AMERICAN HISTORY SYLLABUS
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to provide the student with the fundamental knowledge, writing skills and analytical processes to effectively understand American History. This course spans approximately a hundred years from the settlement of the British colonies in America to post American Civil War. The reading, writing and discussions are designed to challenge students. Readings include, but are not limited to the text, alternate historical interpretations, primary documents and materials, and historical novels. The student will develop skills necessary for writing essays and answering comprehensive questions. The course challenges students to seek cause and effect relationships, examine connections between American History and the present world and to analyze primary and secondary historical sources. This course requires extensive work outside of class and project based assessments. In addition to homework, reading program and projects, students are required to take four comprehensive assessments throughout the academic year and must score an overall 75% on the final assessment as well as complete his or her “Extra Extra” project portfolio in order to earn credit for the course.
Prerequisites:
· 6th Geography Course
· 7th Grade World History Course
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS:
“No student has the right to interfere with another student’s education or disrupt the learning environment”
Classroom Expectations
1. Be Respectful (show consideration for peer/teacher opinions & boundaries; adhere to school policies
2. Be Prepared (come to class with positive attitude, textbook, notebook, writing utensil, and assignments)
3. Be Prompt (enter room on time and be seated ready to learn before the bell rings; attend class)
4. Be Appropriate (no profanity, verbal or physical abuse; or other disruptive behaviors)
You are expected to enter the school at the beginning of the day with a strong and positive attitude. Your focus should be on participating in the learning process and gaining knowledge. You are here to prepare for higher institutions of learning and to become a productive citizen in society. Carpe Diem = SEIZE THE DAY.
* Mediocrity and disruptive behaviors will be confronted and you will be redirected and held accountable for your actions. No excuses!
(Class Dojo will record your daily involvement and overall classroom behaviors)
Learning Expectations
I teach my classes using a variety of learning strategies and techniques. I also assess your knowledge and progress in the same fashion. Throughout the year you will be required to take formal tests, participate in classroom discussions and activities, complete individual and group projects; maintain a formal notebook; complete rigorous amounts of homework, writing stems and reading assignments. Each assignment is designed to enable you to master the coursework and to prepare you for future educational endeavors.
v Deadline dates are set in concrete. I do not accept excuses for your failure to meet deadlines. However, with that said, I am strict yet fair. I understand extreme circumstances do occur, but they are not habitual. Failing to plan is planning to fail.
v Writing standards are strict and enforced. As a student you should be writing responses to homework questions, blogs, stem writings, terminology assessments, projects and/or any other assignments in complete logical sentences. A paragraph consists of 5-6 sentences and an essay requires at least 3-4 paragraphs to be considered acceptable by the instructor. There will be times that you as a student will be required to redo an assignment in order to make the grade.
v In order to meet basic work expectations, you as a student must provide complete assignments. Merely turning in work does not constitute completion. Work must be of the highest standard. Plagiarism and/or copying of peers’ work are not acceptable and will result in failure for the assignment.
PARTICIPATION:
Our learning environment and class assignments are structured to have you be an active and engaged participant. Every student has a different area of expertise. Some are very talented at reading, but others may be better artists or athletes or scientists or mathematicians. However, it’s true in ALL subjects that students who devote all of their class time to learning ALWAYS make gains. That’s why I count participation and effort as part of the social studies grade: by practicing the behaviors and habits of a successful learner, students become successful, and that’s what school is all about. At the appropriate time in classroom discussions, don't be afraid to voice your opinion, even if you differ from your professor or classmates. (Class Dojo and Pick Sticks will record your involvement)
HOMEWORK:
I assign reading and homework assignments almost every night. This is done in order to reinforce what you have learned in class. Sometimes the assignments are lengthy in nature and other times they require little time to complete. Regardless of the type of homework that is assigned; homework is a vital part of your grade. In fact, you could probably pass this course with low-test grades, but you would not be able to pass with large amounts of incomplete or missing homework. I will tutor or assist you if you have difficulty.
* Assignment points depend on the difficulty of the assignment.
TEST:
At the end of the 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, 3rd quarter and at the end of the course year you will be required to take a course based assessment. I will provide a detailed study guide and short bi-weekly quizzes in order for you to complete as the school year progresses and I also provide additional days to prepare you for the test. The study guide assignment is not worth any academic points. It is meant to prepare you for the exam. So I will not be collecting it. However, if you complete this guide you will earn bonus points. As the academic year progresses, your overall score should show growth each time the test is administered.
Each test will be formatted as follows:
50 Multiple Choice (2 points each)
6 Essay Question (10 points each)
+______
Total = 56 Questions ( TOTAL = 160 points)
If you fail to score 75% on the final, you will be able to research the incorrect multiple choice questions and provide a the correct answer accompanied with a detailed rationale (proof/evidence)
PROJECTS:
Throughout the school year I will assign learning projects for you to complete that correlate with the lessons taught and material learned in class. These projects will require you to either work individually or within a group to complete a task that demonstrates your comprehension of the material. Usually, I assign a project every nine weeks. A rubric will be provided to guide you towards completing the assignment and earning the total maximum points available. (E.g. election campaign; letters home from war; collages, scavenger hunts; research; etc.) Creativity and originality is a must and really sets the successful student apart from the mediocre student.
* Assignment points range from 50-500 points depending on the difficulty of the assignment.
* 3-4 projects per school year
NOTEBOOK:
I require that you maintain a formal and organized notebook that is dedicated to my class specifically. Each day you will complete your focus activity, copy and translate the daily/weekly quote and copy the notes provided to you by the teacher. Your notebook will be your greatest ally in completing your homework and preparing for the test. I will grade your notebook every test day. You must maintain your notebook all year in order to utilize for the final (this includes your comprehensive study guide).
