K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Syllabus Outline for an Online Unit of Instruction

Template

Self-Check

Course
Information

World Geography
Coach Keith
6th Grade Social Studies
Required Text; McDougal Littell World Geography
Office Hours: 9:00 am 4:30 pm Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am 3:00 pm Friday

Did you include course

title, instructor
information, grade
level, subject area,
office hours and
required textbooks or
resources?
Yes. There is a clear
title, instructor, grade
level, subject area,
office hours, and text
requirement.

Expected
Student
Audience

6th grade students, parents, teachers, and administrators in the Calhoun, Georgia area.

Is the expected student

audience described?
(Are your students in
the USA?)
Yes. All possible
recipients of the
syllabus have been
included.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Teacher
Communication

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Cell: 123-456-7890 (voice calls and texts are acceptable)
Social Media: Twitter: @TeachinYoKids

Did you provide at

least two forms of
communication are
included in the
syllabus?
Yes. Additionally, I
have included a
professional, not
personal, social media
contact.

Course
Description

Welcome to World Geography! This course is designed to guide students as they acquire
the knowledge present in the Georgia Performance Standards for 6 th Grade Social
Studies. Through this course, students will become knowledgeable in the areas of
geographic knowledge, geographic skills, economic systems, government systems,
human/environment interaction, history, and cultural habits of European nations, Latin
America, Australia, and Canada.

Does this clearly

identify the broad goals
or topics to be
covered? Does it
outline the general
topics, concepts and
skills to be covered?
Yes. Several different
focus areas and skills
are addressed as they
relate to the overall
content.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Learning
Outcomes

The learner will be able to

Locate the many nations of Europe and Latin America on a world political map
with 90% accuracy
Locate key geographic features of Europe, Latin America, Canada, and Australia
on appropriate regional and world maps with 90% accuracy
Identify key environmental issues and key elements of human/environmental
interaction in Europe, Latin America, Canada, and Australia with 90% accuracy
Discuss key historical moments in the development of Europe, Latin America,
Canada, and Australia with 90% accuracy
Identify key features of the government, types of government systems, and their
relevancy to the regions discussed with 90% accuracy
Identify key features of economics, types of economic systems, and their
relevancy to the regions discussed with 90% accuracy
Describe Gross Domestic Product and its effect on standard of living with 90%
accuracy
Obtain an exceeding score on the Social Studies CRCT
Become proficient using a Learning Management System (LMS)
Become proficient in the use of basic word processing skills
Become proficient in the use of internet tools (search engines, sites, web based
programs, etc.).
The complete list of 6th Grade Social Studies standards can be viewed by clicking
here.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Are these measurable

and/or observable? Do
they describe what
students must know
and be able to do? Do
they involve some
cognitive challenge
and active learning?
Yes. Key objectives are
taken from the required
standards as well as
the incorporation of
some technology skills
from the 6th grade skills
matrix. A full copy of
the standards has
been included for
further study.

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Topics by Week

1st 9 Weeks
Week 1 Preassessment diagnostic;
Geography; Key Terms
and Ideas
Week 2 Geography;
Political and physical
features of Europe
Week 3 Geography;
Political and physical
features of Latin America
Week 4 Geography;
Political and physical
features of Canada and
Australia
Week 5- Geography;
Human/Environment
interactions and issues in
Europe
Week 6- Geography;
Human/Environment
interactions and issues in
Latin America
Week 7 Geography;
Human/Environment
interactions and issues in
Canada and Australia
Week 8 Geography;
Begin Geography project,
begin Benchmark study
guide
Week 9 Geography
benchmark; Benchmark
Study Guide due; Project
due; begin Government
vocabulary assignment

Lokey-Vega (2014)

2nd 9 Weeks
Week 1 Government;
key terms and ideas;
begin Foundations of
Government project
Week 2 Government;
Types of government,
how citizens participate
Week 3 Government;
Government systems;
distribution of power
Week 4 Government:
Comparative
Government- Brazil,
Mexico, Cuba
Week 5 Government:
Comparative Government
United Kingdom,
Germany, Russia
Week 6 Government:
Comparative Government
Canada and Australia
Week 7 Government:
Comparative Government
The European Union
Week 8 Synchronous
Session; Comparative
Government The
United States, United
Kingdom, elections; begin
benchmark study guide
Week 9 Foundations of
Government Project Due,
benchmark Study Guide
Due, benchmark
(diagnostic); begin
Economics/Personal
Finance assignment

3rd 9 Weeks
Week 1 Economics;
key terms and ideas;
begin entrepreneur
project
Week 2 Economics;
Economic systems and
economic questions
Week 3 Economics;
Trade agreements
(NAFTA), trade barriers,
and the European Union
as an economic entity
Week 4 Comparative
Economics Brazil,
United Kingdom, Cuba;
affect of GDP on
standard of living
Week 5 Economics;
Personal Finance; key
ideas and terms
Week 6 Economics;
Personal Finance;
Creating a budget, wants
and needs analysis
Week 7 Economics;
Personal Finance;
Purchasing and Credit
Week 8 Economics;
Personal Finance; Saving
and Investing; Stock
market mini-project;
Benchmark study guide
Week 9 Benchmark
(diagnostic),
Entrepreneur project due,
synchronous session,
begin history group
project

