginning of each class, students are given a slip of paper on
which to answer a question of rolex replica watches the day: a question that will get students
thinking about the content of the day's lesson. The slip is collected and graded
daily; students receive a weekly classwork grade for these assignments.
Will my child be taking
many tests and quizzes?
The majority of students粡des in social studies are based on class
activities. However, I also use a mix of quizzes, tests, and performance-based
assessments (e.g. oral presentations, participation in class discussions)
to replica watches uk measure what students have mastered and what must be revisited. After
students receive graded quizzes and tests, they are asked to make any necessary
corrections and have the test signed by a parent/guardian. The test or quiz
should then be returned at our next meeting.
In addition, I also administer some tests digitally using
http://www.unitedstreaming.com,
one of our school௮line programs. In the case of digital tests, students will
note the grade in their agendas and have them signed. If you would like to see a
grade report from your childऩgital test, please note your request in his/her
agenda and I will send it out as soon as possible.
What are my students
presently studying?
A description of our class activities, as well as most materials that I create
for students, may be found in the section of this site devoted to
my class. Certain class
materials may not be posted on this site due to copyright concerns.
How can I help my child prepare for tests and learn more about the social
studies?
I advise students to prepare for tests and quizzes by reviewing their
notes and readings for the unit. In addition, they should look closely at the
⪥ctive-Questionsﮠtheir prescriptions. These are the guiding questions
that we are trying to rolex replica uk answer over the course of the unit (e.g. What were the
main effects of the Age of Exploration on the people of the Americas?). If
they can answer these questions effectively and have reviewed their class
materials, they should do fine.
In addition to this, parents are able to help their children learn about the
social studies in countless ways, including:
-
Take your child
with you when you vote.
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Watch the news
with your child.
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Discuss your
views on political issues.
-
Tell your child
about your familyడst.
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Watch historical
films.
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Visit a museum or
library (The Main Branch of the Elizabeth Public Library has an entire
reference room specifically dedicated to the history of New Jersey and
Elizabeth).
What is your classroom
discipline policy?
My classroom discipline policy is aligned with those used by my
colleagues teaching math, language arts, and science. We encourage
students to be responsible, diligent, and compassionate and reflect on our
Pledge of Ethics. For a
copy of the current policy, click
here.
What is Renzulli
Learning Systems (RLS)?
RLS is a schoolwide system used to help students plan and
develop independent projects during their daily elective periods. During these
periods, students work on projects based on their own interests and
curiosities. For additional information, you may wish to visit
Renzulli Learning Online.
What does IG/HR mean?
Oftentimes, you may see IG or HR on your childడpers.
IG stands for instructional group (e.g. 4R, 5B, etc.); HR stands
for homeroom (e.g. 200, 201). Starting with school year 2007-2008, all students'
homerooms and instructional groups will be linked. All students in a given
homeroom will be in the same IG for all regular classes. Students will continue
to be scheduled independently for their elective periods.
What are interactive notes
(I-Notes)?
For an explanation and examples of I-Notes, click
here (may require
Microsoft
PowerPoint to be viewed properly; you may download a free PowerPoint
Viewer by clicking
here).
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