COURSE DESCRIPTIONThe goal of this course is to introduce students to legal concepts and analytical skills by focusing on issues of law. In the process, students work with legal sources. Students will gain practice in addressing questions to which there is no clear answer, but which must be supported by strong evidence. Students will be expected to regularly engage in activities that require them to “think like a lawyer.” Students are responsible not only for expressing their answers to legal questions, but for explaining the reasoning behind their decisions. The intent of these activities is to develop written and oral expression skills in addition to analytical skills, as well as encourage students to become involved in government and society following graduation.

Grading Policy The grading scale is as follows:A+: 98% and up A: 93–97% A-: 90–92B+: 87–89% B: 83–86% B-: 80–82%C+: 77–79% C: 73–76% C-: 70–72%D+: 67-69% D: 63-66% D-: 62-60%F: Less than 60%

Grades are made up of the following criteria:Major Assessments/Tests: 35% Minor Assessments: 20%Classwork: 15% Homework: 5% Projects/Presentations: 25%

Assignments: Home learning:

It is extremely important that the homework is completed on time as it is assigned to prepare you for the next day. For this reason, I grade homework based on effort, not accuracy. A student who tries very hard, but got all the answers wrong will receive a higher grade than the student who wrote one word correct answers.

Notes:Students are expected to take notes and follow along during class. At the end of each unit, students will

be asked to submit their completed notes for a grade.

Major Assessments and minor assessments: There will be a variety of projects, tests, and quizzes. Due dates will be announced in advance. It is the

student’s responsibility to keep track of these dates.

Electronic Communication:The course syllabus, rubrics, and reminders will be available on Google Classroom. Edmodo will not be

utilized this year. Students are strongly encouraged to communicate with me during Office Hours or via email. Messages and questions left on Google Classroom posts will not be reviewed unless it is part of an assignment.

Students are expected to regularly check their email and respond to emails in an appropriate time frame. I will do my best to respond to students and parents within 24 hours. I will not respond to any messages sent

Ms. ZamoraCity of Hialeah Educational Academy

Email: azamora@coheaedu.comOffice Hours: Monday & Wednesday 1:45-2:45 PM

after 5:00 PM, on the weekends, or academic breaks. Students are encouraged to abide by the same policy. You are expected to join the Remind group. II. Policies and ProceduresPen Policy

Unless otherwise stated, all assignments should be completed electronically. Students are still expected to have a blue pen, black pen, or sharpened pencil available during class. Colored pens, markers, and highlighters are not acceptable on assignments that are submitted for a grade. Submitting an assignment not written in blue pen, black pen, or pencil will result in a grade deduction.

Fees: All Law Academy students are required to submit the academy fee by October 31, 2020.

Academic Honor CodeIn accordance with COHEA’s Academic Honor Code, cheating, plagiarism, and forging of signatures

will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying sections of work and using synonyms for a few words in a sentence. Students should take care not to share their work product with other students as all students involved in cheating will receive appropriate punishment. Students are required to properly cite information. If you are not sure, ask! Any work that is found to have cheated, plagiarized, or forged will receive a zero.

Student Expectations:

COHEA Leadership FoundationHONORWe will always

Tell the truth Do the right thing Be team players Take responsibility for our actions Be hard working Be proactive, not reactive

RESPECTWe will always

Respect the rights of others to learn Show respect for ourselves, our

school, and others Conduct ourselves in a courteous

and appropriate manner Be compassionate towards all

members of Bulldog Nation Be considerate of others’ opinions

LOYALTYWe will always

Care for others to build trust Help others reach their potential Steer clear of gossip Strive to be consistent and reliable Stay true to our words Be humble

Online Conduct & InteractionsPlease conduct personal business before class. It becomes very disruptive to learning and teaching when

students are regularly entering and leaving the learning space. During class, you are expected to be physically and mentally present and should do your best to avoid distractions. In the event you need to use the restroom, please message me to inform me before leaving the screen. If students are regularly leaving class, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. If you need to leave class for the rest of the period, your parent/guardian must contact the school before you leave class.

During virtual classes, you will be interacting with your peers. You are expected to be actively involved and communicating with one another using positive and respectful language. This applies to verbal, nonverbal, and written communication.

Students are not permitted to photograph or record any portion of any lesson.

Arrival & Dismissal:Upon entering the room, students are expected to log into the Google Classroom (unless prompted

otherwise), write down the day’s homework, and complete the Bellringer. Students should work quietly and independently until time is called.

I am the judge, jury, and bailiff. Please make sure that I have ended class before leaving the virtual classroom.

Makeup and Late Work Policy:Classwork will be due each Friday by 5 PM. If there is no school on Friday, it is due on Thursday.

Classwork submitted before 5 PM the following Monday will be accepted, but receive a late penalty. Classwork may not be submitted after that point. In the event of absence, it is the student’s responsibility to catch up on learning. Students should reach out to peers to receive notes and reach out to the instructor with specific questions. Students will have access to all assignments electronically, regardless of attendance or absence. Because students are provided multiple days to complete classwork and will be submitting these assignments electronically, this policy applies even if the student is absent on the day the weekly classwork is due. Some classwork assignments may need to be submitted the same day. Those assignments will be noted at the beginning of class. Students who are absent will have one class period to make up the assignment.

Late homework is not accepted. If a student is absent the day the homework is due, the student should be ready to submit it the following class. If a student is absent the day the homework is assigned, the assignment is still due on the assigned day since the student has access to the assignment electronically.

Five points will be deducted for every class period an assessment (essay, project, etc.) is late. Since students are provided multiple days to complete assessments and will be submitting these assignments electronically, this policy applies even if the student is absent on the day the assessment is due.

Initially, a Z will be entered if an assignment is not submitted on time. If the student submits the assignment late, then the student’s earned grade will be entered. If the student does not submit the assignment, the student will retain a Z for the assignment.

If there are circumstances that affect a student’s ability to complete classwork, homework, or assessments, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate the issue to the teacher via email. The teacher may, at her discretion, grant an extension.

Retake Policy:It is important to look for ways to continuously improve. Unless otherwise noted, students can resubmit

summative assignments (writing assignments and projects), but will not be eligible to receive an A or higher. Students will have the opportunity to submit corrections to content related assessments to receive a grade boost (subject to teacher discretion). Students can retake each assignment only once. Prior to the end of each grading quarter, the teacher will provide a final due date for resubmitted assignments. No resubmitted assignments will be accepted following that date, regardless of the circumstances.

ConsequencesIf you choose to take actions contrary to the expectations or directions, you will receive a consequence. I

can and will escalate consequences at my discretion. Consequences will generally follow in the order below.1. Verbal Reminder2. Verbal Warning3. Hero Warning4. Call/Email Home5. Referral

Materials: Genius Scan app connected to your school email address Pen, pencil, lined paper, highlighter Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, color pencils) Flashcards Folder or binder to organize the occasional printed assignment USB drive

positive attitude Recommended, but not required: Organizational Planner