4th 9 Weeks
Week 1 History;
key terms and ideas
Week 2 History:
Ancient Civilizations
(Greeks, Romans,
Maya, Inca, Aztec,
Aborigine, Inuit,
Maori)
Week 3 History;
Medieval Europe
Week 4
Renaissance Europe
Week 5 History:
Age of Discovery,
Colonization,
Triangular Trade and
its effects on native
populations
Week 6 Age of
Revolutions
(American, Haitian,
French), Industrial
Revolution and its
effects on Europe,
Latin America,
Canada, and
Australia
Week 7
Synchronous
session, World War
I; causes, events,
effects
Week 8 World War
II; causes, events,
effects
Week 9 The
Modern World;
History Projects due;
CRCT

Did you list the topics

to be covered each
week?
Yes. Important dates
have also been
highlighted for ease of
understanding.

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Expectations of
Student
Participation

As this is an online class, participation in discussion forums is paramount. Students

should plan on dedicating 5-7 hours per week to this class. Projects will obviously require
additional time to complete. General expectations are as follows:
1. Assignment modules will open on Mondays and close on Sundays (at 11:59 pm).
2. Students will be required to create one original response to each prompt per week.
Additionally, students should respond to at least two (2) of their classmates postings each
week. Students will be notified of any changes to this procedure via the LMS
3. Students are expected to complete all assignments, quizzes, and projects
independently unless otherwise instructed.
4. There will be a short online quiz each week. Each student will have two attempts at
each quiz with the higher of the two attempts being the recorded grade.
5. Assignments should be turned in via LMS drop box. Students are free to email any
drafts to the professor for feedback, but only assignments in the drop box will be graded.
6. Students are required to participate in the three (3) synchronous sessions throughout
the course. Additional synchronous sessions will occur should the need arise.
7. If there are any emergencies, PLEASE make contact with the instructor a minimum of
24 hours prior to major due dates. This will insure ample time to resolve any issues.
8. Take responsibility of your own learning. While I am here to help you, you must be a
self disciplined learner.

Did you outline class

participation with
descriptions of how it is
measured
(expectations for
discussion forums,
number and frequency
of logins, amount of
time in online class,
group project
participation,
synchronous sessions,
etc.)?
Yes. The guidelines are
clear for student
participation including
their postings, quizzes,
participation in
synchronous sessions,
and emergency
procedures.

Student
Communication
Expectations

Communication is a key element in online learning. Here are a few guidelines to keep in
mind as you proceed through the course:
1. All post should be of a good quality. Please proofread all post.
2. ANY inappropriate communication will be grounds for removal from the course.
3. Responses should encourage discussion and thought. Yes, ,No, or Great job style
posting will not be accepted.
4. Be prompt in communicating with your peers and instructor. Make every effort to
respond to any communication within 24 hours.
5. For a complete online policy, please click here.

Did you describe the

expectations for
student behavior when
communicating online?
Yes. In addition to
some general
guidelines, there is a
link to a online policy.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Late Work
Policy

Students may only receive full credit for an assignment turned in late if there has been a)
communication with the instructor and b) permission from the instructor. It is completely
under teacher discretion as to whether a situation warrants an extension. For each day
an assignment is late, 15 points will be deducted from the overall score. Any assignment
turned in three days after its original due date will not be accepted. Any assignment that
is not completed will be recorded as a ZERO (0) in the grade book.

Did you explain the

consequences for not
submitting
assignments on time?
Yes. In addition, there
are consequences
concerning failure to
turn in assignments.

Grading Policy

The grading policy for this class will be as follows:

Test/Projects 45%
Quizzes/Post 30%
Assignments 20%
Participation 5%
Final grading will be classified as follows:
90%-100% = A
80%-89% = B
75%-79% = C
70%-74% = D
69%-lower = F
For any assignment with a grade of 69% or less, intervention assignments must be
completed before the next benchmark.

Is a grading policy
defined with point
distribution or
weighting scheme? Is
the grading scale is
included?
Yes. Grading
percentages and a
grading scale are
included.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Assessments

Assessments for this class will be as follows:

1. Weekly quizzes will be given. Each student will have two attempts at the quiz with their
highest grade being recorded for credit.
2. Students will create an original post and respond to two group members EVERY week.
3. A diagnostic will be given the first day of class. This diagnostic will serve as the
benchmark for each 9 week grading period.
4. Projects will be a key element of this class. Their descriptions and due dates will be
discussed in the class assignments module.
5. Grading rubrics will be available through the class assignments module. These rubrics
will mainly be for you to use as a guide, but you will be required to fill out certain rubrics
for reflective/evaluative purposes.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Area a variety of
assessment types
included? Is at least
one assessment
requiring applying,
analyzing, evaluating,
or creating?
Yes. Through this
course, students will
participate in several
projects requiring
synthesis or
information, application
of material, and
creation of products.

