11 th grade united states history: america past and present rm. 148 Course description

This AP United States History course meets five times per week for 57 minutes each day, and relies primarily on the developmental lesson, group work and projects, daily homework, quizzes, and multiple-choice and essay exams in an effort to help you grow analytically and critically as you more about United States History. In addition to this basic framework, a variety of activities—centered on the use of and analysis of documents and other primary sources—will be utilized as well. In the first term, we will utilize small-group activities built around document based sources and free responses essay questions—each group will be given the same set of documents and the same task to perform with them, including the writing of document based and free response essays at home and in class. In the second term, more individual analysis of documents will be clustered around a theme and individual written analysis of documents. These activities are critical as we train ourselves to handle the free-response and DBQ sections of the AP Exam in May and they will provide the focus for the writing component of the course. Students will be required, early in the year, to do three take-home document-based questions (DBQs) and later to write three in-class DBQs—usually after preparing for any of three assigned topics for each essay. We will pay much attention to this process. Entire periods will be devoted to the return of graded essays, discussions of the most common positive and negative aspects of each set, and the distribution of examples of well-done essays, etc.

In this course we will be studying the major turning points in American history starting with the 17^th century all the way through the 21^st century. We will start our study with the discovery of the New World and the impact of European colonization on the indigenous peoples of America. We will then examine and analyze the nation’s beginnings and the impact of the Enlightenment on U.S. democratic ideals from colonial times through the formative years of the nation. Continuing forward, we will look at the economic rise of the United States as related to the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution and its emergence as a world power through both conquest and self-preservation of democratic ideals against the rise of threats in Europe during the WWI and WWII during the early and middle portions of the 20^th century. In addition, we will also study the cultural, economic, and political upheavals the United States dealt with between the time periods known as the Great Depression Era and post WWII era known as the Cold War. Next, we will trace the change in the ethnic composition of American society; the movement toward equal rights for racial minorities and women; and the role of the United States as a major world power. We will also place emphasis on the expanding role of the federal government and federal courts as well as the continuing tension between the individual and the state. We will then analyze the impact of global industrialization to understand the emergence and impact of new technology and a corporate economy, including the social and cultural effects. Last but not least, we will consider the major social problems of our time and trace their causes in historical events, while learning that the United States has served as a model for other nations and that the rights and freedoms we enjoy are not accidents, but the results of a defined set of political principles that are not always basic to citizens of other countries. Students will understand that our rights under the U.S. Constitution comprise a precious inheritance that depends on an educated citizenry for their preservation and protection. Using the course textbook, America: Past and Present,(7th Edition) in conjunction with internet resources, kinesthetic activities, group projects, class discussions, simulations, primary and secondary sources (document based analysis), historical maps, info-graphics, artwork, artifacts, curriculum related movies, and independent practice students will further develop their abilities to think critically and analytically about history.
MATERIALS REQUIRED:

The course’s main textbook is America: Past and Present (Revised 7^th Edition-2005) Divine et al.

In addition, we will also be using:

-Access to The MyHistoryLab website via Pearson Education. You must get the access code from me and create your own student account as I use this website to assign a variety of assignments. Please sign up using the following link: http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/northamerica/myhistorylab/

Secondary Sources:

-All Required readings under the primary text in the syllabus are ancillaries that come with the Divine et al. text. You will get those from me weekly as a handout. Each handout has 5 questions that differ in difficulty and need to be addressed fully in writing.

-Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History of the United States (New York: Harper Perennial, 2005)

-Robert Vine/John Faragher, The American West(Yale University, 2000)

-Stanford History Education Group: Reading Like a Historian- http://sheg.stanford.edu
(It is mandatory that you bring the course textbook, writing utensils (pens only) and other necessary materials every day. Failure to do so may lead me to bar you from entering the classroom, especially if it is persistent or a chronic problem. In addition, it is very necessary that you have a notebook specifically for history so that you stay organized. This binder should be a 2-pocket, 3-ring binder, with tabs or inserts for 1) returned class work, 2) returned homework, 3) returned tests, and 4) miscellaneous work (i.e., returned “warm ups” questions/answers, writing assignments). All work should be kept in an orderly fashion. Should there be a discrepancy with your grade, I will ask you to produce the necessary “missing or graded” work.
GOALS

In addition to the content standards, which we will encounter throughout our yearly study, students are expected to develop their capacity to think critically and analytically. Specifically, students are to meet five historical thinking standards. These standards are:

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  The ability to think chronologically and spatially
  
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  The ability to examine evidence for bias and to test the reliability of sources
  
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  The ability to examine events from multiple points of view and to consider a diversity of perspectives
  
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  The ability to understand different historical interpretations of a time period and to construct their own
  
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  The ability to determine historical and geographical significance.
  

These themes are woven throughout unit discussions, with assessments (quizzes, essays, and exams) being structured around them: We will visit them frequently as we move through the course. These themes are critical because they will help you understand the interwoven aspects of American History.

