AP U.S. History Syllabus, Humble H.S., 2014-15
Teacher: Rick Jones, room: 1209, ext.: 6359, Conference period; 8th, richard.jones@humble.k12.tx.us,
Textbook: American Pageant, 12th ed. , Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey, Houghton Mifflin, New York, NY
(Note: We may be changing to the following textbook later in the year: America, A Narrative History, 9th ed., Tindall &
Shi, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, NY, http://wwnorton.com/college/history/america9)
Materials needed: 2” three-ring binder, notebook paper, interactive notebook (spiral notebook or journal), colored
markers or pencils, two pens and two pencils daily. Please purchase these items on the first day.
Assignments: Textbook reading with associated questions, mapping, vocabulary, quizzes, tests, DBQ essays, long essays,
short answer questions, projects, graphic organizers, and government labs. This is not an exhaustive list of assignments.
Grading: Tests, projects, some writing assignments (summative) = 60%; Daily assignments, quizzes, some writing
assignments (formative) = 40%. Students should keep all assignments graded and not graded in their binder or
interactive notebook for the entire year. These should be used to prepare for quizzes and exams as well as giving the
student a good idea of their grade at any given time.
Calendar:
Each period will take between one and four weeks to complete. All periods will include textbook reading and associated
questions, quizzes, mapping, vocabulary, tests, and writing assignments. Dates are subject to change or adjustment.
Period 1 – 1491 – 1607 – Spanish/Portuguese American Discoveries (Ch. 1) – 8/25 – 9/5/2014
Period 2 – 1607 – 1754 – Colonial America (Ch. 2-6) – 9/8 – 9/26/2014
Period 3 – 1754 – 1800 – Independence and the New Government (Ch. 6-10) – 9/29 – 10/16/2014
Period 4 – 1800 – 1848 – Jeffersonian/Jackson Democracy, Reforms in America (Ch. 11-17) – 10/17 – 11/4/2014
Period 5 – 1844 – 1877 – Civil War & Reconstruction (Ch. 18-22) – 11/5 – 12/2/2014
Period 6 – 1865 – 1898 – Westward Expansion, Industrialization (Ch. 23-27) – 12/3/2014 – 1/22/2015
Period 7 – 1890 – 1945 – Progressivism, WWI, Depression, WWII (Ch. 28-36) – 1/23 – 2/24/2015
Period 8 – 1945 – 1980 – Post-War: America the Superpower (Ch. 37-40) – 2/25 – 4/2/2105
Period 9 – 1980 to Today – Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama (Ch. 41, 42) – 4/6 – 4/17/2015
Testing: On May 4-8, 2015 students will take the U.S. History STAAR exam which is required for graduation. The student
may also take the AP U.S. History exam (4/8/2014) for college credit. These exams will require the students to be well
versed in three critical areas: 1) overall knowledge of U.S. History, 2) Critical and historical thinking skills, and 3) writing
skills. All skills will be taught and practiced throughout the year. Each student must read all materials, commit a lot of
U.S. History information to memory, and practice thinking and writing as often as possible throughout the year in order
to be successful in this course. Failure to practice one of these three will put the student at risk for an unsuccessful
STAAR exam score and/or an unsuccessful AP U.S. History exam score.
Tutoring: Every Thursday at 2:45 to 4pm in my room.
Make-up work: Each student is responsible to make up all missed work within one week after their return to school. If
the student is absent for more than five days an additional day will be added for each day absent over five. Late work
(assignments turned in after the first week of student return) will be accepted until the end of the grading period (nine
weeks), however, for each day it is late 15 points per day will be deducted from the earned grade. Each student must
get the work from the teacher in a timely manner and turn it in on time to receive credit. All make up work is to be
completed outside of class.
Classroom procedures:
1. Do warm-up before five minutes has transpired after the tardy bell rings.
2. Keep warm-ups, maps, vocabulary, and completed handouts, etc. organized in an AP U.S. History binder.
3. Keep DBQ essays, long essays, short answer writing assignments, and any other writing assignments in an
“interactive notebook”.
4. Turn in completed work to your designated bin on time with assignment title, name, period, and date on it.
5. All homework must be completed on time and submitted per my instructions.
6. When you return from an absence, get any makeup work from me when I am NOT conducting class and
complete it within one week. Complete any makeup work before or after class, NOT during class.
Classroom rules:
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Talk and act respectfully to one another.
Stay on task when given an assignment.
Wait your turn to talk – raise your hand and wait to be acknowledges.
Stay seated (throwing something away or sharpening your pencil is OK).
Do your own work.
Finish and throw away all food and drink by the time the tardy bell rings. (Bottled water is OK)
Express concerns in private and with respect.
Keep the room clean. Take care of all property in the room.
Keep your hands and miscellaneous materials to yourself.
Keep phones on silent and in your pocket/purse/backpack.
Come to class everyday prepared to do work to include bringing something to write on and something to write
with (I will NOT provide this for you), binder, interactive notebook, and completed homework.
Please sign below indicating you have read and will comply with all items in this syllabus. Thank you!
(Note: This is the students first assignment and is worth 100 points if turned in by Friday 8/29/2014)
Student name (printed): _____________________________________________________________________
Student signature: __________________________________________________________________________
Parent name (printed): ______________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian signature: ___________________________________________________________________
Parent/guardian contact information: phone: _____________________________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________