Hammond Middle School
U.S. History: Civil War to the Present
David Fox
Room C103
Office Hours: After School on Mondays (not 9/21), Wednesdays and Thursdays
david.fox@acps.k12.va.us
(215) 983-0970
Course Essential Questions:
Materials
1. How did geographic and technological influences impact the Westward
Student must bring a social
Movement in the United States?
studies notebook to every
2. What were the political, economic, and social effects of Reconstruction
single class, a pen or pencil
policies and Jim Crow practices after the U.S. Civil War?
and their agenda books.
3. How did social, political, cultural, and economic factors contribute to the
rise of modern America?
4. How did the United States emerge as a major world power?
5. How was the United States affected by the enduring impact of the first world war?
6. What lessons can we learn from events and processes leading to the Great Depression?
7. To what extent was World War II inevitable?
8. How did America’s foreign policy evolve in the years following World War II?
9. How did ideological differences influence foreign policy during the post-war years in the United States and the
Soviet Union?
10. To what extent are the social, political, economic, and cultural conflicts present in the 20th century still
influencing our world today?
Grading Criteria:
Course Transfer Goals:
10% = Homework
40% = Formative Assessments
1. Analyze the relationship between technological and geographic changes
50% = Summative Assessments
and their impact upon Westward expansion in the United States.
2. Analyze the political, economic, and social effects of Reconstruction
policy.
3. Explain the enduring effects of post-Civil War policies and practices upon American life today.
4. Trace the emergence of the United States as a major world power.
5. Explain the causes and effects of World War I.
6. Analyze the causes of the Great Depression and its enduring legacy.
7. Compare and contrast the era of the Great Depression and economic conditions today.
8. Analyze the political, economic, and social causes of World War II.
9. Compare and contrast the ideologies of the United States and the Soviet Union.
10. Explain the meaning and enduring impact of the Cold War.
11. Analyze the evolution of American life and culture during the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st
century.
12. Analyze how technological advances have continued to reshape American society.
Quarter One
Unit 1: Forty Acres And A Mule: Reconstruction and Expansion
(3-4 weeks)
Students will begin their study of U.S. History (1865-present) by examining the geography of the
nation, the use of technological innovation and adaptation that encouraged movement of Americans
westward after the Civil War, and the impact of that movement on Native Americans. Students will
also investigate the political, economic, and social impact of Reconstruction policies.
Unit 2: Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses:
The Industrial United States (4-5 weeks)
Students will explore the economic, social, political and cultural challenges faced by the U.S. at the
turn of the 20th Century, including the shift to an industrial economy, immigration, the Progressive
Movement, the rise of political machines and big business, and the growth of labor unions and reform
movements. Students will measure the costs and benefits of this progress, using photographs, letters,
poetry, music and other sources to examine multiple perspectives.
Quarter Four
Quarter Three
Quarter Two
Unit 3: Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick: America on the World Stage
(3-4 weeks)
Students explore the emergence of the United States as a major world power as a result of the
Spanish-American War U.S. involvement in World War I. Students will analyze the causes of this
increased involvement in world affairs, and consider the consequences of this involvement in terms of
American foreign policy in the 20th century.
Unit 4: A New Deal: The 1920s and 1930s
(4-5 weeks)
In this unit, students will examine the domestic history of the United States in the decades leading up
to World War II. Students will begin by examining the great cultural, social, and technological
advances of the 1920’s. In addition, students will contrast the prosperity of the 1920’s with the
economic depression that plagued America during the 1930s. Lastly, students will examine the Great
Depression through the lens of how the government responded to the disaster and how the depression
impacted Americans.
Unit 5: A Global War: World War II
(3-4 weeks)
Students investigate World War II from an American perspective. Students will learn the political,
economic and social causes for the war and U. S. involvement. They will explore major events and
turning points in the war, as well the efforts of Americans on the home front.
Unit 6: A Change Is Gonna Come: Post War United States
(4-5 weeks)
Students will investigate the post-war economic boom, the Cold War era, and the social and cultural
transformations of the 1950s and 1960s. Students will analyze how America’s foreign policy evolved
in the years following World War II, and will examine how individuals and groups worked to
promote greater equality.
Unit 7: The Past is Prologue: Contemporary U.S.
(4-5 weeks)
In this unit, students examine the evolution of American life during the past forty years, including
domestic and foreign policy issues. As they explore change and continuity over time, students will
analyze how technological advances have again reshaped American society.
Supports Available: (Students are expected to use these supports to enhance academic achievement).
 Saturday School
 After School Tutoring – Wednesday
 Blackboard : http://www.acps.k12.va.us/blackboard/index.php
used to post past assignments, study guides, enrichment work, and useful websites/links.
Expectations:
 Students will master the content
 Students struggling with mastery of the content will attend tutoring sessions
 Students will learn to express their thoughts orally, visually, and through the writing process
 If a student performs poorly on a test, or quiz they have the opportunity to improve their grade. They must
first make corrections to the test or quiz and come to tutoring for re-teaching. Then they must retake the exam.
Assessment:

Pre-Assessment/Diagnosis: Determining students’ readiness for learning, including their requisite
background knowledge and skills and their interest in and familiarity with content to be learned in the unit.

Formative Assessment: Providing ongoing criterion-based feedback to students to help them adjust their
own learning and monitor their individual progress.

Summative Assessment: Using culminating performance-based transfer tasks, quizzes, common
assessments and other measures to evaluate student achievement by the conclusion of the unit.
Attendance and Tardy Policy:
1st Tardy = Teacher Warning, 2nd Tardy = Teacher Warning (Parent Contact), 3rd Tardy = After-school detention
with teacher (Parent Contact), 4th Tardy = After-school detention with teacher (Parent Contact), 5th Tardy =
Referral to Principal
Grading Policy: According to ACPS IFA Regulations:
 All students shall be given opportunities to succeed in meeting or exceeding the standards and related
benchmarks.
 Students shall be expected and permitted to revisit and review their work (e.g., tests, quizzes, essays) in all
instances where it is clear that additional study, effort, and time will produce improved performance and
achievement.
 The teacher and student shall revisit the learner’s work if, in the teacher’s professional judgment, progress
and effort are being made to meet or exceed the standards.
 The final grade awarded for reassessment performance shall reflect the student’s mastery of identified
course standards and task-specific performance indicators.
 Grades will be based on students’ achievement of identified standards and related performance criteria.
How Can Parents Help?
 Check your child’s agenda to make sure homework is written down and completed
 Sign your child’s graded test, quiz and project papers
 Assist your child in completing difficult assignments
 Encourage your child to ask for help when needed
 Require your child to read outside of school
 Maintain contact with your child’s teachers in order to monitor progress
Alexandria Access:
Alexandria Access is a parent portal that allows parents to view their students’ grades and attendance. This portal
is used as a tool to assist parents and students in monitoring their academic progress.