Syllabus
Course: U.S. History
Instructors Name: Mr. Nathaniel P. Silva
Email: nsilva@saintlouishawaii.org
Work Phone: (808) 739-7777
Classroom Location: BH 24
Office Hours: 7:00-3:15 M-F
Course Link: http://sls-ushistory11.wikispaces.com
Biography:
 Position at Saint Louis:
◦ Instructor for US History 11 and World Civilizations 10.
 Education:
◦ BA in Asian Studies from the University of Hawaii
◦ Master's Degree in Social Studies Education from the Hawaii Pacific University.
 Work Experience:
◦ Teacher-intern James Campbell
◦ Teacher-intern Maryknoll School
◦ Lifeguard-Swim Instructor
◦ Basketball Coach for Ages 8-15 Years
Course Description
Course Title: US History
This essay-based, thematic course is linked to world issues. Students are expected to read,
discover, analyze, re-imagine, and relive important events, people, places and ideas of American
History. The course will challenge students to recognize the complexity of human existence and
the reality of human diversity. Students are encouraged to make connections between the events
of the past, the contemporary world and themselves in order to define their place in an ever
globalizing society. As an essay-based course, primary emphasis will be placed on the ability to
communicate both orally and in writing.
Course Targets
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Be able to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate historical data in primary and secondary
sources.
Be able to formulate opinions on various topics and academic use academic modes and
speech mannerisms to present them.
Be able to solve problems in a 21st Century Environment.
Syllabus
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Be able to learn and work independently to produce written, media, and creative
assessments.
Be able to recall essential information from audio and visual material.
Be able to write effectively.
Be able to comprehend sophisticated reading materials.
Prerequisites
 World Civilizations
Course Length
Length of Course: 1 Hour Per Day on Scheduled Days; 39 Weeks; 4
Quarters; 2 Semesters.
Required Text
1. Online and Electronic Textual Materials Provided.
2. Historical Novel from the Booklist on http://sls-ushistory11.wikispaces.com.
Materials List
1.
2.
3.
4.
Laptop
Novel
3D Model Materials
Pencils, Pens, and Paper (White and Lined)
Course Outline
The calendar below is subject to adjustments and revisions and represents Quarter 1.
Additional Quarters will be added as revisions are made. Class time will be allotted to read
the course novel: Spy by Ted Bell. Remember to bring in your book for the LAST DAY OF
THE WEEK.
Course Outline
Calendar
August
Topics
1. Course Orientation
2. Map Work: Identifying
Event Locations in
American History
Assignment Description
(On the website, specific
details and Assignment
Instructions are linked
according to their titles.)
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Course Orientation
Assessment
Map Assessment
History Day Orientation
Syllabus
3. Turning Points in
History: People, Ideas
and Events
4. History Day Project
Orientation
5. Annotated
Bibliography/ResearchBased Outline/Timeline
Workshop
6. Submit Annotated
Bibliography Rough
Drafts
September
History Day Project
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Notes
Annotated Bibliography
Research-Based Outline
Re-drafted Annotated
Bibliographies
Submitted
Research-Based Outline
Weebly Websites
Crafted
Weebly Website “Show
and Tell”
Research Paper
October
Unit 1 FA
Unit 1 Immigrants to
Revolutionaries to Americans Unit 1 DA
Unit 1 SA
November
Unit 2 The War that
Reshaped America
Unit 2 FA
Unit 2 DA
Unit 2 SA
December
Unit 3 America Rises from
Reconstruction to
Progressivism
Unit 3 FA
Unit 3 DA
Unit 3 SA
January
Unit 4 America Reaches
Outward
Unit 4 FA
Unit 4 DA
Unit 4 SA
February
Unit 5 America Embraces a
Scattered World
Unit 5 FA
Unit 5 DA
Unit 5 SA
March
Unit 6 America's Defeat in its Unit 6 FA
Unit 6 DA
Victory
Unit 6 SA
April
Unit 7 Cleaning Up a
Battered World
Unit 7 FA
Unit 7 DA
Unit 7 SA
Final Exam
Syllabus
May
Unit 8: Global Issues
Global Issues Paper and
Presentation
Please Print out the following pages, read the document, and sign the document turn it in by
Thursday of the Second Week of School.
Gradebook
Letter Grade
Percentage
A
93-100%
A-
90-92%
B+
87-89%
B
83-86%
B-
80-82%
C+
77-79%
C
73-76%
C-
70-72%
D+
67-69%
D
60-66%
F
0-59%
Additional Grading Information:
 2 Grades will be posted during every G Period; typical postings will consist of Participation
and an assignment.
 This is a writing intensive course. Primary assignments will be writing intensive, ranging
from essays to projects to a research paper. There will also be several tasks that will assess
students' oral skills, which is a reflection of their writing level.
 Essays will total twice the amount of exams and research papers will be twice the amount of
essays.
Classroom Management
Classroom Expectations:
A 1-strike policy in effect. Evaluation for Weekly Participation is based on your compliance with
the 8 rules below. 1 Checkmark next to your name means 0/50 Weekly Participation Points.
 If a student accumulates 3 checkmarks in one-week, a notice will be sent home to his
parents and administration will be notified of his behavior.
 Students will also lose participation points for every checkmark they accumulate. For
example, if a student commits additional infractions within the same week they
received a checkmark, they will lose participation points for however many weeks as
the number of checkmarks they have accumulated.
1. Be on time with both arrival and departure. (No tardies or early dismissals without proper
approval)
2. Give full attention to your US History/World Civilization Coursework.
3. No late work.
4. No profanity. No derogatory remarks.
Syllabus
5. Comply with the Saint Louis Dress Code (Hairstyles, Shaving, Shirt Conditions, Shorts,
Belts, Shoes).
