Honors World History



Honors World History

COURSE GUIDELINES

Ms. McDugall

Periods Available: _______ Email and voicemail: mcdugallm@ or Ext. 2318

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In this survey course, students will explore major themes in the political, social, cultural, and economic development of Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe from 1300 to the present from a chronological perspective. The course content will be covered by a variety of methods, such as lectures, discussions, debates, simulations, role plays, current events, group activities, individual or group research projects and presentations, as well as other learning activities designed to enhance course content. Major areas of study would include early world civilizations, exploration, the Renaissance and Enlightenment in Europe, political and industrial revolutions, 19th century nationalism and imperialism, 20th century wars, decolonization and globalization.

GOALS OF THE COURSE:

- understand the relationship of chronology and cause and effect on the development of the region

- describe major historical thoughts, trends and events and recognize the contributions of each region in art, literature, science, religion and music

- evaluate regional status and involvement in world affairs

TEXTBOOK:

Ramirez, Stearns, Wineburg. "Human Legacy." World History. Hong Kong: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2008. Print.

RULES & PROCEDURES – What I expect of you:

1. Students are expected to treat each other, the teacher, and all guests with RESPECT.

2. Be in your seat when the bell rings. Do not come to class and then ask to be excused.

3. No food in the classroom.

4. As you enter the classroom, pick up handouts on the table by the door. I hand out papers once. If you lose them, it is your responsibility to copy handouts from a classmate.

5. Come to class prepared:

A. Every day, you must bring your binder and ALL reading notes from the entire unit. (At any time, I may collect your reading notes or give you a quiz on any reading section from the unit. Failure to bring your notes with you will result in a failing grade on your quiz.)

B. You do not need to bring your textbook to class unless I ask you to do so. Most of the time, you will be able to leave your textbook at home.

GRADING POLICY:

1. Students’ grades will be calculated based on the following point system. This is only a tentative guide. I will revise, add, or delete assignments throughout the semester as is necessary.

Pop Quizzes/Notes on Reading Assignments 10-20 points/item

Unit Tests 80-100 points/item

Major Projects 100 points

Other Homework / Research Assignments varying points

Midterm and Final Exam 1/5 of final course grade

2. Reading Notes and Quizzes – Students are required to take HANDWRITTEN notes on all assigned readings, unless told otherwise. Carefully prepared notes are the foundation upon which successful essays, tests, and class participation are built. Unannounced open-note quizzes will be given on a regular basis to ensure that students are keeping up with the assigned readings. You should be prepared for a pop quiz on all reading assignments on the day that the reading is due, or any day thereafter during that unit. Therefore, you must always bring ALL reading notes from the current unit to class with you. If you do not have your reading notes on the day of a quiz, you will not be allowed to take the quiz. You will have only ONE day to turn in the notes for a failing grade (60%). If you do not turn in the notes the following day, you will receive a 0% on the quiz. If you are absent, you should always assume that a quiz was given in your absence, and you must turn in reading notes to me when you return. If you do not turn in reading notes by the required makeup date after an absence, you will receive a “0” on the quiz. Some closed-note quizzes will also be given, with advance notice.

3. Open Door Policy - If you are unable to complete the assigned reading notes on time, you should contact me by email before 7:20 on the date that the reading notes are due. Once per marking period, I will allow you this extra time to complete the work, as long as you have contacted me by 7:20 on the due date. This policy applies only to quizzes, reading notes, and smaller assignments. It does not apply to tests or to long-term research projects. This is only to be used once a marking period. They do not roll over to other marking periods. This is not a free homework pass. The work must still be completed by the new due date that you and I agree upon. If the work is turned in by the new due date you will receive an “X” in pinnacle for excused. If you never turn the homework in, your grade will be a “0” in pinnacle.

4. Tests and Makeup Tests - Unit tests will cover one or more chapters. The format of the tests will be varied, and may include such questions as multiple choice, map, fill in the blank, matching, identification/definition, chronology, short answer, and essays. Makeup tests will be a different format than the original test. Students should expect makeup tests to consist of a mixture of identification, short answer and essay questions.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. I would recommend using a three-ring binder notebook: You will be given many handouts during the year. In addition, you will be required to turn in reading notes to me periodically, so a spiral notebook could be inconvenient for you when you need to rip out pages of handwritten notes.

2. Please label all reading notes with the chapter number, the section headings, and page numbers.

3. Due to the vast amount of material to be covered in a world history survey course, we will not be able to cover all of the readings in class, but you are responsible for all of that material on quizzes and tests. You should take the initiative to ask questions on any reading material that you would like clarified.

4. Absences and Assignments:

A. After an absence, check the outbox on the front table for any handouts that you missed.

B. When absent, you are responsible for contacting a classmate to obtain missed lecture notes and assignments. Once you have taken that initiative and reviewed the material, you may ask me for clarification of the notes or assignments.

C. For assignments and tests, you will be allowed two days to make up work for each day that you are absent. After that, the work will be considered late, and points will be deducted.

D. Makeup tests will have a different format than the test given on the day you were absent. They will often consist of a mixture of identification, short answer and essay questions.

5. Late Work:

A. If you turn in a major project or test late, you will have 10% deducted for each day that it is late, but no more than 50% will be deducted for lateness. Reading notes and quizzes are treated under a different lateness policy. (See above - Please read that section carefully.)

B. I will not accept any late work during the last week of any marking period.

C. All late assignments must be handed to me personally. They should not be left on my chair, my desk, or in my mailbox. If you turn in work, but do not give it to me directly, then it is your sole responsibility if I never receive the work.

CLASS WEBSITE

Please check the school wires website for class announcements and important handouts. I will try and regularly post the current homework assignment sheet and any materials needed for major projects so you and your parents/guardians can have access to them at home. The website can be accessed from the Teacher Pages tab at the top right hand corner of the CHS website. Once you are under Teacher Pages, click on my name.

TEXTBOOK WEBSITE

Our textbook is available online at the website listed below. The students will be given a username and password early on in the year to access the website. The students will have access to the textbook pages as well as many study tools provided by the textbook publisher.



WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF ME:

I will treat you with respect and treat you as young adults. If you are having difficulty with the course, please come discuss it with me, so we can work together on solutions. I want to help you progress and achieve your greatest potential.

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING:

Plagiarism and cheating are unacceptable. Any student found to be cheating or plagiarizing will receive a “0” on the assignment and a possible a grade reduction for the marking period. In addition, the student will be barred from completing any extra credit assignments for the remainder of that marking period. Below is a list of some examples of cheating:

• Sharing any information about a test or quiz with a student who has not yet taken the test or quiz;

• Asking about the nature of a test or quiz before taking it;

• Turning in someone else’s work or reading notes as your own;

• Using someone else’s reading notes to take a quiz or to draft your own notes;

• Sharing your reading notes with anyone else, without getting specific permission from me first;

• Working on homework with another student, unless the teacher has given you specific permission;

• Submitting work that was already completed for another course without permission from both teachers;

• Using direct quotes or paraphrasing from someone else’s work in a research paper or project, without using proper citations and without giving credit to the original author;

• Taking tests, quizzes, or exams out of my classroom without my specific permission.

You ARE allowed to:

• Study with a partner or a group for a test or an exam, although you may not share your reading notes with another student who has not yet turned in those notes and who still has time to do so.

• Share your in-class lecture notes with other students.

The above list is not all-encompassing and is meant only as a basic guide. There are many more instances of cheating which will also be punished accordingly. You are expected to use your best judgment, and to consult with me first if you are ever in doubt.

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