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AP® (ADVANCED PLACEMENT) U.S. HISTORY COURSE
This course is taught at the college level. The major difference between a high school and college history course is the amount of reading and depth of focus. Moreover, the AP® curriculum stresses higher order thinking skills within a rigorous academic context.
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What do you expect from taking the AP® US History course?
SYLLABUS -- Advanced Placement US History:
Advanced Placement United States History is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States History. Students will analyze historical material, synthesize their own ideas, and evaluate those of others. The AP® United States History course will develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.
Strands: Geographic Relationships, Historical Perspectives, Economics, Development of Government, Global Connections, Influences of Technology, Social Development, and Cultural Diversity.
Strands: Geographic Relationships, Historical Perspectives, Economics, Development of Government, Global Connections, Influences of Technology, Social Development, and Cultural Diversity.
Texts:
Bailey, Thomas et al. The American Pageant. 11th ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States. New York: Harper & Row, 1980.
Supplementary Readings:
Billington, Ray A. ed. The Frontier Thesis: Valid Interpretation of American History? Malabar, Krieger Publishing Company, 1966.
Browning, Peter ed. John Muir In His Own Words: A Book of Quotations. LaFayeyye: Great West Books, 1988.
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.
Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Pocket Books, 1938.
Fried, Richard M. The McCarthy Era in Perspective: Nightmare in Red. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
Holzer, Harold ed. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates: The First Complete Unexpurgated Text. New York: Harper Perennial, 1993.
Landau, David. Kissinger; The Uses of Power. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
Paine, Thomas. Common Sense. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.
Riordon, William L. Plunkitt of Tammany Hall: A Series of Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics. New York: Penguin Books, 1995.
Schaller, Michael. Reckoning with Reagan: America and its President in the 1980s. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1995.
Terkel, Studs. The “Good” War. New York: The New Press,1984.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1937.
Wakatsuki-Houston, Jeanne and James D. Houston. Farewell to Manzanar & Related Readings. Evanston: McDougal Littell, 1998.
Course Essentials:
Exams- Tests will be rigorous as they are intended to challenge the student at the college level. Moreover, tests are designed to give students frequent experience with the types of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, Document Based Questions (DBQs), and Long Essay free-response questions that will appear on the AP® Exam. Frequent exams also insure that students read the textbook and supplementary readings, consistently check for understanding, and take copious notes that are thorough and well organized. Following the AP® Examination there will be an open note comprehensive final exam.
The Document-based Question (DBQ)- requires the construction of a coherent essay that integrates interpretation of the supplied documents with a demonstrated knowledge of the historical period in question. Higher scores are earned with essays that successfully incorporate primary evidence from the documents with traditional historical themes and maxims. The student who simply describes the contents of the documents and fails to place them into historical perspective, or fails to use all of the documents, will receive a low score on the DBQ essay.
Document Based Question:
1. You will be given a prompt which you must respond to using the provided documents and outside knowledge of the time period.
2. Use most if not all of the 15 minutes to read through the documents, take notes, and plan your essay.
3. When reading documents, underline key ideas and jot notes next to each document. Also circle key people and dates. This will help you organize your paper and allow you to draw inferences between the documents and your outside knowledge.
4. Pace yourself. Do not stress on the time. Write the start and end time on the top of your essay. That will allow you to focus on your essay and not how much time which you have to write.
5. When you finish writing, reread your paper, checking for any errors in historical information. Do not try to make big corrections in your paper, such as deleting or inserting whole paragraphs.
6. Make sure your introduction and conclusion agree with each other, By checking this you will save yourself from possibly taking point deductions with an essay that contradicts itself.
7. Practice, practice, practice!. You’ll receive practice at school and at home. Use this time to your advantage. The point is to improve your writing skills.
The "Long Essay" Free Response Question (FRQ)- The Long Essay Free Response question, which is much less talked about, is not unlike essays you already know how to write. With practice you can write a successful essay. This class attempts to prepare you through documents, handouts, writing tips, and FRQ samples and responses. Remember that it takes time to receive a top score of six when you write a response. Do not feel discouraged if you score less when you begin writing. You are here to learn and learn you will!
Free Response Question:
1. You are given two essay choices. You must write on one of them.
2. Choose the prompt to answer. Underline key dates and parts of the prompt that have to be answered.
3. Jot down a few pieces of knowledge you remember about that time period. This may help trigger additional information. Writing down names, events, and dates also helps to keep the prompt clear in your mind as you write your essay.
