iMater Academy Middle/High School
651 West 20th Street
Hialeah, FL 33010
2015-2016 School Year
Instructor: Jennifer L. Blank
E-Mail: jblank@materacademy.com
Room: 235
AP European History Syllabus
Overview
The objective of the course is to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of European
history while helping each student succeed on the AP® European History Exam. AP European History
focuses on developing students’ abilities to think conceptually about European history from
approximately 1450 to the present and apply historical thinking skills as they learn about the past. Five
themes of equal importance — interaction of Europe and the world, poverty and prosperity, objective
knowledge and subjective visions, states and other institutions of power, and individual and society —
provide areas of historical inquiry for investigation throughout the course. These require students to
reason historically about continuity and change over time and make comparisons among various historical
developments in different times and places. These areas are studied from a variety of perspectives with
the hope of providing a balanced view of history.
This course is taught at the college level. The major differences between a regular high school
history course and a college-level history course are the greater amount of reading, subject-matter, and the
depth of focus that is found in the college-level course. Moreover, the AP curriculum demands higherorder thinking skills within a rigorous academic context. Thus, students are frequently required to
analyze, synthesize, and evaluate primary and secondary historical sources, in addition to comprehending,
memorizing, and applying facts.
Course Format
This course will be taught as a seminar, which means that each student will play a vital
role in the learning process. In the traditional seminar, students are responsible for completing
outside readings and other assignments so that the material can be discussed for deeper analysis
and understanding in class.
Textbook
McKay, John P., Hill, Bennett D., Buckler, John, Crowston Clare Haru, Wiesner-Hanks,
Merry E. A History of Western Society Since 1300, 9th ed. Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin Company, 2008.
Themes
Five themes of equal importance provide areas of historical inquiry for investigation throughout the
course.
1. Interaction of Europe and the world
2. Objective knowledge and subjective visions
3. Poverty and prosperity
4. States and other institutions of power
5. Individual and society
The study of history per se oftentimes leaves the well-intentioned scholar unable to apply the very
tangible lessons history affords us. By situating and contextualizing said study, students are truly able to
subsume their learning and synthesize meaningful and salient analyses, critiques, and observations. These
five different themes will be studied independently and oftentimes in conjunction when studying
historical events in a chronological order.
Historical Thinking Skills
The AP European History course seeks to apprentice students to the practice of history by explicitly
stressing the development of historical thinking skills while learning about the past. There are four skill
types with specific skills that correlate to each type. These skills are detailed below.
1. Chronological Reasoning
a. Historical causation
b. Patterns of continuity & change over time
c. Periodization
2. Comparison & Contextualization
3. Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence
4. Historical Interpretation & Synthesis
Course Planner and Calendar
The planner is a guideline of time we will spend on each topic. The actual amount of time will depend on the
extent to which lecture material is completed. Regardless of where we are in the lecture or unexpected delays
(i.e., hurricane days), the calendar of reading assignments should be followed. All reading assignments, exams,
essays & due dates are listed on the calendar, which is posted on my teacher website and on the classroom
bulletin board. Regardless of absences just prior to an exam, you will be expected to take it. If you are absent the
day of an exam, you will have to schedule a re-take after school within 2 weeks of the exam date. All make-up
exams are given after school.
Classroom Expectations

Late Work – Late homework will be penalized one letter grade per day. Essays will be penalized
two letter grades per day, so plan accordingly to email the essay to me prior to being absent.

In-Class Work – Regardless of completion, students that are working on other class assignments
or using a cell phone during class will not receive points for their work.

Absences – All readings, exams, papers & homework assignments are listed on the calendar.
Regardless of absences just prior to an exam, you will be expected to take it. If you are absent the
day of an exam, you will have to schedule a re-take after school within 2 weeks of the exam date.
All make-up exams are given after school. It is the responsibility of the student to attend the makeup test.

Tests - In line with Mater Academy grading policy, there will be a minimum of 4 quiz grades and 2
test grades per semester. Tests measure not only how well a student can answer basic factual
information but also one’s ability to understand the concept. Tests will include a writing component
that will be either short answer responses or a DBQ, along with multiple-choice questions. DBQs
may substitute for a test grade at the discretion of the teacher. Objective exams will cover material
from the textbook, supplemental readings. Students may earn additional points on their exam grades
for completing test corrections.

Quizzes - In line with Mater Academy grading policy, there will be a minimum of 4 quiz grades
and 2 test grades per semester. Students should expect a quiz each week based on the main thematic
elements present in the lesson and the terms, dates, and vocabulary. The lowest quiz grade will be
dropped at the end of the quarter.

If you are absent the day of an exam, you will have to schedule a re-take after school within
2 weeks of the exam date. All make-up exams are given after school.

Readings- The teacher will lead discussion that will supplement the assigned reading. Students
must understand that they are responsible for all assigned readings in the text and any and all
supplementary materials provided by the teacher. Academic discourse will play a central role in the
day-to-day operation of the class; therefore preparation is of paramount importance.

Primary Source Analysis - Students should expect a primary source analysis at the beginning of
every class. This may include but will not be limited to examples of visual art be they religious or
secular in nature, eyewitness accounts, architecture, map exercises, or other philosophic and/or
academic writings.

Writing - An integral part of the course is writing about history. Essays will consist of in-class and
take home essays. The two formats will be free response questions (FRQ) and document-based
questions (DBQ). Documents such as political cartoons, excerpts of period writing, and art, will
serve as sources to guide your writing. A good DBQ response presents a clear and thought
provoking thesis, followed by supporting paragraphs supporting the argument asserted in the thesis;
with the support stemming from the documents available to the student. Moreover, the student must
be able to convey through his or her writing a fundamental comprehension of the sequential nature
of European history form 1450-the present and employ comparative analysis to understand the cause
and effect relationships between the events of history and as always tie the major themes of study
into his or her inductive and deductive reasoning. ALL ESSAYS MUST BE TYPED, CORRECTLY
FORMATTED, AND CITED USING MLA.

Homework - Students will be required to answer the list of bulleted questions presented on the first
page of each chapter along the lines of the themes (political, intellectual, etc.) of the course in order
to facilitate Socratic dialogue. This must be completed before the material is discussed in class.
It is the burden of the student to answer his or her own questions through in-class discourse and
through the readings. I reserve the right to assign anything I deem fit at any time for homework.


Chapter Questions (CQs) must be turned prior to class discussion about the content.
Answers are to be in the style of “short answers:” meaning 3-5 cohesive, coherent, and
cogent sentences

Vocabulary Notecards – with all terms defined will be checked as noted on the course
schedule

Projects – Expect at least 1 project per quarter; projects will count as a test grade
Participation - Note-taking is mandatory. Good notes are clear, organized, and complete. Students
must possess the totality of their notes for each chapter to receive credit. All daily notes shall be
recorded in the class notebook and will be graded weekly or semi-monthly. If students are doing
other classwork or using a cell phone, they will not receive points for the day, regardless of notes.
Academic Dishonesty
Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following: the willful giving or receiving of
an unauthorized text, unfair, dishonest, or unscrupulous advantage in academic work over other students using
fraud, duress, deception, theft, trickery, talking, signs, gestures, copying, or any other methodology. Anyone who
cheats or plagiarizes will receive a “0” for the assignment and be referred to the grade level administrator.
Plagiarism
• Copying and pasting from the Internet, textbook, another student, or any other material
• Changing a few words from the Internet, textbook, another student, or any other material
• Submitting or presenting another person's work as your own without proper documentation, including downloaded
information from the Internet
• Using another student's material without prior approval
Cheating
• Copying another person’s homework, outline notes, essays, graphic organizers, or other work product
• Giving another person their homework, outline notes, essays, graphic organizers, or other work product for any reason
• Working with another student on an assignment that is not a group assignment.
• Giving or receiving information during a test, quiz, and/or class work assignment without teacher authorization
Grading System
90-100
A
80-89
B
70-79
C
60-69
D
0-59
F
3.5-4.0
2.5-3.49
1.5-2.49
1.0-1.49
0-.99
Grading
Tests
Quizzes
Classwork
Home Learning
30%
15%
30%
25%
Class Supply List
Three-ring binder with dividers
Blue or black pens/pencils
1 composition notebook
3 packs loose leaf paper
3 packs of index cards
highlighters
1 inch binder
The items on my wish list below can be used as credit for the required 30 volunteer hours that you
must complete for this school year. Everything must be turned in with a receipt along with the
student's full name and ID number. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to
contact me.
Supplies:
HP Printer Ink
printer/copy paper
dry erase markers
paper clips
metallic sharpie markers
index cards
construction paper
highlighters
hand sanitizer
Kleenex
Clorox wipes
paper towels
I am excited about taking this journey through European History with you. I welcome your
questions and comments, and I am looking forward to a great year of learning and memories!
Please do not forget to sign the agreement below, print it and turn it in by Friday, August 28,
2015. Go Knights!
Sincerely,
Ms. Blank
Please sign, print legibly and return to class no later than Friday, August 28, 2015
Ms. Blank
2015 - 16 AP European History
I have read with my student the AP European History course syllabus. We understand the expectations and
policies of this course and agree to them in their entirety.
Date __________________
Student first and last name:
Name _______________________________________
(Print)
Student ID ______________________
___________________________________
(Signature)
Homeroom Teacher _________________________
Email address: _________________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian first and last name:
Name _______________________________________
(Print)
___________________________________
(Signature)
Email address: _________________________________________________________________________
Contact number: ____________________________________________
Text? YES NO