Ulysses S. Grant High School
Course Syllabus (U.S. History)
Course Information – U.S. History. Room 205, Fall Semester (Aug 2014-Dec 2014). 5 Credit Units. Graduation
requirement fulfilled.
Instructor Information – Mr. McDermott, email: Recluse45@ca.rr.com. Website: www.mcdermotthistory.net.
Phone: (818) 239-6543.
Course Materials – Textbook: The Americans – Reconstruction to the 21st Century. McDougal Littell.
Supplementary Readings: Several supplementary readings (primary source and secondary
source) will be given throughout the semester. Students can access most of these reading by emailing me after they
have been passed out in class.
Required Materials: Student Unit Notebook (SUN) – a portfolio the students will have with
them at all times where they will keep their notes and most assignments. Students will need four folders that have
brackets that can hold hole-punched college ruled paper. Pencils (for tests) – other work can be done in pen.
Textbook – The U.S. History textbook will be brought to class every day.
Course Description – The course focuses on U.S. history from the Reconstruction to nearly the present. This
course is designed to have students prepare for the state assessments during the second semester, and is a required
course by the state to graduate from high school. The U.S. History State Standards chronologically “jump” around a
little bit, but we will mostly do a chronological order when focusing on certain standards (but other standards might
be brought up in the same reading). Students will need to keep up with the Course Schedule, listed below, as tests
and quizzes will primarily correspond to it.
Course Schedule – Week 1: Introduction to the class. Rules and procedures of the course. The SUN. Begin
Standard 11.1
Week 2: Standard 11.1 – pg. 46, 58.
Week 3: Standard 11.1 – Quiz 11.1 (1). Pg. 66, 112
Week 4: Standard 11.1 – Quiz 11.1 (2). pg. 74, 120
Week 5: Standard 11.1 – Test 11.1 Film - Lincoln
Week 6: Standard 11.2 – Pg. 139, 184
Week 7: Standard 11.2 – Quiz 11.2 (1). Pg. 236, 241
Week 8: Standard 11.2 – Quiz 11.2 (2). Pg. 241, 254
Week 9: Standard 11.2 – Quiz 11.2 (3). Pg. 262, 267
Week 10: Standard 11.3 - Test 11.2, SUN #1 Due Pg. 130, 144
Week 11: Standard 11.3 – Film – Inherit the Wind Quiz 11.3 – Pg. 282, 306
Week 12: Standard 11.4 –Test 11.3 Pg. 342, 346
Week 13: Standard 11.4 – Quiz 11.4 (1). Pg. 352, 359
Week 14: Standard 11.4 – Quiz 11.4 (2). Pg. 381, 388
Week 15: Standard 11.4 – Quiz 11.4 (3). Pg. 398
Week 16: Thanksgiving Week
Week 17: Standard 11.5 – Test 11.4 Pg. 412, 419
Week 18: Standard 11.5 – Quiz 11.5. Pg. 434, 440
Week 19: Finals, Final will include 11.5 as well as all other standards. SUN #2
Course Policies – Students who are absent, and their absence is excused can have their test excused or be tested on
another day. When students are absent it is their responsibility to make up the work they missed. Students are
encouraged to have study groups and student contacts that they can get in touch with in case of absence. If a student
was absent on a day when something was due, they can turn it in the very next school day to the instructor for
regular credit. Late work is allowed, however the students will receive 10% off their grade on the assignment for it
being late. All work needs to be delivered by hand to the instructor on the due date for it to be considered on time,
unless there is an excused absence.
Class Participation – Students are required to read the text prior to the test. Some of the section readings will be
covered in class, and others at home. Tests and lectures will be dependent on students participating in the reading
both in class and at home.
Grading – All assignments are given a point value. Each SUN is usually worth nearly between 200- 300 points,
and account for the bulk of the grade in the course. A student who does not complete or do well (passing grade) on
the SUNs has a much less likely chance passing the course. Students receive points on each of their assignments,
and those points are then divided by the total possible points to yield a percentage. The student’s percentage
determines their letter grade, and the grade breakdown is as follows:
World History:
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 0-59%
Please keep this Syllabus in the front of your SUN. Dates are subject to change at any time, as they are only a guide
as to approximately where we should be at the given times.
Honor Policy – Plagiarizing and cheating is not allowed in any form. If Mr. McDermott catches anyone of cheating
this could result in an automatic “F” for the semester for both the cheater and the person who allowed the cheating.
For instance, if you copy another person’s work in the class and pass it off as your own, both you and the person
whose work you copied could automatically receive an “F” for their entire semester grade. Cheating and
plagiarizing entails but is not limited to:
-Copying someone on a test.
-Copying and pasting from an internet website (Wikipedia or other websites).
-Copying the textbook or other book that is not authored by you.
-Copying the work of another student.
-Having a cheat sheet or other type of material (web enabled phone like an iPhone) out during a test.
STUDENT CONTACT SHEET
Directions: Fill out the information below and turn it into Mr. McDermott by the due date that is stated in class.
Student Full Name (Print):_______________________
Name you wish to be called in class IF different from your roll sheet name:__________________________
Student Email (Print):___________________________
Student Phone Number:_________________________
By signing below you agree to the class syllabus and any other rules and policies in the course, including the
cheating policy in the course.
___________________________
Student Signature
__________________
Date
Parent Name(s) – Please Print:______________________________
_______________________________
Parent Email (Print):______________________________
Parent Phone Number:_____________________________
By signing below you understand the policies in the course, and have understood the syllabus. Students will have
homework in the course that is primarily reading, taking notes, working in their Student Unit Notebook, and
reviewing/studying material to prepare for tests.
__________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
_____________________
Date
_________________________________
Parent Signature (if applicable)