American History Syllabus
Fall Semester 2008
Miss Nagle
Contact information: snagle@geneva304.org
Website: www.geneva304.org/ghs/snagle
Course Rationale: There are many reasons for studying American History, one of the most important of which
is to understand what it means to be an American citizen in the 21st century. We are who we are, individually
and collectively, because of past events, which make the present relevant and understandable. In our study of
history, we must understand that nations aren’t just made; people and history bring them about. In the United
States today, we enjoy freedoms and advantages that few people in the history of the world could even imagine.
Because of this, the present can only be understood in terms of the past. For instance:
- The invasion of Iraq and capture of Saddam Hussein, as well as the current conflicts in Africa and
the Middle East, must be tied to the formation of the United Nations in 1945 and of Israel in 1947, to
the Vietnam War, and to the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, among many other things.
- The same civil liberties questions facing the US today with the enforcement of the Patriot Act were
dealt with by the Supreme Court in 1919 in Schenck v. US, and the same arguments for and against
immigration today were heard and argued a hundred years ago with the influx of immigrants from
Eastern Europe.
- Offering humanitarian aid to Africa and the Balkans, while seemingly ignoring the repressive regime
in China, cannot be understood without a grasp of colonialism, the Open Door policy, and basic
economics.
- US involvement in other countries today can be directly tied to the Truman Doctrine and the
Marshall Plan after World War II, as well as to the vision of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony in 1620.
- Race issues in our country today can’t be understood or dealt with without realizing the impact of
slavery and Reconstruction on the African American population.
- The current presidential election can only be understood with a knowledge of our role in 20 th century
international affairs, and the American economy
These are just a few of the many examples of how the past makes the present relevant and understandable.
Many people have opinions about what our country should be doing today and why; my goal for this class is that
each student will be able to form thoughtful, informed opinions about these things. The way to do this is to
understand where we came from and why we have acted as we have in the past. This class is a study of
history, but we will also discuss current events, especially in the light of historical antecedents.
Topics to be covered this semester:
- Immigration
- Imperialism
- Progressive Era
- World War I
- 1920s Era
- Depression
- New Deal
- World War II
- Cold War beginnings
Class Rules:
1. Be on time (in your seat when the bell rings) and prepared for class with your textbook, notebook,
assignments, and appropriate pen or pencils. “On time” means in your seat ready to begin class,
without needing to borrow supplies or go to your locker for things that you forgot. You must bring your
book every day unless told otherwise.
2. Hormework is to be turned in before class in the bin at the front of the room.
3. No food or drink (except water) in class.
4. Respect yourselves, others, and others’ property – together we will create an atmosphere of respect in
the classroom.
5. No swearing or abusive language.
6. Abide by the rules in the student handbook.
The teacher and/or dean will impose appropriate consequences for violations of these rules.
Class Requirements:
For this class, students are required to have the following items with them EVERY DAY:
1. Textbook
2. Assignments and supplemental materials/supplies
3. Looseleaf notebook paper (NOT from a spiral notebook) for assignments (see homework guidelines)
4. Notebook for class notes
5. Blue or black pen, or pencil
Students who do not have the required supplies may be counted tardy for the class. Limited supplies
may be available for purchase in class.
Grading:
Grades will follow the Geneva High School grading scale given in the student handbook. In this class, 50% of
the course grade is made up of homework, classwork, and projects, and 50% of the grade is made up of
quizzes and tests. When you view grades on-line, please be aware of this breakdown; if you just try to simply
add up points and calculate a grade, it will not work correctly.
Extra Credit:
I offer several extra credit opportunities in class, the biggest of which is to do an extra credit book review. I
encourage all students to do this; students who have done it in the past have had very positive responses. This
assignment may be found on my website. Please be aware of the due dates and guidelines; late reviews and
interviews will not be accepted. In addition, there may be a few extra credit assignments related to current
events throughout the semester. There will not be any extra credit opportunities the last few weeks of the
semester. Students are encouraged to keep up on their work throughout the semester so that they will not feel
the need for extra credit at the end.
