Mr.Webb
2015/2016World HistoryPart One Syllabus
Introduction
This course is designed to provide each individual student with a general background of World History. Understanding our past is essential to truly understanding what it means to be a human being, and the responsibility we have in building from the trials and triumphs of those who came before us. This class will be taught over a two year period. World History Part One will examine the foundation of civilizations with an emphasis on the study of the various “River Valley” cultures that developed in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. The second semester will focus on the civilizations that contributed to the creation of western thought, specifically Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and the Middle Ages in Europe. In addition to the content areas above, students will develop skills related to reading, writing,critical thinking, analysis, and the synthesis of ideas.
Topics
1)Geography and the Beginning of Civilization
2)River Valley Civilizations (Mesopotamia, Egypt, China)
3)Ancient Greece
4)Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome
5)The Middle Ages
Materials for this class:
Your textbook is “World History”. This book should be in class every day unless otherwise stated. The book should also be covered at all times following the first class period. Please see Mr. Webb about the online version of the textbook.
A notebook should also be present everyday unless otherwise stated. A standard size three rig notebook will also prove valuable for organization. I have a three whole punch for all handouts if needed.
The teacher is not responsible for providing you with a writing implement. DO NOT ASK for a pen or pencil in this class, it will be expected that you come prepared everyday. Cell phones and tablets are only to be used for the academic purpose of recording homework at the end of the period or for research during class. Mr. Webb will announce to the class when it is ok to use the cell phone or tablet for an academic purpose. Use of cell phones during an un-announced period will lead to the phone being confiscated for the day.
Classroom Expectations
-Civility is essential to successful learning. We learn best when we listen to others, are open to their ideas, and offer others the respect we also want to receive
-Being prepared for class is a sign of respect. Bring all the supplies you need and do all the assigned work.
-Once the bell rings, class has started. This means you should be in a seat and ready to start prior to the bell ringing. All students allowed to leave the room during class time must attain a pass from Mr. Webb. Students must also sign out and upon returning to the classroom using the prepared form in C203. At the conclusion of class, do not leave your seat until the bell rings.
-We all have rights to have the quiet atmosphere needed for discussion and learning, to have our property (and communal property, such as the classroom) respected, while knowing that our work and the work of others is respected.
Attendance
-The attendance policy- Any student who misses more than 16 classes over the course of the year with excused absences will lose credit in the class. Students with more than 3 unexcused absences for the school year will lose credit in the class. Students who are excessively late to class can also lose credit for the class, as 3 late excused or unexcused passes equals 1 unexcused absence. Please view your student handbook for the official HKHS attendance policy for more details.
Grading Policy
Test/Projects-45%
Quiz/Short Writing Activities-35%
Classwork/Homework/Participation-20%
Marking Period One-20%
Marking Period Two-20%
Mid Term Exam-10%
Marking Period Three-20%
Marking period Four-20%
Final Exam-10%
All work that is collected by Mr. Webb will be graded as soon as possible and returned to the students. All the work that is collected will be placed in the corresponding class slot in the black homework bin and will be returned to the student when graded. All work will be graded in room 203, thus ensuring security and confidentiality.
Every student will have access to their own manila folder in which to keep graded assignments and class notes. These folders will be kept in the folder bin located in room 203. Periodically Mr. Webb will have graded notebook checks on essential class notes and chapter outlines. This will include information kept in the student folders.
All graded tests and major written assignments will be kept in room 203. Any student requesting more time with these assessments for further description or questioning (other than the time provided on the date students are given their scores) must do so by meeting with Mr. Webb during lunch/activity, or after school. Instructional time will not be used to discuss individual scores.
Classwork and Homework will be graded with the following expectations:
90/100 Outstanding
Responses are well written with exemplary clarity that explains and backs up a correct response with specific details that presents in depth critical thinking and reasoning. These responses complete all the directives and show perfect mechanics, neatness, and spelling. These responses go above and beyond the assigned activity.
80/89 Quality
Answers that are well written with quality depth and explanation that show good understanding. Compared to an “Outstanding”, these responses needed further explanation, depth, evidence, improvement of content, or clarity. Grammar mechanics are good and presentation is neat.
70/79 Adequate
Answers that require more depth, explanations, critical thought/reasoning, or evidence. These responses are not fully correct, complete, and unclear. These answers include minor mistakes in mechanics, spelling, neatness, and unfinished directives.
60/69 Insufficient
These responses need improvement across the board. Answer must use more evidence, depth, reasoning etc. Answer was incorrect or parts were noticeably incorrect or completely unclear. Answer showed little knowledge of the content and required major adjustments in grammar mechanics.
Less than 60 Unsatisfactory
The answer is nonexistent or unscoreable due to mechanics, neatness, or spelling.
Goals and Competencies
-Students will begin to make critical judgments about written work, separate facts from opinion, recognize propaganda, stereotypes, and statements of bias.
-Students will use features of reference materials such as table of contents, preface, introduction, titles and subtitles, index, glossary, appendix, and bibliography.
-Students will demonstrate understanding of how cultures shape the character of regions.
-Students will demonstrate understanding of how the effects of geography, technology, and interaction influence culture.
-Develop a core of knowledge of our world’s history from multi-ethnic and multi-disciplinary points of view.
-Identify and analyze issues and problems in the past, their circumstances and causes, and the attempts made to resolve them.