Advanced Placement World History
2015-16
Instructor Information
Mr. Kotselas
Phone: 480-279-7462
E-mail: George.Kotselas@HUSD.Org
Textbook:
Ways of the World: A Global History, Strayer, R., Monterey Bay, CA. Copyright 2011.
Course Description
This course is a one-year, interdisciplinary endeavor taught at the Advanced Placement level. We will meet for one period per day
and will study the “history of humankind”– collectively, an overview of the historical accounts expressed through literature, philosophy,
music, painting, war, conflict, politics, economics, class systems, sculpture, architecture, film, theatre, photography, and modern mass
media. Essentially, these are all subjects with products that represent the world from the human perspective. You will become historians
and philosophers as you study and write about what you learn and how well you learn. You will also be expected to think historically as you
analyze the various great works in the Humanities and World History. Completion of this course fulfills the required World History credit
for graduation. We will also have the opportunity to earn college credit in May by taking the AP World History exam.
Additionally, you will develop the ability to write well-constructed English compositions. You will be reviewing the writing
process, exploring writing in a more analytical/expository environment, examining the proper tone and point of view in writing for various
applications, and focusing on the skills to produce opinions, summaries and theses that are evaluations of mankind’s past. This course also
offers you practice in essential life skills such as listening, speaking (public as well), group collaboration and leadership while developing
your abilities to understand, interpret, and respond to significant historical sources presented at this level. The most important skill that
will be exercised in this class is self-advocacy! You are expected to grow in your self-educating skills by taking responsibility for
READING the content, contributing to the class, asking questions when you do not understand, being accountable for all assignments,
and being respectful to the entire academic process.
Mr. Kotselas’s Expectations
 Follow all school policies within the Student Handbook.
 Act in a respectful manner towards peers, staff members, guests, and any property.
 Being on time to class means in the classroom in your assigned seat. Sitting in another seat will get you to be marked incorrectly
causing attendance issues.
 Come to class prepared:
o Organization- You must know where and when to bring materials and assignments. You may be an organized-mess type, but you
are expected to be astute.
o Notebook-You will need a decent-sized, bound notebook. This is called your interactive notebook!
o Pens & Pencils- bring both and plenty of them. There is no reason why a snapped pencil or a dry pen should end your efficiency
in being prepared.
 Take responsibility for getting assignments by asking your peers first. If they cannot help you, then talk to the teacher. You must
self-advocate and approach the teacher.
 Participate in all class related activities outside of class or in class.
 Speak in turn by raising your hand, respect!
 Bathrooms-no bathroom breaks in the first or last ten minutes of class. All bathroom passes require teacher permission and signing
out & in upon return, unless the student has a medical release or IEP/504 requirements (teacher requests a copy of documentation).
 No Insubordination. If you don’t know what it means, look it up!
 No Food, Candy, or Drinks. You are only allowed to drink BOTTLED water. The teacher reserves the right to throw away any
kind of food or drink that is not bottled water. Save your money by not buying or finishing your Starbucks!
 No bags or backpacks on your desk because you will be prone to texting.
 No Cell Phones, iPods, CD Players, Pagers, or Radios. The teacher can confiscate these upon the visual sight of these. The
teacher will also retain them for the remainder of the school day as well. Just be respectful and check electronics between classes or at
lunch.
 Dismissal. The teacher dismisses the class, not the bell. DO NOT line up at the door or put any work away until you are given
notice.
Disrespectful Behavioral Consequences:
1. Conference with student (possible parent communication), 2. Parent communication, 3. Assign ASD/Mr. K. Detention,
4. Parent conference (may involve counselor/administrator), 5. Referral to administration
Grading Weights:
Notebook/Classwork/Notecards/Projects
Essays/Writing
Tests/Quizzes/Mid-Terms
Semester Finals
30%
20%
30%
20% (50% is tests)
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Grade Rounding:
Grades that are .5+ will be rounded to the next percentage point (89.56 = 90%). There is no other rounding to grades.
Student Vue/Parent Vue:
Updated grades will be posted once or twice per week in Synergy. Grades can be accessed anytime by parents or students.
Parents should contact the district office if they do not have a user id and password.
Required Materials and Assignments
Interactive Notebook- Daily Journals (bell work with dates), notes, reflective questions that are in complete sentences, pictures,
graphs/charts, or anything else that is expected to go in your notebook. I will check these for completion at random times. It is
worth 20% of your grade, and it is your study guide for all tests which are 50% of grade.
Vocabulary Cards- 3x5 note cards that are cut in half will work. We will use these like flashcards to practice conceptual knowledge.
This is a great way to prepare for any AP exam.
Quizzes and Tests – Expect to have weekly quizzes and monthly exams. This is to show you where you are at in your understanding
of the content while practicing for the AP exam. AP questions are more thematic and are not so much identification based. You are
not allowed to use any notes on any quizzes, exams or finals. Exams and finals will be curved based on the highest grade in all of the
AP World History classes. Quizzes will not be curved.
Independent Learner – You are ultimately responsible for your own learning. You are expected to take notes, fully participate in
classroom activities, and complete all assignment. Failure to do so will affect your grade.
MLA Headings on assignments-Practicing this will help prepare you for college. Get used to format, your way is not necessarily the
professional way. Example of MLA heading:
Barack Obama
Period 1
4 August, 2014
WH Ch. 1 Section Assessment
*You can lose up to 10% of your assignment’s grade if the heading is not correct.
Late Work – -50% automatically if you do not have the assignment in the classroom when it is due. Doesn’t matter if it is on campus, it
is late. If it is not turned in by the next day’s class period, then it is a zero with no chance of credit.
Midterm Exam – Midterms will be given at the end of the 1st and 3rd quarters. A complete and organized interactive notebook will be your
study guide. Any study guides that are given will resemble official AP test study guides, percentages of concepts only.
Final Exams – Final exams will be given at the end of each semester. These exams will be cumulative, covering all content material
from both semesters of the school year. Again, a complete and organized interactive notebook will be the most useful study guide.
Tutoring – I am always willing to give extra time for students after school. Speak to me before or after class to setup a good day and
time to meet.
Homework –You are expected to read about 5 (give or take) pages of the textbook per school night. Actually reading the textbook will
give you the greatest chance of success in this class and on the AP test. If you skim, then you might as well poke holes in your grade
as well. If you do not read, then you will struggle in this class. You will also be expected to complete your vocabulary notecards
outside of school.
Historical Thinking Skills Name Short Description
Content Knowledge Deep Knowledge of a great deal of information— names, chronology, facts, events, etc.
1 Crafting Historical Arguments From Historical Evidence Historical Argumentation
Make an argument that is: based on evidence, acknowledges both pro- & con- evidence, has a clear thesis, evaluate other peoples’
arguments appropriate use of relevant historical evidence, use evidence to support arguments, understand the context & limitations of
evidence
2 Chronological Reasoning Historical Causation
Relationship between causes & effects, short-term vs. long-term, difference among, causation vs. coincidence vs. correlation patterns
of continuity & change over time, recognize, analyze & evaluate patterns of change/continuity, relate patterns to larger historical
processes/themes. Construct models of historical periodization , realize that the choice of specific dates is subjective, periodization
changes a historical narrative. Historians’ themselves are subjective & fallible.
3 Comparison and Contextualization Comparison
Compare multiple historical developments, within one society, between different societies, in different time periods or places, compare
multiple perspectives on one topic. Contextualization, connect developments to specific time and place, connect developments to
broader processes.
4. Historical Interpretation and Synthesis Interpretation
Evaluate others’ interpretations of history. Consider evidence, reasoning, contexts, points of view, & frames of reference. Synthesis
apply all of the historical thinking skills, draw on ideas from different fields or disciplines creatively fusing disparate, and perhaps
contradictory evidence, apply insights to other historical contexts or circumstances, including the present.
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Curriculum Schedule
Semester 1: 1st Quarter
Period 1: Technological & Environmental Transformations, to c. 600 BCE (5% of MC questions on AP Test)
Key Concept 1.1 Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
Prologue
Key Concept 1.2 The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
Chapter 1
Key Concept 1.3 The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
Chapter 2
Period 2: Organization & Reorganization of Human Societies, c. 600 BCE-c. 600 CE (15% of MC questions on AP Test)
Key Concept 2.1 The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
Chapter 4 & Chapter 6
Key Concept 2.2 The Development of States and Empires
Chapter 3, Chapter 5 & Chapter 6
Key Concept 2.3 Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange
Chapter 3, Chapter 5 & Chapter 6
Semester 1: 2nd Quarter
Period 3: Regional and Transregional Interactions, c. 600 to c. 1450 CE (20% of MC questions on AP Test)
Key Concept 3.1 Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 9, Chapter 10 & Chapter 11
Key Concept 3.2 Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions
Chapter 6, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10 & Chapter 11
Key Concept 3.3 Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences
Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10 & Chapter 11
Period 4: Global Interactions, c. 1450 to c. 1750 (20% of MC questions on AP Test)
Key Concept 4.1 Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14 & Chapter 15
Key Concept 4.2 New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14 & Chapter 15
Key Concept 4.3 State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14 & Chapter 15
Semester 2: 3rd & 4th Quarters
Period 5: Industrialization and Global Integration, c. 1750 to c. 1900 (20% of MC questions on AP Test)
Key Concept 5.1 Industrialization and Global Capitalism
Chapter 17, Chapter 18 & Chapter 19
Key Concept 5.2 Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
Chapter 16, Chapter 18 & Chapter 19
Key Concept 5.3 Nationalism, Revolution, and Reform
Chapter 16 & Chapter 19
Key Concept 5.4 Global Migrations
Chapter 18
Period 6: Accelerating Global Change & Realignments, c. 1900-present (20% of MC questions on AP Test)
Key Concept 6.1 Science and the Environment
Chapter 23
Key Concept 6.2 Global Conflicts and their Consequences
Chapter 20
Key Concept 6.3 New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, & Culture
Chapter 21 & Chapter 23
AP Test & Final Review
Once curriculum is complete, the class will be focused on AP test review. 4 weeks of time before the test would be ideal.
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Higley High School
4068 E. Pecos Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85297
Phone: (480)279-7300
Fax: (480)279-7500
Student and Parent Expectations Agreement:
“Going on the Account”
Principal
Roseyn Hood
Student- I have read the entire syllabus for the World History course with Mr. Kotselas. I
understand it is my responsibility to follow the expectations described in the Student Handbook
and this World Studies syllabus in order to acquire a passing grade.
Student’s Name (print): _______________________________________
Asst. Principals:
Student’s Signature:__________________________________________
Paul Howell
Heather Jones
Date of Signature:____________________________________________
Counselors:
A-G Tiffany Frane
H-O Stacey Stubbs
P-Z Holly Secor
Attendance Specialist:
Lynn Lancaster
Registrar:
Marjorie Scott
Parent/guardian: Thank you for taking the time to read through the syllabus. I have tried
to make this course as transparent as possible so that you may assist your student in being
successful in such a challenging class. It will not be easy since I will incorporate college-level
reading outside of their standard textbook. I will stay vigilant to maintain these standards
detailed in this syllabus and push your student to their full potential academically and
behaviorally, then push even more. There will be plenty of mental growing pains for them as my
consistency to these standards will be absolute. They, in turn, will have a profound sense of
accomplishment at what they will become capable of by the end of the year.
If you have any questions about the syllabus, any materials, or assignments your student
brings home throughout the year, please know I am here and happy to assist you and your
student to the best of my abilities. I am asking that you sign this agreement and provide an email
address and phone number so that we can communicate as efficiently as possible. My contact
information is on the first page of the syllabus, and your student needs to keep the syllabus with
all of their work and notes for this class.
Thank you,
- Mr. Kotselas
Parent/Guardian’s Name (print): ______________________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s Signature & Date: __________________________________________
Contact number & Email: ___________________________________________________
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