AP US History 1
Governor Livingston High School
2015 - 16
April Jeffrey Burke
aburke@bhpsnj.org
908-464-3100 x 2363
Diligent and focused completion of all reading assignments, as and when assigned, is the foundation for
understanding and success in every Social Studies course. Students are responsible for all information in
reading assignments and should be aware that not all information in the reading is covered during class time.
Valuable class time is used to expand upon and deepen student understanding beyond the simple foundation
provided for in the reading assignments. Perusal of on-line digital or another student’s notes is not a
substitute.
Goal: This is a two year course consisting of Advanced Placement United States History I and II. It is offered
to qualified students during grades 10 and 11. The AP seminars present the student with a rigorous in depth
study of our national history using a college level text and primary source materials. Emphasis is placed on
well-reasoned, argued, and supported historical analysis as well as broad knowledge of history. Students are
responsible for the learning of facts to better answer multiple choice and essay based questions. It is the
purpose of the AP US History I and II courses to prepare students to perform at higher levels of historical study
in high school & beyond.
Textbooks and Resources: American History 14th Edition, David Brinkley. It is recommended that you
attend class daily with a 3 ring notebook, pen / pencil, highlighter. I recommend you purchase an accordion file
to keep old materials to be used for next year.
Course Topic Outline:
I. Marking Period 1
Meeting of Cultures
Transplantations and Borderlines
Society and Culture in Provincial America
The Empire in Transition
II. Marking Period 2
The American Revolution
The Constitution and New Republic
The Jeffersonian Era
Varieties of American Nationalism
Jacksonian America
III. Marking Period 3
America’s Economic Revolution
Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South
Antebellum Culture and Reform
The Impending Crisis
The Civil War
IV. Marking Period 4
Reconstruction and the New South
The Conquest of the Far West
Industrial Supremacy
The Age of the City
Grading Policy: Throughout the year, you will learn history in a variety of methods - lecture, notes, film,
quizzes, tests, group and individual assignments, and most importantly writing.
- Grades are kept on an overall point system. Neither marking period nor exam grades will not be rounded.
- Extra credit is not available.
- Below is an example of how to compute your grade:
Homework
20/20
Chapter 2 Reading Check
80/100
Homework
20/20
Chapter 2 Take Home Test 40/50
Chapter 1 Reading Check
90/100
Chapter 2 Essay
75/100
Chapter 1 Test
75/100
Chapter 2 Test
70/100
Chapter 1 Review Particip. 18/20
Total
488/610 = 80%
Assignments:
Homework is assigned to lay the foundation of material to be covered in class, and also to reinforce material
that has been covered. Students should complete homework so they can better participate in class. All
assignments are due at the start of class – this is true for paper submission and also assignment that are
submitted electronically to your Google Drive folder. Students are not permitted to submit their homework after
class has started or late for any reason. All assignments are expected to be submitted through Google Drive,
unless specifically noted in the assignment directions. For example, formal papers will still be submitted as a
hard copy. Late work is not accepted.
Late Assignments:
Major assignments such as project and papers may be submitted no more than 4 days late and will drop one
full letter grade for every late day.
Common Assignments:
Reading Checks / PLEDDS: Every chapter will include a reading assessment known as a ‘Reading
Check.’ Reading checks require students to demonstrate mastery of the reading assignment by demonstrating
higher order thinking skills and the ability to make connections between the reading and broader topics and
themes. The assessment will consist of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and open ended questions. You may
use your notes, using PLEDDS style. Notes will be submitted with your reading check – either as a hard copy
or electronically to your Google Drive folder.
Current Events: The current assignment is a student presentation to discuss current issues to improve
public speaking, learn about point of view, and discuss issues that are relevant. See handout for information.
PoV Do-Now: The first class of every week will start with a document reading and PoV handout. This
activity will assess student usage of point of view. See handout for expectations.
Google and Power School:
- Students are expected to use Google and PowerSchool. These should be checked on a daily basis as they
are main source for disseminating and collecting information.
