AP World History
Dear Parents of Students Enrolling in Advanced
Placement World History,
I am pleased to confirm that your child has been
accepted into Advanced Placement World History
for the next school year 2014–15. I wanted to give you
some idea of what to expect. This course develops
higher-level critical thinking skills by emphasizing
analysis and evaluation, largely through the reading
of primary source documents and writing of formal
essays.
This course differs from traditional honors courses in
the following ways:
The majority of the quarter grade is based on formal
essays and tests. Individual tests will cover a significantly greater body of information than students
may be accustomed to digesting at one time. For this
reason it is suggested that they plan on a minimum
of 5 hours of reading/analysis each week (most of
this can be done on the weekend so that time does
not need to be taken from other subjects during the
week). The reading schedule, with all their tests and
major assignments, will be given out the first week of
school in the fall. Please encourage the reading, as
tests/quizzes are quite comprehensive.
Homework consists primarily of reading assignments
and reviews of daily notes for which the student
is responsible in order to master the large body of
factual information. Although assignments are fewer
in number, the depth of knowledge is greater. This
increases the need for adequate preparation daily.
Responsibility for mastering the material rests primarily with the students.
Students are potentially earning college credit for
their work, so AP World History is designed to be
taught at the college level. Many students (especially
sophomores) initially find the pace and work load difficult. Please be supportive and understanding while
keeping this in mind when you establish expectations
for your child’s performance.
Textbooks will not be distributed at the beginning of
the school year so textbooks need to be purchased
in order to complete some of the suggested reading.
Another reason to purchase a textbook (via Amazon,
former AP student, or another site) is so the students
can write and take notes in the book. The text, World
Civilizations: The Global Experience, is a very
helpful tool that will be used the entire course. The
reading is listed below.
The following are the required reading. You can order
as soon as possible so that there are no complications with the summer assignments.
World Civilizations: The Global Experience. Peter
Stearns 6th Edition ISBN #0-13-136020-5 (Required)
Students should read the first five chapters over the
summer or they will find themselves behind when we
begin class in the fall.
(Note – Make sure you purchase the AP Edition)
The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first
Century (Hard Cover) (Required)
Barrons AP World History Review Book 2013-2014
Edition (Strongly Suggested)
AP students do have an assignment over the summer
so it is very important that you obtain these materials. It is required for them to read The World is Flat,
along with the first five chapters of their textbook. I
will also be emailing the four-part summer assignment to everyone who is enrolled in AP world. Students will receive this assignment sometime within
the first two weeks of June and it will be due on the
SECOND day of school. The fourth book listed is a
review book that students may obtain throughout the
year. Students should watch at least TWO movies on
the movie review list. The required reading will be
due by the first day of school.
I certainly look forward to co-laboring with you in this
challenging course that we are blessed to offer here
at CCA.
In His Service,
Steve Mayo
stevem@ccaeagles.org
MOVIE REVIEW LIST:
1. Schindler’s List
7. The last Emperor
13. Gandhi
2. Lawrence of Arabia
8. Bridge over River Kwai
14. Cry Freedom
3. Spartacus
9. 10,000 BC
15. Amistad
4. Ben-Hur
10. Alexander
16. Hotel Rwanda
5. Escape from Sobibor
11. Attila
6. Devil’s Arithmetic
12. Asoka
17. The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas