AP World History 2014-2015
Mrs. McCurdy World History Teacher at Basha High School,
Room: F201
Phone: (480) 224-2263
Email: mccurdy.jill@cusd80.com
Office Hours: conference periods; mornings@7am and afternoons@ 2:10-3:00pm
Course Description: Advanced Placement World History (WHAP) is a chance to study the story of how
our world came to be the way it is today. The course will cover events that have shaped our world from
8000 BCE to the present and is truly global in scope with Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceana
each represented. WHAP is for motivated students and is taught on the college level – it therefore requires
much more homework and more extensive writing assignments than the average high school course (it take
the time and dedication you would expect to put into a sports team or band.) All students are encouraged to
take the WHAP test in May and those who score well can receive college credit (saving parents lots of
money.) One purpose of this course is to prepare students to do well on the exam; the broader purpose is to
develop a variety of analytical skills and the chance to “do history” rather than just read about it. This
requires a great deal of critical thinking, interpretation of written material, logical argumentation, and
analysis. These skills are beneficial regardless of future plans. This will be accomplished by focusing on
four historical thinking skills:
_ crafting historical arguments from historical evidence
_ chronological reasoning
_ comparison and contextualization
_ historical interpretation and synthesis
Textbook: Beck, Roger, Black, Linda, et.al. World History: A Global History. Patterns of Interaction.,
2009.
Supplement material- To enhance student’s deeper understanding of the themes of AP, A variety of
other reading and resources utilized throughout the course include:
Curtis,Kenneth, Doeringer, Frnklin. Discovering the Global Past: A look at the Evidencee. Vol I &
II.Boston. 2007
Andrea, Alfred, Overfield, James. The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Vol. I & II. 6th ed
Advanced Placement 3rd AP Ed., 2005
The Five Key Reoccurring Themes in AP World History
The five AP World History Themes that connect the key concepts throughout the course are:
Theme 1: Interaction Between Humans and the Environment: Demography and disease, Migration, Patterns of
settlement
Theme 2: Development and Interaction of Cultures: Religions, Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies, Science
and technology, The arts and architecture
Theme 3: State-building, Expansion, and Conflict: Political structures and forms of governance, Empires, Nations and
nationalism, Revolts and revolutions, Regional, trans-regional, and global structures and organizations
Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems: Agricultural and pastoral production, Trade and
commerce, Labor systems, Industrialization, Capitalism and Socialism
Theme 5: Development and Transformation of Social Structures: Gender roles and relations, Family and kinship,
Racial and ethnic constructions, Social and economic classes
Unit Activities: The following activities will be utilized in each of the six units in order to develop the
historical analysis necessary to establish a deeper connection with AP themes.
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Mini Socratic Circles: Students will be divided into five or six groups each unit. These groups correspond
to the AP World History key concepts. The students will be given
Time to analyze a variety of sources along with regular class texts. Students consider and analyze the
different themes and that are contained in these sources and record their findings while annotating the
sources.
Document Based Readings & Writing: Students analyze evidence from a variety of sources in order to
develop a coherent written argument that has a thesis supported by relevant historical evidence. Students
will apply multiple historical thinking skills as they examine a particular historical problem or question.
Comparative Essays: Students compare historical developments across or within societies in various
chronological and/or geographical contexts. Students will also synthesize information by connecting
insights from one historical context to another, including the present.
Philosophical Debate: Students will justify a side of a group or individual and have to justify why they
chose that side, while identifying key terms and concepts. The foundation for these conversations will be
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Civilizations.
Socratic Seminar: Students will use the Socratic seminar format in each unit to explore key controversies
in world history from ancient times to the present. This group discussion style encourages students to
support an arguments of leading historians and commentators on world history and reflects a variety of
viewpoints presented in pro/con format.
PowerPoint presentation: Students will use this information to prepare a for their classmates. Students are
required to cite the information used on their
slides and they must be able to answer questions and justify their selections.
Units of Study: The textbook divides itself chronologically into six periods of historical study. We will
use these terms and descriptions while introducing the varied format the Advanced Placement programs
use, the terms will eventually become interchangeable.
Unit Scope and Sequence
UNIT ONE: PERIODIZATION: c. 8000 BCE to c. 600 BCE
MAIN FOCUS: Beginnings in History
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 15 Days
READING TEXT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 1 – 4
Key Concepts:
Key Concept 1.1: People of the World
I. Paleolithic migrations lead to the spread of technology and culture
Key Concept 1.2: The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
I. Neolithic Revolution leads to new and more complex economic and social systems
II. Agricultural and pastoralism begins to transform human society
Key Concept 1.3: The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
I. Location of early foundational civilizations
II. State development and expansion
III. Cultural development in the early civilizations
Unit 1 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 1 – 4
2. Mini Socratic Seminar: Students will prepare to discuss this unit.
Teacher will review group discussions and annotated notes. Teacher will also explain how to use the
themed unit focus sheets.
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will begin preliminary work on how to write a DBQ
4. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: Teacher will model activity by having students analyze
the following textual, visual, and data sources: creation stories in the Rig Veda, old testament, Epic of
Gilgamesh, the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The source analysis will include identifying point of view,
intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source.
6. Socratic Seminar: Students will be introduced to the workings of Socratic Seminar. See Unit Activities
explanation regarding this activity.
UNIT ONE TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, Take home – DBQ Essay
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UNIT TWO: New Direction in Government and societies: The success of Empire Building
PERIODIZATION: c. 600 BCE to c.600 CE
MAIN FOCUS: The Classical Era in World History
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 12 days
READING TEXT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 5-9
Key Concepts:
Key Concept 2.1: The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
I. Codifications and further developments of existing religious traditions
II. Emergence, diffusion, and adaptation of new religious and cultural traditions
III. Belief systems affect gender roles
IV. Other religious and cultural traditions continue
V. Artistic expressions show distinctive cultural developments
Key Concept 2.2: The Development of States and Empires
I. Imperial societies grow dramatically
II. Techniques of imperial administration
III. Social and economic dimensions of imperial societies
IV. Decline, collapse, and transformation of empires (Rome, Han, Maurya)
Key Concept 2.3: Emergence of Trans-regional Networks of Communication and Exchange
I. The geography of trans-regional networks, communication and exchange networks
II. Technologies of long-distance communication and exchange
III. Consequences of long-distance trade
Unit 2 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 4 – 7
2. Mini Socratic Seminar/ Presentations: Students will prepare to discuss this unit.
Teacher will review group discussions and annotated notes. Teacher will also explain how to use the
themed unit focus sheets along with power point expectations.
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will begin work on how to write a comparative essay. Possible
prompts include: Compare the basic features of two classical civilizations: Mesoamerica, India, China,
Greece, or Rome; Compare two of the following major religions or philosophical systems: Historical Vedic
religions, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, Christianity, or Greco-Roman philosophy; Compare
the reasons for and the outcomes of the fall of two classical civilizations: Rome, Han China, and the Gupta.
Students will also re-visit the CCOT essay and rubric.
4. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of
view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources include descriptions of
travel or trade. Roman, Han, or Gupta coins; Leviticus, Twelve Tables, or The Analects
5. Socratic Seminar: Students will be introduced to the workings of Socratic Seminar. See Unit Activities
explanation regarding this activity. Taking Sides topics: Did Homo Sapiens Originate in Africa? Did
Egyptian Civilization Originate in Africa?
6. Socratic Seminar: Students will use skills introduced in Unit 1 regarding the Socratic Seminar. Taking
Sides topics: Does Alexander the Great merit his exalted reputation? Did the benefits of the First Emperor
of China’s rule outweigh the human cost?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---UNIT THREE: An Age of Exchange and Encounter: A distinction between East and West
PERIODIZATION: c. 600 CE-c.1450
MAIN FOCUS: A Time of Accelerating Connections
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 16 days
READING TEXT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 10-15
Key Concepts: Key Concept 3.1: Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange
Networks
I. Improved transportation technologies and commercial practices and their influence on networks
II. Linguistic and environmental contexts for the movement of peoples
III. Cross-cultural exchanges fostered by networks of trade and communication
IV. Continued diffusion of crops and pathogens throughout the Eastern Hemisphere
Key Concept 3.2: Continuity and Innovation in State Forms and Their Interactions
I. Empires collapse and were reconstituted
II. Greater inter-regional contacts and conflict encourages technology and cultural transfer
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Key Concept 3.3: Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences
I. Increasing productive capacity in agriculture and industry
II. Changes in urban demography
III. Changes and continuities in labor systems and social structures
Unit 3 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 15 - 20
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Student groups will research and make presentations on: development of
political institutions in the Islamic World (Abbasid Caliphate, sultanate of Delhi, Mali Empire), Central
Asia (Mongol Khanates), East Asia (Tang and Song dynasties),Latin West and Byzantine Empire, Africa
(Swahili city-states and Great Zimbabwe), South and Southeast Asia, Mesoamerica and the Andes ;social
and cultural effects of interactions due to the Crusades, Mongols, Hanseatic League, Bantu peoples,
Vikings, Polynesians, and Bedouins; importance of travelers such as Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta; role of
new cities such as Timbuktu, Tenochtitlan, or Cordoba; influence of new ideas and technologies: NeoConfucianism, printing, gunpowder, and medical responses to the bubonic plague and other diseases
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays that compare
historical developments and assess the effects of changes over time. Possible prompts include questions
from previous released AP exams: Compare European and sub-Saharan African contacts with the Islamic
world; Essay: Compare Aztec Empire and Inca Empire; Compare Japanese and European feudalism;
Compare effects of Islam and Christianity on social systems and gender roles; Compare developments in
political and social institutions in both eastern and western Europe; Assess the effects of the spread of Islam
up to 1750; Students also will learn how to incorporate analysis of primary sources into their written
arguments. Practice using the DBQ on the spread of Buddhism to China
4. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of
view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources include excerpts from the
travel books of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta and the Secret History of the
Mongols
5. Socratic Seminar: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy.
UNIT THREE TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, DBQ in-class essay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UNIT FOUR: Global Interactions
PERIODIZATION: c. 1450 to c.1750: Western Renaissance
MAIN FOCUS: The Early Modern World;
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 24 days
READING TEXT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 16-20
KEY CONCEPTS:
Key Concept 4.1: Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
I. Intensification of regional trade networks (Mediterranean, trans-Saharan, overland Eurasian and Siberian
trade routes)
II. Trans-oceanic maritime reconnaissance
III. New maritime commercial patterns
• Technological developments enabling trans-oceanic trade
• Environmental exchange and demographic trends: Columbian Exchange
VI. Spread and reform of religion
VII. Global and regional networks and the development of new forms of art and expression
Key Concept 4.2: New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
I. Labor systems and their transformations
II. Changes and continuities in social hierarchies and identities
Key Concept 4.3: State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
I. Techniques of state consolidation
II. Imperial expansion
III. Competition and conflict among and within States
Unit 4 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 16-20
2. Mini Socratic Seminar: Group will be responsible for explaining: the political and cultural
developments in Spain, Portugal, France, England, Netherlands, Russia, Ottoman Empire, Ming and Qing
China, Tokugawa Japan, Mughal Empire, West and East African polities, Safavid Empire, Aztec
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empires; mercantilism, astrolabe, and new labor systems (encomienda, indentured servitude, janissaries,
chattel slavery in the Americas)
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays. Possible prompts
include questions from previous released
AP exams: Compare labor systems: slavery and other coercive labor systems in the Americas; economic
and social effects of the Columbian Exchange; DBQ on the Global flow of silver; Analyze imperial
systems: European monarchy compared with a land-based Asian empire (China or Japan); Compare
Russia’s interaction with the West with the interaction of the West and one of the following: Ottoman
Empire, China, Tokugawa Japan, Mughal India
4. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of
view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources include: Zhang He,
Columbus
6. Socratic Seminar: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy. Taking Sides topics: Should
Christopher Columbus be considered a hero? Did Tokugawa policies strengthen Japan? Did Oliver
Cromwell advance political freedom in seventeenth-century Europe?
Did Indian Emperor Aurangzeb’s rule mark the beginning of Mughal decline? Did Peter the Great exert a
positive influence on the
development of Europe?