All grades are based upon the accumulation of points from class assignments, homework, tests/quizzes, and projects. All assignments are assigned a point value depending upon their size, purpose, and difficulty. For example, the MYHISTORYLAB assignments:

1) The first activity I require you to do is to read the text before we come to class and answer the LEARNING OBJECTIVES in great detail (the inclusion of specific information in these answers is critical and mandatory for full credit). These are worth 80 pts and are due every Monday. . These are due every Monday morning before class ends…if turned in after class is over or the next day, you will receive a 60/80 at most. If turned in after Tuesday, you will receive a 40/80. This score can only be made up with EXTRA CREDIT…..Extra credit will not be collected and graded unless all missing work is turned in. You must hand write these objectives down as they are my way of verifying that you are indeed doing a thorough reading of the chapter. These are located after the Chapter Summary in the Study Guide on the website mentioned below.

2) You will then be required to complete the STUDY PLAN assignments, which includes a Pre test which assesses your prior knowledge and then asks you to complete a series of readings related to areas where shortcomings were identified on the Pre-test. The Study Plan Assignments must be completed by Wednesday of each week. The POST TEST you receive after completing these activities will be entered into my gradebook and is worth 100 pts.

3) You will also be assigned a series of MEDIA ASSIGNMENTS which include a plethora of primary source documents (maps, readings, illustrations, pictures, etc.) where you have to read and answer a series of questions related that assess your understanding of the historical issues and concepts presented in or related to the readings. These average "quiz" comprehension scores associated with chapter of MEDIA ASSIGNMENTS will be added to my gradebook for 100 pts for each chapter. Occasionally, there is a writing assessment attached to these assignments as well. (every 3-4 chapters). These are due by Friday and also are worth 100 pts.

4) The last assignment you are required to do from the MYHISTORYLAB site involves the completion the Chapter Exam that comes with each chapter. This must be completed by Friday of each week before you come to class. These are worth 100 pts each.

The first component of homework will consist of mastering the LEARNING OBJECTIVES associated with each chapter and this will be graded on a scale of 1-4 and will be worth a total of 80 points. If you expect full credit, all answers should be very detailed in nature3) “Warm Ups/Daily Quizzes” will be collected weekly and should all be placed the same sheet of paper or stapled together. (5 pts a day= 25 pts a week). The questions or the prompt should be completely copied and all answers should be correct. One wrong answer equals loss of half of the day's points. In addition, the warm up form should be completely filled out as far as name/dates from the week. A point will be deducted from student work for each omission.

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  Notes should be taken during class lectures/power-points and discussions. Although I will not collect these, at times I may be generous and allow you to use as a crib sheet on a chapter or unit writing test. Generally all class work and homework will be reviewed with the class before turning in, therefore, I expect you as a student to self-correct your work. Any uncorrected errors will lead to point deductions and possibly a lower grade or incomplete credit.
  
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  Group work is graded by both participants and the teacher/facilitator; therefore a lack of participation can negatively affect your grade.
  
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  Class work/homework that involves art will be assessed using a 25-40 point rubric depending upon the difficulty and nature of the assignment.
  
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  The reading ancillaries which are required weekly readings which come with 5 questions each week will be worth 25 to 50 pts depending upon difficulty of the questions associated with each.
  

You can expect to receive at least 1 hour of homework from this class Monday through Friday (pace yourself!). Homework will be assigned over the weekend as needed, so it can be expected. The homework is designed to reinforce the concepts that we are working on in class. As stated earlier, each chapter will be accompanied by a series of tasks that include: Mastering Learning Objectives through detailed answers, and completing a series of matching, fill in the blank, and true or false questions related to the material.. In addition, you may be given other documents to read and analyze as we proceed. If you do not complete homework on a consistent basis, you can expect no more than a “C” in this class. More than likely, you will receive an “F” or a “D.” and will not receive course credit. In addition you will also be given essay questions from previously released tests to practice upon as homework for the week. These questions will show up in some form or manner on the above mentioned unit tests.

Late work is not encouraged, but it is accepted for NO/HALF credit (essentially an F grade). If you find yourself in this position, you will need to make up the lost credit by completing extra credit (you can do two at the most). However, I will not allow you to complete extra credit if your are missing any homework assignments and a discussion has not taken place as to why it is late. If you turn in a project (i.e., essay) late the grade will be marked down automatically one whole letter grade for each day it is late.

90-100% of total points equals = A

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60-69% = D Reminder in an AP course a grade of D is just as good as an F.

< 59% = F

I strongly encourage you to access and use your ABI student accounts to check your progress in my course.

