Modern World History 2014-2015 Mrs. Troxell Class Overview: The study of history is a rigorous discipline that involves interaction between the past and the present. Studying history can help us understand who we are today, by examining the responses, adaptations, and decisions people made in response to the conditions around them. The discipline of history involves much more than simply memorizing facts-it requires both analysis and investigation as we seek to understand why our predecessors made the decisions they did. My goal is to communicate this perspective to students, so that they will come away from this course with a sense of how invigorating and rewarding the study of history can be. Course Objective: This course examines how new ideas have led to the development of political and revolutionary change, and what affects the Industrial Revolution had on societies of the world. We will also focus on world wars as well as modern conflicts. Lastly, we will explore how recent events affect the lives of people around the world. Course Description: This course will include cross curricular assignments and higher level thinking skills. Students will also complete a variety of reading and writing assessments. Historical writing requires students to: develop a thesis that answers all parts of the question, support the thesis with historical facts, data, and evidence, and meet standards of good writing practices and the use of appropriate style. Students will also be required to read frequently in class. We will utilize a variety of text to help make connections and understand the human experience. These readings will include primary and secondary sources, historical documents, charts, graphs, maps, and a variety of literature. Students will also be required to learn to communicate effectively by using listening and speaking skills along with twenty-first century skills. Teacher Information: Elizabeth Troxell e troxell@pennsvalley.org Course Website: Go to www.pennsvalley.org Click on Teacher Web Pages and search Troxell Blackboard: To access your Blackboard account go to www.pennsvalley.org Click on Blackboard in the left hand column Username: pv-username Username Example: pv-17etroxell Default Password: pvasdbb2014 Course: PV Modern World History Technology: You are expected to bring you charged laptop to class every day. Technology will be incorporated into the course on a daily basis. This course will use Blackboard, an online space for course materials. Here you will find class content, notes, lesson materials, supplemental readings, assignments and projects, rubrics, and videos. Blackboard will also be used for submission of many assignments as well as class discussions and online journals. You will also be required to utilize technology for research and investigations along with a variety of other assignments.
Academic Standards The course curriculum is aligned to address the following Pennsylvania Academic Standards: 8.1.12 Historical Analysis and Skills Development 8.2.12 Pennsylvania History 8.3.12 United States History 8.4.12 World History Common Core Reading and Writing in History Standards The course curriculum is aligned to address the following 10 th grade Common Core Standards: 8.5 Read Informational Text Students read, understand, and respond to informational text with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence. Subcategories: Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Range and Level of Complex Texts. 8.6 Writing Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a welldefined perspective and appropriate content. Subcategories: Text Types and Purposes, Production and Distribution of Writing, Research to Build and Present Knowledge, Range of Writing Course Overview Primary Sources Students will analyze and interpret many primary sources throughout each unit of study in this course. Primary sources can deepen students' understanding of history, improve reading comprehension, and develop higher order thinking skills by thinking critically. Primary sources can also create a more relevant and meaningful learning experience. Students will be expected to recognize point of view, summarize and clarify main ideas, analyze issues, form opinions, make predictions, analyze causes and recognize effects, draw conclusions, make inferences, compare and contrast, and follow chronological order. Historical Literature Students will be required to utilize understandings from multiple content areas in order to master course subject. Therefore, students will be required to read excerpts of many literary novels. Writing Assignments Students will do a variety of writing assignments. These include journal entries, paragraph analysis, interview questions, persuasive essays, advertisements, headlines and news articles, descriptive essays, letters, summaries, expository essays, timelines, poems, and speeches. Research Papers and Essays Students will write self-directed, cross-curricular essays and research papers. Students will be required to: develop a thesis that answers all parts of the question, support the thesis with historical facts, data, and evidence, and meet standards of good writing practices and the use of appropriate style. Research papers and essays will span anywhere from 3-5 pages depending on the unit of study. Students will complete graphic organizers, outlines, and research cards in preparation for these assignments. Students will also cite credible sources including both primary and secondary sources.
