Download AP World History Syllabus

Mr. Matthew C. Akers
(915) 937-9400
[email protected]
Pebble Hills High School
AP World History
Welcome to Pebble Hills High School, to Sparta, and to AP World History. This
upcoming year will be both exciting and educational. I look forward to working with both
students and parents in order to ensure the success of each student. If there are any questions,
please do not hesitate to contact me through email or by phone. My conference hour is from
1:30-2:15.
Course Description
This course offers balanced global coverage, with Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the
Oceania all represented. The purpose of this AP World History course is to develop a greater
understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts on different types of human
societies. The AP World History course highlights the nature of changes in global frameworks
and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. Emphasis
should be on relevant factual knowledge, leading interpretive issues, and skills in analyzing types
of historical evidence. Periodization explicitly discussed forms and organizing principle to
address change and continuity throughout the course. Specific themes provide further
organization to the course, along with consistent attention to contacts. Students will be expected
to read outside of class and will be given homework assignments on a regular basis. Special
emphasis will be placed on preparation skills for the AP Exam; thus, students will be expected to
participate in enrichment opportunities that may occur on the weekends or during intersession.
Receipt of college credit is contingent upon their score on the AP Exam, which all students are
expected to take at the end of the Spring Semester.
Course Outline
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Period One: Technological and Environmental Transformations (2.5 Million – 600 BCE)
Period Two: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies (600 BCE – 600 CE)
Period Three: Regional and Interregional Interactions (600 – 1450)
Period Four: Global Interactions (1450 – 1750)
Period Five: Industrialization and Global Integration (1750 – 1900)
Period Six: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments (1900 – Present)
Course Expectations
Students are expected to learn the following four Historical Thinking Skills of AP World History
through rigorous coursework, both in the classroom and at home:
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Analyzing historical sources and evidence by
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describing, selecting, and evaluating relevant evidence about the past from diverse primary
sources and analyze the interplay between the content of the primary source and the
authorship, point of view, purpose, audience, and format
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describing, analyzing, and evaluating the different ways historians interpret the past by
understanding the various types of questions historians ask, to include how particular
circumstances and contexts shape the historians interpretation of past events and historical
evidence
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Making historical connections by
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identifying, comparing, and evaluating multiple perspectives on a given historical event in
order to draw conclusions about that event, describing, comparing, and evaluating multiple
historical developments within one society or one or more developments across or between
different societies
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connecting historical events and processes to specific circumstances of time and place as well
as broader regional, national, or global processes
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developing understanding of the past by making meaningful and persuasive historical and/or
cross-disciplinary connections between a given historical issue and other historical contexts,
periods, themes, or disciplines
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Chronological reasoning by
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identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the relationship among historical causes and effects,
distinguishing between those that are long term and proximate, as well as distinguishing
between causation and correlation, and an awareness of the way historical events result from
a complex variety of factors
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recognizing, analyzing, and evaluating the dynamics of historical continuity and change over
periods of time, as well as the ability to relate these patterns to larger historical themes and
processes
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describing, analyzing, and evaluating different ways that historians divide history in to
discrete and definable periods
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Creating and supporting a historical argument by
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creating an argument and supporting it with relevant evidence by defining and framing a
question about the past then formulating a claim or argument in the form of a thesis
Course Themes and AP World History
Students in this course must learn to view history thematically. The AP World History course is
organized around five overarching themes that serve as unifying threads throughout the course,
helping students to relate what is particular about each time period or society to a “big picture”
of history. The themes also provide a way to organize comparisons and analyze change and
continuity over time. Consequently, virtually all study of history in this class will be tied back to
these themes by utilizing a “SPICE” acronym.
1. Social - development and transformation of social structures
• Gender roles and relations, family and kinship, racial and ethnic constructions, social and
economic classes
2. Political - state-building, expansion, and conflict
• Political structures and forms of governance, empires, nations and nationalism, revolts and
revolutions, regional, trans-regional, and global structures and organizations
3. Interaction between humans and the environment
• Demography and disease, migration, patterns of settlement, technology
4. Cultural - Development and interaction of cultures
• Religions, belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies, science and technology, the arts and
architecture
5. Economic - Creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems
• Agricultural and pastoral production, trade and commerce, labor systems, industrialization,
capitalism, communism, and socialism
Materials
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Laptops/personal technology
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Three subject notebook
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Loose leaf paper (1 pack)
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Pencils
Grading Policy
The class will follow the Socorro ISD policy for grading:
• 50% - Daily Grades
• 30% - Major Grades
• 20% - 9 Week Test
Student will receive a grade immediately upon the due date of the assignment. If the grade is less
than a 70, student may make up the assignment within five (5) school days. The two grades will
be averaged thereafter in the grade-book.
Late Work Policy
If a student is absent (excused or unexcused) it is the responsibility of the student to check their
Edmodo group and turn in their assignments accordingly. Students will have two (2) days to turn
in work before a grade is entered. Afterward, standard grading policy goes into effect.
Classroom Behavior and Responsibilities
• Come to class prepared with necessary materials (laptop, notebook, pen/pencil, loose leaf
paper).
• Be on time to class, seated, quiet, and working when the bell rings.
• Be on task, head up, and attentive.
• Be an active participant in your own education (listen closely and contribute)
• Personal technology must be put away unless otherwise directed (use of unpermitted personal
technology will lead to confiscation).
• Use appropriate language and comments—no “lazy” language (cursing, name-calling).
Discipline
1st Offense - Verbal warning
2nd Offense - Parent call
3rd Offense - Parent meeting
4th Offense - Referral
Tutoring
Tutoring hours are 4:00 to 5:00 Tuesday and Friday, or with prior notice.