Pre-AP World History Instructor: Dr. Nina Valli POC: Nina.valli@lcps.org or 703.405.5062 Room 178 2015-2017 Pre-AP World History introduces you to the human communities of early world history, and teaches you to think critically about large global patterns and themes. You will learn to compare human characteristics across time and geographic locations. You will learn about people in different places and environments from 8000 BCE to 1500 CE, and gain an understanding of the connections and differences between human beings as they study historical trends and events. You will be writing throughout the course; all writing will be geared to prepare you for the AP World Exam. You will learn to understand and use primary sources as historical evidence. At the end of the year, you will be able to place major figures and movements from around the world into a broader interpretive context. This does not mean that you will be expected to have expert knowledge in everything; but rather, that you will have a sufficiently broad understanding of world historical dynamics to be able to place anything in a broader global context. This course in global history serves as the foundation course for 10th grade AP World History. Course Text: McDougal Littell, Ancient World History Grading This is a Pre-AP class and will therefore be taught as a stepping stone course for future AP courses. Tests and projects will comprise most of your grade. Therefore, it is very important to stay on top of your reading and to fully prepare for each and every exam. There are no retakes in this class. There is no extra-credit in this class. You will have daily reading quizzes. Summative (quizzes, tests, projects, etc.) scores will comprise 80% of your final grade Formative (reading quizzes, maps, etc.) scores will comprise 20% of your final grade. o Reading Quizzes will comprise 10% (lowest reading quiz grade will be dropped) o Maps and other formatives will comprise 10% (no grades will be dropped) LATE HOMEWORK is accepted for max 50% value and will NOT be accepted after we test on the unit with which the homework is associated. There are NO RETAKES in this class Extra-Credit is NOT offered, and is not accepted. Course Objectives 1. You are expected to read your textbook and complete all assignments and projects. 2. You are expected to develop the ability to recognize trends and discuss similarities between cultures and regions. 3. You are expected to write analytical Short Answer Questions (SAQs), Long Essay Questions (LEQs), and Document-Based Essay Questions (DBQs).
Absences/Snow Days The expectation in this class is that you will make-up any material you miss due to an illness. If you are absent during a test, I will enter the grade of zero and it will be up to you to make arrangements with me to take that test. I will not be following up with you. Most tests can be made up during your study hall block. If you do not have a study hall block, we can make alternative arrangements. If we have a snow day(s), the expectation is that you will complete all readings assigned. All movies and PowerPoints that I use in class are available on my VISION class. We will stick to the schedule (below). Communication You are now in high school. I expect you to communicate effectively with me. You need to email me when you won t be in class. You need to make arrangements for missed tests, etc. You need to ask questions when confused. Although I welcome contact from your parents, this is your class so I expect you to be an advocate for yourself. Remind/VISION I will be communicating with you through Remind. I have provided you with instructions on how to signup and I expect you to do so immediately. All materials for this class are on my VISION website. Instructions for both Remind and VISION can be found on my staff page on the Broad Run HS website. Supplies I suggest that you keep an organized binder (using tabs, etc.) for this class. You may find highlighters of various colors helpful when taking reading notes (you can create a color key e.g. vocab terms in yellow etc.). You will be completing maps and I expect them to be neat and readable, ergo colored pencils may be useful. These are all suggestions; please purchase those supplies that you feel will work best for your learning style. Daily Expectations You will be on time You will be prepared (readings done, homework completed, arriving with a pencil and all other necessary supplies) You will be respectful You will participate
