Braden River High School AP World History

1. Braden River High SchoolAP World History Class Guidelines 2010-11

2. Who is Mr. Nelson • Bachelors Degree: History Teaching Broad Area. • Central Washington University. • Masters Degree: Education - Curriculum and Instruction. • Old Dominion University. • 9 years of teaching experience. • 7 years at Port Townsend High School in Washington State. • 2 year at Braden River High School. • Previous advisor for two student trips to Japan. • Traveled to Egypt and Israel this past summer. • 14 years baseball coaching experience. • 10 years of high school coaching at both the JV and Varsity level (2004 Washington State Champions). • JV coach at Braden River High School. • Interests include family, traveling, history, geography, baseball, football, golf, auto racing, country music, outdoors, movies, etc. • Married with a baby boy due on November 2nd.

3. Mr. Nelson’s Website • http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/highschool/brhs/index.htm • Go to the school website. • Click on “Staff Directory”, at the top of the page. • Scroll down to “Nelson, Erik”, click on the name. • Magically you will be taken to Mr. Nelson’s webpage.

4. Location & Contact Info. • Periods 3 and 7 – Room 711 • phone: 941-751-8230 ext 2344 • email: nelsone@manateeschools.net

5. Class Description • Advanced Placement World History is designed to prepare students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands similar to those of a full-year college survey course. • AP World History develops a greater understanding of global processes, encounters, and interactions that have shaped human history since 8000 B.C.E. • Daily activities focus on the mastery of a selective body of factual knowledge and the development of analytical skills required of advanced students. • Critical reading and writing skills are developed through the evaluation of primary and secondary sources, oral presentations, essay writing, and research assignments. • All students are required to take the AP World History examination on Thursday May 12th, 2011.

6. The 6 Themes of World History • Patterns and impacts of interaction among major societies: trade, war, diplomacy, and international organizations. • The relationship of change and continuity across the world history periods covered in this course. • Impact of technology, economics, and demography on people and the environment (population growth and decline, disease, manufacturing, migrations, agriculture, weaponry). • Systems of social structure and gender structure (comparing major features within and among societies and assessing change). • Cultural, intellectual, and religious developments and interactions among and within societies. • Changes in functions and structures of states and in attitudes toward states and political identities (political culture), including the emergence of nation-state (types of political organization).

7. Habits of Mind and Skills • Construction and evaluating arguments: using evidence to make plausible arguments. • Using documents and other primary data: developing the skills necessary to analyze point of view and to interpret information. • Developing the ability to assess issues of change and continuity over time. • Enhancing the capacity to handle diversity of interpretations through analysis of context, bias, and frame of reference. • Seeing global processes over time and space while also acquiring the ability to connect global developments to global ones and to move through levels of generalization from the global to the particular. • Developing the ability to compare within and among societies, including comparing societies’ reaction to global processes. • Developing the ability to assess claims of universal standards yet remaining aware of human commonalities and differences; putting culturally diverse ideas and values in historical context, not suspending judgment but developing understanding.

8. Course Organization 1st Semester • Unit 1 – 8000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E. (7 weeks, 16 days) • Agricultural Revolution and River Valley Societies. • Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity. • Growth of Empires and Trade: Persia, Greece, China, Rome, and Silk Road.

9. Course Organization 1st Semester • Unit 2 – 600 to 1450 (7 weeks, 14 days) • Byzantine Empire, Christian Europe, and Medieval Europe. • Islam, East Asia, and the Mongols. • Global Trade & Exchange, Black Death, Indian Ocean Trade, and African Societies.

10. Course Organization 1st Semester • Unit 3 – 1450 to 1750 (5 weeks, 11 days, winter break) • Changes in Europe & Europe and China Maritime Expansion. • Columbian Exchange, Ecological Changes, and Diseases. • New World Empires, Slave Trade, and Changes in the Global Economy.

11. Course Organization 2nd Semester • Unit 4 – 1750 to 1914 (7 weeks, 15 days) • Revolutions, Rebellions, and Reform. • Industrialization and Global Economy & Order. • Decline of Ottomans, Crisis in China, and New Imperialism: India, Africa, & the Pacific.

12. Course Organization 2nd Semester • Unit 5 – 1914 to the present (7 weeks, 15 days) • WWI, Russian Revolution, Great Depression, and Independence Movements. • Fascism, Totalitarianism, WWII, and Cold War. • Independence in Africa and Latin America, Middle East Conflict, End of the Cold War, and Globalization.

13. GRADING PROCEDURES • Each student’s grade will be determined on four different categories. • Grades will also be divided by quarters and the semester exam. • There may be extra credit possibilities added into course work; but there will be no additional extra credit possibilities. • Grading Categories & Percentages • Tests and Quizzes = 40% • Essays and Projects = 25% • Assignments and Class Activities = 25% • Chapter Outlines and Terms = 10% • Division of Quarters and Exam • 1st Quarter = 40% • 2nd Quarter = 40% • Semester Exam = 20% same process for 2nd Semester • NO LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED!!!!!

