World History
Course Syllabus & Survival Guide
Kennedy High School
Mrs. Lyons -- 2012 - 2013
Course Purpose and Description:
The course in World History is divided into two main parts: ancient history and
modern history. In the first trimester students will examine and develop a clear
understanding of the social, political, economic, technological and cultural institutions of
early civilizations around the world. They will also examine the development and influence
of world religions over time. We will investigate the modern era during the second and
third trimesters. In the second trimester students will study the modern world from the
1400-1900. Students will learn about the 20th century in the third trimester.
The study of these eras will facilitate students’ development of an information base
in history. Students will make connections with previous learning about world history.
Additionally, students will strengthen important critical thinking skills. Students will
analyze cause and effect relationships, communicate different interpretations of history,
make a persuasive argument and support it with evidence, and recognize the nature of
change and continuity as forces in our society. Each student will examine his/her
individual worldview in light of a broader understanding of human history. Students will
also illustrate the influence of diverse ideals and beliefs on a theme or an event in the
historical development of the world. This study will lead them to a greater understanding
and appreciation of the world in which they live.
Essential Questions:
 What is civilization?
 How and why do cultures change over time?
Essential Standards:
The student will:
 Describe the major characteristics of civilization and the process of its emergence;
 Analyze the essential traits of civilization throughout societies of the Ancient World;
 Describe scientific, political, philosophical, economic and religious changes
throughout the 17th and 18th centuries;
 Analyze the causes and effects of Industrialization in the developing world;
 Students will examine events related to the rise of totalitarianism in the early 20th
century.
 Analyze an international contemporary issue in post-Cold War society.
Texts:
Ellis, E. and Esler, A. World History. Prentice-Hall: Boston, 2007.
Units:
I.
Foundations
IX.
The Americas: Central and South
American cultures
II.
Ancient Middle East
X.
The European Enlightenment,
III.
Ancient Indian Civilizations
Expansion & Scientific Revolution
IV.
Ancient Chinese Civilizations
XI.
The Age of Imperialism
V.
Ancient Greco-Roman Era
XII.
The Twentieth Century: WWI
VI.
Rise of Islamic civilizations
XIII.
The Twentieth Century: 1920s 1930s & WWII
VII.
VIII.
The Middle Ages in Europe
XIV.
The Twentieth Century: Cold War
XV.
The world today
The European Renaissance,
Reformation & Exploration
Course Objectives:
I. Understanding and Awareness--Recurring themes will be highlighted throughout the
course. They will help you organize your thinking about world history. Students will:
 Understand the importance of context in understanding historical events.
 Develop historical knowledge as a guide to understanding the momentum of the
present.
 Understand the evolution of intellectual and religious movements in world cultures.
 Evaluate the philosophical and religious ideas of the great philosophers and
theologians in addition to evaluating their own.
 Integrate learning from earlier periods to predict thought patterns of subsequent
periods.
 Understand the concept of individualism and its influence as a force for progress
and its conflict with the demands of society.
 Understand the concept of collectivism and how its shapes society.
 Analyze the impact of economic innovation on the standard of living and traditional
ways of life.
 Describe the struggle by women, workers, peasants, and ethnic minorities for
emancipation and power.
 Evaluate the dynamism and destructiveness resulting from Europe’s quest for
mastery of its natural and human environments.
 Analyze the emergence of the concept of nation/state and the growth in power of
the state and competition among nation-states.
 Develop the ability to make enlightened, informed personal decisions concerning
public policy, personal ethics and morality while learning to appreciate and embrace
ambiguity.
 Read and understand maps and their political and cultural influence.
II. Skills--Students will:
 Develop effective study and research skills.
 Develop critical reading of primary and secondary sources.
 Develop the ability to make historical analogies.
 Develop the ability to construct and evaluate historical interpretations.
 Develop empathy for people throughout historical development.
 Develop the ability to write critical essays.
 Develop critical thinking skills through discussions, debates and written work.
 Improve their note-taking and comprehension skills.
 Improve their active reading and learn new reading strategies.
Required Daily Materials:
1. One three-ring binder with filler paper
2. Pen or pencil
3. Requested book or reading materials
Course Calendar Access: There are 3 ways to access your course calendar*.
1. The homework schedule for the current week will be posted on the board.
2. Your course Moodle page will have the trimester course calendar. You can access
the Moodle page by logging in at: moodle2.bloomington.k12.mn.us
3. NEW THIS YEAR: Your www.isd271.org GoogleApps account calendar will also
have the trimester course calendar. It will likely be possible to get a calendar feed to
your phone or computer -- more on that later. You will be able to see this when you
are logged into your Bloomington Schools GoogleApps account.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Due dates might change, but you will receive notification if
that happens. You are responsible for using the tools provided to stay organized
and up to date.
Make-up & Late Work Policies:
1. Assignments are due at the start of the hour. Smaller late assignments will earn
50% credit. Larger late assignments (those worth more than 30 points) will earn a
10% reduction each day after the due date until it reaches 50% credit.
2. Absent? Check the Moodle page to find out what you missed.
3. If you are verified absent, you will receive 2 days for every day absent to
complete the work. If you are verified absent on the day an assignment was due,
you must turn it in on the day you return.
4. If you are absent for a test, you have ONE week to arrange for test make-up. After
that week, you will receive reduced credit on that test. You can sign up for
Academic Seminar for the following week (this is dependent on availability) or stay
after school.
5. If you are unverified absent on test day, you will earn a score of zero for the test.
6. If you are unverified absent on a project or paper due date, you will earn late
credit.
7. When you turn in work (for any reason) after the due date, write late or absent
on it first. Doing this will save time and hassle for us both. If there is no note on the
assignment, I will assume it is late work.
Cheating and Plagiarism Policy:
1. The Kennedy cheating/plagiarism guidelines are as follows: “To mislead an
instructor in some way so as to receive a grade for work which the student did not
originate, or work performed with unauthorized aid or assistance. The production
or altering of a document or object which the student represents as his/her own
which, in fact, is the product of another.”
2. For every essay and written project, students will be required to submit their
work to Turnitin.com. Students will be given a chance to submit a rough draft of
papers and receive feedback from Turnitin.com. This allows students to fix any
potential originality problems and submit a corrected final draft.
3. Better to do poorly with dignity than to get an “A” dishonestly. If cheating or
plagiarism occurs, you will receive a zero on the assignment. Potentially, you may
be referred to an administrator and your parents will be notified.
Assessments & Evaluation:
Your grade will be derived from the quality of your work on daily work, quizzes and exams,
essays, research projects, discussions, projects, presentations, and essential standard work.
Formative Assessments (30%)
Daily Work and Homework
Summative Assessments (70%)
Tests
Projects & Papers
Final Exam
Grading Standards:
A
AB+
B
BC+
94%
90%
87%
84%
80%
77%
C
CD+
D
DF
74%
70%
67%
64%
60%
below 60%
References & Resources:
Andrea, A. and Overfield, J. (2004). The Human Record. Boston: Houghton Mifflin; 5th ed.
Boorstin, Daniel. The Discoverers: A History of Man’s Search to Know His World and Himself.
Vintage Books: New York, 1983.
Ellis, Elisabeth and Esler, Anthony. World History. Prentice-Hall: Boston, 2007.
Perry, Marvin, Peden, Joseph, and Von Laue, Theodore. Sources of the Western Tradition,
Fifth Edition. Houghton Migglin Company: New York, 2003.
Roberts, J.M. Twentieth Century: The History of the World, 1901-2000. Viking Penguin:
New York, 1999.
Roberts, J.M. A Concise History of the World. Oxford University Press: New York, 1995.