4. Write your essay, making sure to pace yourself.
5. Reread your work when finished, making sure all parts of your essay agree.
Lecture Notes- Students are required to take notes and keep them in a three ring binder. Notes will be turned in and graded based on a check score and given back to be put into the binder. Additionally, notebooks will be checked at the end of each grading period and a participation grade will be assigned based on how well binders are kept up to date. Notes will become a chronological record of U.S. history from Pre-Columbian America to the present and should be completed using a basic outline format. Included in the lecture for notes will be visual data such as past AP® Exam documents from released DBQs as well as selected maps, charts, quotes, graphs, political cartoons, and pictures.
Homework Policy- Identification & significance assignments (ID/SIGs) are to be submitted by the given due date by e-mailing them to the proper address montclairapush@hotmail.com. Do not send attachments; submit your answers in the text of your e-mail. The daily reading assignment is shown on the homework board. Late assignments will not be accepted. For excused absences, assignments are due the day the student returns to class unless prior arrangements have been made for emergencies. Students are expected to keep a well-organized three ring binder with all course-related materials (e.g. syllabus, lecture notes, study guides, handouts, etc.)
Missed Exams- Students who are absent legitimately on a day a test is given must make up the test at lunch on the following Wednesday. An alternate exam will be given. If a student is absent for an extended period (e.g., more than five days), an appointment for making-up the test will be made. Complete loss of credit for an exam may result if the exam is not completed by the end of the quarter.
Participation- Students are expected to contribute in class discussions and effectively participate in class activities. Many of the class sessions will be lecture based. In order for lectures to work, student preparation and participation is critical. Students who are "on the border" between grades at the semester may be given the higher grade if their overall participation has been commendable.
The Document-based Question (DBQ)- requires the construction of a coherent essay that integrates interpretation of the supplied documents with a demonstrated knowledge of the historical period in question. Higher scores are earned with essays that successfully incorporate primary evidence from the documents with traditional historical themes and maxims. The student who simply describes the contents of the documents and fails to place them into historical perspective, or fails to use all of the documents, will receive a low score on the DBQ essay.
Document Based Question:
1. You will be given a prompt which you must respond to using the provided documents and outside knowledge of the time period.
2. Use most if not all of the 15 minutes to read through the documents, take notes, and plan your essay.
3. When reading documents, underline key ideas and jot notes next to each document. Also circle key people and dates. This will help you organize your paper and allow you to draw inferences between the documents and your outside knowledge.
4. Pace yourself. Do not stress on the time. Write the start and end time on the top of your essay. That will allow you to focus on your essay and not how much time which you have to write.
5. When you finish writing, reread your paper, checking for any errors in historical information. Do not try to make big corrections in your paper, such as deleting or inserting whole paragraphs.
6. Make sure your introduction and conclusion agree with each other, By checking this you will save yourself from possibly taking point deductions with an essay that contradicts itself.
7. Practice, practice, practice!. You’ll receive practice at school and at home. Use this time to your advantage. The point is to improve your writing skills.
The "Long Essay" Free Response Question (FRQ)- The Long Essay Free Response question, which is much less talked about, is not unlike essays you already know how to write. With practice you can write a successful essay. This class attempts to prepare you through documents, handouts, writing tips, and FRQ samples and responses. Remember that it takes time to receive a top score of six when you write a response. Do not feel discouraged if you score less when you begin writing. You are here to learn and learn you will!
Free Response Question:
1. You are given two essay choices. You must write on one of them.
2. Choose the prompt to answer. Underline key dates and parts of the prompt that have to be answered.
3. Jot down a few pieces of knowledge you remember about that time period. This may help trigger additional information. Writing down names, events, and dates also helps to keep the prompt clear in your mind as you write your essay.
4. Write your essay, making sure to pace yourself.
5. Reread your work when finished, making sure all parts of your essay agree.
Lecture Notes- Students are required to take notes and keep them in a three ring binder. Notes will be turned in and graded based on a check score and given back to be put into the binder. Additionally, notebooks will be checked at the end of each grading period and a participation grade will be assigned based on how well binders are kept up to date. Notes will become a chronological record of U.S. history from Pre-Columbian America to the present and should be completed using a basic outline format. Included in the lecture for notes will be visual data such as past AP® Exam documents from released DBQs as well as selected maps, charts, quotes, graphs, political cartoons, and pictures.