14. GRADING POLICY – Tests • Students will be tested after each unit; there are a total of five units. • However, Unit 3 will not have a test. • Students may not use notes. • Unit tests will consist of 50 multiple choice questions and one essay question. • Multiple choice questions may include maps and/or pictures. • If a student is absent for a test they must make arrangements with Mr. Nelson in order to make up the test in accordance with school policy.

15. GRADING POLICY – Quizzes • Quizzes will occur about every few weeks with in the major units. • Quizzes will cover content addressed in class and the textbook. • Quizzes will not only evaluate what students are retaining from each class period, but also what students are retaining from the textbook readings. • Nine quizzes are scheduled during the course: five 1st semester and four 2nd semester. • Quizzes will consist of 20 multiple choice questions, which may include maps and/or pictures. • If a student is absent for a quiz they must make arrangements with Mr. Nelson in order to make up the test in accordance with school policy.

16. GRADING POLICY – Essays • Essays are a very important past of the course and require students to master three specific skills: • Document Analysis • Comparative Analysis • Change-Over-Time Analysis • These three skills are the bases for the three essays students will write on the AP Exam. • Several essays addressing these skills will be assigned throughout the year.

17. GRADING POLICY – Projects • Projects will vary throughout the semester and will include research papers, essays, debates, presentations, powerpoints, posters, etc. • Projects will generally involve several days of group or individual work in and/or out of school. • Students are allowed more time to work on projects then they are allowed on assignments and so they are expected to more detailed, specific, and organized.

18. GRADING POLICY – Assignments • Assignments will occur sporadically throughout the semester. • All assignments will be work that is done outside of school, aka “homework”. • Most assignments will be focused on primary and secondary source analysis.

19. GRADING POLICY – Class Activates • Class activities will occur sporadically throughout the semester. • Class activities will be work that is completed in-class, some class activities may be started in class and complete for homework. • Class activities will include document analysis, mapping, presenting, debating, pop-quizzes, etc. • Pop-quizzes may or may not be announced ahead of time.

20. GRADING POLICY – Chapter Outlines and Terms • For each chapter in the textbook, each student will complete an outline and set of terms. • Due dates for chapter outlines and terms will be posted on Mr. Nelson’s website. • Reading and terms Pop-quizzes might be given to make sure that students are on top of their reading. • Pop-quizzes may or may not be announced ahead of time.

21. PLAGIARISM • Princeton University defines plagiarism as “a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work” and “the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own”. • As you can see with this definition, credit is given to the source from which it came from. • The easiest way to think about it is if it is not your own words or ideas, then just make sure you give credit to whoever used those words or had those ideas. • Documentation is a key essential to avoiding plagiarism. • Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form in this class. • If a student is found to have plagiarized any part, large or small, they will receive a zero on the work and will not be allowed to redo the work. • If you have any concerns, just talk to Mr. Nelson.

22. Process for Chapter Outlines • For each chapter in the textbook, you are required to complete an outline. • Outlines should be organized in traditional outline fashion. • Follow the example on the white board. • At the end of the outline should be a minimum of three questions you had about the content in the chapter. • Mr. Nelson will review these questions and try to address them in class. • Refer to the schedule and due dates on Mr. Nelson’s website.

23. Process for Terms • Write the term on the front of an index card. • On the back side: • Write the definition. • Historical significance. • Given an example if necessary. • Terms are due the same day as the outlines that relate to the terms. • Refer to the reading schedule and chapter outline due dates on Mr. Nelson’s website.

24. CLASS SUPPLIES • Textbook • Document Reader • 3 Ring Binder • Notebook Paper • Pens and/or Pencils Other materials may be addressed at a later date, but these are the basics each student will need.

25. CLASS EXPECTATIONS • Students need to show respect for the teacher, the school, and especially their peers. • Students are not allowed to work on homework from other classes, unless they are granted permission. • Students must be on time and prepared for class every day. • Students must be on task at all times. • Students are not allowed to have any food in the classroom during class time; water is the only drink that will be allowed. • Students are responsible for keeping the room neat and orderly, including cleaning up any messes created. • Students are not allowed to have any backpacks, purses, and other bags on their desk, need to be placed on the floor or countertop. Consequences: Students that do not follow the class expectations will receive a warning, student conference, parent phone call/conference, and/or office referral.

26. GRADING SCALE • A 100 – 90 • B 89 – 80 • C 79 – 70 • D 69 – 60 • F 59 – 0

27. A FEW WORDS TO FINISH ON • Please feel free to approach me and discuss any concerns you might have with the class. • If you have trouble with an assignment, project, or test come talk to me, and if you have any concerns what so ever about the class come talk to me. • I cannot help you if you do not communicate with me. • In the middle of class is probably not the best time to bring up personal issues, talk to me at a more appropriate time. • I would like to make this class as enjoyable for you as possible. • The best way for this to take place is with open communication.