Units of Study Unit 1: Geography and Early Man We will learn the Basics of World Geography We will learn about the Paleolithic Age and the Beginnings of the Human Race Unit 2: Early River Valley Civilizations We will look at the Importance of Rivers and Fertile Valleys We will examine: Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Indus and Ancient China We will learn the Characteristics of a Civilization Unit 3: Same Places, New Faces New Empires We will revisit the areas we looked at in the last unit and see who is there now Unit 4: Persian Empire, Persian Wars and Ancient Greece (Part I) We will look at the significance of how Persia was ruled We will examine what role Greece s geography played in its development Unit 5: Ancient Greece (Part II) We will look at how democracy developed in Greece We will examine Greece s Golden Age We will learn about Alexander the Great and his Empire We will learn about Cyrus Cylinder (considered to be the first declaration on Human Rights) We will learn about Hellenistic Culture Unit 6: Ancient Rome (Part I) We will examine how Rome began, how it became a Republic, and ultimately an Empire We will examine the Punic Wars and learn about Hannibal and his war elephants We will learn about Gladiators the Rock Stars of the Ancient World We will learn about the Pax Romana a 200-year period of prosperity and peace in Rome Unit 7: Ancient Rome (Part II) We will learn how Christianity began in the Roman Empire We will examine the factors that led to the fall of the Roman Empire & learn why a Tyrant isn t a bad person We will look at Roman Achievements, many of which we still use/see today Unit 8: Byzantine Empire and Islam We will learn how Islam began and how it spread We will examine the Byzantine Empire and learn why it s appropriate to call it the New Rome Unit 9: Americas and Ancient Africa Civilizations We will examine the western African civilizations of Mali, Songhai, and Ghana We will learn how trade helped these African civilizations to prosper while Europe was in its Middle Ages We will look at the early civilizations in the Americas: Maya, Inca, and Aztec Unit 10: Middle Ages and the Renaissance We will look at how feudalism influenced the development of castles, knights and illiteracy We will learn how Joan of Arc and helped France develop a sense of nationhood and become a nation We will look at the Medici family and learn why the Renaissance began in Italy
1 st Quarter (tentative): DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC Aug29/30 1 Intro/Textbooks/Remind HW: Physical Geography WKST (use PP on VISION) & Syllabus Signature Page (Signed & Returned) Sept2/6 Ch1.1 Human Origins in 3 Africa (p7) Sept9/12 Movie: 5 Ape to Man: Evolution Documentary History Channel Sept15/16 Short-Answer Question 7 WRITING Sept 21/22 9 Sept27/28 Oct3/4 Oct7/11 Oct14/17 Oct21/24 Oct27/28 Nov2/3 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 Ch2.1 City-States in Mesopotamia (p27) HW: Ancient Egypt Map Ch2.3 Planned Cities on the Indus (p42) HW: Ancient China Map Comparative ESSAY WRITING Ch3.1 Indo-European Migrations (p57) Ch3.3 Seafaring Traders Extend Boundaries (p67) HW: Judaism Origins Map Ch4.1 The Empires of Egypt and Nubia Collide (p83) QUIZ: Chapter 3 (MC only) HW: Classical China Map Ch4.2 Assyria Dominates the Fertile Crescent (p88) Same Places, New Faces New Empires (Chapters 3 and 4 (not 4.3)) HW: Persian Empire Map Aug31/Sept1 2 Geography HW: MAP: Geography-World & Early Human Migrations & Geography Skills Packet & Review Geography PP Sept7/8 Sept13/14 Sept19/20 Sept23/24 Sept29/30 Oct5/6 Oct12/13 Oct18/20 Oct25/26 Oct31/Nov1 Nov4 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 Ch1.2 Humans Try to Control Nature (p12) Ch1.3 Civilization (p17) QUIZ: Classroom Procedures & Rules Geography and Early Man HW: Map of Mesopotamia Ch2.2 Pyramids on the Nile (p33) HW: Indus Map Ch2.4 River Dynasties in China (p46) HW: Prepare GRAPES charts for Indus, China, Egypt and Mesopotamia Early River Valley Civilizations HW: Classical India Map Ch3.2 Roots of Hinduism and Buddhism (p62) & 7.1 First Empires of India (p173) HW: Middle Eastern Empires Map Ch3.4 The Origins of Judaism (p72) HW: Nubia and Kush Map Ch4.4 An Empire Unifies China (p97) & Ch7.3 Han Emperors in China (p181) Comparative ESSAY WRITING Movie: Engineering an Empire-Persia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoz2zwlzoh0 HW: Persian Empire Map
2 nd Quarter (tentative): DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC Nov9/10 25 Ch4.3 Persia Unites Many Lands (p92) HW: Map of Ancient Greece Part I Nov11/14 26 Ch5.1 Cultures of the Mountains and the Sea (p111) Nov15/16 27 Ch5.2 Warring City-States (p115) Nov17/18 28 Persian Empire, Persian Wars and Ancient Greece Part I Nov21/22 29 Nov30/De c1 31 Dec6/7 Dec12/13 Dec16/19 33 35 37 Ch5.3 Democracy and Greece s Golden Age (p120) HW: Alexander the Great s Empire Map Ch5.5 The Spread of Hellenistic Culture (p132) QUIZ: Map (covers all maps completed thus far) Ch6.1 The Romans Create a Republic (p141) Ch6.2 The Roman Empire Brings Change (p146) PROJECT: God & Goddesses Banquet Nov28/29 Dec2/5 Dec8/9 Dec14/15 Dec20/21 30 32 34 36 38 Ch5.4 Alexander Empire Builder (p128) Ancient Greece Part II G&G Project Passed Out HW: Map of Roman Republic Ch6.1 (Punic Wars Section) HW: R/O6.2,146 & Map of Roman Empire HW: Map of the Roman Empire Ancient Rome Part I HW: Prepare G&G Project DBQ ESSAY WRITING Jan3/4 39 DBQ ESSAY WRITING Jan5/6 40 Ch6.3 The Rise of Christianity (p153) Jan9/10 41 Ch6.4 The Decline of the Roman Empire (p158) QUIZ: Map (covers all maps completed thus far) Jan11/12 42 Ch6.5 Rome and the Roots of Western Civilization (p164) & Ch12.4 Feudal Powers in Japan (p303) Jan13/17 43 MOVIE: History: The Roman Empire Documentary (1:20) Jan18/19 44 DBQ ESSAY WRITING Jan20/23 Jan26 45 47 Ancient Rome Part II HW: Byzantine Empire Map Movie: The Fall of Byzantium (1:11) HW: Russia/Vikings Map Jan24/25 46 Ch11.1 Byzantium Becomes the New Rome (p269) HW: Russia/Vikings Map
3 rd Quarter (tentative): DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC Jan30/31 48 Ch11.2 Russians Adapt Byzantine Culture (p274) Feb1/2 49 Movie: Inside Islam National Geographic Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt54m3ay2_q HW: Map of Muslim World Feb3/6 50 Ch10.1 The Rise of Islam (p233) Feb7/8 51 Ch10.2 The Spread of Islam (p238) Feb9/10 52 Ch10.3 Muslim Achievement (p242) & World Religions (pgs250-264) Feb13/14 53 DBQ ESSAY WRITING QUIZ STANDARD 2 Feb15/16 Feb22/23 Feb28/3-1 54 56 58 Byzantine Empire and Islam HW: African Civilizations Map Ch15.2 West African Empires and Civilizations (p371) & Ch15.3 Eastern City-States and Southern Empires (p379) HW: Americas Map Ch16.3 The Aztecs Control Central Mexico (p400) March6/7 60 DBQ ESSAY WRITING QUIZ STANDARD 5 March10/13 MOVIE: 62 Middle Ages https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsvfiqkc49s *Introduce Project: Middle Ages March16/17 Project: Middle Ages 64 Presentations March22/23 66 Ch13.1 Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne (p317) Feb17/21 Feb24/27 55 57 Ch8.2 The Kingdom of Aksum and East African Trade (p199) Ch16.2 Mayan Kings and Cities (p395) QUIZ STANDARD 3 March2/3 Ch16.4 The Inca Create a 59 Mountain Empire (p407) QUIZ STANDARD 4 March8/9 61 African & Americas Civilizations March14/15 March20/21 March24/27 63 65 67 PROJECT: Middle Ages *Opportunity to work in Class QUIZ STANDARD 6 Project: Middle Ages Presentations QUIZ STANDARD 7 Ch13.2 Feudalism in Europe (p322) HW: r/o 13.3 March28/29 April3/4 68 70 Ch13.3 The Age of Chivalry (p327) QUIZ STANDARD 8 HW: MAP Late Middle Ages Ch14.2 Trade, Towns, and Financial Revolution (p348) March30/31 April5/6 69 71 Ch14.1 Church Reform and the Crusades (p341) QUIZ STANDARD 9 Ch14.3 England and France Develop (p352) QUIZ STANDARD 10