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Academic
Honesty

Academic honesty is key not only to this course, but to personal development as well.
For the purpose of this course:
Plagiarism will be defined as copying directly from another source without proper
citation or copying another students thoughts and claiming them as your own
Cheating will be defined as plagiarism, the use of unauthorized materials, having
unfair prior access to materials, and unauthorized collaboration with other
students.
The following is a short outline of the academic honest policy:
1. All work should be that of the student and only of the student. Plagiarism and receiving
unauthorized help will not be tolerated.
2. Any attempt to alter or interfere with the course LMS will not be tolerated.
3. Knowingly providing deceitful or false information will not be tolerated.
A full academic honesty policy can be seen here.

Do conduct and
academic honesty
requirements clearly
explain the policy on
cheating and
plagiarism. Are
consequences for
inappropriate behavior
included?
Yes. Some general
guidelines are included
along with a link to a
full academic policy.

Those found to be in violation of the Academic Honesty Policy will be subject to the
following disciplinary actions:
1. Phone/video communication with the student.
2. Phone/video communication with parents and a grade of ZERO for the assignment
3. Face to face intervention with student, parent, instructor, online administrator
4. Expulsion from program.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Acceptable Use
Policy

Some general guidelines on acceptable uses for this course:

1. Students will not use the class LMS or network for any other purpose than its intended
one.
2. Students should not share log-in information with those not enrolled in the course.
3. Students will not knowingly create, install, or distribute any form or fashion of computer
virus.
4. Only the instructor may make changes to the LMS
5. The instructor reserves the right to limit or remove students ability to interact with the
course
The full acceptable use policy can be found here.

Is the Acceptable Use

Policy (AUP) described
or linked? Are
consequences for
noncompliance
described?
Yes. Some general
guidelines are included
along with a link to a
full acceptable use
policy

Those found to be in violation of the Academic Honesty Policy will be subject to the
following disciplinary actions:
1. Phone/video communication with the student.
2. Phone/video communication with parents
3. Face to face intervention with student, parent, instructor, online administrator
4. Expulsion from program.
Student Right to
Privacy

In this course, the regulations set forth in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) as well as The Childrens Internet Protection Act (CIPA) will be strictly adhered
to.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Did you include the

conditions for sharing
or not sharing student
information?
Yes. Links to key
legislation concerning
student privacy and
student rights.

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Technology
Requirements

To complete this class successfully, you will need:

1. A computer, laptop, or tablet (with updated Java and Flash)
2. A webcam and microphone (these can be found quite cheaply at most retailers)
3. Consistent internet connection
4. You may also want to consider creating a Google account. This will provide you will a
steady email account as well as access to the many features Google offers.
In the event a technology issues arises, you should attempt to trouble shoot the problem
through the LMS help section or the help section for the particular app/program you are
using. If this is not sufficient, contact Coach Keith via email and he will attempt to trouble
shoot for you.

Copyright
Statement

This course was designed by Coach Keith; however, all content from the text used in this
course is owned by McDougal Littell. Digital resources are used with permission of
Gordon County Schools or their original creator.
To learn more about Copyright and Fair Use, click here.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Do the technology
requirements outline
technical specifications
for student computers?
Did you describe the
procedures to follow
when technical
problems occur?
Yes. Technology
requirements are
clearly stated and a
procedure for solving
technical issues is
present.
Did you provide a
copyright statement
and disclaimer that
identifies the owner of
the course?
Yes. Proper credit is
given when necessary
and a link to a
summary of copyright
issues is included.

10

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Students with
Disabilities

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Free and Appropriate
Public Educaiton Act (FAPE) call for fair access for students with disabilities to all public
forums, especially education. FAPE mandates that school districts provide access to
general education and specialized educational services. It also requires that children with
disabilities receive support free of charge as is provided to non-disabled students. It also
provides access to general education services for children with disabilities by
encouraging that support and related services be provided to children in their general
education settings as much as possible.
In this course, I will make every effort to accommodate all students. If a student is
currently served under an IEP, 504, or any other individualized education plan, please
contact Coach Keith so that proper accommodations can be made in advance.

Did you indicate your

willingness to provide
reasonable
accommodations to a
student with a
disability?
Yes. A statement is
included concerning
the accommodation of
students served under
IEPs, 504s, and other
educational plans.
Links have also been
included to key
legislation regarding
students with
disabilities.

*This document pairs with Designing a Syllabus for an Online Unit of Instruction (Peer Evaluation Checklist)
by Lokey-Vega (2014).
*Hyperlinks are direct links to resources used in the creation of this syllabus.
*Information used in this syllabus was also taken from a sample syllabus created by Dr. Lokey-Vega
(2014), for the ITEC 7480 course. This sample syllabus is linked here.

Lokey-Vega (2014)

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