Social Studies Honors Ancient and Medieval History (Grade 9)
AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School
Syllabus for 2012-2013
Instructor: Mrs. Szilvia Musurlian, Room 213
School phone number: (818) 883-2428, ext. 243
E-mail: smusurlian@agbumds.org
Office/Tutoring hours: M through Th, 3:20-3:45 p.m.
Required textbook: Bulliet, Richard W. (2008).The Earth and Its Peoples: A Global History. Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin.
Required materials:
- 1 large three-ring binder with college-ruled paper, placed inside for note-taking
- 1 solid blue folder labeled with the name of the student for safekeeping quizzes and tests
- blue or black pens only and no pencils
- 1 box of Kleenex
Course description: Honors Ancient and Medieval History is a year-long, freshman-level course, in which the
students will develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts, including
interactions over time. The course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks, their causes and
consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. In addition, it will introduce the concepts of Big
History and Big Geography to students. Throughout the course, students will read and interpret a wide variety
of historical primary source documents, which will develop their skills of analyzing historical context, purpose
of a document, and/or intended audience, as well as the author's point of view, type of source/argument, and
tone. The course will help to provide the skills that are necessary to prepare students to successfully complete
AP World History in their sophomore year.
Topics covered (8000 B.C.E.-1550 C.E.): From the Origins of Agriculture to the First River Valley Civilizations; New
Civilizations in the eastern and Western Hemispheres; The Mediterranean and the Middle East; Greece and Iran; An Age
of Empire: Rome and Han China; India and Southeast Asia; Networks of Communication and Exchange; The Rise of
Islam; Christian Societies Emerge in Europe; Inner and East Asia; Peoples and Civilizations of the Americas; Mongol
Eurasia and Its Aftermath; Tropical Africa and Asia; The Latin West; and The Maritime Revolution.
Academic policy:
- Classwork (notes and in-class assignments), as well as Homework: 20%
- Quizzes: 20%
- Chapter tests: 40%
- Papers: 10%
- Participation (absences, tardies, required materials, behavior, class discussions): 10%
Notes and in-class assignments: Note-taking and the completion of in-class assignments are mandatory. Mrs. Musurlian
will not print or post notes online, so if the student misses a class session, he/she is responsible for getting the notes from a
fellow student. As time permits, in-class assignments should be completed during class and may not be taken home as
homework.
Homework assignments: Homework is assigned nearly every day to reinforce the material. All assignments, along with
their due dates, are posted online (go to http://www.agbumds.org  Academics  Classes/Homework  Social
Studies  Honors Ancient and Medieval History with Mrs. Musurlian), and will be checked for correctness.
Homework assignments may include vocabulary assignments, Thinking Geographically Questions, current events articles,
or short essays. All work must be typed and properly cited using APA style.
Quizzes, chapter tests, and projects: Students are informed of quiz and chapter test dates ahead of time. All dates are
posted on the whiteboard in the classroom, as well as online, in Mrs. Musurlian’s One-Week Schedule or OWS (go to
http://www.agbumds.org  Academics  Classes/Homework  Social Studies  Honors Ancient and Medieval
History with Mrs. Musurlian). Quizzes are usually given in the middle of a textbook chapter (after 1-2 sections). Pop
quizzes (unannounced assessments) will be given at Mrs. Musurlian’s discretion. Chapter tests are administered after the
completion of a textbook chapter (2-5 sections). In addition to regular in-class instruction, students will prepare for tests
by completing a mandatory, handwritten study guide before each test, as well as reviewing the material during a class
period before the chapter test.
Please note that Mrs. Musurlian will collect and grade all notes, in-class assignments, homework, and study guides
after each chapter test.
n addition to quizzes and chapter tests, students will also be required to complete various projects during the course,
which will allow students to apply the material learnt in the classroom. These projects will require independent outside
research and will be counted as test grades.
Finally, to ensure retention of the material, students will be administered two comprehensive tests, covering all material
in the course, after the first and third nine weeks of the course.
Due dates: All assignments and due dates are available online in the form of one-week schedules (OWSs), on the
“Classes/Homework” page of the school website (for links, see above at “Homework assignments” and “Quizzes and
chapter tests.”) Therefore, students are required to turn in all assignments by their due dates in order to receive full credit
for them. Late assignments are only accepted for partial credit and by prior arrangement.
Make-up work: Students must take their quizzes and chapter tests on the days Mrs. Musurlian schedules for the class.
Students should make every effort to be present on those days. If they must miss a quiz/chapter test day, they must make
arrangements with Mrs. Musurlian to make up for the missed assessments. If a pattern of absences is detected on quiz/test
days, the student will be required to sign a contract with Mrs. Musurlian, where he/she will only be allowed to make up a
quiz/test if he/she has a valid physician’s note for his/her absence. Students, who only missed the review day, but were
present for instructional days, must take the test.
Extra credit: Extra credit assignments are only offered to the entire class. Individual students, who have any class-related
questions or concerns, are welcome to consult with Mrs. Musurlian during office/tutoring hours, but will not receive extra
credit assignments to make up for missed work or low grades.
Academic dishonesty: It includes cheating/plagiarism. There is a zero tolerance policy on dishonesty: copying,
paraphrasing, or sharing work with any student without proper citation – or explicit permission from Mrs. Musurlian – is
unacceptable, and will result in receiving a zero on the assignment and a referral to the Dean of Students for disciplinary
action. The parent/guardian will also be notified. The policy applies to all past or present papers, tests, quizzes, exams,
in-class, and homework assignments, as well as to all students involved in academic dishonesty, including the student(s)
who aided another student(s) in cheating or plagiarizing.
Grading policy: In accordance with AGBU-MDS grading policy.
Classroom policy: Positive attitude only, please!
1. Come to class with all required materials.
2. Be seated when the bell rings.
3. Bathroom breaks, water breaks, and nurse visits will only be permitted in emergencies.
4. Follow instructions from the teacher, as well as the school code of conduct, at all times.
5. Only one person speaks at a time. Respect all opinions during discussions.
6. No electronic devices in the classroom, including but not limited to: cameras, cell phones, iPods, and laptops.
Rewards: I will make a phone call/send an e-mail home, and/or to the Dean of Students about your positive contributions
to the class, which may include outstanding academic work, participation or behavior, as well as significant improvements
in any or all of the above areas.
Consequences: They depend on the seriousness of the infraction, but generally
1. Verbal warning.
2. Teacher-student conference.
3. Seat change.
4. Phone call home.
5. Referral to the Dean of Students