Unit Concepts Unit 1: Absolute Monarchs in Europe Explain the development of absolute and constitutional monarchies in Europe from 1500-1800. Unit 2: Enlightenment Revolution Analyze events that led Enlightenment scientists and thinkers to question old ideas and to revolutionize the arts, religion, government, and society. Unit 3: The French Revolution and Napoleon Analyze the French Revolution, the rise and fall of Napoleon, and the Congress of Vienna. Unit 4: Nationalist Revolutions Sweep the West Examine the great shifts in thinking that altered politics and the arts during the period 1789-1900. Unit 5: The Industrial Revolution Trace key events of the Industrial Revolution and analyze how these affected economics and politics. Unit 6: The Age of Imperialism Trace the spread of European influence through colonial expansion. Unit 7: The Great War Summarize the causes, events, and effects of World War I. Unit 8: Revolution and Nationalism Analyze the evolution of conflict between revolutionaries and nationalists before, during, and after World War I. Unit 9: Years of Crisis Analyze the economic, political, social, and scientific changes that brought the world to the brink of a second world war. Unit 10: World War II Analyze the causes and results of World War II Unit 11: Restructuring the Postwar World Analyze the conflicts between competing economic systems and the restructuring of alliances from 1945 to the present. Unit 12: The Colonies Become New Nations Trace independent movements and political conflicts in Africa and Asia as colonialism gave way after World War II. Unit 13: Struggles for Democracy Identify the struggles for change in Latin America, Africa, the former Soviet bloc, and China. Unit 14: Global Interdependence Explain the variety of ways in which global interdependence affects people's lives.
Teaching and Learning Strategies Throughout the semester, we will use a variety of strategies to become engaged in an active learning process. Each strategy will begin with an activating activity and end with a summarizing activity. All learning will be chunked and students will be arranged in pairs to facilitate collaborative learning. At the end of a lesson, partners will summarize the lesson essential question through think-pair-shares, class discussions, or projects/assignments. Culminating Activities Students will complete a variety of culminating activities for each unit. Project menus allow students to choose assessments from a range of project options. These projects are therefore differentiated to suit the needs and interest of each individual student. Each project will be self assessed, peer assessed, and teacher assessed using rubrics. These will be completed at the end of each major unit of study. Course Textbook: McDougal Littell-Modern World History: Patterns of Interaction Students will be assigned a textbook for the duration of the school year. Students are to be personally responsible for any damages. Lost and damaged books will be reported to the office with appropriate charges assessed. Classroom Expectations If you are going to succeed in this course, you will have to develop good study habits. Here are a few tips for you to be successful: Be organized: Create a history notebook or binder for handouts and notes. Keep good notes: Your notes will provide you with a clear outline. Study: Write down daily questions. Highlight vocab you do not understand. Re-read your notes. Ask for help: the teacher is here to assist you in your learning. Behavior: Students will be expected to exhibit proper discipline, behavior, and responsibility. All school rules that can be found in your student handbook are applicable at all times. In addition, I expect students to follow the classroom rules that are posted in the classroom and be respectful at all times. Supplies: Students need to bring these items to class everyday: Your charged laptop, textbook, a writing utensil, a class binder or folder, and your planner. Attendance and Make-Up Work: Each student is responsible for obtaining and completing all assignments on time. Students will have one day per absence to make up any work. Failure to make up the work in a timely fashion will result in penalties. You should utilize time before school, after class, or during RAM time to obtain information from a classmate or myself. If you are on a sports team or another activity that may keep you from attending class, you must pick up your work before you leave for the event. Passes: Students will not be permitted to go to their lockers during class. Students are expected to bring all materials to class unless directed otherwise. If students are not prepared for class, points will be deducted from the student's accountability grade. Restroom passes are given only in emergency situations. Students must use the restroom between classes. Students must also have their agenda to leave the classroom. If students do not have their agenda, they will not be given a pass to leave the classroom. Discipline Failure to comply with the rules above will result in the following: deduction