Advanced Placement World History: 2016-2017 Syllabus
“The desire to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to read your full potential.
The keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” (Confucius)
Course Overview:
This is a one year course designed to encourage students to become historians
who able to use historical facts and evidence to help create deeper
understanding of critical developments in world history
The course is structured around FIVE course themes and 19 key concepts in
SIX different chronological periods from 8000 BCE to the present.
OVERVIEW OF THE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
Section I: Historical Thinking Skills (There are four of them)
1. Chronological reasoning
2. Comparison and Contextualization
3. Crafting Historical Arguments from historical evidence
4. Historical interpretation and synthesis
Section II: Thematic Learning Objectives (Five Themes)
1. Interaction between Humans and the Environment
2. Development and Interaction of Cultures
3. State Building, Expansion, and Conflict
4. Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Structures
5. Development and Transformation of Social Structures
Section III: Geographic Coverage (Five Regions)
1. Africa
2. The Americas
3. Asia
4. Europe
5. Oceania
Section IV: The Concept Outline
1. Technological and Environmental Transformation 8000 BCE-600 BCE
2. Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies 600 BCE-600 CE
3. Regional and Interregional Interactions 600 CE-1450 CE
4. Global Interactions 1450-1750 CE
5. Industrialization and Global Integration 1750-1900 CE
6. Accelerating Global Change and Realignments 1900-Present
Classroom Rules:
1. Be prepared to start class when the bell rings
2. Come to class prepared to learn
3. Raise you hand to speak
4. Follow directions the first time they are given
5. Do not keep anyone, including myself from learning
6. Respect ALL!
7. Cheating is not worth it in this class. Any assignment will result in a
zero.
Note: If you do not understand any directions, please ask!!!!
Primary Textbook:
Stearns, Peter N. World Civilization: The Global Experience 5th and 3rd editions.
You will have a textbook in class and you must use the online version at home.
Outlines for the entire chapters are on my webpage.
We will be using Canvas this year for our Learning System when we receive our
computers. All print outs and assignment will be on this site.
Grading Scale:
A=100-90
B=89-80
C=79-70
D=69-60
F=59-0
Grading will be completed by determining the students’ actual score over the
total maximum points possible for the assignment. For example, if the total
points possible to be gained from a test is 200 and the student earns 176 of
those points, their true score will an 88% (176/200=88).
You are required to take a Midterm in January and the AP College Board World
History exam scheduled in May. The AP College Board Exam is not determined
in your class average, however it is important that you do well on the exam for
college admissions.
Assignment Descriptions: Expect to be graded everyday-you will need as many
points as possible because the exams are very challenging for preparation on
the AP World History Exam.
1. Reading-Most nightly readings are between 5-10 pages from the textbook
or primary sources
2. Quizzes-Every chapter will have quiz. Speed and accuracy is essential.
These are timed. Grade values vary. Pop quizzes may occur.
3. Writing/Chart/Reading Assignments: Other tasks will be assigned to aid
in learning. These help you very much in understanding each chapter or
unit.
4. Tests: Each unit will conclude with a test that span for two days. The
first day will assess a writing skill:
a. Short Answer Questions-Does not require students to develop and
support a thesis statement. They will have 2-3 parts and usually
includes a cause/effect, support/challenge question or making an
argument.
b. Document Based Question-Will focus on a historical thinking skill
as its main focus: Comparison, causation, patterns of continuity
and change over time, or periodization. All will assess your
argument, analysis, contextualization, and a synthesis
c. Long Essay Question-will choose one of two long essays and will
analyze the skills of argumentation and patterns of continuity and
change over time.
Essay Grading Scale:
Short Answers:
-based on a 10/20 point scale
Document Based Question
7=100
6=90
5=80
4=70
3=60
2=50
1=40
0=0
Long Essay Question
6=100
5=88
4=76
3=64
2=52
1=40
0=0
NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. If you are absent, please email me or
speak to me the following day. Missed work will be expected the following day.
No Extra Credit: Do not ask for it. This is an AP class
Leaving class: If you need to use the bathroom, I recommend you use it before
the class begins. Please use the official hall pass. Do not interrupt a lesson
unless it is an emergency.
Materials Needed:
1. A 3-ring binder with loose leaf paper
2. Pencils and black/blue pens ONLY
3. Colored pencils
4. A fully charged laptop
5. Your textbook (for the first few weeks)
6. A jacket/sweatshirt-temperatures vary throughout the year in my room.