Advanced Placement U.S HistoryCourse Syllabus

Purpose:

Advanced Placement United States History is a college survey course that focuses on the

development of the United States from the Early Colonial America to Contemporary

America. While students have the opportunity to earn college credit, the purpose of this

course provides the students with the opportunity to develop analytical skills and knowledge

that will be useful in their future college career.

Overview:

Students will learn and understand the principle themes that will be focused on throughout

the year. Students will develop the ability to analyze historical evidence and express their

understanding and analysis in the following forms including discussions, essays, assignments

and exams. Their understanding and analysis will be emphasized on the student’s academic

skills including effective analysis of Primary sources such as documents, maps, and statistics,

pictorial and graphic evidence. Student will actively develop effective note taking skills,

effectively analyze major events and their impacts, the ability to participate in Socratic

discussions and formulate and support a position.

Course Text:

Supplemental reading:

• Kellog, O. William. Barron’s AP United States History: Exam prep guide.

• Out of many Course and Prep guide

• Cracking the AP United States History Exam, Princeton Review.

• Becker and Wheeler. Discovering the American Past: A Look at the Evidence Vol 1

and 2.

• Loewen.W. James. Lies my teacher told me: Everything your American History

textbook got wrong.

• Zinn. Howard. A Peoples History of the United States: 1492-Present.

• Roberts. Cokie. Founding Mothers: The Women Who raised our Nation.

• “What would the Fathers say?”: A Patriots answeres to Americas most pressing

problems. By Larry Schweikart.

Course objectives and themes:

The Following items below are themes and objectives that will be focused on

in our study of United States History

American Diversity:

Understand the diversity of the American people and the relationships among different

groups. Analyze the role of race, class, ethnicity, and gender in the history of the Unites

States.

American Identity:

Understand the views of the American national character and ideas about American

exceptionalism. Recognize regional differences within the context of what it truly means to

be an American.

Culture:

Analyze the diversity in American culture through the expressions in literature, art,

philosophy, music, theater, and film throughout U.S history. Examine popular culture

and the dimensions of cultural conflict within American society.

Demographic changes:

Analyze the changes in birth, marriage, death rates, and life expectancy, family patterns,

population size and density. Examine the economic, social, and political effects of immigration,

internal migration, and migration networks.

Economic Transformation:

Analyze the changes in trade, commerce, and technology across time. Students will understand

the effect of capitalism, labor, unions, and consumerism.

Environment :

Analyze the impact of consumption, conservation of natural resources. Examine the impact

of population growth due to industrialization, pollution, and urban and suburban expansion.

Globalization:

Understand the role of the Unites states with the rest of the world from the 15th century to

present. Students will understand the concepts that had a huge impact such as colonialism,

mercantilism, and global hegemony, development of markets, imperialism, and cultural

exchange.

Politics and Citizenship:

Students will understand the colonial and revolutionary legacies, American political

traditions, growth of democracy, and the development of the modern state. Students

will define the struggles for citizen ship and civil rights.

Reform:

Analyze the reform movements from early colonial to 21st century. Understand the

diverse movements that focused on issues such as anti-slavery, education, labor,

temperance, women’s rights, civil rights, gay rights, war, public health, and

government.

Religion:

Evaluate and analyze the role of religion and the variety of religious beliefs and

practices in America. Students will analyze the influence of religion from pre-history

to the 21st century on politics, economics, and society.

Slavery and Its Legacies-

Analyze the systems of slave labor and other forms of unfree labor including

indentured servitude, contract labor in Native American societies, the Atlantic World,

and the American South and West. Analyze the economics of slavery and its impact

on society. Examine its patterns of resistance and the long-term economic, political,

and social effects of slavery.

War and Diplomacy:

Armed conflicts from the pre-colonial period to the 21st century. How war has

impacted American foreign policy, politics, economy and society.

