Dual Credit World Civilization Syllabus – 2013/2014
Instructor:
Tutorials:
Mr. Paul Ranta
Monday – Friday 2:45-3:45.
If you need me to stay later, please give me at least one day’s notice.
School’s phone number: 972-240-3740
Email: pdranta@garlandisd.net
Course Description: Dual Credit World Civilization is a COLLEGE LEVEL course that helps students
develop a greater understanding of global historical processes by examining the interaction of different types of
human societies throughout the span of world history. The course highlights major developments, their causes
and consequences, and the interaction between major societies and cultures from the development of early
humans to the end of the 20th century. The course emphasizes relevant factual knowledge as well as the use of
both primary and secondary sources in order to help students analyze the critical issues that have taken place
throughout the course of human history.
Course Objectives: This course is designed to prepare students for the rigors of college level academics.
Students who pass the World Civilization class will have demonstrated a sufficient level of mastery of the
required material to earn college credit. Students will earn credit hours at Eastfield Community College and these
hours can be transferred to many other universities across the country. This course offers students the opportunity
to heighten skills and knowledge that will form a useful foundation for their continuing education. A recent study
of students who take honors level classes in high school has shown that they ar….
* Better prepared academically for college
* More likely to specialize in majors with more rigorous standards
* More likely to complete college course work and earn a 4-year degree
* More likely to advance to positions of leadership
Primary Text – World Civilizations, the Global Experience – Stearns – 5th edition.
Secondary Text (excerpts will be used in class) – The Earth and Its Peoples- 2nd Edition – Bulliet)
Reader – The Human Record Volumes I & II – Andrea/Overfield
Supplies Needed Pen/Pencil, Paper, Textbook – everyday, Folder – keep all handouts and notes. It is highly recommended that
students also purchase a notepad of at least 70 pages. Organization is key to success!
Recommended items -
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Students should have access to a computer with internet. We have them at school available before and
after school. Computers are available at all Garland public libraries.
An e-mail account where I can send additional work and information. I can send information to parent email accounts as well. If you don’t have one, try to find a friend or relative that does.
Classroom Rules
1. Must abide by ALL LCHS/GISD rules and regulations including dress-code and the possession of banned
items (cell-phones, CD players, electronic devices, etc. etc…)
2. No talking while I am talking or while another student is asking a question, answering a question, or doing a
presentation. Raise your hand and wait for me to acknowledge you.
3. No cheating. You will receive a zero for cheating and I will contact your parents. Communicating with
anyone at any time for ANY reason without my prior approval during a test or quiz will be considered an act of
cheating and you will receive a “0” on that assignment. Whether you were actually cheating or not is irrelevant.
Student and Parent initial here ____________/_____________
4. Be in the classroom before the tardy bell rings.
Attendance
This class is very demanding. You CAN NOT pass if you are frequently absent or tardy. There is no substitute
for being present and alert in class. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what work you
missed. You are still required to be prepared on the day you return if we have a quiz. I send out e-mail
reminders explaining what work you need to do before each class. Assignments are also written on the white
board. I recommend you exchange e-mails with your classmates and or cell phone numbers and contact someone
to find out what you missed. You may always e-mail me to ask as well. I check my school e-mail on weekends.
Student/Parent initial here ______________/________________
Grading Procedure
Daily work/Quizzes/homework/tests 5-10% for daily work, 20-25% for quizzes. 50% for tests.
For example: homework grades will be multiplied by a 0.1. Quizzes by a 0.2-0.25. Tests by 0.5. Please be aware
that scoring a 50 on a quiz will affect the average more than scoring a 100 on a homework or daily assignment. In
some cases, daily assignments are merely completion grades – grades tabulated for neatness, thoroughness, and
effort.
I often use letter grades: A+ = 98, A = 95, A- = 92, B+ = 88, and so on.
Homework and Quizzes
*** This is a college level class*** and so… For every hour of class, expect at least an hour of work at
home. I will write assignments on the white board, send them via e-mail, and tell you as well. Most days that I
assign reading, there will be a reading quiz the next class. Reading quizzes are sometimes open note and are
designed to make sure you read. They are not detailed. Even if I do not actually assign reading, you should be
reviewing the chapter or re-examining the notes we do in class. Typically, I will send attachments of the power
point notes we do in class to you via e-mail. I recommend you summarize the notes in your own words and
highlight areas where you need help. The class is far more interesting if you are prepared by having done the
assigned reading. If you are absent for a quiz, you do not have to make it up. Having an exempt grade simply
means that all other assignments count more
Student/Parent initial __________/__________.
*** If you know that you will be unwilling or unable to do the work necessary to be successful in this class,
I urge you to consult with your parents and with the counselors immediately and consider making a
schedule change ***
Optional homework
Occasionally I will assign a homework assignment that is OPTIONAL. I will grade them but only put the grade
into the grade book if it does NOT lower your average. These assignments are created to boost your average and
to provide additional information about a topic that we are studying. Students who choose not to do them receive
an exemption or “no-grade.” Doing these assignments shows me that you are willing to put forth extra effort. I
may consider this when finalizing grades.
Tests
There will usually be 1-2 major tests given every 6 weeks. They will consist of a timed multiple choice section
and an essay portion. The essay portion may be assigned as homework.
