•                                                                           
     
     Mr. Edgardo Vazquez
    8th Grade Social Studies Room 122
    2024 - 2025 School Year
    Email: edgavazquez@paps.net
     
    Myself 2024-2025 
     
     
    Greetings Parents/Guardians and Students,
     
    My name is Mr. E. Vazquez, and I am your 8th-grade Social Studies teacher at William C. McGinnis Middle School. During this year your child will learn new things in Social Studies that will create a foundation for future learning. Students will be taught and reminded to follow the class rules and expectations and must abide by the district expectations throughout the day here at McGinnis. The curriculum areas that we will focus on will be Civics and U.S. History. With the implementation of the NJ Student Learning Standards, Grade 8 students will express their ideas and opinions through various writings and further refine their literacy skills by learning new knowledge via informational texts and other print resources. Students will learn skills and techniques that assist them in becoming more organized and managing their time wisely. Students will learn the skills required to answer higher-level thinking questions and develop college-level writing skills. Students will become engaged in thought-provoking unit studies that focus on essential questions, and methodologies that promote higher-order thinking and strong consideration for the events of the past concerning our present-day world. Students will express their ideas and opinions through various writing assignments and further refine their literacy skills by learning new knowledge via informational texts and other print resources. Students will be actively engaged with technology through the use of Chromebooks, Google Classroom, gallery walks, video presentations, WebQuests, PBLs, and other software applications. 
     
     
                                    TOPICS COVERED BY MARKING PERIOD:
     
    1st Marking Period                         2nd Marking Period
    9/11/2001                                  Civics
    Constitution Day                            The Presidents: George Washington & Abraham Lincoln
    Civics                                        Black History
    Hispanic Heritage Month                        
               
    3rd Marking Period                          4th Marking Period
    The Rise of the Thirteen Colonies          The Bill of Rights
    The Causes of the American Revolution    History of Perth Amboy
    Women's History                            Equality and Social Justice
    Holocaust Education                            
             
    Throughout the year, if you need to get in contact with me, the best way is through email: edgavazquez@paps.net. Also, if you join REMIND, you can receive updates and important announcements from me to the students and parents. Each of the class codes to join is on the REMIND tab below this overview.
     
    Also, if you need to get in contact with your child's guidance counselor or Vice-Principal for their information:
     
    8th-grade Guidance Counselor: Dr. Ivana Martinez and her email address is ivanmartinez@paps.net
    She is located in the guidance office and her Phone is 732-376-6040 Ext 24-420
     
    8th-grade Vice-Principal: Mr. Francis Romano
    Email: fromano@paps.net Phone: 732-376-6040 Ext 24-404
     
    Attached is the district calendar: District Calendar
     
    Once again, welcome to my class. I am looking forward to a successful 2024-2025 school year!