Units of Study:

The course will be taught over six six-week grading periods on a 90 min block schedule. The

units of study for AP United States course are as follows:

• Unit 1: Pre Columbian Era to Colonial North America ( 1492-1754)

• Unit 2: The American Revolutionary Era ( 1754-1789)

• Unit 3: The Early Republic ( 1789- 1815)

• Unit 4: The Age of Jackson and Antebellum America, 1824–1860

• Unit 5.Territorial Expansion and manifest Destiny and Sectionalism, 1800–1861

• Unit 6: Civil War and Reconstruction ( 1861-1877)

• Unit 7: The Gilded Age and the west, 1865–1900

• Unit 8: The Populist, Progressive era and World War 1

• Unit 9: Roaring 20’s, Great depression and the New Deal

• Unit 10: Second World War and the Home front

• Unit 11: Aftermath of WWII and the Cold War years, the age of the 50’s

• Unit 12:The Turbulent 60s’s

• Unit 13 : 20th Century America: Politics, Economics and culture

• Unit 14: America today post cold war

Curriculum objectives:

The learner will demonstrate a mastery of Historical Knowledge by:

• Use historical evidence to support or defend positions or arguments

• Interpret historical data such as documents, political cartoons, graphic charts, statistic

charts etc.

• Demonstrate analytical skills to evaluate, interpret, characterize, understand cause and

effect relationships, compare and contrast, and change over time.

• Work in groups to produce class assignments, create presentations and solve

problems.

• Prepare for the AP Exam in May.

General organization and structure:

The course is designed to help students master the themes and events in U.S. History,

while learning and improving skills that allow students to achieve an understanding of

U.S. History. Throughout the course students will be exposed to a variety of

instructional tools including teacher directed lectures, Socratic seminars, class

discussions, readings ( primary and secondary), formal assessments, essays,

organized classroom activities, reading questions, stimulations, mental mapping,

reflective questions, maps, and comparison charts and graphic organizers. For each

Unit of Study there are a set of selected activities that reflect the type and nature of

the course themes.

Readings

Textbook readings will be assigned for each class meeting for homework in addition to other

homework assignments. Students are expected to take notes from their reading and be

prepared each day for possible quizzes (announced or unannounced). The scores from the

reading quizzes are combined together at the end of the grading period into a cumulative

reading quiz grade.

Exams:

Each Unit will cover an exam, which will be split into two parts, multiple choice and Essay

format. Tests comprise of multiple-choice questions and a timed essay. Students will also be

taking four practice AP Exams that will be released College Board exams. Practice AP

Exams may take place in class or outside of class.

Essays:

In the first semester, each of the three grading periods will be devoted to learning one type of

essay, while the skills for other essays are also being learned and practiced through guided

charts and document analysis. The first six weeks will be devoted to the Document Based

Question. Students will learn the skills to master the DBQ. The second six weeks students

will work on change over time essay and in the final grading period students will master the

comparative essay. In the final grading periods students will continue to master on each of

these three essays and will write one of each type of essay in each of the last three grading

periods.

Change over time charts:

For each unit students will complete a regional COT chart that asks students to note how

the themes of APUSH have changed and continued over time. Students will also include key

historical events that surround the changes and continuities.

Primary and Secondary sources:

APUSH heavily relies on the use of primary and secondary sources. Students will use

a variety of Document analysis acrynoms such as

SOAPPStone/SPRITE/PERIA/GPERSIA technique to understand the meaning and

point of view of the document as well as the historical backdrop. Documents maybe

presented to students in various ways such as warm-up activity, a document packet

that reflect varied opinions of an event, selected document for discussion, in class

DBQ’s, and other activities. Secondary sources are also included to facilitate the

students understanding of the course material. Using secondary sources will provide

students with another way to gain information about a topic and give students another

perspective and interpretive of history.

SPRITE portfolio-

Students will complete a SPRITE analysis chart that will be used for AP review for the AP

Exam in may. At the end of each analysis sheet students are required to note and discuss how

a particular event is being evaluated

o Social: Including such topics such as gender structures, social systems, class

organization, population and family patters, ethnic groups, migrations and

settlement patters, rituals, urbanization, language, customs, disease, culture,

lifestyles, education. etc

o Political: Including such topics as states, nations, government leaders, legal

systems, nationalism, diplomacy, laws, government actions and policies,

rights, revolution, Imperialism, international organizations, wars and treaties,

views of power etc.

o Religious: Major beliefs systems/school of thought, role/ Prominence in

society, changes, rituals, impact on social and gender structures, interaction

between religion and state, religious art, architecture etc.

o Intellectual: Literature, Art, scientific discoveries, Music, Philosophy,

Political and economic systems, cultural diffusion etc.

o Technological: Inventions, discoveries, scientific advancements, health care

and disease treatment, impacts on the environment, government use and

power, tools, progress , and innovations etc.

o Economic: Labor systems, economic policies, economic theories, shifts within

the state, trade, routes, benefits, agriculture, industry, commerce,

manufacturing, role of government etc.

