Woodbridge Middle School
Honors World History
Syllabus
FALL 2014
Grade: 8
Instructor: T. W. Keuscher II, M.A.
Honors World History is a challenging course that is meant to provide students with an expansive view of the history of the human world. This course is for the exceptionally studious 8th grade student who is willing and eager to take on a rigorous academic program. This class looks at the common threads of humanity over time—trade, religion, politics, society and technology—and it investigates how these things have changed and continued over time in different places. Students who take the Honors World History course are expected to take AP World History, a college level course, in 9th grade.
The course is designed to help students:
- Construct and evaluate arguments, and plausibly use historical evidence.
- Analyze and use primary source documents and evidence.
- Evaluate change and continuity over time with an emphasis on process and causation.
- Understand diverse interpretations of events through context and point of view.
- Evaluate and understand patterns and interactions from local to global levels.
- Analyze comparisons within and among societies.
- Become aware of similarities and differences among peoples and understand cultural diversity.
- Answer correctly AP-style multiple choice questions.
- Effectively compose the three types of APWH essays: the document-based essay (DBQ), the change-over-time essay, and the comparative essay.
Five World History Themes that connect the key concepts and serve as the foundations for all reading and writing activities in the course are as follows…
1. Interaction between Humans and the Environment
a. Demography and Disease
b. Migration
c. Patterns of Settlement
d. Technology
2. Development and Interaction of Cultures
a. Religions
b. Belief Systems, Philosophies, and Ideologies
c. Science and Technology
d. Arts and Architecture
3. State Building, Expansion and Conflict
a. Political Structures and Forms of Governance
b. Empires
c. Nations and Nationalism
4. Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
a. Agricultural and Pastoral Production
b. Trade and Commerce
c. Labor Systems
5. Development and Transformation of Social Structures
a. Gender Roles and Relations
b. Family and Kinship
c. Racial and Ethnic Constructions
d. Social and Economic Classes
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BRING TO CLASS:
- Your assigned textbook
- Pen (black or blue ink only) or pencil
- Notebook
- Homework planner
- folder
TEXTBOOK:
· Spielvogel, Jackson J.: World History. Glencoe: 2005.( Be sure to cover your assigned textbook…There is an online textbook located on the “online resources” tab of my E-Board, however, be sure that it is accessible at home prior to leaving your book at home)
WE WILL BE UTILIZING THE FOLLOWING TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS :
· Apple TV™
· ClassDojo™
· SDPro History™
· iMovie™
· Prezi™
· Socrative™
· Educreations™
· Edmodo™
· Stratalogica™
· Remind™
· Gmail™
ASSESSMENTS
Quizzes: On average, two to three per chapter
DBQs: At least one per chapter (worth two quiz grades)
Homework: On average, 3-4 assignments per week
Essay writing practice
Tests: Follow every chapter in the textbook (approximately).
Projects: Projects will be given throughout the year and in most cases will be equal to 2 major grades, for example, the DBQ Project
Exams: Mid-Course and End-of-Course Assessments
CHAPTERS COVERED (from the textbook)
1: The First Humans…………………………………………………………………pp. 19-33
2: Western Asia and Egypt……………………………………………………….pp. 34-67
3: India and China (3000 BC-AD 500)……………………………………….pp. 68-105
4: Ancient Greece……………………………………………………………………pp. 106-145
5: Rome and the Rise of Christianity……………………………………….pp. 146-181
6: The World of Islam………………………………………………………………pp. 188-213
M I D-COURSE ASSESSMENT: Chapters 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
7: Early African Civilizations…………………………………………………..pp. 220-243
8: The Asian World (400-1500)………………………………………………pp. 244-281
9: Emerging Europe and the Byzantine Empire……………………..pp. 282-311
10: Europe in the Middle Ages………………………………………………pp. 312-343
11: The Americas………………………………………………………………….pp. 344-367
15: The Muslim Empires……………………………………………………....pp. 454- 481
16: The East Asian World (1400-1800)………………………………….pp. 484- 503
END OF COURSE ASSESSMENT: Chapters 7,8,9,10,11,15 and 16
SKILLS YOU WILL DEVELOP
Ø Note-taking
Ø Be able to complete a P.E.R.S.I.A.N chart for every major civilization discussed in class
Ø Creating and applying a historical thesis
Ø Think like a historian
Ø Correctly and Completely answer Data-Based Questions (DBQ), Continuity and Change over Time (CCOT) Essays and Comparative Essays
***View the appendices for templates and examples
CLASS RULES
1. LISTEN AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS
2. RAISE YOUR HAND BEFORE SPEAKING AND/OR LEAVING YOUR SEAT
3. RESPECT YOUR PEERS AND TEACHER
4. TRY YOUR BEST!!!!
5. Arrive to class PREPARED and ON TIME
CONTACT INFORMATION:
,also, PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE FREE “REMIND” APP AND ENTER THE FOLLOWING CLASS CODE FOR DAILY/WEEKLY UPDATES AND REMINDERS: @mrkeus
Appendix A: Note-taking template. You will need to set up your notes in your notebook in this format.
Chapter ______Topic: ______
Daily Lecture Questions Supplied by Mr. Keuscher / Answers to the Lecture Questions Supplied by Mr. Keuscher / Put the “Answers to the Lecture Questions Supplied by Mr. Keuscher in YOUR OWN WORDS (paraphrase) ***May be given as a HW assignment / Images representing answers and related ideas (Optional)Examples:
What are some differences between Christianity and Islam?
Why is Mr.Keuscher’s Class your favorite?
SUMMARY: You will then summarize all of your notes given at a particular session. Must include a proper historical thesis, supporting details and a conclusion
à
Appendix B: The PERSIAN Acronym and How to Use It
P / Politics / How a society governs itself. Includes: government, laws and rights, constitutions, monarchs, kings, emperors, sultans, democracy, oligarchy, dictatorship, absolutism, totalitarianism.E / Economics / How a society uses its resources to meet its needs. Includes: wealth, resources, trade, labor
R / Religion (Beliefs) / What members of a society generally believe as a group, includes metaphysical as well as philosophical ideas. Religions, Philosophies, fundamental beliefs, human nature
S / Social Order / How members of a society order themselves. Includes: class, gender, family structure
I / Innovation / The technology available in a society and how it is used. Includes : inventions, cultural diffusion of technology, science, literacy.
A / Arts / How members of a society express themselves. Includes: types of art, artistic themes, censorship, patronage and control of the arts and expression.
N / Nearby Influences / The neighboring societies and their possible influences. Includes: political and physical maps, geography, trade routes, cultural diffusion
Appendix C:
AP ESSAY WRITING COMMANDS (NOT “HINTS”)
1. READ THE QUESTION AT LEAST 2X TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
2. UNDERLINE THE TASKS OF THE QUESTION
3. (DBQ): LIST TERMS FROM THE QUESTION’S ERA THAT POP IN YOUR HEAD—BEFORE YOU LOOK AT THE DOCS. THESE TERMS CAN BE USED FOR OUTSIDE INFO.
4. (DBQ): GROUP THE DOCS ACCORDING TO THE TASKS
5. (DBQ) NAME THE AUTHORS OF EACH DOC.
5. USE THE TERMS OF THE QUESTION THROUGHOUT YOUR ESSAY
6. YOUR THESIS MUST ADDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION, AND INCLUDE SOME SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
7. INCLUDE ANALYSIS: “SHE SAYS THIS BECAUSE….” “THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE”---“WHAT HE MEANS BY THIS IS….”
---THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE”, ETC.
8. FINISH WITH A CONCLUSION…IN CASE YOU MESSED UP YOUR THESIS AT THE BEGINNING.
Appendix D:
DBQ Breakdown
I. The Question
What is the question asking? Getting students to actually read and understand the question is the
first hurdle.
II. The Evidence
What do I do with the documents? You don’t necessarily have to do this with all your students with
every document.
III. Pulling It All Together
How do I organize and analyze the documents, and how do I structure my essay? This is really the
key of this lesson. Students who can sort, categorize, and analyze the documents well will write
superb essays.
IV. The Thesis
V. The “Missing Voice”
Appendix E:
Woodbridge Middle School
World History Honors: Grade 8
Course Portfolio
(W.H.H.C.P)
What is the WHHCP? The World History Honors Course Portfolio is a cumulative collection and representation of select assignments which features all of the content knowledge and skills attained throughout the World History Honors Course.
What should be included in the WHHCP?
· Cover page (name, due date, course title and the words: World History Honors Course Portfolio)
· Table of Contents ( this should be one of the last things done due to pagination)
· Portfolio introduction (with a thesis that applies to the entire course)
· Your finest Document-based Question Essay (DBQ), your finest Continuity-Change –Over Time Essay(CCOT), your finest Comparative Essay
· No less than three images (of your choosing…should be scattered throughout)
· Historical Book review (a historical book, not used in class, in which you will write a thesis, how the book related to the course, your historical opinion of the book… This book must be selected and approved no later than the final day of the first marking period…more details will follow)
· Your finest PERSIAN chart
· Conclusion (restate your thesis, but in different words)
· A power-point presentation summarizing your WHHCP which you will present to the entire class
***More details will be given to you throughout the course…This is a working portfolio, so you will have the majority of the course to work on it. I will be available on a daily basis to review, critique, edit and advise you on the WHHCP.
When is it due?
It is due the last week of the course (WHHCP handed in and class presentations) ***Specifics will follow
How much is it worth?
No less than three major assessment grades
How will it be graded? :
Exceeds Expectations: 5 / Slightly Exceeds Expectations : 4 / Meets Expectations: 3 / Slightly Below Expectations: 2 / Significantly Below Expectations: 1 / CommentsCover Page
Table of Contents
Portfolio Introduction
DBQ, CCOT, Comparative Essay
Images
Historical Book Review
Persian Chart
Conclusion
Power-point presentation
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