of points from the student's accountability grade, parent contact, coach contact, detention, or referral to the principal Grading This course's grading policy will reflect what is outlined in the student handbook. Students will be graded on a variety of assessments. Formative assessments are those that need to be completed to demonstrate progress and/or the need for additional practice or instruction. Failure to complete formative assessments will be reflected in a student's overall grade, but will not result in an incomplete for the marking period/course grade. Summative assessments are those that need to be completed to demonstrate mastery of the subject, content or skill. Failure to complete summative assessments will be reflected in a student's overall grade and will result in an incomplete for the marking period/course grade. Formative Assessments: accountability grade, homework, daily in-class assignments/activities, learning logs, vocabulary activities, discussion, summarizers, etc. Summative Assessments: quizzes, tests, projects, writing assignments, research assignments, etc Grading Scale: A: 90-100 B: 80-89 C: 70-79 D: 60-69 F: 50-59
Teacher and Student Assessments On-going assessments will be used to provide feedback, to gauge overall progress, and will coincide with planning. Teacher Assessment: Students will complete a teacher evaluation after each marking period to guide instruction, restructure teaching strategies, and allow time to address individual needs within the classroom and curriculum. Student Assessment: Quizzes, discussions, and learning logs will serve as an assessment tool to guide instruction and determine curriculum planning. Students will complete self-assessments and peer assessments for every project, writing assignment, and research assignment to provide students with the opportunity to adjust or improve final assessments or products without penalty. Independent review guides will also serve as a self-evaluation tool. Academic Honesty You are grading on the quality of your work, not the work of others. Therefore, any work that is not your own will will not be assessed. Plagiarism or cheating of any kind will result in an automatic 0%. This includes homework, assignments, projects, writing assignments, quizzes, and tests. Assignments that require research or additional resources must be properly cited and turned in with your final work. Late Work Students will be penalized for all assessments or assignments that are turned in late. The penalty for late assignments will be a 10% deduction from the total score of an assignment, each day the assignment is late. Assignments are considered late if they are turned in past the time of collection. Accountability Grade Students will be graded for being consistently responsible for their learning and behavior throughout the course. Listening attentively, participating in class, coming to class prepared, and taking responsibility for your learning everyday will therefore contribute to your marking period grade. Students will be receive 100 points at the beginning of every marking period, comprising to 5% of the overall grade. Points will be deducted when students are late to class, fails to sign in and out of class, does not listen attentively, is not prepared for class, is not seated when they enter the classroom and begins the day's bell ringer, or if a student does not participate in class activities. Final Exam Students will complete a final exam at the completion of this course. This exam is cumulative and will focus on all units and topics studied throughout the course. The final course grade is determined by the following: Grade for Marking Period 1 will account for 40%, grade for Marking Period 2 will account for 40%, and the Final Exam Grade will account for 20% of the final course grade. Grade Percentages Student grades will be calculated using the following categories and percentages: Accountability Grade: 5% 5%Homework: 10% Projects and Activities: 20% Research and Writing Assignments: 30% Test/Quizzes: 35%
Modern World History 2014-2015 Mrs. Troxell Please share the syllabus with your parents/guardians and return this signed, last page to me. This signed page indicates that you have both read through and understand the course expectations and requirements. Access to Course Syllabus: Through Course Website Go to www.pennsvalley.org Click on Teacher Web Pages and search Troxell Click on Modern World History Syllabus Through Blackboard: To access your Blackboard account go to www.pennsvalley.org Course: PV Modern World History Click on Course Syllabus Please check this box if you do not have internet/computer access and would like to request a paper copy BEFORE completing the information below. (Please leave the bottom blank) Please check this box AND complete below to indicate that you have read through the course syllabus provided online Modern World History (2014-2015) Student Name: Parent/Guardian's Name: Home Phone Number: Email: How would you prefer to be contacted? Student Signature: Date: Parent/Guardian Signature: Date: Comments: