GLOBAL STUDIES HONORS COURSE SYLLABUS
"We face a dark future if children stop asking questions" -Deborah Harkness
Ms. Duffy
Email: kaduffy@barrington220.org (BEST WAY TO REACH ME)
Google Drive Sharing: kaduffy@bsd220.org
Phone: 847-842-3269
Website: Under Social Studies Section KATHLEEN DUFFY, on BHS website
Hours Available: Before school & after school by appointment. Please try to make advanced
arrangements to meet with me during my open hours, so we don’t miss one another. (3rd, 6th, 8th)
Course Description:
Global Studies is a yearlong survey in world history designed to give students a broad knowledge
base in the study of human societies from the origins of civilization to modern times. We will be
using this knowledge to understand current national and global issues in a more historical context
by taking a chronological approach to history! We will be examining historical themes and essential
questions to help us understand the STORY OF HUMANKIND!!!
As Honors students, you will be required to read both academically & for pleasure outside of
the classroom. You will be practicing the skills: reading, writing, analyzing, interpreting, & speaking,
almost daily in order to best prepare yourself for other Honors & AP courses in your future.
By looking backwards, we can understand more accurately where we came from and how
we can grow and evolve from the histories of our past. I have had the amazing opportunity to travel
around the world in college/post-college and am very much looking forward to sharing my travels
and stories with all of you & hearing all of your amazing life experiences as well!
Semester One (Prehistory-1600)
Unit 1: The First Civilizations & Empires
a. Prehistory
b. Western Asia & Egypt
c. Origins of China & India
d. Ancient Greece
e. Rome & Rise of Christianity
Unit 2: New Patterns of Civilization
a. World of Islam
b. Early African Civilizations
c. The Early Asian World
d. Emerging Europe & the Byzantines
e. Europe in the Middle Ages
f. The Americas
Unit 3: The Early Modern World
a. The Renaissance & Reformation
b. Age of Exploration
c. Crisis & Absolutism in Europe
d. Muslim Empires
e. The East Asian World
Semester Two (1600-Present)
Unit 4: Revolutions
a. Revolution & Enlightenment
b. The French Revolution & Napoleon
c. Industrialization & Nationalism
Unit 5: An Era of Imperialism
a. Mass Society & Democracy
b. The Height of Imperialism
c. East Asia Under Challenge
Unit 6: The 20th Century Crisis
a. War & Revolution
b. The West Between Wars
c. Nationalism Around the World
d. World War II
Unit 7: Toward a Global Civilization
a. Cold War & Postwar Changes
b. The Contemporary Western World
c. Latin America
d. Africa & the Middle East
e. Asia & the Pacific
f. Changing Global Patterns
Required Materials:
Textbook: World History by Glencoe. (Available in class & online)
Notebook for note taking
Class Folder/binder for storage of handouts & assignments
Writing utensils (seems obvious but you'd be surprised)
A charged laptop
Unit Packets (provided by me)
Google Docs login
Expectations:
1. Be Prepared
2. Work hard!! "If it was easy, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great!" –Jimmy Dugan
3. Be respectful to yourself, your classmates, and your teachers.
4. Cell phone use & lap top use are PROHIBITED unless instructed by ME to use for academic
reasons. Phones must be on SILENT and AWAY unless we are using it for research. Laptops are to
be used for academic purposes only! There’s always lunch to use them for pleasure, not during our
short & valuable time together!
5. Your laptop should enter the classroom charged each day!!
We will determine what will be our classroom goals for student behavior & learning on Day 1.
Class Policies: All the policies of your student handbook are policies in my classroom.
Seats: You will be allowed to choose your seat on the first day. This is a privilege and I have the right
to revoke this privilege if your seating choice negatively affects you or the learning environment,
then I will reassign you seat. We also will change seats with Units so be prepared to move around.
Restroom/Drinking Fountain: Please use the restroom and/or grab a drink during your passing
period. Only one student at a time will be permitted out of class at a time after gaining permission
from me.
Tardy Policy: You need to be in your seat at the time of the bell. Those not in their seats will receive
a tardy. If you need help getting to class on time, ask me, I attended BHS not so long ago, I can help
you find the fastest way to get to class ON TIME!!
Attendance: If you miss a class for any reason, it is YOUR responsibility to find out what YOU
missed!!!! You can email from home and I will let you know what to do to make sure you are ready
for class upon your return. You can also check on Google Docs, where all information (homework,
notes, updates, announcements, etc) is posted on a Google Slideshow. ALWAYS check there first!
If you know you will be absent a head of time (field trip, family vacation), please speak to me a few
days in advance, so I can make arrangements to get you any assignments beforehand if possible.
Make-up Work: You will receive the time equal to the number of days you have been absent to make
up any missing work before they are considered late. This included TESTS & QUIZZES! You WILL
need to make arrangements to make up these tests and quizzes with me!
Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and cheating will NOT be tolerated!! Honesty is always the best
policy and your work should reflect your own personal integrity. Cheating is NOT something our
school, community, or I will accept as a learning construct. Severe consequences will follow.
Grading:
70% = Final Assessments - These are given to assess student understanding and evaluate
student performance with respect to specific course objectives. Tests, projects, papers, and
presentations fall into this category.
20% = Quizzes – Quizzes are designed to prepare students for final assessments, both in
terms of content & skills. These assignments can be retaken before that Unit's Exam to help
with understanding and mastery for complete credit.
10% = Progress Assessments- These assignments, given in class or as homework, are
designed to help the student practice or review course content and skills along the road to
mastery.
Grading Scale:
 A: 90-100
 B: 80-90
 C: 70-80
 D: 60-70
 F: 60 and below
Final Exam: Final semester grades are broken down as
80% Semester
20% Final Exam
Assignments, not submitted on time, will be marked late in the grade book. I will not penalize you
for late progress assessments. You will have until the final assessment for that particular unit to
submit any progress assessments. Once the Unit Final Assessment has been completed, I will not
accept any late work from that Unit. However, any FINAL assessments, which are NOT submitted on
time, will be marked late AND will receive a reduction of points, BUT it is always better to do this
than not turning in anything at all!!! My goal will all these is to best prepare you for life beyond high
school-college, trade school, careers, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"We face a dark future if children stop asking questions" -Deborah Harkness
I welcome you to our classroom and am so excited to spend the year learning with you! I ask you to
adhere to classroom and school policies so that all students can learn and grow in a safe, fun, and
challenging environment. Please sign on the line below, along with your parents/guardians, to
indicate that you understand the guidelines and expectations for my classroom. Thank you!
“I understand what is expected of me and I will do my best to contribute to a positive learning
environment for myself and my classmates”
Student Signature: ___________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: __________________________________________________________