***Prior to the AP Exam, all students are encouraged to prepare for the AP exam

throughout the year by attending review sessions and Saturday tutorials as the exam

draws near. Students are reminded that the exam is comprehensive that covers material

from the entire school year.

• Examples of other Texts/Secondary Sources:

o Discovering the American Past: A look at the Evidence, Wheeler and Becker,

Houghton Mifflin.

o The American Reader, ed. Diane Ravitch, Harper Collins.

o A.P U.S History: Evolving American Nation-State ( vol 1 and Vol 2) Center

for Learning.

o Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Green Haven Press.

o Critical Thinking in United States History series, by Kevin Oreilly.

o Lies my Teacher told me: Everything your American History Textbook got

wrong. By James w. Lowen.

American Classics: Used for selected readings in APUSH

o The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

o Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stow

o Great Gatsby

o Scarlet Letter

• Pre- Colombian to Early Colonial Period Unit

• (1492-1750)

• Concepts for this time period- For each unit students will complete a periodization

chart/ handout that focuses on themes, events that help determine the units

periodization.

• Geography: Pre-Columbian regions, distinction between the colonies based on

geographic features, etc

• Pre- Columbian societies and interaction among Europeans in the late 15th century

such as agriculture, disease, war, conflicts etc.

• Characteristics of American Identity in pre- colonial- colonial period. Gender roles

among men and women etc. Role of Religion and American diversity such as the

puritans, separatists et. Growth of religion and interaction with the state. Impact of

the Great awakening, Salem witch trials etc. Roles of diseases and the impact on

social characteristic. Social structure and government.

• Characteristics of self government such as the mayflower compact, house of

burgesses, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut etc.

• Characteristic of Labor systems and the Economy such as indentured servitude,

Slavery in the early colonies, Mercantilism, Smuggling, English regulation of

colonial trade, British East Indian Company

• Impact of war among the natives, European powers such as the French. Examine the

cause and effect of the French and Indian War. British treatment of the colonies after

the war. Impact of war among the Native American such as the Pequot War.

• Regional Characteristics of the colonies such as New England, Middle and southern.

Proprietary etc..

• Characteristics of Major events of the Period such as Bacons rebellion, King Phillips

War, Stono Uprising, Cato Rebellion, Salem Witch trials, Glorious Revolution, King

Williams War, War of the league of Augsburg, Halfway covenant, Great Awakening,

Enlightenment period. Rise of Enlightenment thinkers such as Ben Franklin etc.

• Examine the tensions the gave rise to rebellion that surged into full War. British

policies after the French and Indian War, Strict Economic policies, Boston Massacre,

Boston Tea party etc.

• Examine the Role of Religion in the colonies. Explore how Religion became a major

political and social factor in the colonies such as Catholicism, Puritanism etc.

Examine how Religion emphasized American Colonial Identity and Diversity.

Examples of Selected Primary Documents and Secondary documents and activities used

in this unit:

o Selection readings from the diary of John Smith and his interpretation of European

interaction with the natives.

o Selected readings from the Salem Witch Trials

o Selected Reading “ Briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia” by

Thomas Harriot.

o Selected reading from the the Trial of Anne Hutchinson

o Selected readings from “ Lies my Teacher told Me” – 1493: The True importance of

Christopher Columbus”

o “Evolution of Colonial Chesapeake Society: A Statistical Analysis”

o Selected readings from John Winthrop: “Model of Christian Charity” and “Sinners in

the hands of an Angry God”

o Characterizing Puritan Ideology in New England: Students will read “ A city upon a

Hill” and create a political Cartoon to illustrate elements of puritan society. Students

will then write a paragraph justifying their point of view on Puritan society.

o Trial of Anne Hutchinson Simulation: Students will partake in the trial of Anne

Hutchinson. Afterwards students will role of god and religion in Puritan world.

o Indetured Servitude Simulation: Students are given roles as agents and prospective

indentured servants and asked to negotiate terms of indenture.

o Sermon Analysis: Great Awakening: Students are given a series of four sermons and

asked to determine which are old light and new light, and traditional Puritan. They are

asked to justify their answer

••• Unit 2: The Road to Independence and the American Revolution

•• Examples of Selected Primary and Secondary Documents

• Selection from

o “ What really Happened in the Boston Massacre? The Trial of Captain

Thomas Preston

o Thomas Paine “ Common Sense”

o Joseph Warren “ Account of the Battle of Lexington”

o James Otis “ Rights of the British Colonies asserted and approved.

o Selected readings form Howard Zinn “A Peoples History”, “Tyranny is

Tyranny” and “A Kind of Revolution”

o Selected Readings from “The Americans: The National Experience” By

Daniel Boorstein

o Selected Readings from “ Founding Mothers: The Women who raised our

Nation”

o Revolutionary War Battle activity

o Socratice seminar over selected readings from Zinn and Founding Mothers.

o Convene students as the Continental Congress, and have them debate the

issues delegates faced. Convene the class as the House of Commons at various

times during the American Revolution and have students discuss events from

the British perspective.

Have students read the Declaration of Independence and then discuss

the causes of the grievances the document lists. You might assign the

exercise in the "Interpreting Information" section in Chapter 6 of the

Study Guide to encourage an in-depth analysis. Discuss the ideals,

explicit and implicit, in the preamble. Have some students prepare a

Tory reply to the Declaration; have some prepare a Whig response.

Assign students to be Loyalists, Patriots, or Neutrals. You might also

assign a group to represent slaves and one to be Indians. Have them

prepare oral presentations on how the groups might have responded to

some of the specific events of 1775 to 1783.

o

• Unit 3: Early Republic

•• Selected Readings from Howard Zinn: A Peoples History of the United States

• Selected Readings from primary source: “What is an American” by J. Hector St. John

Crevecouer.

• Selected readings over the Revision of the Constitution

• Selected Readings from Wheeler and Becker: Discovering the American Past Chapter

5: The First American Party System: The Philadelphia Congressional Election of

1794

• “Opposing Visions for the New Nations ( 1791) By Alexander Hamilton.

• Selected Readings on “ Two opinions by Alexander Hamiliton and Thomas Jefferson

on the Whiskey rebellion

• “Reading from Shays Rebellion” by Alden T. Vaughn in Historical Viewpoints.

• Maps and Charts on the Federalist and Anti- federalist

• Secondary Sources on the AntiFederalist.

• “ American, France, and their Revolutions” in Historical Viewpoints

• “Tecumseh, and the Shawnee Prophet and American History”, in Retracing the Past

• “ In defense of the American System” by Henry Clay

• Ratification Debate: Students will be divided into three groups: Anti-Fed, Fed, and

Judges. The debate will take place in the year of 1780( Debate whether or not the

federal constitution should be ratified.) Each student will be responsible for

developing an individual argument about some aspect of ratification such as taxes,

executive authority, military and foreign affairs.

• Hamilton vs. Jefferson debate activity.

• Unit 4: The Age of Jackson and a Nation Divided.

• Andrew Jackson “The Commoner Takes Office”( 1828)

• Andrew Jackson “ First Annual Message to Congress. ( 1829)

• Selected Reading from Wheeler/Becker: “ Land, Growth, and Justice: Removal of the

Cherokees.

• A selected Reading from Zinn: “ As long as the Grass Grows or Water Runs”

• Document Analysis of the Lowell offerings: Students will read an excerpt for the

Lowell Offering.

• Socratic Seminar: Lowell Girls/Cult of True Womenhood

• One Pager analysis on Reformer/Artists

• Selected readings on Jacksonian Democracy

• Selected Readings from Frederick Douglass

• Activities:

• Sectionalism Game: Students will be divided among three sections and assume the

roles of congressional representatives. Students will discuss and vote on three major

issues: Slavery, Protective Tariff, and Federal Land Policy.

