Phone - 355-2839 Email - tchamnes@greenville.k12.sc.us
My Schedule: 1st Semester 2023-2024
1st -Planning
2nd Civics
3rd- U.S. History Honors
4th - U.S. History CP
Daily Assignments can be found on Google Classroom for students. If you have a question you can reach me at: tchamnes@greenville.k12.sc.us or tchamnes@greenvilleschools.us
Eastside High School: U.S. History CP (2023-2024)
Instructor: Tom Chamness
Email: tchamnes@greenville.k12.sc.us; tchamnes@greenvilleschools.us
Classroom Phone: (864) 355-2839
Room: C137
1st Semester Schedule: 1st Block- Planning
2nd Block- Civics
3rd Block-U.S. History Hon
4th Block-U.S. History
Text: The Americans. McDougal Littell. 2005. (This will be provided on my school website as well as individual Google Classrooms; This is the text that the class will be using the most.)
By The People: A History of the United States. Pearson, Prentice Hall. 2014. (This can be obtained using the student’s BackPack account)
Course Description: The focus of United States History and the Constitution is the story of the American people from the discovery and settlement of America by Europe to the present day-span that includes the early Native Americans, the establishment of various European colonies, the creation of the United States as a new nation during the American Revolution, the territorial expansion to the West, the American Civil War and Reconstruction, the industrialization and immigration of the late nineteenth century, and the nation’s developing role in world affairs in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through class activities and projects, this course will prepare the college-bound student for college courses with reading skills, study skills, technology skills and research skills. Students will take the SC end of course examination as the final exam in this course.
Course Objectives:
1. To study the major themes and events of U.S. History from the colonial period through the present.
2. To thoroughly investigate the U.S. Constitution and the role it continues to play in shaping our nation.
3. To provide a balanced and varied instructional program, using lecture, discussion, group activities, videos and current events.
4. To reinforce the following concepts:
● cause, effect, and the nature of change, both social and physical
● social influences and individual behavior as it relates to power
● individualism and responsibility as it relates to heritage, diversity and institutions of culture
5. To prepare students to successfully pass the state-mandated End-of-Course (EOC) exam in January.
2021 U.S. History and Constitution Standards:
Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of the Atlantic World on the regional and national development of republicanism and federalism from 1607–1815.
Standard 2: Compare the economic, political, and social development of the antebellum North and South from 1803–1860 using a comparative analysis.
Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of how innovation and industrialization impacted demographic change, reform movements, and American identity from 1862–1924.
Standard 4: Demonstrate an understanding of how the American identity both at home and abroad was affected by imperialism, world conflict, and economic boom and bust in the period 1893 to 1945.
Standard 5: Demonstrate the impact of America’s global leadership on technological advancements, the transition to a post-industrial society, and ongoing debates over identity in the period 1945–present.
Deconstructed Skills:
● CO: Comparison- Utilize similarities and differences among multiple historical developments over culture, time, and place to create a comparative analysis.
● CE: Causation- Evaluate significant turning points, including related causes and effects that affect historical continuity and change.
● P: PeriodizationSummarize, analyze, and assess the methods historians use to categorize historical developments in order to create historical periodization.
● CX: Context- Justify how the relationship between various historical themes and multiple historical developments create a multifaceted context when analyzing significant events.
● CC: Continuities and Changes- Evaluate significant turning points and theme-based patterns of continuities and changes within a period, including catalysts for those changes.
● E: Evidence- Identify, interpret, and utilize different forms of evidence, including primary and secondary sources, used in an inquiry based study of history.
Course Requirements:
1. Attendance: As a result of block scheduling, you are only permitted five absences per semester in each class. Any unexcused absences after the fifth absence will result in the student needing to complete seat time recovery in order to not fail the class due to attendance.
2. Make-Up Work: All make up assignments (classwork, homework, quizzes, tests, etc.) are due within FIVE (5) class days of your return to school. Any work, including tests and quizzes, not completed and/or turned in within the five-day period will be assigned a grade of zero. In accordance with our school-wide late work policy, ten points will be taken off the late work for every day the work is late. For any missed assessment, it is the responsibility of the student to coordinate a time to make up the missed assessment with the teacher within the five days of returning back to school.
● Field Trips and “Principal Approval” absences are not a part of the five days to make up work.
● Please inform Mrs. Santos if you already know you will be absent, and arrangements will be made to provide work that will be missed.
3. Late Work Policy-
Teachers reserve the right to alter this policy based on extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances should be discussed with the administration.
Late work is defined as work not completed/turned in on time even though the student attended the class.
Any assignment which is not turned in on time will be deducted 10 points off of the original grade earned for each school day the assignment is late up to five days.
After five days, the student will be assigned a 0 for the assignment.
Late work will not be accepted after the end of a grading period.
Students who have 504/IEP/ESOL accommodations specifically allowing for extra time may exceed the 5 day window to maintain compliance with their respective educational plan.
Dual Credit courses may have varying late work policies that are aligned with their parent university.
Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.
4. Materials Needed:
Pen or pencil
Chromebook (and charger)
Paper
Notebook
Highlighters
5. Class Rules:
1) Students will be on time.
a) Be seated in your assigned seats when the tardy bell rings. Go to the restroom, the water fountain and/ or your locker BEFORE you get to this class. If you are late to class, you must obtain a tardy pass from the front office.
2) Students will be prepared. This means you will have the required class materials in class every day.
3) Be respectful at all times. Please raise your hand before speaking, and do not talk while someone else is talking.
4) Electronic devices ONLY ALLOWED when indicated by the teacher.
a) Chromebooks will need to be charged and ready to use for classroom assignments/activities.
5) There will be no music listening devices permitted during lectures and assessments. If the class is working on an independent assignment, students may listen to music at an appropriate volume.
a) The ultimate consequences for electronics being out when not permitted will result in an administrative referral to the appropriate administrator for a “failure to obey.”
b) I do not have the time or patience to verbally remind you/reprimand you for every occurrence. If you have any electronic devices visible during non permitted times, you can be assured that I will follow the consequences as outlined below.
6) Cheating and Copying (all parties involved) = Zero. No questions.
7) Do not work on any other subjects during this class unless instructed otherwise.
8) Procedures for leaving the classroom:
a) Students are not permitted to leave the room during assessments. Students will need to handle any business outside of the classroom before taking the test/quiz or after turning in the test/quiz.
b) For the first 10 and last 10 of each class, restrooms are off limits
6. Consequences:
1) Verbal Warning
2) Parent Contact
3) Before/After School Detention
4) Referral
Grading Procedures:
1) Minor Assessments (Classwork, homework, quizzes) = 40%
● Quizzes
o Content quizzes (announced and unannounced) and vocabulary quizzes
● Classwork-Work started on in class
● Homework-Work completely done at home
2) Major Assessments (Tests & Projects) = 60%
● Unit tests are cumulative. This means that information learned in prior units will be revisited on future tests. This is done as a way to keep content fresh, especially since the EOC tests the totality of the course.
3) South Carolina US History End-of-Course (EOC) Exam – 20% of the student’s yearly average
Grading Scale:
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F below 60
Benchmarks
Students will take two benchmark tests throughout the school year in order to prepare for the EOC. These benchmark tests are created by Greenville County Schools and are administered by Mastery Connect. Students will take all benchmarks using their personal Chromebooks issued by the school. As of now, benchmarks will be used as assessments in the grade book. The windows for the benchmarks are as follows:
1. Benchmark #1 Window-September 27th-October 1st
2. Benchmark #2 Window-November 8th-11th
End-of-Course Examination
The cumulative End of Course Examination is mandated by the State of South Carolina for all students who take U.S. History. The test will consist of 55-65 multiple choice questions and will constitute 20% of the student’s final grade. Students enrolled in U.S. History during the fall semester will take the EOC in January. I will send more information about exact dates and times as soon as those become available to me.
Tentative Course Schedule-This is a tentative outline that will fluctuate to accommodate project research, presentations, and various school activities.
1st Quarter:
Unit 1: Colonies to Revolution
Unit 2: Articles of Confederation to the War of 1812
Unit 3: Expansion and Disunion
Unit 4: War and Reconstruction
Unit 5: Industrial Revolution
2nd Quarter:
Unit 6: Response to Industrial America
Unit 7: America at War
Unit 8: America in Transition
Unit 9: American Leadership
Unit 10: Life in Modern America
My name is Tom Chamness, and mark my thirtieth year teaching. United States History is a graduation requirement for all students, per the State Department of Education. It is a survey course covering the time period from the colonial period up to the present day. Students will be assessed using a state-mandated end-of-course test in January, and it counts as 20% of the students’ overall grade.
