Class & Teacher Information 
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| Teacher's Name: |
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Mr. Lazarewicz |
| Email: |
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adam.lazarewicz@tusd1.org |
| Course URL: |
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http://www.uhseport.net/published/A/La/ALazarewicz/collection/4/ |
| Course Description: |
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Building Cultural Bridges is a class intended to help students develop perspectives and viewpoints on global issues that they will face in the 21st century. By focusing on both historical and current events, students will explore the development of global societies, as well as cultural similarities and differences. This class will pursue an understanding of diversity and how it affects human behavior, with the goal of helping students better understand how elements of culture influence their school, work, families, and other aspects of their lives.
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| Textbook: |
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Building Cultural Bridges, Revised Edition. Robinson, Joby Stafford, et al. 1999. Solution Tree, Bloomington, IN.
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| Grading Procedure: |
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Your grade in this class will depend on your performance in 5 areas: exams, quizzes, projects, in-class/homework assignments, and class participation (see below). Each exam, quiz, etc. will be worth a specified number of points. At the end of each quarter, the number of points you earn will be divided by the total number of possible points to calculate your grade percentage. Letter grades will be determined according to the traditional scale below.
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| Grade Scale: |
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A: 90-100%
B: 80-89%
C: 70-79%
D: 60-69%
F: below 60
e.g. If you earn 285 out of 300 possible points, you will receive an A (285/300 = .95). If you earn 210 of the 300 points, you will receive a C (210/300 = .76).
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| Extra Credit: |
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***Extra credit may be given at the teacher’s discretion and will be offered to the entire class. Absolutely no individual extra credit will be assigned or accepted.***
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| Exams & Quizzes: |
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There will be an exam at the end of each quarter, and quizzes given every two weeks. The precise exam and quiz dates will be announced at least 3 days in advance, and will include material from the textbook and class discussions. Most exams and quizzes will cover both objective facts and also your own subjective opinions and perspectives on class issues.
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| Projects: |
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There will be a major project due at the end of every quarter. There will also likely be smaller projects assigned throughout the school year.
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| In-Class/Homework Assignments: |
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We will do a variety of in-class assignments this year, several of which will be graded. There will also be a few assignments that you will complete at home, including Article Friday assignments (see handout distributed in class and online).
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| Class Participation: |
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Student participation is critical to the success of this class. Being a good participant means not only engaging in course discussions, but also being an attentive and respectful member of the class. Students are expected to actively participate on a regular basis. I will be taking the class participation portion of the grade very seriously.
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Content Outline 
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| Course Outline: |
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Unit 1: Introduction
Unit 2: Color Me Human
Unit 3: Fear No Differences
Unit 4: Acquiring Cross-Cultural Communication Skills
Unit 5: Resolving Conflicts Across Cultures
Unit 6: Take A Stand
Unit 7: Take A Step
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| General Unit Topics: |
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Unit 1: Class introduction; basic terms and concepts; defining culture
Unit 2: Commonalities and differences; humanity and inhumanity
Unit 3: Prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination; role of media
Unit 4: Challenges of cross-cultural communication; nonverbal communication; communication aids and blockers
Unit 5: Methods of conflict resolution; reducing conflict in everyday life
Unit 6: Awareness and recognition of values; the importance of communities
Unit 7: Implementing class concepts; becoming involved
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Class Policies 
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| Attendance: |
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Students are expected to be present and on time for class. The TUSD and UHS 10 Absence policies will be enforced in this class. Specifically, any student with 10 or more unexcused absences must petition to myself and also to the RUHS administration in order to receive consideration for class credit.
In the event of excessive absences or excessive tardies, the student's participation grade will drop. Attending class and being on time are critical pieces of Class Participation.
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| Classroom Behavior: |
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Students are expected at all times to be respectful of each other, of me, and of people in general. This class will undoubtedly be discussing some sensitive social issues. These discussions can be enlightening and interesting, but only if they are conducted in a mature manner. Rude or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated in this class.
Any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will be awarded a zero for that exam, quiz, assignment, or project.
No electronic devices (cell phones, iPods, video games, etc.) are allowed in class, unless I specifically tell you otherwise. Any such devices being used during class will be confiscated until the end of the class period.
Please be respectful of your classmates by keeping conversations to a minimum. There will not be assigned seats to begin the year, but this policy will change if students abuse the privilege.
Sleeping in class is unacceptable. Any student who sleeps in class will be referred for disciplinary action and/or examination by the school nurse. Sleeping in class is also an excellent way to lower your Class Participation grade.
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| Missed Work: |
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Keep up with class. It is YOUR responsibility to be up-to-date with course material, whether you are here or not. Be sure to get notes from a classmate for any classes you miss.
If you anticipate missing a quiz or exam, please let me know in advance so we can schedule a make-up.
***You may not schedule a make-up on the day of an exam or quiz, you must do so in advance.***
If you miss any quizzes, exams, or other assignments due to an unexpected absence, you are to schedule a make-up on the first day you are back at school.
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| Extra Help: |
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This class covers a wide range of material. I am available throughout the school year to address any questions or concerns that you may have. Please do not ever hesitate to come talk to me before or after class. I'm here to help you!
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| Disclaimer: |
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This syllabus is subject to change!
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