• Jacksonian Debate: Should Andrew Jackson be included on Mt. Rushmore.

• Mexican War Analysis: Students will be placed into groups with a packet of

documents on the outbreak of the War with Mexico. Students are to determine

whether the U.S and/or Mexico is responsible for the hostilities.

• Abolitionism Simulation: Students are divided into groups of Five and given roles as

parts of the new York legislature over the Slave Emancipation of 1799. Devise a plan

for Emancipation that will address the issue of Slavery. Students will compare their

plans to the actual emancipation bill.

• 19th Century Political Party Game: Using Candy that allows students to see the

change from national to sectional parties between 1840 and 1860.

•• Unit 5: Civil War to Reconstruction

• Selected activities and Readings:

• Antietam Simulation: Students are given a blank map of the Area around Sharpsburg,

Maryland, and a series of memoranda about the location of the confederate troops.

Students will issue a battle order for union troops from the perspective of General

McClellan.

• Reconstruction Plans: In this exercise, students will read a variety of speeches from

the perspective of Charles Sumner, General. T. Sherman, Frederick Douglass,

Andrew Johnson, and Jefferson Davis. Students will discuss in groups which

reconstruction plan they agree on and justify why they agree. Students will how the

reconstruction plans may or may not benefit the south.

• Andrew Johnson Impeachment Trial: Students will divide into groups: Prosecution,

Jury, and defense. Students will research the issues of the impeachment and prepare

to defend their case.

• Socratic Seminar: “The Road to True Freedom: African American Alternatives in the

South.” Students will read selected readings assignments and prepare a set of

discussion questions for Socratic Seminar. Each student will be responsible for

discussing the arguments from the selected readings.

Unit 6: The Gilded Age and the West

• Select Readings from Frederick Jackson Turner “Significance of the Frontier in

American History”

• Selected Reading from Mark Twain “ The Gilded Age”

• Selected Reading “ The Business World vs. the politicians by Henry Cabot.

• Selected readings from the Native American policy.

• Selected readings from the Removal of Native Americans and the attitudes toward

Native Americans.

•• Selected Activities:

• Dawes Act Debate: Students debate whether or not the Dawes Act and the policy of

assimilation for dealing with Native American helped promote Indian well-being.

• Robber Barons vs. Industrial Statesmen: Students will choose one of the well known

business leaders from the late 19th century and asked to determine whether these

figures should be characterized as robber barons or industrial Statesmen.

• Debate Imperialist vs. Anti-Imperialists

•• Unit 7: The Populist, Progressive era and World War 1

• Selected Activities:

• Selected Readings from Upton Sinclar: “ The Jungle”

• Wizard of Oz and populism: Students will complete a worksheet that allows them to

examine parallels between the populist era and the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The

students are to determine what historical figure or issue was represented by each of

the major characters in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

• Chautauqua Discussion on progressivism: students will par-take in role play and

assume the persona of an individual key figure from the progressive era. Students will

assume role as their chosen figure and conduct a roundtable discussion on a specific

topic question/ Students must maintain in character throughout the exchange. Extra

credit will be awarded to students if they dress-up in character.

•• Selected Readings on the Progressive Era: “ Direct democracy during the progressive

era: A crack in the populist Veneer?”

•• Unit 8: Roaring 20’s, Great Depression and the New Deal

• Selected readings and activities:

o World War I Stimulation

o Socratic Seminar: Homogenizing a Pluralistic Nation: Propaganda During

World War 1.

o Stock Market Exercise: Students are given $500 dollars “ History money” in

1920 and allowed to invest in a collection of eight different stocks. They

proceed through eight different rounds until the stock market crash of 1929,

being told how each stock performed as a basis for making their investment

decisions for the following year.

o Socratic Seminar: The “ New” Women: Social Science Experts and the

Redefinition of Women’s Roles in the 1920’s.

o Roaring 20’s Magazine: Students will create a magazine cover to characterize

the lifestyles and culture during the roaring 20’s.