* Notebook will be worth 25 points each time graded – incomplete or missing notes will reduce points
READINGS:
I require that you read selected literature works. I have an outlined list of books that have been chosen in order to enhance your understanding of a particular time. You are required to read two books by the end of the course. You will be given an assignment menu so that you choose the type of assessment for each reading. There are no substitutions to the list. Failure to complete the two required readings and correlating assignments will directly affect your overall course grade
REQUIRED CLASSROOM MATERIALS:
USB flash drive
Supplemental Reading Materials
Reading Journal Notebook (1 subject spiral notebook)
Notebook (300–500 page spiral notebook)
Writing Utensils
TEXTBOOK:
The American Journey: Early Years (Glencoe 2012)
REQUIRED READING TEXT:
· “Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson
· “Across Five Aprils” by Irene Hunt
· “Black Hands White Sails” by Patricia and Frederick McKissack
· “Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” by Charles Sellier
· “Truth Stanger Than Fiction: Father Henson’s Story of His Own Life” by Josiah Henson
INTERNET WEBSITES:
Ø http://woodsutopia.wikispaces.com/
Ø www.thewoodssymposium.wordpress.com
Course Content
Unit 1: The Americas: Worlds Meet (Beginnings to 1770)
· The First Americans
· Exploring the Americas
· Colonial America
· Growth of the Thirteen Colonies
Unit 2: Creating a Nation (1763-1790)
· The Spirit of Independence
· The American Revolution
· A More Perfect Union
Unit 3: Launching a Republic (1789-1825)
· The Federalist Era
· The Jefferson Era
· Growth and Expansion
Unit 4: Nationalism and Sectionalism (1820-1860)
· The Jackson Era
· Manifest Destiny
· North and South
· The Age of Reform
Unit 5: Civil War and Reconstruction (1840-1896)
· Toward Civil War
· The Civil War
· Reconstruction and the New South
American History
Required Reading Syllabus
Content:
In this course you are required to read two books. Each book has been selected to enhance the material learned in class because each reflectsthe social, political and economic beliefs of a particular time period. You will be assigned to a reading pod consisting of at least four other readers. This is designed to assist you in your reading comprehension and assignments. Upon completion of a book, you will be required to complete three tasks (reading comprehension test, writing prompt and project). Completion of all three tasks is mandatory in order to gain credit for the reading. Failure to complete both books will guarantee automatic reduction of your overall grade in the course regardless of performance in other facets of the course. The instructor will guide throughout the course on a timed schedule in order to maintain your focus.
Comprehension Test: This is an online test consisting of 25 multiple choices that range in difficulty. In order to gain credit for the reading, the reader mustscore aminimum score of 75%
Writing Prompt:This is an essay based question. The reader will be required to answer the question using in depth complete sentences that formalize asequential and logical essay. The reader will need to continuously rewrite paper until itmeets the standards of the instructor in order to gaincredit for the assignment
Reading Projects: The reader will be able to select from a project menu. This menu consists of six possible projects that the reader can select from. As the course progresses, the student will be forced to select from the menu as the reader completes a book. By the end of the course the reader will have selected at least three projects
Required Readings:
(1) “Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson
(2) “Across Five Aprils” by Irene Hunt
(3) “Black Hands White Sails” by Patricia and Frederick McKissack
(4) “Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” by Charles Sellier
(5) “Truth Stanger Than Fiction: Father Henson’s Story of His Own Life” by Josiah Henson
American History
Required Reading Project Menu
Directions: You may select whichever of theassignments from the project menu to complete the grading requirement for each book. You may not select the same project twice; each book needs a separate project. By the end of the course you will have completed at least three of the projects on the menu. There is no rhyme or reason on how to pick an assignment, it is carte blanc
2. / Original Song, Rap or Poem
3. / Series of Journal Entries
4. / Word Search and Crossword Puzzle
5. / Advertising Campaign
6. / What If...
Scrapbook:seek authentic historical photographs and label all pictures in your album sharing “personal anecdotes,” include journal entries and letters. Minimum 15 pages front and back (use cardboard paper stock instead of common paper to display your pictures and memorabilia)
Original Song, Rap or Poem: describe the events of the novel. Be specific and historically accurate. The language used must be appropriate, clear and legible to all readers. (the work must span the entire war and focus upon key events, people or concepts)
Series of Journal Entries: Imagine what life would be like and create a series of entries in the life of a person present at an historical event or that a book character might have kept during a specific period. Includedeep feelings, thoughts, interactions withothers and respond to events.
Word Search and Crossword Puzzle: Use related vocabulary, events and people to create both a word search and crosswordpuzzle layout
Advertising Campaign: Create a full blown campaign for the book. Promote the book and its characters without giving away the intricate details. Poster, press release as well as concepts for a radio, television or internet commercial must be created
What If... Pick a significant or minor event that you want to change during the time period. Explain what the effects of this change would be. Exhaust all possible effects resulting in a new outcome that differs from history. Be thorough!
Pledge Acknowledgement
I fully understand the classroom philosophy and expectations in Mr. Woods’ class. I may not agree with all that is stated or expected of me, but I understand that I must follow and even try to exceed basic expectations. It is never personal when I am confronted about my behavior or performances; rather it is growing moment.
I here and now pledge to do my best to adhere to the four virtues (Honor, Courage, Discipline and Pride) and to drink from Mr. Woods’ cup of knowledge.
______
Student Date
I have reviewed Mr. Woods’ classroom and learning expectations with my son/daughter. I realize that I am able to contact Mr. Woods via email, phone, letter, or scheduled principal meeting in order to ensure that my child succeeds this school year.
______
Parent/Guardian Date