AP US History

Course Overview

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AP US History

is designed to provide high school students with a college level learning experience that lasts a full academic year and provides one unit of high school credit. Content in the course covers US History from the early European settlements and explorations until the early twenty-first century. Several themes will be examined throughout the course, including: American diversity; American identity; culture; demographic changes; economic growth and development; environmental issues; globalization; politics and citizenship; reform; the role of religion; slavery and its impacts; war and foreign policy. The main goal is to prepare students for higher-level college work by providing them with a thorough grounding in relevant facts and an examination of their significance and context. Students will learn to assess historical materials and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. In particular, students will determine the relevance of these sources to a given problem and/or theme.

Assessments 75% of grade

    • 6 unit assessments for each unit consisting of 60 -- 80 Multiple Choice questions.

    • Reading Comprehension Quizzes (RCQs) for each chapter of the text.

    • 5 Paragraph Persuasive Essays. Each quarter students will write 3 essays. One will be a DBQ one a Free-Response, and one a Free-Choice. In quarters 1 and 2 students will complete the essays at home and in Quarters 3 and 4 students will do them in-class.

    • Vocabulary Quizzes (second half of course) Students must study all vocabulary terms assigned and be ready to write out the definition of the person, place or concept in one sentence. Students must also state the historical significance of the term in a second sentence. Students will have 5 terms randomly selected from the list and will only have 5 minutes to finish the quiz.

Homework 15% of grade

    • Focus Questions for each chapter of the text. Answers will consist of one to two paragraphs. Each answer must demonstrate mastery of the historical information, and demonstrate the student's ability to analyze the reading.

    • Vocabulary (first half of course) for each chapter. Students must write out the definition of the person, place or concept in one sentence. Students must also state the historical significance of the term in a second sentence.

Classwork 10% of grade

  • Notes will be taken based on PowerPoint lectures using the Cornell note taking strategy. Students will receive one grade per week. Students do not need to copy notes word-for-word and are strongly encouraged to write in short-hand.

  • Meeting of the Minds is an activity that will take place one to four times per quarter. Students will be assigned a historical figure to research. Students will then sit down and have a simulated discussion with other historical figures based on events relevant to their lives.

  • Primary Sources will be assigned for most chapters. Students will read these sources at home and come into class ready to discuss the content of the readings based off of notes. If the teacher feels the class did not read the sources the grade will be based on written summaries of the assigned readings instead of the discussions.

HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR BINDER FOR APUSH

Students will need to buy a binder for APUSH to keep all the materials from class organized. To help students stay organized they will print off the PowerPoint presentation entitled Unit __ Notes, which will be located on the APUSH website. Students will hole-punch the PowerPoint slides and put them in their binders. The following is the order in which notes must be organized for each unit.

1. Vocabulary: Print off the vocabulary list for the unit. This will be the first page after the PowerPoint slide. Then once you receive your graded vocabulary homework assignments put them, by chapter, behind the vocabulary list.

2. Focus Questions: Print off the Focus Questions for the unit. This will be the first page after the PowerPoint slide. Then once you receive your graded focus question homework assignments put them, by chapter, behind the Focus Questions for the unit.

3. Primary Sources: Print off the list of Primary Sources you have to read for the unit. Then behind this page put 5-6 pages of loose-leaf paper that will be used to take notes as the class discusses the primary sources. If the teacher assigns a written summary for a primary source that will be put in this section once the assignment is graded. It is acceptable and encouraged that students take notes on the sources they have read while at home so when they come into class they are prepared to have a good class discussion.

4. DBQ and/or Free Response Essay: Print off the essay prompt(s) from this unit. This will be the first page after the Power Point slide. Then once you receive your grade for the essay put the essay and rubric in this section.

5. Meeting of the Minds: Print off the assignment page and notes for meeting of the minds. Once the notes for the activity is graded place your work in this section.

6. RCQ questions: Before you publish your answers to the RCQ questions print off the chapter quizzes and place them behind the Power Point slide.

7. Lecture Notes: Behind the Power Point slide put about 20 pieces of loose-leaf paper into your binder. This is the section where you will take notes on the class lectures.