Welcome to US History!
This course is designed to examine the major turning points in American history from the Civil War through to the end of the twentieth century. The course is intended to increase your knowledge of historical events and processes, and to increase your understanding of how these events and processes impact on our lives today. The course will also further develop your critical thinking skills, your ability to gather and analyze information, and your communication skills.
While we will begin with an exceptionally brief overview of the first 200+ years of early American history, we will consider in depth the history of the Republic starting with the cataclysm of the Civil War, The course curriculum is established by the State of California's History-Social Science Framework and the state's History/Social Science Standards
This is a one-year course required for graduation.
CONTENT
This is intended to give you an overall sense of how we will tackle
approximately 150 years of history. It is not etched in stone - I expect
there will be modifications as we move through the year.
SEPTEMBER Civil War, Reconstruction
OCTOBER Westward Expansion, Industrialization, the Gilded Age
NOVEMBER Late 19th century Immigration, Progressivism
DECEMBER American Imperialism, American Holiday Traditions
JANUARY World War I, the Jazz Age
FEBRUARY The Stock Market Crash and Great Depression, the New
Deal
MARCH World War II, the Beginning of the Cold War, the 1950s
APRIL The Civil Rights Movement, JFK and the New Frontier, LBJ
and the Great Society
MAY Vietnam War, Nixon and Watergate, the Reagan Years
JUNE The end of the Cold War, the beginning of summer
But history, and especially the study of history, is not the simple summation of the events of the past. It is the process of using the past to make sense of the present. What we will strive to do throughout this year is consider various questions of history and try to answer them. For example, how successful have we been in fulfilling the guarantees of personal and political rights and freedoms provided by the Constitution? How does the good and bad of past events manifest themselves today? Despite the common understanding that war is the most destructive of all human activities, why has war played such a prominent role in our history during the past century? And so on - the questions are almost limitless, and we will work on answering as many as possible.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
1. All units will include a combination of lectures, videos, debates and other cooperative learning activities, classroom discussion, and text and supplemental readings. I am open to and will consider any suggestions you might have for particular learning activities.
2. We will have two research papers (one per semester) and a group Decade Report. Separate sheets will follow for each.
3. Homework will be assigned. Late work will not be accepted.
4. Chapter quizzes and unit tests will be given. IAW school policy, tests will be given on even-numbered days on Monday, Tuesday and Friday and on block days (7th period tested on the even day on block days)
5. Unless I tell you otherwise, leave your textbook at home.
GRADING
1. Grades will be determined using a point system. Your work will always be returned with both your point total and how many points the assignment, test, etc., is worth (so you can always keep track of your grade. Grades will be posted approximately every 4 weeks.
2. Approximately 2/3 of your grade will be based on class work, homework, presentations, notebook and participation in cooperative learning activities. Approximately 1/3 of your grade will be based on quizzes and tests. Extra credit assignments will not be given.
3. Letter grades will be assigned as follows (based on total points
possible):
A: 100-96%; A-: 95-90%; B+ 89-87%; B 86-84%; B-83-80%; C+ 79-77%; C
76-74%; C- 73-70%; D+ 69-67; D 66-64%; D- 63-60; F below 60%
Percentages will be rounded as follows: if your grade is above the "9 th percentile" (e.g., 89.0 to 89.9%), your grade will be rounded up provided that a) you have turned in allwork, and b) have an average of at least two cooperation points per week. (more on cooperation points on the expectations sheet)
You will get a separate handout on the expectations and classroom routinesJ
I am available to meet with you if you have any questions about the course, a specific assignment, or how you are doing. By prior arrangement, we can meet before school or after school, or during lunch. My prep periods are 4th and 5th periods.
My PAUSD email: jbungarden@pausd.palo-alto.ca.us.
For voice messages, the department phone number is 329-3836.
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