AP UNITED STATES HISTORY
COURSE SYLLABUS
Text: Shi, David Emory and George Brown Tindall; America: A Narrative History, 9th edition, W.W.
Norton and Company, 2014.
Instructor: George Singler, singlerg@friscoisd.org
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course is designed to highlight the major political, social cultural, and economic developments of
America from European exploration through the 20th century. Students will understand the diverse cultures
and ethnic groups that contributed to the making of America's social fabric, and understand the political
development of American democracy.
The methods by which this understanding will be achieved include reading comprehension, document
analysis, analytical thinking and writing, and synthesis of material into patterns and trends. These are "habits
of mind" that will allow one to be successful on the College Board AP U.S. History exam in May.
II. COURSE OUTLINE (follows College Board guidelines for APUSH course)
Unit 1: Exploration & Colonization (Ch. 1-4, part 1)
Unit 2: Revolution through Constitution (Ch. 4 part 2-Ch. 6)
Unit 3: Early National Period (Ch. 7-8)
Unit 4: The Emergence of Democracy (Ch. 9-11)
Unit 5: The Age of Reform (Ch. 12-13)
Unit 6: Sectionalism, War and Reconstruction (Ch. 14-17)
Unit 7: The Gilded Age (Ch. 18-21)
End of First Semester
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Unit 8: Expansionism, Progressivism, and WWI (Ch. 22-24)
Unit 9: Twenties, New Deal, and WWII (Ch. 25-28)
Unit 10: The Cold War and the 50s (Ch. 29-31)
Unit 11: The 60s, 70s, 80s and Modern Era (Ch. 32-34)
Review for AP Exam & End of year project
III. MATERIALS
 Spiral for textbook note taking
 8 1/2 x 11 Yellow Legal Pad (for writings)—may be left in my classroom
 Pens, Pencils (Black or Blue pen only for writings)
IV. EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT
GRADING:
20% of average is Daily work and Homework
30% of average is Quizzes and Projects
50% of average is Tests
TEST GRADES Tests are 50% of the six weeks average.
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At the end of each unit(s) a test will be given. It will be comprised of multiple-choice questions,
approximately 65% of these questions will be directly from the text. The other 35% will be from
small group discussion and supplemental readings. Depending on the unit, an additional quiz grade
will be given which will be comprised of an essay (either a DBQ or Free-Response crafted by the
College Board) and grading will be based on the AP U.S. History Rubric as used by the College
Board. Numerical grades will be correlated to the AP U.S. History grading Rubric and adjusted by
the instructor as needed throughout the year.
DAILY GRADES Daily grades are 20% of the six weeks average.


Readings, questions, and classroom activities are daily grades
Group or individual presentations and participation in discussions may be considered daily grades,
unless otherwise specified.
V. POLICIES
Absent Work: As per school policy, you are responsible for collecting any make-up work the first day you
return to the class. You have 2 calendar days or the next class meeting to turn in any assignments for full
credit. Special arrangements must be made with me for any missed tests and/or quizzes. Note: The late
work policy will be in effect for any work not turned in after the 2- day make-up allowance.
Late Work: Late work on daily assignment will be accepted for a 30 point reduction in grade. Assignments
will be graded after the 30 pt. reduction.
Tutorials: I will do all that I can to help you be successful in my classroom, so I encourage you to come to
tutorials. Weekly tutorials are available in room BB104 on weekdays, mornings (8:20-8:50) and afternoons
(4:10-4:40), with the exception of Thursday afternoon and on Fridays when the staff has faculty meetings.
During this time you can get extra help, study, or complete a retest tutorial. Test makeups and retesting day
is Wednesday before and after school. Note that you must be on time for test make-ups as this is the only
time to make up a test.
Retest Policy: Any student who makes lower than an 85 on a major test may earn the right to retest for a
maximum grade of 85 if the student meets the following criteria:
1. Attend a remedial tutorial within 5 days of the test grade being posted on Home Access.
2. Attend and retest on Wednesday before or after school.
3. Retests cannot replace a test grade of a “0” given for cheating or lack of effort.
Quizzes/Tests: Place your reading journal on your desk for teacher review and the remainder of your
materials under your desk. Reading notes will count as a portion or a whole daily grade depending on the
discretion of your teacher. No talking and keep your eyes on your own work. Do not talk to another student
until all quizzes/tests have been turned-in. Cheating is NOT tolerated and you will receive a zero for the
assignment.
Fairness: I define fairness as each student being given everything he/she needs in order to be successful.
This does not mean that every student will be given the exact same assistance as every other student. Needs
are as individual as each student. And it is my job to give each of you assistance that is specific to your
particular needs.
Class Expectations:
1. Be respectful at all times to your teacher, your classmates, and yourself.
2. Come to class Prepared.
3. Put forth your best effort in all that you do.
4. Follow school handbook procedures at all times.
5. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions.
V. ASSIGNMENTS--There will be a calendar provided at the beginning of each unit to assist in following
the schedule for reading and daily activities as well as quiz and test dates.

Reading assignments
Text-- You are responsible for reading and studying the survey text by Pageant. While some of the text
will be discussed in detail, much of it will be covered through independent learning. A study guide will
be provided to assist in understanding the text material.

Classroom Notes/Lecture Notes
Good note-taking skills are essential in an AP class. You are required to take notes on lectures,
discussions and textbook readings. You are encouraged to take notes of all textbook readings (see teacher
for directions). Reading notes will be graded and will count as 50% of your textbook graded discussions;
however you may NOT use them on the quizzes. Failure to take proper notes of the readings will usually
result in poor reading quiz/test grades. Classroom lectures/activities are designed to highlight important
information in the unit, not as a replacement for the text; therefore, it is essential to carefully read and
annotate the text in preparation for each class period. If assistance is needed with note taking strategies,
please see the teacher.
VI. NATIONAL AP EXAM
The advanced placement exam is administered at CHS in May by the counseling staff. It takes
approximately three hours and consists of four parts, multiple choice, short answer, a DBQ essay and a long
(FRQ) essay. Students receive a score from one to five. Most colleges require at least a three to grant credit
for the two-semester survey of U.S. History (6 college credit hours). I urge you to contact your prospective
institutions or see your counselor for specific requirements. We will practice all year on the skills needed to
be successful on the exam including challenging tests and essays in AP Format (DBQ/Free Response), and I
will administer practice tests in the spring. AP EXAM: Friday, May 8th, 2015