MS. LINDSEY CHOY
lchoy@dist113.org
(224) 765 – 2307
Social Studies Office: A-311
MR. FAISAL MOHYUDDIN
fmohyuddin@dist113.org
(224) 765 – 2141
English Office: A-333
What is American Studies?
American Studies is a class in which United States History and American Literature are
combined into one course with the intent to explore the interaction of the two subjects
simultaneously.
We see American Studies as an opportunity for students to find a voice and the confidence to
talk about American society. The class gives students the tools to examine what is happening in
our society and figure out what they think and believe. It also provides an understanding of
how history influences who/where/how we are today. At the end of the year, we hope that
students will see themselves as participants, and not just onlookers, in this society.
American Studies is about the deep experience that comes from combining disciplines. The
class invites us to move beyond traditional definitions and concepts of history and literature
and to explore intersections and connections between history, literature, art, music, the
movement of culture, etc. American Studies is also about a unique community that comes from
the opportunity to construct a hands-on, interactive real world within the class.
Our Class Vision
We are extremely excited to be teaching American Studies this year! We are both passionate
about our students and the English and History content, and we have a desire for American
Studies to be a meaningful class for all students. We believe that every student can succeed,
and we know that this is possible in the comfortable, fun classroom learning environment that
will be created throughout the year. It is very important that we look at people, situations, and
environments through a variety of “lenses” in order to achieve our goal of equity and
excellence in the classroom. We truly hope that American Studies will be a journey of discovery
for everyone involved and that by the end of the year, you will be able to understand many
different things from a variety of perspectives.
Goals and Purpose
Some of our goals this year include the exploration of not only American Society, but also the
personal exploration and journey of ONESELF -- through your own original ideas, beliefs, and
actions. We also realize that it is important to see yourselves reflected in the curriculum and
for what we are learning to have a personal meaning to you.
One of the main objectives that we have for the class is for you to become a more skilled, selfaware, and well-rounded communicator. Good communication requires you to be a good and
caring:
*LISTENER
*READER
*WRITIER
*SPEAKER
*COMMUNITY MEMBER
Guiding Questions
Throughout the year, there will be several questions that guide us through both the English and
US History aspects – the interaction and relationship between the two.
Required Texts
*There is NO standard US History book that will be used in this course; instead, we will examine
articles, letters, primary sources, and other readings and documents to supplement our studies.
*You will be required to purchase the books listed below for this course, all of which are
available in our Bookstore. Please talk to us privately if you have any concerns or issues about
getting these books.
*Literature Circle book – one of five books
*The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (novel)
*Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez (play)
*Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (graphic novel)
To supplement our studies, you will read works of both fiction and non-fiction, historical and
non-historical.
Required Supplies
One of the characteristics of being a successful student is coming to class prepared to learn and
participate each day. It is our expectation that you will bring the items listed below to class
each day. In addition to having the materials, please have them out and ready at the start of
class:
-
A three-ring binder (for US History only)
-
Notebook
-
Pens/pencils
-
Assignment notebook
-
Current text that we are reading
-
Class journal (this will be provided for you and is to be kept in the classroom, but
should be taken to your table before the start of class each day!)
Classroom Conduct
Our ideal classroom is one in which every student cares about and respects his or her
classmates. In order to create a safe, comfortable, and fun learning environment in which we
can all become successful learners, we must respect each other, talk openly with one another,
listen attentively to each other, and care about everyone in the class. There are too many
forces in the world that work against us, and we believe it is our responsibility to help one
another overcome these negative forces so that we can live healthy, productive lives and
ultimately strive to become “citizens of the world.”
As juniors, you will ultimately be responsible for your own academic success; however, we are
here to help and support you every step of the way! We will not accept or tolerate any actions
or behavior that interferes with the learning experiences of one’s classmates. The following are
just a few examples of issues that may interfere or disrupt your own learning experience or the
experiences of others:
1. Being consistently tardy to class.
2. Negative or disrespectful language and/or name calling – our language and
actions should reflect respect and appreciation for the diversity in the class.
3. Coming to class without materials and/or homework.
4. Having a negative attitude and/or refusing to participate in class.
Grading
Although you will be getting a separate overall grade for US History and for English, it is
important that you understand the grading systems that are put in place. It is possible to pass
or fail one subject and not the other!
We will both be grading based on a point-scale system, where each assignment will be worth a
certain number of points. Graded assignments will include: papers, homework, presentations,
in-class work, tests, and projects. Overall class preparedness and participation will also be a
significant part of your grade; we will further discuss the essence of class participation as a
class. Here is the breakdown of how much each quarter will be worth for each semester:
*Semester – 85%
*Final Exam or Project: 15%
Deadlines
All work is expected to be turned in on time. We understand that sometimes unforeseen
circumstances arise and prevent students from meeting deadlines. We both try to be flexible;
however, we want you to understand that communication is key. We are caring, understanding
teachers who are open to your thoughts -- but we cannot read your minds! We are much more
willing and able to be flexible if you talk to us, email us, or write us a note letting explaining the
situation that is preventing you from meeting the deadline. You may still get late points
deducted from the overall assignment grade.
We are here to help you to be the most successful student that you can be. Please feel free to
make an appointment to meet with us during any of our free periods; we will also be available
most days before and after school.
If you are absent: If the absence is authorized, you get the same amount of days you were
absent to make up and turn in the work. If the absence is unauthorized, there is a chance that
the work may not be made up or be accepted.
If you are absent on the day of a test, you will be expected to take the test on the first day that
you return.
Remember – it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make up any work (including in class work such as
activities or simulations) that you missed while gone – make sure to check in with a classmate
or one of us!
Our Schedules
Please take a few minutes in class to fill out our class schedules so that you will know our
availability:
Mr. Mohyuddin:
Ms. Choy:
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Academic Honesty
You are here to learn. We expect you to always do your own work so that you can maximize
your own learning. If you ever need any help with your work, PLEASE let one of us know and
we will work to help you as much as possible! We will always be willing to help you with your
work; not getting help or having enough time to complete an assignment are never valid
reasons for acting in an academically dishonest way.
As you know, the penalties for academic dishonesty are severe – and unfortunate too. Our only
advice: DON’T DO IT!!! Academic dishonest “involves presenting another person’s words or
ideas as your own or enabling someone else to do so.” This also means cheating in any form
(including sharing homework answers and copying from the web) will NOT be tolerated. Please
consult the HPHS student handbook for more specific information relating to academic
honesty/dishonesty.
Distinction Between Honest and Dishonest Collaboration
We are going to strive to create a classroom community that is comfortable for everyone. You
are encouraged to work with your classmates on many assignments and in fact, will sometimes
be required to do so. It almost always helps to talk about assignments with other people,
whether parents, peers, tutors, case managers, counselors, or teachers. When it comes to
putting words on paper, however, the words you write must be your own. Unless we give
explicit instructions for an assignment to be written collaboratively (with one other person or a
group of other people), assume that – even if you work on it with a friend or receive help from
a tutor, you must do the actual writing by yourself. If you are ever in doubt about what the
expectations are for a given assignment, ask us – that’s the honest and best action to take!
Conclusion
We are both extremely excited about this year – we cannot wait to get to know you and take
this journey through American Studies together. Part of growing as a student this year is
learning to take responsibility of your actions as a student. We want you to take ownership of
your own learning but we are also here to help you learn what it takes to be successful. We
expect growth of ourselves as teachers just as we expect growth of our students throughout
the year. Please remember that we are always here for you and we are both looking forward to
a fantastic year in American Studies!