6. No Social Media (Facebook, YouTube).
7. Respect Adults, All Adults! (Talking badly of other teachers or derogatory remarks about
school rules is strictly prohibited.)
8. Uphold the Characteristics of the Marianist Education Standards and the SLS Handbook.
Discipline Procedures:
 The span of time for committing infractions is one grading period (A-G).
 For continual infractions
 First Infraction: One Checkmark, “0” Participation Points.
 Second Infraction: Two Checkmarks, “0” Participation Points for 2 Weeks.
 Third Infraction: Three Checkmarks, “0” Participation Points for 3 Weeks, after
parents and administration are notified of the behavior.
 Fourth Infraction: Four Checkmarks, “0” Participation Points for 4 Weeks, parents
and administration are notified, you may be placed under an enrollment review, and
you will have an after School Detention with the Instructor.
Policies
Instructor’s Grading Criteria/Timetable:
2 Grades will be posted per grading period (A-G).
Course Policies:
Names and Titling: In order to facilitate the tracking of assignments and correspondence
with the instructor, please use the following naming conventions
 Projects: username-project-unit#.doc
 Email Subject Lines: Please start your subject lines in email correspondence with
Course & section username and be sure to specify the SUBJECT OF YOUR
MESSAGE. I will not read any untitled messages.
Extenuating Circumstances: When a student who is absent returns to US History/World
Civilization class, he must have a verification for the absence from the attendance office. If
he does not have a slip, he will be sent to the Attendance Office to get the slip.
GRADING RUBRIC
http://sls-ushistory11.wikispaces.com/Writing+Tips+and+Tricks
Assignments
http://sls-ushistory11.wikispaces.com/Year+Course+Assignments
Research Paper and other types of Writing Assignments:
 The Social Studies' Curriculum places a strong emphasis on writing. Essays and the
research paper will be worth at least twice the amount of any multiple-choice or short
answer exam.
 MLA Style dictates how your paper should appear on the page.
 MLA Workshops will be offered throughout the course once in class at the beginning and
during tutorials from then on.
 For additional assistance, MLA Formatting Walkthroughs will also be posted on:
 http://sls-ushistory11.wikispaces.com/Writing+Tips+and+Tricks
Syllabus
Final Projects and Final Exams
1st Semester:
 Research Paper
 Final Exam
2nd Semester:
 Course Project
 Final Exam
Extra Credit Policy: Extra credit is offered.
Late Work Policy: No Late Work!! All Assignments and their Due Dates, which are subject to
change, can be found at: http://sls-ushistory11.wikispaces.com/Year+Course+Assignments
Plagiarism Policy
Students are expected to be the sole authors of their work. Use of another person's work or ideas
must be accompanied by specific citations and references. Though not a comprehensive or
exhaustive list, the following are some examples of dishonesty or unethical and unprofessional
behavior:
Plagiarism Definition: Using another person's words, ideas, or results without giving proper credit
to that person; giving the impression that it is the student's own work.
Examples of Plagiarism:
 Any form of cheating on examinations.
 Altering academic or clinical records.
 Falsifying information for any assignments.
 Submitting an assignment(s) that was partially or wholly completed by another student.
 Copying work or written text from a student, the Internet, or any document without giving
due credit to the source of the information.
 Submitting an assignment(s) for more than one class without enhancing and refining the
assignment, and without first receiving instructor permission. In cases where previous
assignments are allowed to be submitted for another class, it is the responsibility of the
student to enhance the assignment with additional research and to also submit the original
assignment for comparison purposes.
 Assisting another student with reasonable knowledge that the other student intends to
commit any act of academic dishonesty. This offense would include, but would not be
limited to providing an assignment to another student to submit as his/her own work or
allowing another student to copy answers to any test, examination or assignment.
 In essence, plagiarism is the theft of someone else's ideas and work. Whether a student
copies verbatim or simply rephrases the ideas of another without properly acknowledging
the source, it is still plagiarism. In the preparation of work submitted to meet course
requirements, whether a draft or a final version of a paper or project, students must take
great care to distinguish their own ideas and language from information derived from other
sources. Sources include published primary and secondary materials, electronic media, and
information and opinions gathered directly from other people.
 A discussion thread, computer program, marketing plan, PowerPoint presentation, and other
similar work produced to satisfy a course requirement are, like a paper, expected to be the
original work of the student submitting it. Copying documentation from another student or
from any other source without proper citation is a form of academic dishonesty, as is
producing work substantially from the work of another. Students must assume that
Syllabus
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collaboration in the completion of written assignments is prohibited unless explicitly
permitted by the instructor. Students must acknowledge any collaboration and its extent in
all submitted coursework. Students are subject to disciplinary action if they submit as their
own work a paper purchased from a term paper company or downloaded from the Internet.
The teacher reserves the right to check all student work to verify that it meets the guidelines
of this policy.
Academic dishonesty is a serious offense and may result in expulsion.
Procedures for Processing Plagiarism Offenses
Procedures for processing plagiarism offenses are as follows:
1. Plagiarism cases will be handled in house for the first offense. Students involved will
receive a “0” for the assignment, will not be allowed to resubmit their work, nor will they
be eligible for extra credit opportunities. Parents will be notified via the assignment
comment section on EdLine.
2. On the second offense, parents, the Dean of Students, and the Vice Principal will be notified
and a “0” grade will be assessed.
Student Name (Print): __________________________
Date: ______________
Student Name (Signature): _________________________
Date: ______________
Parent Signature: ________________________ Date: __________________