Extra credit
Parent/Student initial _________/__________
I reserve the right to allow a student to do 1 extra credit assignment per 6 weeks. Extra credit is a privilege that
must be earned by doing all of the required work first. If you are not doing the assigned reading, paying
attention in class, or attending tutorials, then don’t waste my time asking about extra credit assignments. To
parents: If you allow your children to come to school with cell phones and or other electronic devices,
please be aware that these devices are likely distracting them during class and are probably prohibiting
them from being as successful as they could be. The most common extra credit assignment that I allow is
watching an historical movie from the following website: http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html#I.
This website places movies into chronological order by time periods. Make sure you tell me the name of the movie and that I
approve it before you watch it. I have seen most of them. Watch the movie and write a 250-300 word summary. Have
your parents sign your summary. Make sure that you get permission from your parents before watching any movie that
has an “R” rating!
First Six Weeks -- This schedule is flexible and subject to change. Assemblies, Benchmark Test
requirements and other unforeseen developments will require me to alter this schedule.
Unit 1 – The Emergence of Human Communities up to 500 BCE
– Nature, Humanity, and History: 1st 4 million years
– The First River-Valley Civilizations – 3500BCE-1500BCE
– The Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Hemisphere – 2200-500BCE
Unit Test
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, or Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader – Volume I – article #’s 1-15, 23-26
Unit 2 – The Formation of New Cultural Communities 1000BCE-400CE
– New Civilizations in the Americas and Western Eurasia – 1200-250BCE
– Greece and Iran – 1000BCE-30CE
– An Age of Empires: Rome and Han China 753BCE-330CE
– India and Southwest Asia- 1500BCE-1100CE
Unit Test Ch
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader – Volume I – article #’s 10, 16-22, 26-41, 42-47
Second Six Weeks
Unit 3 – Growth and Interaction of Cultural Communities – 300BCE – 1200CE
Ch. – Networks of Communication and Exchange – 300BCE – 1100CE
Ch. – The Sasanid and Rise of Islam – 200-1200
Ch.- Christian Europe Emerges – 300-1200
Ch. – Central and Eastern Asia – 400-1200
Ch. – Peoples and Civilizations of the Americas- 200-1500
Unit Test Ch.
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader – Volume I – 48-54, 56-65, 82-87, 97-100, 104
Unit 4 – Interregional Patterns of Culture and Contact 1200-1500
Ch – Western and Eastern Eurasia
Third Six Weeks
Continuing Unit 4
Ch – Tropical Africa and Asia - 1200-1500
Ch – The Latin West – 1200-1500
Ch – Maritime Revolution to 1550
Unit Test Ch 13-17
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader – Volume I – article #’s 88-92, 93-96, 102-104, 105, 110-111
Unit 5 - The Globe Encompassed
Ch – The Transformation of Europe – 1500 – 1750
Ch – Diversity of American Colonial Societies – 1530 – 1750
Ch – The Atlantic System and Africa – 1550 – 1800
Ch – Southwestern Asia and Indian Ocean – 1500 – 1750
Ch – Eastern Eurasia – 1500 – 1800
Unit Test Ch 18-22
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader – Volume II – 1-10, 13, 16-20, 21-26, 36-40, 41-45, 48-50, 55
4th Six Weeks
Unit 6 – Revolutions Reshape the World
Ch – Revolutions change the Atlantic World – 1750 – 1850
Ch – The Early Industrial World – 1760 – 1851
Ch – Nation Building and Economic Transformation of the Americas
Ch – Africa, India, and the British Empire
Ch – The Ottoman Empire and East Asia
Unit Ch
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader Volume II – 61-65, 66-68, 71-73, 74-77, 78-79
5th Six Weeks
Unit 7 – Global Dominance and Diversity
Ch – The New Balance of Power
Ch – The New Imperialism
Ch – Crisis of Imperial Order
Ch – Collapse of Old Order
Ch – Independence in Africa, India, and Latin America
Unit Test – Ch
Writing Assessment – DBQ, Comparison Essay, Change-Over Time (at least 1)
Reader – Volume II – article #’s 88-108
Sixth Six Weeks
Unit 8 – Perils and Promises of a Global Community
Ch – Cold War
Ch – Post War Re-Alignment
Ch – End of Global Century
Review for AP Test --- Special Projects --- Research Paper/Special Topics
Websites
YOU WILL FIND THESE WEBSITES VERY USEFUL WHEN PREPARING FOR THIS
CLASS AND THE AP WORLD HISTORY EXAM
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_worldhist.html
http://home.comcast.net/~llefler/movie.htm - FOR HISTORY MOVIES THAT YOU CAN VIEW
FOR EXTRA CREDIT
http://www.inmotionaame.org/migrations/landing.cfm?migration=1&bhcp=1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/
http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/geography/Demotrans/demtran.htm
http://www.flowofhistory.com/
This one is AWSOME!!!
http://www.pppst.com/worldhistory.html#20
http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html another great source for historical movies
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html
http://www.phschool.com/curriculum_support/map_bank/a_to_e.html
http://www.thecaveonline.com/
Good one!
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cotlist.htm - a lot of sample essays good and bad
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/
By signing this portion of the AP World History syllabus, I ___________________________________
(Print student’s name), acknowledge that I have read and understand all of the information in the
preceding pages. I will do my best to follow the rules of this class and do the work necessary to be
successful. As the parent, I will give my child the support they need to be successful in this class.
____________________________________
(Student signature)
____________________________________
(Parent signature)
E-mail or other contact information ________________________________________________