o Analysis of Poetry and/or Art from/about the 1920s- Choose 4-6 poems or

pieces of artwork from the time period and analyze what message each piece

is attempting to send and why. Include poem and artist information. Include

the historical context of the time period and the chosen topic. Individual and

partner project

o Analysis of Sports Figures- Choose a popular sports figure from three

different sporting activities during the 1920s. Research the background of

these individuals, their political and/or religious views, and their impact on

mainstream popular culture. Present this information in an enlarged sports

card. Each sports card should contain 2-3 paragraphs of information as well as

statistics, pictures, etc. Individual and partner project

o Analysis of Music from/about the 1920s- Choose 4-6 political & social

songs from the time period or songs that were written about the time period

and analyze (2-3 paragraphs each) what message each song is attempting to

send and why. Include song lyrics and artist information. Include the

historical context of the time period and the chosen topic. Individual and

partner project

o Creation of Music discussing the 1920s- Write a political song, rap, jingle,

composition, piece, or any other type of musical selection with a minimum of

3 verses and a repeating chorus discussing important political and/or social

issues, people, and places from the 1920s. This song must be recorded and

include lyrics as well as a 1-2 page rationale explaining your song and the

message you are attempting to send.

o Political Cartoons- Create 3-4 political cartoons addressing different

issues/events from the 1920s. The cartoons should be colorful, well thought

out, and demonstrate effort and care. For each cartoon, include a 2-3

paragraph explanation/rationale of the event you are representing, why you

chose that event, and how your political cartoon explains and/or mocks the

event.

o New Deal political Cartoon: students choose a minority group and create a

political cartoon illustrating the effect of that the New Deal had on these

minority groups.

o Socratic Seminar: “ Documenting the Depression: FSA photographers and

rural poverty.”

• Unit 9: Second World War and the Home front

• Socratic Seminar: “ Going to War with Japan: A Problem in Diplomacy and

Causation.”

• Unit 10: The Cold War and the Age of democracy in the 50’s

• Selected activities and readings:

• Selected readings on the atomic bomb

• Selected Reading/ Activity “Butter Battle” Dr. Seuss.

• Socratic Seminar: Cold War effect in the U.S

• The Dot Game: Students will receive a slip of paper ( dot) or ( blank) students will

draw connections from the dot game to the actual cold war tension during

McCarthyism.

• Socratic Seminar: “Separate but Equal? African American Educational opportunities

and the Brown Decision.”

• Unit 11: The Turbulent 60’s

• Musical Dbq: Students will be given a set of lyric documents from specific time

period during the 60s and 70s. Students will analyze the music from the 60s and 70s

and characterize the attitudes and opinions of youth.

• Socratic seminar: “Generation in War and Turmoil: The Agony of Vietnam.”

• Unit 12: 20th Century America

• “The Stalemated Seventies,” 1968-1980. (Nixon and foreign policy, Nixon and

domestic policy, Watergate, Middle East and oil, Ford administration, Carter foreign

policy successes and domestic failures.)

• DBQ: “Evaluate the impact of the war in Vietnam on American Society from 1961-

1970. To what extent did the war challenge America to define its political and social

beliefs?

• Supplemental Reading: “The First Article of Impeachment” (1974), “Impeachment

As A Partisan

• 1950's Video: Analysis

• 1960's Video: Analysis

• 1970's Video: Analysis

Unit 13: America Today post Cold War

• Richard Nixon: Analysis

• Ronald Reagan: Analysis

• M. L. King: Analysis

• Malcolm X: Analysis

• Bill Clinton: Analysis

• Unit 14: APUSH Exam Review

• Review Sessions will be help in the morning M-F

• Times : TBA

• Post Exam Activities: TBA

Course Requirements: To succeed in this course it is essential that you possess an intellectural

curiosity about the past and a desire to make sense of the present –day politics, society,

economics and culture.

• To accomplish this, I Expect you to do the following

• Prepare at all times for each our class meetings

• Read the assigned materials critically and on time

• prepare written responses to the study questions

• attend and participate in class Socratic meetings and take notes on readings and in class

discussion

• Write clear, well-organized, and effective assignments.