_ UNIT FOUR TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, in-class essay drawn from either the past
Compare/Contrast, CCOT, or DBQ formats.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UNIT FIVE: Industrialization and Global Integration
PERIODIZATION: c. 1750 to c. 1900
MAIN FOCUS: The European Moment in World History- Absolutism to Enlightenment to Imperialism
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 18 days
READING TEXT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 21-24
Key Concepts:
Key Concept 5.1: Industrialization and Global Capitalism
I. Industrialization
II. New patterns of global trade and production
III. Transformation of capital and finance
i. Revolutions in transportation and communication: Railroads, steamships, canals, telegraph
ii. Reactions to the spread of global capitalism
VI. Social transformations in industrialized societies
Key Concept 5.2: Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
I. Imperialism and colonialism of trans-oceanic empires by industrializing powers
II. State formation and territorial expansion and contraction
III. Ideologies and imperialism
Key Concept 5.3: Nationalism, Revolution, and Reform
I. The rise and diffusion of Enlightenment thought
II. 18th century peoples develop a sense of commonality
III. Spread of Enlightenment ideas propels reformist and revolutionary movements
solidarities
Key Concept 5.4: Global Migration
I. Demography and urbanization
II. Migration and its motives
III. Consequences of and reactions to migration
Unit 5 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 21-24
2. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of view,
intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources might include excerpts from:
Locke, Montesquieu, Declaration of Independence, Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, Voltaire,
Adam Smith, and Karl Marx; statistics about bonded labor migrations from Asia to the Americas
and Africa.
3. Mini Socratic Seminar: Student groups will research and make presentations. Presentation groups will
be responsible for the following topics: Seven Years’ War, Napoleonic Wars, Great Game in Asia, Pg 5
Berlin Conference, Opium Wars, Zulu, Formation of Hawaii, German and Italian Unification, Meiji
restoration, Abolition, Marxism, Indian National Congress, Industrialization; Migration Suffrage, Scientific
Revolution, Atlantic revolutions, Latin America Independence movements, Boxer Rebellion, Indian Revolt
of 1857, Taiping rebellion, Wahhabi Movement, Tanzimat, Self-Strengthening movement, Liberalism,
Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, pan-Slavism, pan-Islamism, Factory System, and Second Industrial
revolution
4. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays. Possible prompts
include questions from previous released
AP exams: DBQ- Indentured servitude; Development of Global trade patterns, 1750-1914; Compare the
French and Haitian Revolutions; Compare reaction to foreign domination in the Ottoman Empire, China,
India, and Japan; Compare nationalism, e.g., China and Japan, Cuba
and the Philippines, Egypt and Nigeria; Compare forms of Western intervention in Latin America and in
Africa; Compare the roles and conditions of women in the upper/middle classes with peasantry/working
class in Western Europe; Compare the causes and social impact of the Industrial Revolution in Western
Europe and Japan
5. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of view,
intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources might include excerpts from:
Locke, Montesquieu, Declaration of Independence, Declaration of the
Rights of Man and Citizen, Jamaica Letter, Adam Smith, and Karl Marx; statistics about bonded labor
migrations from Asia to the Americas and Africa.
7. Socratic Seminar: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy. Taking Sides topics: Did the West
define the modern world? Was the French Revolution worth its human costs? Did the Meiji Revolution
Constitute a revolution in nineteenth-century Japan? Were Confucian values responsible for China’s failure
to modernize?
UNIT FIVE TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, in-class essay drawn from either the past
Compare/Contrast, CCOT, or DBQ formats.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UNIT SIX: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments
PERIODIZATION: c. 1900 to the present
MAIN FOCUS: The most recent century
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 24 days
READING TEXT: World History: Patterns of Interaction. Chapters 29-36
Key Concepts:
Key Concept 6.1: Science and the Environment
I. Rapid advances in science spread assisted by new technology
II. Humans change their relationship with the environment
III. Disease, scientific innovations, and conflict led to demographic shifts
Key Concept 6.2: Global Conflicts and Their Consequences
I. Europe’s domination gives way to new forms of political organization
II. Emerging ideologies of anti-imperialism contribute to dissolution of empires
III. Political changes accompanied by demographic and social consequences
IV. Military conflicts escalate
V. Individual and groups oppose, as well as, intensify the conflict
Key Concept 6.3: New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, and Culture
I. States, communities and individuals become increasingly interdependent
II. People conceptualize society and culture in new ways
III. Popular and consumer culture become global
Unit 6 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 29-36
2. Mini Socratic Seminar: Students will be making individual presentations this unit. Topics include:
WWI, WWII, Cold War, International Organizations, Decolonization in Algeria, Decolonization in subSaharan Africa, economic developments in Argentina/ Brazil, Cuban Revolution, Great Depression,
economic developments in the Pacific Rim, Communism in Russia and China, Feminist movements,
globalization, Indian/ Pakistani Partition, Jewish settlement/Palestine, Irish partition, Great Depression,
Gurkha soldiers, Nuclear weapons, Marshall Plan, NATO, Warsaw Pact, Genocides, Civil Rights Pg 6
Movements, Green movements, World Bank, NAFTA, European Union, Quantum Mechanics, Antibiotics,
and HIV/AIDS.