Eastside High School: U.S. History Honors (2023-2024)
Instructor: Tom Chamness
Email: tchamnes@greenville.k12.sc.us; tchamnes@greenvilleschools.us
Classroom Phone: (864) 355-2839
Room: C137
1st Semester Schedule: 1st Block- Planning
2nd Block-Civics
3rd Block-U.S. History Hon
4th Block-U.S. History CP
Text: The Americans. McDougal Littell. 2005. (This will be provided on my school website as well as individual Google Classrooms; This is the text that the class will be using the most.)
By The People: A History of the United States. Pearson, Prentice Hall. 2014. (This can be obtained using the student’s BackPack account)
Course Description: The focus of United States History and the Constitution is the story of the American people from the discovery and settlement of America by Europe to the present day-span that includes the early Native Americans, the establishment of various European colonies, the creation of the United States as a new nation during the American Revolution, the territorial expansion to the West, the American Civil War and Reconstruction, the industrialization and immigration of the late nineteenth century, and the nation’s developing role in world affairs in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through class activities and projects, this course will prepare the college-bound student for college courses with reading skills, study skills, technology skills and research skills. Students will take the SC end of course examination as the final exam in this course.
Course Objectives:
1. To study the major themes and events of U.S. History from the colonial period through the present.
2. To thoroughly investigate the U.S. Constitution and the role it continues to play in shaping our nation.
3. To provide a balanced and varied instructional program, using lecture, discussion, group activities, videos and current events.
4. To reinforce the following concepts:
● cause, effect, and the nature of change, both social and physical
● social influences and individual behavior as it relates to power
● individualism and responsibility as it relates to heritage, diversity and institutions of culture
5. To prepare students to successfully pass the state-mandated End-of-Course (EOC) exam in January.
2021 U.S. History and Constitution Standards:
Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of the Atlantic World on the regional and national development of republicanism and federalism from 1607–1815.
Standard 2: Compare the economic, political, and social development of the antebellum North and South from 1803–1860 using a comparative analysis.
Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of how innovation and industrialization impacted demographic change, reform movements, and American identity from 1862–1924.
Standard 4: Demonstrate an understanding of how the American identity both at home and abroad was affected by imperialism, world conflict, and economic boom and bust in the period 1893 to 1945.
Standard 5: Demonstrate the impact of America’s global leadership on technological advancements, the transition to a post-industrial society, and ongoing debates over identity in the period 1945–present.
Deconstructed Skills:
● CO: Comparison- Utilize similarities and differences among multiple historical developments over culture, time, and place to create a comparative analysis.
● CE: Causation- Evaluate significant turning points, including related causes and effects that affect historical continuity and change.
● P: PeriodizationSummarize, analyze, and assess the methods historians use to categorize historical developments in order to create historical periodization.
● CX: Context- Justify how the relationship between various historical themes and multiple historical developments create a multifaceted context when analyzing significant events.
● CC: Continuities and Changes- Evaluate significant turning points and theme-based patterns of continuities and changes within a period, including catalysts for those changes.
● E: Evidence- Identify, interpret, and utilize different forms of evidence, including primary and secondary sources, used in an inquiry based study of history.
Course Requirements:
1. Attendance: As a result of block scheduling, you are only permitted five absences per semester in each class. Any unexcused absences after the fifth absence will result in the student needing to complete seat time recovery in order to not fail the class due to attendance.
2. Make-Up Work: All make up assignments (classwork, homework, quizzes, tests, etc.) are due within FIVE (5) class days of your return to school. Any work, including tests and quizzes, not completed and/or turned in within the five-day period will be assigned a grade of zero. In accordance with our school-wide late work policy, ten points will be taken off the late work for every day the work is late. For any missed assessment, it is the responsibility of the student to coordinate a time to make up the missed assessment with the teacher within the five days of returning back to school.
● Field Trips and “Principal Approval” absences are not a part of the five days to make up work.
● Please inform Mrs. Santos if you already know you will be absent, and arrangements will be made to provide work that will be missed.
3. Late Work Policy-
Teachers reserve the right to alter this policy based on extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances should be discussed with the administration.
Late work is defined as work not completed/turned in on time even though the student attended the class.
Any assignment which is not turned in on time will be deducted 10 points off of the original grade earned for each school day the assignment is late up to five days.
After five days, the student will be assigned a 0 for the assignment.
Late work will not be accepted after the end of a grading period.
Students who have 504/IEP/ESOL accommodations specifically allowing for extra time may exceed the 5 day window to maintain compliance with their respective educational plan.
Dual Credit courses may have varying late work policies that are aligned with their parent university.
Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.
4. Materials Needed:
Pen or pencil
Chromebook (and charger)
Paper
Notebook
Highlighters
5. Class Rules:
1) Students will be on time.
a) Be seated in your assigned seats when the tardy bell rings. Go to the restroom, the water fountain and/ or your locker BEFORE you get to this class. If you are late to class, you must obtain a tardy pass from the front office.
2) Students will be prepared. This means you will have the required class materials in class every day.
3) Be respectful at all times. Please raise your hand before speaking, and do not talk while someone else is talking.
4) Electronic devices ONLY ALLOWED when indicated by the teacher.
a) Chromebooks will need to be charged and ready to use for classroom assignments/activities.
5) There will be no music listening devices permitted during lectures and assessments. If the class is working on an independent assignment, students may listen to music at an appropriate volume.
a) The ultimate consequences for electronics being out when not permitted will result in an administrative referral to the appropriate administrator for a “failure to obey.”
b) I do not have the time or patience to verbally remind you/reprimand you for every occurrence. If you have any electronic devices visible during non permitted times, you can be assured that I will follow the consequences as outlined below.
6) Cheating and Copying (all parties involved) = Zero. No questions.
7) Do not work on any other subjects during this class unless instructed otherwise.
8) Procedures for leaving the classroom:
a) Students are not permitted to leave the room during assessments. Students will need to handle any business outside of the classroom before taking the test/quiz or after turning in the test/quiz.
b) For the first 10 and last 10 of each class, restrooms are off limits
6. Consequences:
1) Verbal Warning
2) Parent Contact
3) Before/After School Detention
4) Referral
Grading Procedures:
1) Minor Assessments (Classwork, homework, quizzes) = 40%
● Quizzes
o Content quizzes (announced and unannounced) and vocabulary quizzes
● Classwork-Work started on in class
● Homework-Work completely done at home
2) Major Assessments (Tests & Projects) = 60%
● Unit tests are cumulative. This means that information learned in prior units will be revisited on future tests. This is done as a way to keep content fresh, especially since the EOC tests the totality of the course.
3) South Carolina US History End-of-Course (EOC) Exam – 20% of the student’s yearly average
Grading Scale:
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F below 60
Benchmarks
Students will take two benchmark tests throughout the school year in order to prepare for the EOC. These benchmark tests are created by Greenville County Schools and are administered by Mastery Connect. Students will take all benchmarks using their personal Chromebooks issued by the school. As of now, benchmarks will be used as assessments in the grade book. The windows for the benchmarks are as follows:
1. Benchmark #1 Window-September 27th-October 1st
2. Benchmark #2 Window-November 8th-11th
End-of-Course Examination
The cumulative End of Course Examination is mandated by the State of South Carolina for all students who take U.S. History. The test will consist of 55-65 multiple choice questions and will constitute 20% of the student’s final grade. Students enrolled in U.S. History during the fall semester will take the EOC in January. I will send more information about exact dates and times as soon as those become available to me.
Tentative Course Schedule-This is a tentative outline that will fluctuate to accommodate project research, presentations, and various school activities.
1st Quarter:
Unit 1: Colonies to Revolution
Unit 2: Articles of Confederation to the War of 1812
Unit 3: Expansion and Disunion
Unit 4: War and Reconstruction
Unit 5: Industrial Revolution
2nd Quarter:
Unit 6: Response to Industrial America
Unit 7: America at War
Unit 8: America in Transition
Unit 9: American Leadership
Unit 10: Life in Modern America
Dear Students and Parents,
My name is Tom Chamness, and this is mark my thirtieth year teaching. United States History is a graduation requirement for all students, per the State Department of Education. It is a survey course covering the time period from the colonial period up to the present day. Students will be assessed using a state-mandated end-of-course test in January, and it counts as 20% of the students’ overall grade.
Tom Chamness
Eastside High School
Social Studies Teacher