- It is your responsibility to remember your passwords to these accounts. The daily use of these programs is
crucial to your success as a student.
- All assignments due with due dates are listed on the Calendar.
- In respect to student grades, PowerSchool should be checked frequently.
- Google is a program that will be utilized to collect assignments, and to provide feedback and a grade for
those assignments.
Teacher Availability:
- Students must schedule to meet with me before school or during lunch.
- The best way for students and parents to reach me outside of school is through e-mail.
- E-mails may not be replied to in the evening hours or during the weekend, but every effort will be made to
respond within 24 hours during the weekday.
Expectations:
- Please arrive to class on time with all required materials
- Late Arrival to School: Please submit your pink pass when you enter the classroom.
- Daily class participation is expected
- When you enter the classroom, do so in an adult manner. Take your seat and complete any task on the
board and prepare to start the class.
- Please leave the class in a neat and orderly manner.
- Bathroom: please take care of personal business before entering the classroom. A bathroom pass will be
given during an emergency or after the day's lesson is completed.
- Substitute Policy: I ask that you do not misbehave or given any substitute a problem in my absence. Failure
to behave will result in full lunch detention up my return. You will be left with work to complete; this work has
substantial value and will greatly diminish a grade when not thoroughly completed.
- Do not disrespect me or your fellow peers at any time.
- Only water is permitted in the classroom.
- Please do not disturb anything on my desk. If you are allowed to use it, I will inform you.
iPads:
Students will be expected to bring their iPads to class, charged, on a daily basis. Not having your iPad is to be
unprepared for the day. Student use of iPads in the classroom is restricted to topics and materials which, per
the instructor, further the implementation of the day’s lesson. Students who are off topic with their iPads risk
negatively impacting their grade for the assignment and potentially face disciplinary consequences.
Absence:
In the case of an excused absence:
- Students are responsible for making up missed work. If work was distributed in your absence, handouts will
be located in the file basket at the front of the room.
- Students are expected to make up missed work, including tests and quizzes, on the day they return to school.
- In the event of field trips, students must make arrangements with the instructor regarding tests and quizzes
before the event. Field trip forms will not be signed until you look at the class calendar, know what is
scheduled that day, and schedule when you will submit work PRIOR to the field trip. Failure to do so will result
in a zero.
- Students that are late to school or class will not provided with extra time for work and students that are late to
school and miss class should make be prepared to make up work that same day.
- Exceptions will be made for extended illness or other extenuating circumstances that arise.
- Please speak with me if you will miss school due to a religious observance to schedule any work that will be
missed.
- Make-Up Availability: 1) During lunch, 2) During Study Hall, or 3) Before of after school by appointment only.
In the case of an unexcused absence (Cutting Class):
Students who cut class receive no credit for the day and receive a zero on missed work, including tests and
quizzes.
Cheating and Plagiarism Policy:
All student work is to be completed individually and must be the work of the student. Cheating or
plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment. Instances of plagiarism will be reported to the Assistant
Principal.
Turnitin.com: Student work will be evaluated for its originality using a “vast database of 24+ billion pages of
digital content (including archived Internet content that is no longer available), over 250 million papers in the
student archive, and 120,000+ professional, academic and commercial journals and publications”
(turnitin.com). The purpose of this is to ensure student work is original. Directions will be provided with
assignments.
Act with Academic Integrity. Cheating, copying, plagiarism (using someone else’s words or ideas without
citation), falsifying data, and other unauthorized use of materials is dishonest and will not be tolerated. Most
universities will expel a student who is caught cheating. In this class we will use an honor code similar to that
found in many universities. Any major assignments, (not submitted through Turnitin.com), quizzes, or tests you
turn in must contain the following statement handwritten and signed by you at the top of the first page before it
will be accepted or graded.
“On my honor I certify that this assignment is my own work and that I have neither given nor received
unauthorized aid on this (test, exam, paper)”