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays. Possible prompts
include questions from previous released
AP exams: Compare the notion of the “East” and the “West” in Cold War ideology; DBQ- Muslim
Nationalist Movements; Choose two revolutions (Russian, Chinese, Cuban, Iranian) and compare their
effects on the roles of women; Compare the causes and effects of the World
Wars on areas outside of Europe; Compare legacies of colonialism and patterns of economic development
in two of the following regions: Asia, Latin America, Africa; Compare patterns and results of
decolonization in Africa and India
4. Socratic Seminar: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
5. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of
view, intended purpose, audience, and
historical context of each source. Sources might include excerpts from Gandhi, Nkrumah, and Ho Chi Min;
data on the growth of outsourcing
and business cycles of multinational corporations in the twentieth and twenty first centuries
6. Student Presentation: Students will create a 15 slide power point on the value on the United Nations,
based on their research regarding an effected area of the world via civil war or a sphere of influence of
Imperialism.
Unit 6 test: 70 multiple choice questions, in-class essay drawn from either the past Compare/Contrast,
CCOT, or DBQ formats
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AP EXAM- The AP Exam will be on Thursday, May 14th, 2014, here at Basha High School @ 8am.
We take great pride in the number of AP Exams that we offer and distribute each spring. The
World History AP exam is the only AP test offered to freshman which is a true testimony of your
dedication to the course and your continual pursuit of academic excellence.
What are the benefits of taking the World History AP Exam?
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Provides insight on college level course work and assessment
Provides an opportunity to earn college credit for a 100 level college course
Deepens the understanding of the material learned throughout the year
You are guaranteed an A on the World History Final Exam (as long as you are present at the time
of the final.)
What exactly will be expected from me? The three-hour-and-five-minute exam includes a 55-minute
multiple-choice section and a 130-minute free-response section.
Section I: Multiple-Choice - The 70 multiple-choice questions cover world history from the Foundations
period up to the present. Several questions are cross-chronological but, for the most part, the subject
breakdown is:
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Foundations period: c. 8000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E. -- 19–20 percent
600 C.E. to 1450 -- 22 percent
1450 to 1750 -- 19–20 percent
1750 to 1914 -- 19–20 percent
1914 to the present -- 19–20 percent
Section II: Free-Response - There are three free-response questions. You'll write a document-based
essay (DBQ), a change-over-time essay, and a comparative essay. Each essay is counted equally toward
your final grade.
How will my test be scored?
The multiple-choice and free-response sections are each worth half of the final exam grade.
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Supplies Needed
Signed syllabus
Composition Book
3-ring binder & Loose-leaf paper
Black or blue pens and lots of pencils
Highlighters
Post-it Notes for annotating your textbook
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Student Expectations
Students are expected to….
Be accountable for your own actions.
Be responsible for your own learning and assignments. Cheating and copying is unacceptable.
Treat others with respect.
Arrive to class on time with the necessary materials.
Participate in class (reading, listening, speaking, etc).
Use appropriate language (mixed-company policy). Profanity is not allowed in school.
Contribute equally in cooperative learning activities/assignments.
Leave your area clean (pick up after yourself).
No food or drink (except for water) may be consumed in the classroom.
Hand in assignments on time.
Hand in major assignments on the due date even if you are absent from school.
Read the required text and assigned primary source documents.
Get work from fellow students if class is missed.
Use the class website for assistance in assignments/homework/expectations, etc.
Violation of any rule may result in the following consequences:
First offense – Warning Second and third offenses – Parent contact/meeting
Fourth and fifth offenses – Referral and parent contact
Sixth offense – Referral and student/teacher/parent/administrator conference
Diversity Statement
All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias, prejudice and bigotry. As
members of the Basha High School educational community, students are expected to refrain from
participating in acts of harassment that are designed to demean another student’s race, gender, ethnicity,
religious preference, disability or sexual orientation.
Conference
Conference period will be on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:17 - 9:45. During this time students are
only allowed out of the classroom if they have a pass. The library is not available during conference.
Students should use this time to study or read.
