Course Description: This course is designed as a survey of World History and as a path to development of historical reasoning skills. Students will learn to craft historical arguments from historical evidence, analyze causes and effects, explore continuity and change over time, evaluate periodization of history, compare and contextualize multiple historical developments, explore diverse interpretations of the past and learn historical synthesis skills.
Text: Voyages in World History, by Valerie Hansen and Kenneth Curtis, Cengage
Course Requirements: Prepare to take the AP Exam on Thursday May 16 at 8:00 AM Actively participate in class Complete all assignments thoroughly and promptly Attend class daily Arrive to class on time Make up work when absent Form a study group with your peers Come in for extra help when needed
Grading Weights First Semester Second Semester Tests: 50% Tests: 50% Quizzes: 5% Quizzes: 5% Short Answer Quizzes 10% Short Answer Quizzes 10% Essays: 15% Essays: 15% Semester exam: 20% No exam second semester
Semester Exams First Semester*: Tuesday December 18-Thursday December 20 Second Semester*: Wednesday May 22-Friday May 24
*AP students cannot exempt AP exams first semester and are exempt from all AP class exams second semester
Make Up Work You are allowed one day to make up assignments and tests for each day you were unexpectedly absent. Make up time for a test or quiz missed during a planned absence (competition, field trip, college visit etc.) needs to be arranged in advance of your absence. Expect to make up a quiz before school the next day after a planned absence, and tests after school the day following a planned absence, subject to my availability. (Example: You will miss a scheduled test on Tuesday due to a field trip. You need to see me by Monday, at the latest, and arrange to come in Wednesday morning or Wednesday afternoon)
Purpose of Course Activities AP World History is the equivalent of a college-level survey course. Like college students, you are expected to read the assigned pages in the textbook and assigned reading activities. In class we will analyze primary sources and scholarly articles that are assigned. This primary source analysis will help you directly with the tasks required for the Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay on the exam, but the daily use of historical materials also will help you practice using evidence to make plausible arguments. You also will become expert at identifying point of view, context, and bias in these sources.
Study Guides: Study guides will be assigned for each discussion topic. Study guides should be completed in advance of topic to be discussed. Completion and understanding of study guides will be evaluated during class discussions.
Academic Dishonesty Any attempt to obtain credit for work done by another is unacceptable, including: • Cheating on tests • Copying work of others • Copying ideas or copying word-for-word from books, magazines, encyclopedias, technology media (plagiarism) • Failing to cite proper documentation or authorship • Using someone else’s term paper • Or other similar activities
Cheating includes the following: • Possessing and/or using unauthorized material during quizzes, tests, and exams • Providing or accepting specific information about a class assignment, project, homework, quiz, test, or exam (example: “The essay question is …” or “Study all the definitions on page 3.”) • Sharing work product on any independent assignment (The student is responsible for understanding when assignments are to be completed independently or as a group.) Academic dishonesty will be a discipline referral to the office and consequences will be assigned. Please note: College and scholarship applications frequently request disclosure regarding academic dishonesty.
Gifted Continuation A student’s performance in all gifted classes is reviewed at the end of each semester, earlier if difficulties become evident. Continuation in the Gifted Program in Fayette County requires a student to meet criteria-specific performance requirements in classes for the gifted as evidenced by participation, completion of assignments, and the maintenance of an average of 70 or better in each gifted or Advanced Placement class.
If a student fails to meet the performance requirements in a gifted class, the student will be placed on gifted probation the following semester for that department’s gifted courses. Failure to meet the performance requirements in the same academic area for two consecutive semesters will result in the student’s being declared ineligible for gifted courses from that department for the entirety of the following semester and placed in a non-gifted core course in the same academic area. The student may regain gifted placement in that department after meeting all continuation requirements. Re-entry may occur only at the beginning of the next 18-week semester. The student is allowed to remain in all other gifted classes as long as all continuation requirements are met.
Parents are notified in writing at the end of each semester of changes in placement status.
Credit Recovery Options for credit recovery following the conclusion of the semester may be available should credit for the course not be obtained. Requirements and criteria, including a minimum failing grade, will be determined at the end of each semester and must be satisfied in order to participate in credit recovery.