Class meetings:

ALL class meetings are professional meetings; it will begin and end on time. Please come to

class on time and prepared for class discussion and activities.

Procedures:

Class meetings will begin when the late bell rings. Prior to the tardy bell, when you arrive into

class begin the Daily Warm- Up promptly. All Warm-up assignments will be on the board. You

are expected to complete the DWU assignment.

Homework Assignments: You will turn in your homework assignments in a folder a place it in

the Homework bin. Make sure your name is on the folder. Homework without a name will not be

graded. Homework assignments must be turned in on time ( see Late Day Policy)

Grading Scale:

A: 90-100

B: 89-80

C: 70-79

D: 60 and Below

• 15% Homework

• 35% Tests/Socratic Seminars

• 10% Quizzes

• 15% classroom assignments

• 25% Projects

Entering and leaving the classroom:

While you enter the class room, please take a seat quietly and work on the DWU assignments

posted on the board. If you are finished with the DWU, you may read a book and wait quietly for

further instruction.

No student is allowed to enter the class room unless teacher is present. If teacher is not present,

students will need to line up outside quietly waiting for the teacher. No student is allowed to

leave the class without teacher’s approval.

During assemblies and award ceremonies,

On assembly days, students will line up outside quietly. Students will walk to the cafeteria

quietly. Please remain respectful to all during assemblies. Failure to comply will result in the loss

of classroom privileges and attendance to future assemblies.

Late Day Policy: You may have 3 Late Days to use at your discretion over the course of the

semester for assignments. For Example, you may need extra time on written responses to DBQ,

FRQS. Once late days are used up, assignments not turned in on time are docked 10 pts per late

day. **Any assignment not turned in at all uses up all late days

Class Projects: In our APUSH/ U.S History Course Students will be completing a number

of outside and in class projects. Projects may be groups or individual based. This years

project includes the following but not limited to: Students will be notified in advance for

future projects for the course.

-Historical Dinner Party Project: Due date TBA

-A Peep into History- Due Date : TBA

****If you turn in all homework assignments on time, you will be awarded three tickets which

can be used as a free homework pass extra points on quizzes or Tests! This will be determined on

a 3 week progress report grading period.

Study Groups and Tutorial: Study Groups and Tutorials will be offered in the morning from

M-F from 7:30-8:00. Those of you who are in AP course as well as regular courses may attend.

IF you are in AP Course our study sessions will be once a week. As the exam comes near, study

sessions will be three times a week. Please come on time to the study sessions. Study sessions

are used for extra help on assignments, one-one discussions, peer-tutor mentors etc. Please make

arrangements to attend. Don’t get discouraged or frustrated; come see me before that happens. If

you need to make up and exam or quiz, please make arrangements in advanced

** Breakfast will be provided.

Cheating/Plagiarism:

Cheating, copying, or plagiarizing from work done by anyone else WILL NOT BE

TOLERATED! Any student involved in such activity will receive a zero for that assignment and

could face disciplinary action. All disciplinary action will take in accordance to the student

handbook.

***U.S History Course: Students not taking APUSH will receive similar homework

assignments and in class assignments. Regardless if you are taking APUSH, you are expected to

participate in all in class and outside class assignments. This includes projects, homework, class

activities, Class Socratic seminars etc.

***APUSH Calendar and Syllabus is subject to change

*****To Find more information about the AP Course, you may want to visit the College Board

Website, www.collegeboard.com. This website contains valuable information about the AP

Exam as well as the SAT and ACT information.

APUSH/ U.S History Course Syllabus Agreement Form

I have read the entire APUSH/ U.S History course syllabus for Mrs. Cortez’s class at Harmony

Science Academy. I accept and agree to the follow the expectations it lays out for me as a

student.

Student Name:__________________________________

Student Signature:______________________________

Date:_____________________________________________

** please sign and Return

I have read the entire APUSH/U.S History course syllabus for Mrs. Cortez’s class at Harmony

Science Academy. I understand the responsibilities and expectations it lays out for my

son/daughter as a student.

Parents Signature:________________________

Work Number:___________________________

Cell Number:____________________________

Email:__________________________________

**Please sign and Return.