Grading Policy
*Parents, important information for you! You can track your student’s
progress on the internet. All the teachers keep their grades updated on internet. The
Chandler Unified School District will be sending home a letter explaining how you can
access the grades on line.
90 - 100%
80 - 89%
70 - 79%
59 – 69%
59 – 50%
=A
=B
=C
=D
=F
Description of an A student as described by past students: Takes notes, asks questions, pays attention, does
homework, studies for exams, is self-motivated. Please remember that grades are EARNED, not GIVEN
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Assignments and homework will be graded for completion and accuracy and will be expected on a regular
basis, unless otherwise specified.
Submission of assignments past due dates is not acceptable. Students are expected to complete assignments
in a timely manner. All work is due on the date specified (except for excused absences). Extenuating
circumstances will be evaluated at my discretion. If an assignment is accepted, teachers have the right to
deduct points. This does not affect excused absences which are governed by district policy.
*A major assignment, such as an essay or other project which is given to you with 5 or more days of
advance notice is due on the date assigned. If you are absent, someone must hand it in on that day (in my
mailbox, via email or www.turnitin.com ). Because you have an excused absence does not mean the
assignment is not due.
Quizzes will generally be given a few times a week and tests/assessments will be given at the end of each
unit, quarter and semester. Assessments will be based on outside readings, textbook readings, interactive
notebook writing, class lectures, and discussions (in-class and on web sites).
Student grades will be assessed in accordance with the following outline: Analytic papers, DBQ’s
(Document-Based Questions), In-class and outside research projects, Socratic Seminar discussions, Chapter
Reading Quizzes, Unit exams
Plagiarism Warning:
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or
unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the
unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of
term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified
is also considered plagiarism. We expect every student to produce his/her original, independent work.
Academic Honesty:
Work should be a reflection of individual student ideas. Students should not look at another student’s work
or share their work with others. Receiving or providing answers for an assignment, essay, quiz, or test is
cheating and academic dishonesty—regardless of its form. Any such action will result in a phone call
home and may result in a referral to the office for further review and possible additional disciplinary action.
Tardy and Absent Policy
Students will have a number of days equal to the number of days absent in which to turn in all absent work.
All absent work must be submitted to the absent work basket on my desk. Missed quizzes and tests can be
made up before and after school or during conference period as set up with the teacher beforehand.
Work missed due to tardies and truancies cannot be turned in or made up. All work is due on the date
specified (except for excused absences). Period absences will not be an excuse for turning in late work. If
a student is on campus for any portion of the school day, he or she must turn in the work that is due ON
THAT SAME DAY, regardless of whether or not the student attends class, and of the reason for the period
absence.
Chandler Unified School District mandates that students must maintain a minimum 90% attendance record.
Students will be referred to administration on their ninth absence and may be dropped from the course.
Consequences for these infractions:
Tardy #1 – Verbal warning
Tardy #2 – Parent Contact
Tardy #3 – After or before school detention
Tardy #4 – Referral to administration AND loss of all extra credit points prior/future
AP World (WHAP) History Syllabus Signatures
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Thank you. I look forward to a very productive and meaningful school year.
Parent Section:
_____ I have read my child’s syllabus and plagiarism policy and understand the basic requirements
for this class.
Parent(s) Name: _________________________________________________________________
Parent(s) Signature: _______________________________________________________________
Movie List Signatures RequestedThroughout the year, in order to better enhance your student’s deeper understanding of various concepts of
the course, video clips are used. The following is a list of films we typically view and discuss throughout
the year . Please initial each and sign at the bottom if your student can participate in each of these
discussions. If you have any concerns or questions regarding films viewed in World History, please don’t
hesitate to send me an email at mccurdy.jill@cusd80.com
_____ Various current event headline clips from CNN, FOX, BBC and ALJAZEERA News stations
_____ Seven Years in Tibet ( PG-13)
_____ Hitler: The Rise of Evil T.V. Special (Unrated)
_____ The Jungle Discovery Channel Schools (Unrated)
_____ T.V. Nation Episode 1 T.V. Series (Unrated)
_____ Hiroshima: Why the Bomb was Dropped Peter Jennings ABS Special Report (Unrated)
_____ Night Crossing Disney (PG)
Parent Signature for student viewing of the above films _________________________________________
Student Section:
_____ I have read my syllabus and plagiarism policy and understand the basic requirements
for this class.
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Student Signature: ________________________________________________________________
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