1) You may complete a concept cube (see me to discuss what this is) for a potential 100 pts one per marking period; 2) or take the President's Quiz by the end of the first semester (100 points if done by the end of the first 12 weeks of school, 50 points thereafter. 3) Lastly you can complete a current event that is related to the any of the course matter that we have studied or are currently studying. Each current event must include a copy of the article, a summary of the article, and a detailed explanation of how the topic of the article is related and how it is different (time/context for example) Each of these is worth 50 pts each as well.4) You may also see me for additional readings and skill builders if available. 5) Most of the optional/suggested reading in the Zinn text is extra credit. To earn this extra credit, please ask me for the questiosn sets that accompany each chapter. Extra credit will only be earn if answers or sufficient and correct so do a good job as there is no in between. Again, I will only count it if ALL other coursework is in late or no credit assignments included

Daily attendance is critical for success. It allows you to understand assignments and take advantage of the guidance and immediate feedback from the facilitator and your classmates. If you need to leave class early, please make arrangements with me beforehand if possible. If you are absent you are REQUIRED to get a pink slip. If you have 6 or more unexcused absences, I reserve the right to give you an automatic “F” for a grade (as this is a district policy). If anything find a reason to come to class, not a reason not to come to class. If you miss a day of class...bring a pink slip as I am not obligated to give you classwork that you miss during an "unexcused absence."

in the marking period or course depending upon the scale and the scope of the assignment.

If I see copied or plagiarized homework, all parties involved will receive no credit. If you work together, put your work in your own words! Please do not plagiarize work…it has happened in the past and I have lost faith in the particular student and felt little remorse when those students did not pass the AP exam. Just as well, when they get a score of 1 on the exam, I laugh!
WRITING HELP:

Due to the fact that there is so much to cover in a small amount of time, we will not be able to go fully through the writing process (rough drafts, second drafts, etc.) . If you need help with your writing or are unsatisfied with a score you received on a weekly writing assignment, it is incumbent upon you to seek me or others out for help afterschool as well. When you complete your weekly essays, I will just assess them according to the AP Writing rubric. Very rarely will I write comments as the workload would be overwhelming for me. However, I am always willing to DISCUSS with you why I gave the grade that I did, and then I will give you the opportunity to remediate that grade and I will raise the grade accordingly. When we do complete the UNIT WRITING TESTS (which you are only given a specific amount of class time to write in preparation for the AP exam) , I will write out detailed explanations and annotate where things could be better in an effort to help you. You need to take this part of the course very seriously. Students who have passed the AP course in the past have demonstrated a sincere dedication to answering the questions seriously and it has translated to the tests.

Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History of the United States, chapters 1, 2, 3.

1) Evaluate the text using comprehension questions and other higher level thinking tasks.
2) Essay: Evaluating Christopher Columbus: An Introductory essay to a second grade class (at least 3 pages).
Special Activity:

The first 10 classes of the school year will be used to debrief and complete assignments related to the period and will include quizzes and exams related to the course textbook, Zinn readings, primary sources analysis, , the collection and display of the newspapers. Students are introduced in these lessons to the concepts of categorizing documents, recognizing bias in documents, and gleaning historical evidence from documents. An essay interpreting the documents in context concludes the unit.

The Bering Straits, Eastern Woodland Tribal Groups, Ferdinand and Isabella, Amerigo Vespucci, Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Bartolome de Las Casas, Samuel de Champlain, Sir Walter Raleigh, the Agricultural Revolution

Theme 2 (WXT-1) — Students make a museum map tracing the impact of the Columbian Exchange with reference to specific commodities, then provide a curator’s comment explaining the importance of the commodities to both Old World and New.

-Students will write three short vignettes, based on evidence from Chapter One, that describe the role in colonization by women, religious ideals, “Old World” wealth, loyalty or technology.

-Summer Reading Discussions/Group presentations: Zinn Chapters 1-4.

• View the Map: The Colonies to 1740

• Read the Document: John Smith, “The Starving Time”

• Read the Document: John Winthrop, “A Model of Christian Charity”

• Complete the Assignment: The Children Who Refused to Come Home: Captivity and Conversion

• Read the Document: William Penn, “Model for Government”

• Read the Document: Letter by William Penn to the Committee of the Free Society of Traders

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  Read the Document: Bacon’s Rebellion: The Declaration (1676)
  

Joint-Stock Company, Jamestown, William Penn, Sir Thomas Gates and Sir Thomas Dale, “Starving Time”, “Plundering Time”, William Bradford, Robert Browne, John Winthrop, Thomas Hooker, Antinomianism,

Theme 2 (WXT-4) — Working in groups, students develop a class presentation that analyzes reasons for the development of different labor systems in any two of the following regions of British colonial settlement: New England, the Chesapeake, the southernmost Atlantic coast, and the British West Indies.

- Students will write a letter or diary entry describing the daily life of a typical inhabitant on a typical day in three of the five settlements in seventeenth-century America.

-Students will analyze shipboard lists (found in Donald M. Scott and Bernard Wishy, eds., America’s Families: A Documentary History) of passengers headed for Massachusetts Bay and the Chesapeake. Students will analyze these lists, discuss. and write upon the different demographic characteristics of the different groups of settlers and speculate on social results.

- Students will complete and analyze information in: Map Exercises (mapping. reading, and interpreting )- England's North American Colonies in 1700

-Students will analyzing information in: Tables and Figures: England's Principal Mainland Colonies