Absences:
If a student is absent, he or she is encouraged to check my webpage or contact me via e-mail for anything they
have missed. Work must be turned in on or before the due date set by the guidelines in the student handbook.
Work is always turned in to the homework bin in the front of the room. If it is a pre-arranged absence, the
student is responsible for getting any assignments before the absence, and turning them in on or before the
regular due date. Extra time may not be given for pre-arranged absences. If a student is absent on the day of a
test or quiz, a different version of the test will be given, usually in an essay format, unless it is pre-arranged and
the student and teacher work out a time to take the test early. The important thing is for the student to
communicate with me to work out a plan for making up work, either before (if prearranged) or after the absence.
I will be much more lenient if a student communicates with me ahead of time. This includes coming to me in
advance before they know they will be absent.
Expectations:
My desire is to work with each student and their parents to help all the students succeed in class. If we work
together, I am confident that each student can accomplish this. To this end, I offer the following expectations:
Student Expectations:
1. Be present, on time, and prepared every day for class with all required materials. If you are absent, it is
your responsibility to come to me for make-up work. If you are unprepared for class, you may be
considered tardy.
2. Participate in class when appropriate.
3. Complete your work on time, neatly done, and in a form you are proud to turn in. All work must be
turned in on loose-leaf notebook paper, standard size, and completed in dark blue or black ink or pencil
– no metallic or colorful pens. Work that does not meet these standards may be returned for no credit.
Work that is up to one day late will be accepted for half-credit (unless it is graded in class the day it is
due; then it cannot be accepted late) and must be turned in to the homework bin in order to receive
credit. After one day, no credit will be given.
4. Come to me right away for help if you need it or have any concerns. This includes if you know you can’t
complete an assignment on time. I can’t help you if you don’t come to me.
5. Always do your best in class. This includes turning in work on time and studying effectively for tests.
Teacher Expectations:
1. Be prepared to teach class each day.
2. Apply current research and applications in brain research and multiple intelligences to help each
individual student learn to the best of their ability.
3. Be available to offer extra help or discuss issues from class.
4. Return tests and classwork in a timely fashion.
5. Be available to conference with parents and/or students as schedules allow, in addition to regularly
scheduled conferences.
6. Publish grades on Pinnacle for home access once a week.
7. Respond to phone calls within 48 hours and to e-mails within 24 hours (I can usually respond to e-mail
within 2 – 3 hours). I typically return phone calls early in the morning; if this does not work for you,
please tell me that in your message.
Parent Expectations:
1. Communicate any concerns about your child to me as soon as possible. If there is anything I should
know to help your child succeed, please tell me right away.
2. Use the home access center to access your child’s grades. If this is not possible for you, please contact
me; otherwise I will assume that you are regularly checking grades. (See note below for more
information.)
3. Communicate with your child on a consistent basis about grades and progress in class. You know your
child much better than I do, so you know what to expect from them. Contact me if you have any
questions or concerns throughout the semester.
4. The best way to reach me is via the e-mail address on the front of this syllabus. Please do not
wait until the end of the semester if you have any concerns. (I can also provide you with my cell
phone number if you prefer to communicate by phone.)
A note on grading and publishing grades: Student work will be graded in one of three ways: for content, for
completion, or spot-graded for certain questions. Students will not know ahead of time which method will be
used. In addition, some work may be graded in class by other classmates. This is for homework assignments
and quizzes only, not tests. Students greatly benefit from this type of grading. In addition, I will publish grades
regularly for home access.
In addition to signing this syllabus, please go to the webpage given on the front of this sheet. On it, you will find
a link to American History, which will allow you to access this syllabus, homework guidelines, and current course
assignments. Please make frequent use of this resource; in addition to some assignments, I will post upcoming
tests, as well as links to review sheets for tests. Parents are encouraged to check this regularly to see when
tests or assignments are coming up. On this site, if you follow the link for first week extra credit and follow the
directions there, students will receive 5 extra credit points on Friday.
I have read and understand the entire syllabus and will do my best to abide by the guidelines outlined, in order
to make this a successful semester.
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Student’s name printed
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Student signature
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Parent/Guardian signature