Hello! My name is Steven Woodyard, and I am your child’s sixth or seventh grade social studies teacher. I am a 47-year old native Californian. (Please don’t hold it against me!) I graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1988, with a BA in Business/ Economics. At that point I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps and serve my country as an officer in the military. So, I applied for, and received, an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Officer’s Training School. Following a brutal summer in San Antonio, Texas, I was stationed at Shaw AFB in Sumter. After a challenging four-year tour of duty, which included 8 months in the Middle East during the first Gulf War, I decided to serve my country in another way. I decided to become a teacher.

I attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a master’s degree in education. I chose the field of education because I believe that the future of this great nation depends on our children being taught, from an early age, in an environment which nurtures their abilities to problem solve, to work with and respect both peers and authority figures, and in one which allows them the opportunity to develop self-esteem through successful educational encounters. I have been teaching for 15 years now, and have my National Board Certification in Middle School Social Studies. I also am certified in K-8 and gifted and talented education.

I am married to a beautiful Indianapolis Colts fan(she has rooted for them since they were in Baltimore) named Michelle. She also taught in Lexington 1, but is now staying home with our son Sam, age 4. Our other son, Scott, age 6, is heading into first grade immersion at PHES. I also have an 19 year old son named Steve, who is a sophomore at The Citadel. We are all big NFL fans, and we try to go to all of the Panthers' games. We also love being on the lake, and playing with our four dogs; Sherman(a boxer), Benji( a heinz 57), and Roley( a golden mix), and a rescue puppy named Dickie. We also have 2 cats and two goldfish…pretty much a good representation of the food chain!

I have high expectations for my students. Sixth grade social studies will focus on the South Carolina Social Studies Standards, but will add the components of technology, economic principles, research, and higher order thinking skills. They are expected to do their daily reading/assignments and come prepared to share. Student will be expected to follow current national and world events, in order to make connections to our curriculum. They will also need to come to class daily with their completed assignments, notebook paper, sharpened pencils, red and black pens, a highlighter, colored pencils or markers, glue sticks, and agendas. We do a lot with technology, so having a flashdrive will be very helpful. It will need to be scanned(30 seconds or so) each time it goes into our computers to prevent virus transfers…I suggest you do the same thing when they bring it home. Also, please have them bring a bottle of hand sanitizer if they wish. I have a class set of books, so once your child is assigned his/her book, your child does not need to bring his/her book to school.

THEY SHOULD KEEP THEIR BOOKS AT HOME! CD’s of the book are available for check out at the library, or your child may bring in a blank CD and we will burn them their own copy. The CD will read the book to your child. If your child is absent, he/she will have to make up any work that is missed within one week from his/her return, unless other arrangements have been made. The best way to contact me is by e-mail (swoodyard@lexington1.net), by calling the school office (821-2700) and leaving a message, or by calling my school number 821-2756. I will then get in touch with you as soon as possible.

This year we have IPADS!!! They are a great resource, but only if used properly. Students are expected to come to class every day with their ipads charged. iF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR IPADS, OR IF THEY ARE NOT FULLY CHARGED, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO COMPLETE AN ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT WHICH WILL BE LESS EXCITING. They are expected to only use it for school appropriate uses. There is a separate school-wide discipline policy regarding the ipads. While at school, THEY ARE ONLY TO HAVE IT OUT WHEN INSTRUCTED TO BY THE TEACHER.

The 6th grade social studies curriculum has been divided into four units of study based on the South Carolina Social Studies Standards for 6th grade. The text is World History: Journey Across Time; The Early Ages by Glencoe/McGraw Hill.

Time Topic: 1st 9 weeks Prehistory, Ancient Civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China

2nd 9 weeks: Greece and Rome

3rd 9 weeks: Medieval China, Japan, Africa and Europe

4th 9 weeks: Mesoamerica, Renaissance, Reformation and the Age of Exploration

SEVENTH Grade: will use an interactive notebook system with no texbook.

The timeline is as follows: 1st 9 Weeks 7.1: European Colonial Expansion to 1700 7.2: Absolute Monarchies and the Expansion of Constitutional Government

2nd 9 Weeks 7.3: Independence Movements from 1770-1900

3rd 9 Weeks 7.4: A World in Conflict: The Early 20th Century

4th 9 Weeks 7.5: Post World War II and the Cold War 7.6: Major Advancements of the 20th and 21st Centuries Grading Policy has changed!!!!

Grading Policy Formative (Quizzes/classwork) 40% Summative (Tests/Projects) 60% Total 100%

Please help your child from the beginning by encouraging him/her to get organized. If this is not a strong point for your child, help him/her by checking their notebook periodically and encouraging him/her to write all assignments in the agenda. Work with him/her to keep up with reading, study guides and homework on a daily basis. Being prepared each day for class will give us time to do the more challenging activities because the student will be familiar with the material.

I have a study group on Thursday mornings for students that need extra help (please check my lexconnect site for details). This session will be more helpful if I know in advance that your child will be attending and/or what they need help with. This way I can better prepare for his/her individual needs. If a student needs help but cannot attend on the scheduled morning, he/she may make arrangements with me for another time.

I believe that parents are the most important influence in a child’s life, and that we need to work together for the benefit of your child. I need you to support my academic, homework, and discipline efforts. In return, I will keep you informed about all aspects of your child’s experiences at school. With both home and school working together, I know each and every student will have his or her most successful school year yet. If you have any questions, please let me know. In closing, I want you to know that I will teach and treat your child with the same respect, devotion, high expectations, and patience that I do with my own children. I look forward to a fun and productive year!

Sincerely,

Steve Woodyard