AP American History - Ms. Saunders
TEXT: OUT OF MANY, revised sixth edition. John Mack Faragher, et
al.
The Advanced Placement program in United States History is designed
to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge
necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in
United States History. The course is designed to give students a
grounding in major interpretive questions that derive from the study
of selected themes - the colonial period, the American Revolution,
The Jacksonian period, the ante-bellum south, Reconstruction,
Populism, Progressivism, causes of the world wars, the New Deal, and
international affairs and domestic change in the post-1945 period.
It will prepares students for intermediate and advanced college
courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those of full year
introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess
historical materials - their relevance to a given interpretive
problem, their reliability, and their importance - and weigh the
evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship.
The course will seek to give students a factual basis for
interpreting issues and events. They should develop the skills
necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed
judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and
persuasively in essay format.
You will be required to read and review eight (8) of the following
books:
DUE DATE
10/09/07 (Tu.) John Adams (2001) by David McCullough, (OR)
1776 (2005) by David McCullough **(9/25)
11//06/07 (Tu.) Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe
**(10/23)
12/04/07 (Tu.) The Impending Crisis - 1848-1861 (1977) by David M.
Potter **(11/20)
1/02/008 (Wed.) Team of Rivals - The Political Genius of Abraham
Lincoln (2005) by Doris Kearns Goodwin **(12/18)
1/30/08 (Wed.) A course appropriate historic biography of any
president from Washington to Clinton, or a renowned statesman or
woman in American history. **To be approved by Miss Saunders no
later than Tuesday, 1/15
2/19/08 (Tu.) Presidential Courage - Brave Leaders and How They
Changed America (2007) by Michael Beschloss **(2/12)
3/18/08 (Tu.) Fly Boys (2003) by James Bradley ** (OR)
(A course appropriate novel covering a historic period that we cover
in class. May be fiction or non-fiction but must be based on a
historic event(s). **To be approved by Miss Saunders no later than
Tuesday, 3/04
4/15/08 (Tu.) The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965) by Alex Haley
(OR)
Man in the Grey Flannel Suit (1954) by Sloan Wilson **(4/01)
**ALL BOOKS MUST BE BROUGHT INTO CLASS ON THE DESIGNATED DATE.
WHEN WRITING YOUR REVIEW, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE FORMAT
PROVIDED. GRAMMAR/SPELLING WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN
DETERMINING YOUR GRADE. EACH REVIEW IS TO BE TWO TYPED PAGES IN
LENGTH, DOUBLE-SPACED AND WRITTEN IN THIRD PERSON. MARGINS ON ALL
SIDES ARE TO BE NO WIDER THAN ONE INCH.
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
ARTIFACT AND TRADITION PROJECT - Specific information will be
provided in a separate handout.
DUE THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH: 10/5; 11/2; 12/7; 1/4; 2/1; 3/7;
4/4; 5/2
CURRENT EVENTS - Specific information will be provided.
DUE THE FRIDAYS - 9/21; 10/19; 11/16; 12/20 (Thursday); 1/18; 2/14
(Thursday); 4/18
CHAPTER PRESENTATION - Two students will prepare/teach a chapter in
our textbook. Specific information will follow.
DEBATE - Students will debate current issues. Topic and basic
information will be provided by Miss Saunders.
DUE ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAYS - 9/28; 10/26; 11/30; 1/11; 2/29; 4/11;
5/15 (Thursday - last day of class!)
AP TEST REVIEW - Most other Fridays we will work on preparation for
the AP Exam in May:
INASMUCH AS ALL WORK IS ASSIGNED WELL IN ADVANCE, ALL PAPERS ARE DUE
ON THE DATES LISTED, EVEN IF CLASS IS NOT HELD THAT DAY. IF YOU ARE
ABSENT OR HAVE AN EARLY DISMISSAL THE DAY A PAPER IS DUE, MAKE
ARRANGEMENTS TO GET IT TO ME. MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS LISTED ON THE
FRONT PAGE. ALL LATE PAPERS WILL DROP ONE FULL LETTER GRADE FOR EACH
DAY IT IS LATE. ASSIGNMENTS NOT HANDED IN WILL RESULT IN AN
INCOMPLETE GRADE FOR THE QUARTER/YEAR.
In addition to the listed assignments, there will be ongoing class
and homework assignments, group discussions and individual student
presentations on a variety of issues designed to bring past and
present into perspective.
EVALUATION: The following will be taken into consideration when
determining a quarter grade:
Book Review one per month = two test grades
Artifact/Tradition Project minimum one for the year = one test grade
Current Events minimum one for the year = one test grade
Chapter Presentation minimum one per semester = two test grades
Debate minimum one for the year = one test grade
Group/Individual Assignments average of one per week = one test
grade
BEHAVIOR: Be in the room and seated when the bell rings. Uniform
regulations will be enforced.
MATERIALS: You are expected to have your agenda, notebook, textbook
and pen for each class period.
WORK COMPLETED IN PENCIL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
MAKE-UP WORK: Some of the assignments for this class will be
completed in groups of two or more. It will be difficult, if not
impossible for you to complete these assignments if you are absent
frequently. In some cases it will be necessary to give an
alternative assignment.
TEACHER ASSISTANCE: If you need assistance, please feel free to set
up an appointment or take a chance and drop by my office. In
addition, I am here nearly everyday after school.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY - (student handbook page 25): Students are
expected to abide by ethical standards in preparing and presenting
materials which demonstrate their level of knowledge and which is
used to determine grades. Such standards are founded on the basic
concepts of honesty and integrity.
ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE AP EXAM IN MAY.
THERE WILL NOT BE A SEPARATE TERM PAPER REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE.
Teacher's Contact Information
 | E-mail - msaunders@gchsrams.org. |
| Phone - (856) 456-4400 ext. 217 |
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Assignments
