Mr. Gulino
11th Grade American History: Course Syllabus
Class Description:
11th grade American History is a study of social, cultural, political, diplomatic, and
historic events of the United States from World War II (1945) to the present. The
course utilizes the following textbook: The Americans published by McDougalLittell. This course will last one semester (2 nine weeks).
I.
II.
III.
Unit 7: World War II and Its Aftermath 1931-1960 (1st Nine Weeks)
a. Chapter 26: Cold War Conflicts 1945-1960
b. Chapter 27: The Postwar Boom 1946-1960
Unit 8: Living With Great Turmoil 1954-1975 (1st/2nd Nine Weeks)
a. Chapter 28: The New Frontier and the Great Society 1960-1968
b. Chapter 29: Civil Rights 1954-1968
c. Chapter 30: The Vietnam War Years 1954-1975
d. Chapter 31: An Era of Social Change 1960-1975
Unit 9: Passage to a New Century 1968-2001 (2nd Nine Weeks)
a. Chapter 32: An Age of Limits 1968-1980
b. Chapter 33: The Conservative Tide 1980-1992
c. Chapter 34: The United States in Today’s World 1992-2001
Goals for Students:
To understand and identify major themes in American History and their
importance, and to be able to convey a sense of the vast experiences and
influences that have shaped the United States.
Performance Activities:
Students will be exposed to an in-depth study of American History focusing on
the following: The Cold War, The Swell 1950s, Kennedy Era, Civil Rights,
Vietnam War, Social Change, Reagan Era, and the New Millennium. Students
will participate in online research assignments, oral presentations, classroom
debates and discussions, individual and group projects, writing assignments
(PSSA), and role-playing.
Assessment Techniques and Grading System:
Students will be graded in a variety of different assessments including tests,
quizzes, oral presentations, in-class work and homework, writing assignments,
and classroom participation. Tests will include essay, short answer/completion,
matching, multiple-choice questions, and true/false questions. The occasional
unannounced quiz will be utilized to ensure outside-class readings are being
completed.
 All grading will be done based on a point system. Tests will be worth 5075 points, quizzes worth 10-20 points, and homework/class work worth 520 points. Each chapter normally consists of homework readings, several
homework assignments, 1-2 quizzes, and 1 major test in addition to class
projects and daily work. Students will have the opportunity to earn
approximately 400-500 points per nine weeks. Extra credit work is
occasionally offered.
 Please note that classroom participation will be part of your grade at the
end of the nine weeks. To attain full credit for class participation students
must arrive to class on time with all required materials, follow all
classroom rules and procedures, and make an honest effort to participate
in the daily lessons.
 The following grading system will be used:
Standard Grading System: A = 93-100%
B = 85- 92%
C = 75- 84%
D = 65- 74%
F = 0- 64%
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This syllabus is subject to change throughout the school year.