APUSH Unit Assignment Guide
Instruction Sheet 2015-16
For each unit assignment you will be asked to complete one or more of the following activities:
The “Big Idea”
This will be a short statement on key concept(s) to be learned from each period/unit of study.
Reading Assignments (Periods 1-9)
For the assigned textbook readings, you will be assigned one of the following reading/note-taking
strategies to complete per chapter assigned. Specific instruction guides will be handed out when
each strategy is introduced:
Periods 1 & 2- SQ3R
Period 3- Levels of Questioning
Period 4- Formal Harvard Outline or Cornell Notes
Period 5- Using Subheadings
Periods 6- 9- Your choice of any of the above
Vocabulary & Course Themes (Periods 1-9)
Please complete a notecard for each of the terms listed at the end of each chapter:
1. On one side of a notecard:
a. Write down the term and the page number from which it can be found
2. One the other side of that same notecard:
a. Define or identify what the key term is
b. Write a one-sentence description of the term’s significance (i.e. Why is it important
for this period in American history? What did it lead to or cause? What is it an
example of?)
c. Identify and describe how one of the seven course themes is met by the term. Be
sure that each of the seven themes is “covered” at least once.
Document Analysis- HIPP (Periods 2-5)
Answer the following questions for the document(s) you select to analyze:
1. HISTORICAL CONTEXT: What was the historical context during which the document was
produced? (When & where was it written? What events were going on that lead the author
to produce this document or influence his/her point of view?)
(a.k.a contextualization)
2. INTENDED AUDIENCE: For whom was the document produced, and how might this affect
the reliability of the document?
(a.k.a sourcing)
3. PURPOSE: Why was the document produced, and how might this affect the reliability of the
document?
(a.k.a sourcing)
4. AUTHOR’S POINT OF VIEW: What do you know and/or infer about the author, and what was
his/her point of view (bias)?
(a.k.a sourcing)
On occasion you will be asked to compare two or more different documents. When this occurs,
you will add a “S” to HIPP to become HIPPS
1a. SYNTHESIS: How do you account for differences or even disagreements between the
documents? How does the addition of this document extend or modify your conclusion (or
thesis) with a counter argument?
(a.k.a corroboration)
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Document Analysis for Document Based Questions (Periods 6-9)
Choose both documents from the chapter’s Voices of Freedom section. Your document analysis
should prove/provide evidence to support a provided thesis statement.
Doc
Explain how this document supports the given thesis using the lens of ONE of the
following: historical context, intended audience, purpose, or author’s point of view
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Essay Outline Instructions for Long Essay Questions (Periods 2-5)
For each of the LEQs that you outline, please be sure to go through the following steps:
1. Formulate and write a thesis statement…
a. That addresses all parts of the question
b. That makes a relevant argument addressing the historical thinking skill identified
c. That includes 2-4 categories of analysis (points of development)
2. Paragraph Topic Sentences
a. Write a paragraph topic sentence for your first category of analysis
1. The paragraph topic must be the category that you listed in your thesis paragraph
2. The topic sentence needs to address your answer to the prompt (your argument). Be
explicit—it’s okay to use the same wording that you used in your thesis.
b. Bullet 2-3 specific and concrete CDs/OI that support your paragraph’s topic sentence.
CDs include names, dates, terms, events, data and other SPECIFIC factual information.
CDs are not general, truthful statements. Repeat step 2 for your 2nd &/or 3rd & 4th body
paragraphs
4. Conclusion
a. Reinforce your thesis & address the questions “So what?” and “Why is this important?”
b. Synthesize your argument, evidence, and context by doing ONE of the following:
i. Employ an additional appropriate category of analysis (e.g. political, social,
economic, cultural, geographical, race/ethnicity, gender) beyond that called for in
the prompt
ii. Connect the topic of question to other historical periods, geographical areas,
contexts, or circumstances.
Essay Outline Instructions for Document Based Questions (Periods 6-9)
You will complete the DBQ Practice Worksheet for this portion of the unit assignment.
Map Identifications (Periods 1-9)
1. Identify the listed locations & follow the instructions for each specific map assignment.
2. Write a one-to-two sentence generalization about what the map tells you about US history.
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