Homework Policy- Identification & significance assignments (ID/SIGs) are to be submitted by the given due date by e-mailing them to the proper address montclairapush@hotmail.com. Do not send attachments; submit your answers in the text of your e-mail. The daily reading assignment is shown on the homework board. Late assignments will not be accepted. For excused absences, assignments are due the day the student returns to class unless prior arrangements have been made for emergencies. Students are expected to keep a well-organized three ring binder with all course-related materials (e.g. syllabus, lecture notes, study guides, handouts, etc.)
Missed Exams- Students who are absent legitimately on a day a test is given must make up the test at lunch on the following Wednesday. An alternate exam will be given. If a student is absent for an extended period (e.g., more than five days), an appointment for making-up the test will be made. Complete loss of credit for an exam may result if the exam is not completed by the end of the quarter.
Participation- Students are expected to contribute in class discussions and effectively participate in class activities. Many of the class sessions will be lecture based. In order for lectures to work, student preparation and participation is critical. Students who are "on the border" between grades at the semester may be given the higher grade if their overall participation has been commendable.
Students Will be College and Career Ready in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening in Regards to History- A successful school year in this class should involve the student's ability to comprehend and evaluate complex ideas, histories and texts across a range of types and disciplines, and they should be able to construct effective arguments and convey intricate or multifaceted information. Likewise, students should be able, independently, to discern a speaker’s key points, request clarification, and ask relevant questions. They should build on others’ ideas, articulate their own ideas, and confirm they have been understood. Without prompting, they should demonstrate command of standard English and acquire and use a wide-ranging vocabulary. More broadly, they become self-directed learners, effectively seeking out and using resources to assist them, including teachers, peers, and print and digital reference materials.
They build strong content knowledge.
Students establish a base of knowledge across a wide range of subject matter by engaging with works of quality and substance. They become proficient in new areas through research and study. They read purposefully and listen attentively to gain both general knowledge and discipline-specific expertise.
They refine and share their knowledge through writing and speaking.
Students are engaged and open-minded—but discerning—readers and listeners. They work diligently to understand precisely what an author or speaker is saying, but they also question an author’s or speaker’s assumptions and premises and assess the veracity of claims and the soundness of reasoning.
They value evidence.
Students cite specific evidence when offering an oral or written interpretation of a text. They use relevant evidence when supporting their own points in writing and speaking, making their reasoning clear to the reader or listener, and they constructively evaluate others’ use of evidence.
They use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
Students employ technology thoughtfully to enhance their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use. They tailor their searches online to acquire useful information efficiently, and they integrate what they learn using technology with what they learn offline. They are familiar with the strengths and limitations of various technological tools and mediums and can select and use those best suited to their communication goals.
They come to understand other perspectives and cultures.
Students appreciate that the twenty-first-century classroom and workplace are settings in which people from often widely divergent cultures and who represent diverse experiences and perspectives must learn and work together. Students actively seek to understand other perspectives and cultures through reading and listening, and they are able to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. They evaluate other points of view critically and constructively.
Class Rules and Expectations:
1. Come to class prepared -- this means having all assignments completed prior to the beginning of class and being seated and ready to begin when the second bell rings.
2. Respect the rights of others -- only one person talks while everyone else listens. Treat others with dignity and respect. Students should feel safe to exchange ideas. No question is a "stupid” question! Professional courtesy should always prevail.
3. Respect school property as well as the property of others -- this includes returning any borrowed materials to the owner in a timely fashion (e.g. lecture notes, handouts).
4. Tardies and truancies are unacceptable -- 1% of student's total grade will be deducted for each tardy and truancy.
2. Respect the rights of others -- only one person talks while everyone else listens. Treat others with dignity and respect. Students should feel safe to exchange ideas. No question is a "stupid” question! Professional courtesy should always prevail.
3. Respect school property as well as the property of others -- this includes returning any borrowed materials to the owner in a timely fashion (e.g. lecture notes, handouts).
4. Tardies and truancies are unacceptable -- 1% of student's total grade will be deducted for each tardy and truancy.
Goals, Objectives, & Readings:
Advanced Placement United States History is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States History. Students will analyze historical material, synthesize their own ideas, and evaluate those of others. The AP® United States History course will develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.
Click "AP® Central" for information on the AP® US History Exam, sample questions, & scoring.
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3 comments:
This class just gets harder and harder. I've been on this chapter for over an hour and I'm still confused!
Anyone feeling the same?
GrrrRRrrR
It was hard to understand.
The key is to look for the significance -- not the horses -- then all document reading becomes more easy to understand. This is an important skill for the DBQ
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