4 th Quarter (tentative schedule may change dramatically once SOL testing window is finalized): DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC DATE DAY READINGS/TEST/ETC April17/18 72 Ch14.4 A Century of Turmoil The Black Death portion (p356) April19/20 73 Ch14.4 A Century of Turmoil The Hundred Years War portion (p356) April21/24 74 Ch17.1 Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance (p417) April27/28 76 Middle Ages & Renaissance QUIZ STANDARD 11 April25/26 75 Ch17.2 The Northern Renaissance (p423) QUIZ STANDARD 12 May1/2 77 Review for Final Exam QUIZ STANDARD 13 May3/4 78 FINAL EXAMINATION May5/8 79 SOL Review & Preparation May9/10 80 SOL Review & Preparation May11/12 81 SOL Review & Preparation May15/16 82 Tentative SOL Testing & Project May17/18 83 Tentative SOL Testing & Project May19/22 84 Tentative SOL Testing & Project May23/24 85 Tentative SOL Testing & Project May25/26 86 Tentative SOL Testing & Project May30/31 87 Project Presentations June1/2 88 Project Presentations June5/6 89 Project Presentations June7/8 90 Project Presentations June 9 Last Day of School! Have a Gr8 Summer! Projects You will receive detailed instructions, including grading rubrics, for all projects. Projects are summative grades. All group projects will have a component where you are graded by your group so everyone needs to participate!
Pre-AP World History CONTRACT On this day, the parties: Dr. Nina Valli (Instructor), (Student), and and (Parents) enter this contract concerning obligations and expectations for the 2016-17 Pre-AP World History school-year. The parties agree to the following: Dr. Valli agrees to provide communication to help the Student be successful in this course. Student agrees to come prepared to class, participate fully in class, and be an advocate for him or herself. Parents agree to support their child and encourage him or her to advocate for themselves. As questions arise, the Student should communicate with Dr. Valli concerning those questions. Parents understand that although I encourage students to advocate for themselves, Parents should feel free to contact me should their child feel that his or her concerns are not being addressed. Often times, parents are distressed upon seeing their child s first grades in Pre-AP World History. It should be known that this course is MUCH more rigorous than previous courses taken and is NOT based on effort, rather it is based on mastery of the course related content and a specific writing rubric provided by the CollegeBoard (the governing body for AP courses). In general, approximately 20% of the class will earn an A for the first nine weeks. The vast majority, however, will fall into the B or C range. Students often improve their grades throughout the year as they begin to master the writing and analytical skills required for the course. Course grade averages at the end of any given year are typically in the B to A- range. I have read the above information and understand its contents. I know that if I have questions regarding the course, its requirements, or the grading policy, I should contact Dr. Valli immediately by email to set up a conference. Dr. Valli Signature Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature Parent/Guardian Signature Parents: From time to time, you and/or I will find it necessary to discuss your student s progress in this class. However, with all electronic correspondence, security issues must be considered. Therefore, I need your permission to discuss grades via e-mail. By checking this box, I agree to discuss my student s grades via e-mail. Parent/Guardian Signature: Mr./Mrs./Ms. My email address is: After reading the Course Information above, please sign and return ONLY this page to your instructor.