Syllabus for World History Advanced Placement

Transcription

1 Mr. Harris, Room th period conference Syllabus for World History Advanced Placement Welcome to World History Advanced Placement, or as we affectionately call it, WHAP. There are three major objectives in WHAP: (1) prepare for the AP World History exam administered in May for college credit, (2) cultivate a basic historical understanding of the world from the dawn of human history until yesterday, and (3) practice the skills necessary for high achievement in your future college-level social studies endeavors. In order to reach these objectives it will be necessary to maintain a rigid schedule so that we can accommodate the large amount of information required. As this is a college-level course, you will be held responsible for completing all assignments with minimum supervision. We will test multiple times each month and quiz weekly. You should reasonably anticipate a minimum of five to seven hours of homework per week. It is vital that you are well prepared for weekly reading quizzes as well as active participation in class discussion. Preparedness will aid you in studying for multiple choice tests, essays tests, and ultimately the AP exam in May. This is an AP course and we must meet the strict guidelines of the College Board. If you find this class too difficult for you to personally navigate, you need to make an early request for movement to another course by the sixth week of the first nine-week grading period. That being said, please come talk to me first if you become discouraged. Most students find that if they can make it through the first few weeks, they re able to finish homework and studying in a shorter amount of time as they become accustomed to the course. Because the course has a high degree of difficulty, the benefits of perseverance are high. At the end of a long year, most students refer to this as their most challenging course and also one of their favorites. I hope when all is done, you feel the same. I applaud you for enrolling in WHAP. We will work together to master the skills needed to pass the AP exam (specifically essays, essays, and more essays) as well as the skills needed at the university level. I would strongly advise that you become acquainted with the College Board s World History page, your textbook s website, and sign up for a free World History account at GetAFive.com (they have videos over all the topics we cover, which are especially useful for review). Please have your parents/guardians review this letter and syllabus with you and sign in the designated space. Signatures must be returned during our next class. Sincerely, Michael Harris World History AP Model United Nations Adviser mharris2@ccisd.net

2 General Information: 1. Attendance: The nature and format of this course makes it imperative that you are in class every day. Some of the learning in your absences is virtually impossible to make up, but you can minimize the problem by acquiring notes from classmates. 2. Class Rules: a. Be Prompt- be in your seat ready to learn when the bell rings. b. Be Prepared- always bring your materials (notebook, writing utensils, highlighters, paper, Stearns book) to class. Homework must be completed neatly before class and given full credit only at the start of class. c. Be Respectful- of instruction and others opinions and space. d. Be Productive- use your time wisely to gain as much knowledge as possible 3. Materials: *Spiral notebook for homework and note-taking (get the biggest one you can find and keep it exclusively for history use; I promise you ll use the whole thing) *Tablet of 8 ½ by 11 YELLOW paper for unit essay tests BRING ON FRIDAY to turn in (I hand these back to you on essay test days) *No. 2 pencils *Black/blue pens *Package of highlighters *Optional: *Sticky-notes. Students often find these useful as they read because you can t write directly in your textbook. *Tabs. If you tab your spiral notebook throughout the year, it will be easier to use as a study resource later in the year. *Notecards with a ring. We ll make 20 notecards per chapter, so by the end of the year you ll have over 600 notecards to study for the AP exam. *Box of facial tissue, if you d like to donate to the class (because we all get sick some time). 4. National Exam: The Advanced Placement national exam is administered in May. It takes approximately three hours and five minutes and consists of 70 multiple choice questions and three specific types of essays. Students receive a score of one to five. Most colleges require a minimum score of three to grant credit for the two-semester survey of history. I urge you to contact individual schools or see your counselor for specific requirements. 5. Academic Dishonesty. All students, parents and/or guardians will read the CCISD Student Handbook regarding student conduct and academic dishonesty. Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines for academic honesty at all times in this course. A student who commits academic dishonesty will be given a zero for the assignment as well as a discipline referral, and the student will be removed from the course. Examples of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to: (1) communication (either verbal or nonverbal) during a test, (2) possession of a cell phone during a test, (3) plagiarism (turning in someone else s work and claiming it as your own), (4) possession or use of coursework from a previous WHAP student, current WHAP student, or other WHAP student outside of CBHS, or (5) any attempt to give or receive advance notice of specific quiz or test questions. There is a fine line between cheating and helping. I encourage students to work together outside of class. However, students must turn in assignments which are academically distinguishable from each other.

3 Course Text and other Reading: Main Text: Stearns, Peter, Michael Adas, Marc J. Gilbert, and Stuart B. Schwartz, eds. World Civilizations: The Global Experience: Advanced Placement Edition. 7th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, Suggested Text (you can order a used copy online for as little as $8 and it s a great supplement to the textbook; I d select one of the following): McCannon, John. Barron's AP World History. 5 th ed. New York: Barron s Educational Series, Harmon, Jay. AP World History Crash Course. Research & Education Association, Assignments: 1. Survey Text: You are responsible for studying the survey text by Stearns and completing a reading guide. Specific instructions will be given in class. While some of the text will be discussed in much detail, much of it will be covered through independent learning. The majority of the multiple choice questions on chapter and unit tests will come directly from the text assignment. Chapter reading quizzes consisting of 8-12 multiple-choice questions based on the text will be given to encourage students to stay abreast of reading assignments. 2. Notes: Good notes are an asset in any class and particularly in an AP class. While the textbook is extremely helpful, additional information and clarification will be provided during class discussion. Students must have their spiral notebooks ready for note-taking purposes on these days. Evaluation: 1. Major Grades: Major grades primarily consist of multiple choice tests and essay tests. As stated above, the majority of the testable material will be directly from the text. Major grades comprise 60% of your overall average. 2. Daily Grades: Daily grades consist primarily of reading guides and quizzes. Daily grades comprise 35% of your overall average. 3. Reading/Writing: As stated in CCISD policy, 5% of the overall average will be a reading/writing grade. 4. Extra Credit: Extra credit will be given by discretion of the teacher no more than once per semester. State of Texas course objectives: For all state-approved courses, the State of Texas has developed the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which define the guidelines under which Clear Creek ISD must develop the objectives for the course. These TEKS are cross-referenced to the CCISD curriculum objectives. In addition, CCISD objectives are also cross-referenced to the State Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) objectives. The complete TEKS document may be found on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website at and is accessible by teachers, parents, and students. The CCISD curriculum for ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies may be found on the District website at

4 AP World History Themes: The AP World History course is organized around five overarching themes that serve as unifying threads throughout the course, helping students to relate what is particular about each time period or society to a big picture of history. Social Development & transformation of social structures (Gender roles & relations; family & kinship; racial & ethnic constructions; social & economic classes; marriage systems; slavery; entertainment & lifestyles) Political State-building, expansion, & conflict (Political structures & forms of governance; empires; nations & nationalism; revolts & revolutions; regional, trans-regional, and global structures & organizations; leaders/groups; state structures [rulers, congress/parliament, etc.]; war; courts & law; diplomacy/treaties; military alliances; schools of thought (legalism, communism, democracy, etc.) Interaction between humans & environment (Demography & disease; migration; patterns of settlement; technology [agriculture, math, science, medicine, military, tools, transportation, architecture] Cultural Development & interaction of cultures (Religions [holy books, beliefs/teachings, sin/salvation, deities, conversion methods]; belief systems, philosophies & ideologies; arts & architecture (philosophy, education, architecture, art, music); language Economic Creation, expansion & interaction of economic systems (Trade systems; money/capital; agricultural & pastoral production; trade & commerce; labor systems; industrialization; capitalism & socialism; influence; commodities [what they traded in, such as salt, gold, copper, etc.] Units of Study: Unit I: Foundations (pre-600 BCE) & the Classical Era (approx. 600 BCE 600 CE) Textbook Chapters 1-5 Key Concepts & Topics: Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth; Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies; Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies; Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions; Development of States and Empires; Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange (Silk Road, Indian Ocean, etc.) Unit II (Postclassical Era): Regional & Transregional Interactions Textbook Chapters 6-15 Key Concepts & Topics: Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks; Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions; Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences Unit III (Early Modern Era): Global Interactions & European Empire-building Textbook Chapters Key Concepts & Topics: Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange; New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production; State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion Unit IV (Industrialized Era): Industrialization and Global Integration Textbook Chapters Key Concepts & Topics: Industrialization and Global Capitalism; Imperialism and Nation-State Formation; Nationalism, Revolution and Reform; Global Migration: Demographic Changes and the End of the Atlantic Slave Trade Unit V (20 th Century): Accelerating Global Change and Realignments Textbook Chapters Key Concepts & Topics: Science and the Environment; Global Conflicts: Their Causes & Consequences (WWI and WWII, Fascism v. Communism, Genocide, Cold War); New Conceptualizations of Global Economy and Culture

5 PLEASE SEPARATE THIS PAGE AND RETURN After reviewing the syllabus, I understand that my student is to follow the AP guidelines for work performed as regulated by the College Board. I also understand that this is a college-level class, and that my student must consistently perform at the college level in order to do well in the course. Student s active participation, attendance, study habits, and a willingness to learn all contribute to a student s growth and success in an AP course. I have read and understand the expectations of CCISD and my student s teacher, including expectations regarding academic honesty. Parent/Guardian Signature: Parent/Guardian Signature: Student Name: Student Signature: and/or Phone Number: Date: