AP (Advanced Placement)

AP (Advanced Placement)

U.S. Modern History

Syllabus 2010-2011

Augusta Independent School

Roy Walter Machen III

(606)756-2105

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In this course students will master not only the required content as deemed by the Kentucky Department of Education, but also develop the necessary study skills and higher level thinking strategies that will assist them through out their educational career and life itself. This course will reinforce and promote both literacy skills and problem solving skills that will encourage each to become better problem solvers, critical thinkers, life-long learners, and successful members of society.

The Advanced Placement United States History is a challenging course designed to be the equivalent of a freshman college/sophomore survey course in United States History. The course is specifically designed to provide students with an in-depth study of United States history from 1607 through the modern day. Students should possess strong reading and writing skills and be willing to devote substantial time to study and the completion of class assignments. Emphasis is placed on analytical reading, essay writing skills, use of primary resources, and class discussion.

Students successfully mastering the course material may earn college credit by passing the annually administered AP United States History Exam; the individual college or university determines how many, or, if any credits will be granted for the AP exam score.

COURSE TEXTBOOK:

Kennedy, David M., et al (2010). The American Pageant. 14th Edition, Wadsworth.

COURSE GOALS:

·  Research with primary and secondary documents, experiment, collaborate, and learn from one another in a positive and productive environment.

·  Work independently and collectively on projects, research papers, presentations, and various other assignments that correlate with the topic in discussion.

·  Students will analyze the major political, social, economic, technological, and cultural developments of the United States since Reconstruction.

·  They will examine the effects of the 1920s, Great Depression and how the New Deal fundamentally changed the role of the federal government.

·  The students will analyze America’s participation in World War II and explore the economic boom and social transformation of post-World War II America.

·  The students will evaluate the United Sates’ foreign policy since World War II and consider how the implementation of federal civil rights and voting rights impacted the country.

·  Finally the students will analyze the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society.

·  Current and important U.S. History events will be included in the student’s study of each topic.

·  The course is divided into two semesters. First semester covers the period from 1607 to 1877. Second semester is from 1877 to the present.

·  The areas of concentration include historical, political, and economic history coupled with an intense study of cultural, social, and intellectual institutions and their development.

·  In addition to exposing students to the historical content listed above, an AP course should also train students to analyze and interpret primary sources, including documentary materials, maps, statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence of historical events.

·  Students should learn to take notes from both printed materials and lectures or discussions, write essay examinations, and write analytical and research papers. They should be able to express themselves with clarity and precision and know how to cite sources and credit the phrases and ideas of others.

·  Advance Placement United States History is intended to enhance development of student critical thinking, document analysis, interpretive reading, information organization, synthesis, and writing skills.

About the Exam (College Credit Exam)

The three-hour-and-five-minute exam has two sections: a 55-minute multiple-choice and a 130-minute free-response section. The multiple-choice questions are designed to test your factual knowledge, breadth of preparation, and knowledge-based analytical skills. The essay questions give you the chance to demonstrate your mastery of historical interpretation and your ability to express your views and knowledge in writing.

Section I: Multiple-Choice

There are 80 multiple-choice questions on the AP U.S. History Exam. To score a grade of 3 or above, you need to answer about 60 percent of the multiple-choice questions correctly—and write acceptable essays in the free-response section.
Approximately 20 percent of the questions deal with the period through 1789, 45 percent cover 1790 through 1914, and 35 percent cover 1915 to the present including questions on events since 1980.

Within those time periods, 35 percent of the questions are on political institutions, behavior, and public policy; 40 percent are about social and cultural developments; approximately 15 percent of the remaining questions cover diplomacy and international relations; and 10 percent cover economic developments. A substantial number of the social and economic history questions deal with such traditional topics as the impact of legislation on social groups and the economy, or the pressures brought to bear on the political process by social and economic developments. As you've learned, historical inquiry is not neatly divided into categories so many questions pertain to more than one area.

The exam main focus is on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The questions in the multiple-choice section are designed to test students' factual knowledge, breadth of preparation, and knowledge-based analytical skills.
Students often ask whether they should guess on the multiple-choice questions. Haphazard or random guessing is unlikely to improve scores because one-fourth of a point is subtracted from the score for each incorrect answer. (No points are deducted for a blank answer.) But if you have some knowledge of the question and can eliminate one or more answers, it's usually to your advantage to choose what you believe is the best answer from the remaining choices.

Section II: Free-Response

The free-response section covers the period from the first European explorations of the Americas to 1980. The section has three parts. Part A has one document-based essay question (DBQ). Parts B and C each offer a choice of two standard essay questions.

DBQ (Document Based Question)

There is a mandatory 15-minute reading period at the beginning of the free-response section. Spend most of that time analyzing the documents and planning your answer to the DBQ in Part A. It's recommended that you spend 45 minutes writing the DBQ essay.

Although confined to no single format, the documents contained in the DBQ rarely features familiar classics like the Emancipation Proclamation or Declaration of Independence, though the documents' authors may be major historical figures. The documents vary in length and format, and are chosen to illustrate interactions and complexities within the material. In addition to calling upon a broad spectrum of historical skills, the diversity of materials will allow students to assess the value of different sorts of documents.

When appropriate, the DBQ will include charts, graphs, cartoons, and pictures, as well as written materials. This gives you the chance to showcase your ability to assess the value of a variety of documents. The DBQ usually requires that you relate the documents to a historical period or theme and show your knowledge of major periods and issues. For this reason, outside knowledge is very important and must be incorporated into the student's essay if the highest scores are to be earned. To earn a high score it's also very important that you incorporate the information you learned in your AP U.S. History class. The emphasis of the DBQ will be on analysis and synthesis, not historical narrative.

Your DBQ essay will be judged on thesis, argument, and supporting evidence. The DBQ tests your ability to analyze and synthesize historical data, and assess verbal, quantitative, or pictorial materials as historical evidence.

Standard Essay Questions

You'll have a total of 70 minutes for the standard essay questions. It's recommended that you spend 35 minutes on each essay: five minutes planning and 30 minutes writing.

The standard essay questions may require that you relate developments in different areas (e.g., the political implications of an economic issue); analyze common themes in different time periods (e.g., the concept of national interest in United States foreign policy); or compare individual or group experiences that reflect socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, or gender differences (e.g., social mobility and cultural pluralism).

Although historiography is not emphasized in the examination, you are expected to have a general understanding of key interpretations of major historical events. Some questions are based on literary materials but the emphasis will be on the relationship between the material and politics, social and economic life, or related cultural and intellectual movements, not on literature as art.
Standard essays will be judged on the strength of the thesis developed, the quality of the historical argument, and the evidence offered in support of the argument, rather than on the factual information per se. Unless a question asks otherwise, you will not be penalized for omitting specific illustrations.

Scoring the Exam

The multiple-choice and free-response sections each account for one-half of your final Exam grade. Within the free-response section, the document-based essay question counts for 45 percent and the two standard essays count for 55 percent.

CLASSROOM RULES:

1.  All students must follow the rules outlined in the student handbook.

2.  Follow directions the first time given.

3.  Stay seated unless given permission to get up.

4.  Be in your assigned seat and ready to work before the tardy bell rings.

a.  Use the restroom and sharpen pencils before class begins.

5.  Bring what you need for class work everyday.

6.  Keep hands, feet, and all other objects to yourself.

7.  Raise your hand before talking and wait to be called upon.

8.  Respect your classmates, special guests, and teacher at all times.

9.  Disrupting class takes away from your education and that of your classmates.

10.  All work missed for any reason is the student’s responsibility.

11.  No drinks, candy, or gum is allowed in class unless excused by medical reason or given by the teacher.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES:

1st Violation Verbal Warning

2nd Violation Classroom Disruption

3rd Violation Disrespect

4th Violation Call Principle

It may be necessary to call the principle immediately if severe inappropriate behavior occurs.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Textbook (class copy)

3-ring binder with six dividers

Pen or Pencil (blue or black ink only)

Colored Pencils (when necessary)

loose-leaf paper (please note that paper with the “edges” torn from a spiral notebook will not be accepted).

TIME and EFFORT:

Time is one of the most valuable commodities we have, it can not be gotten back once it is used. Therefore, it is something that should not be wasted including students and teachers. Students are expected to be in class on time, prepared to learn and ready to participate. This same effort will apply to teachers and guest speakers. In order for a classroom to succeed and grow, everyone is expected to work together as a team. Every person should be able to express their thoughts and ideas in their own words free from bias or prejudice. Nearly all ideas are welcomed and encouraged.

·  Please note: When working as a team or with another student, work responsibly as a group or pair, but record your own thoughts.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Class time will be divided into the following:

·  Bell ringers

·  Lecture with class discussion and higher level questioning.

·  Presentations (power point, etc.)

·  Individual and/or cooperative group assignments or assessments.

·  http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078745748/ will be used for on line activities. It is advisable that students make use of this site to study the content being discussed to reinforce their understanding.

PLEASE NOTE REGUARDING ASSIGNMENTS:

·  Any assignments not completed in class are to be completed before returning to class the following day, unless otherwise specified by the teacher.

·  Any assigned homework is to be completed before returning to class the following day, unless otherwise specified by the teacher.

·  Students are prohibited from “doing nothing” in this class. Full participation is expected and required.

·  You will work in class every day, there are no “Free Days”. Failure to do the required work during my time (school week) will result in having to complete it during your time (weekend).

·  Do not ask to work on another class assignment or homework in my class. If all class assignments or work in completed you may read your AR book or work on assignments from another class upon receiving permission from the teacher.

EXTRA CREDIT:

There will be numerous opportunities for extra credit available throughout this course. All extra credit opportunities will be announced at least one week prior to due dates. Students are encouraged, however, to do their best on every assignment and use any extra credit assignment as a way to promote their individual strengths and not necessarily their grades.

GRADING POLICY:

Grades can be accessed online through infinite campus and are updated weekly with reports to parents every nine weeks. Grades will be computed by Points Made / Points Possible = Percentage Grade.

Quizzes 10%

Exams 20% A (90-100%)

Final Exam 10% B (80-89%)

Assignments 20% C (70-79%)

Homework 20% D (60-69%)

Projects & Reports 10% F (59% or Below)

Bell Ringers 5%

Participation 5%

Class work and Homework:

·  Each day the date, bell ringer, and class topic/objective will be posted on the board. You must write down the question and answer to the bell ringer everyday. They will be graded every Friday.

·  It is important to keep good notes and completing the bell ringers because you may be allowed to use them on exams from time to time.

·  Any missed notes or bell ringers may be obtained from me or a class mate. This is your responsibility, I will not chase you down to give to you.

·  Everyday, you should write down any homework assignments in your student planner. If there is no homework, you should make note of this as well. Keeping up with this is considered class work and may be checked and graded.

·  All homework assignments are due at the beginning of class. Upon entering the classroom place any assignments in the proper tray.