Course Syllabus

Ms. Ann Tesar

Room 610

704-296-3088 (7124) [School Voicemail]

Ann.Tesar@ucps.k12.nc.us

Honors American History II Syllabus

Course Description

American History II is the second of two required history courses you will take at CATA. The course begins with the end of the Reconstruction period following the American Civil war and continues through Present Day. You will be examining the historical and intellectual origins of the United States from the aftershock of the American Civil War to tumultuous years of the early 20th Century, and up to and through the new millennium. You will learn about the political and economic factors that led to the development of industrial America, the outbreak of two World Wars and their consequences, which helped shape what we think of as the Modern world and helped determine America’s role on the international stage. You will be study the growth and development of political parties, America’s expansion, the emergence of the middle class, America’s changing population and subsequent conflict, and America’s changing role in the global community.

Course Materials

Required:

  • Chromebook
  • Headphones (make sure they can connect to your Chromebook)

Optional but Suggested:

  • Your Own Individual Paper/Pen/Pencil – for sanitation we’ll be using primarily computers, but if you prefer to use paper for notes please do not share your materials with other students.
  • Wipes (for your desk area)
  • Personal Hand Sanitizer

Hand Sanitizer will be provided to classrooms by UCPS, but if you prefer your own make sure to check CDC guidelines.

In lieu of donating our usual request of tissues to the classroom please try and have personal hand sanitizer, Ms. Tesar and your fellow students would be eternally grateful.

Daily Expectations:

  • Check Canvas as you come in/log-in for assignments, objectives, and PoD (Plan of the Day). You are responsible for all information/assignments posted, whether I remember to mention it or not. If you are absent, this is ALSO listed on Canvas.
  • Turn in your work to the appropriate Google Folder or Canvas Assignment. (CHECK YOUR SHARING SETTINGS.) If you’re absent it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. I may not remember everyone who was absent on a given day and what they owe. CALL OR EMAL – BEFORE IT’S DUE – IF THERE IS A PROBLEM! [Remember, late work is docked 25% per day and is not accepted after 3 days]
  • Be respectful in class and wait until you are recognized to speak – just like in Congress.
  • Pull your weight in group assignments – your classmates depend on you.
  • PARTICIPATE! Ask questions, make comments, discuss, critique, weigh in. Your brain retains more when it is active!

Course Text

The vast majority of the reading assignments for this course will be supplementary texts, either primary or secondary sources. These will be given in either paper copy or, more likely, online format. Online textbook resources will be provided on the class Google site. If you would like to use it, there are copies of the Holt McDougal textbook The Americans available for you to sign out in the classroom.

There is also an online textbook: The American Yawp. It is linked on the Canvas page.

 

Course Standards

The course goals, as set out by the North Carolina Department of Education, are listed below:

Goal

Standard

1

Apply the four interconnected dimensions of historical thinking to the American History Essential Standards in order to understand the creation and development of the United States over time.

2

Analyze key political, economic, and social turning points in American history using historical thinking.

3

Understand the factors that led to exploration, settlement, movement and expansion and the impact on United States development over time.

4

Analyze how conflict and compromise have shaped politics, economics, and culture in the United States

5

Understand how tensions between freedom, equality, and power have shaped the political, economic, and social development of the United States.

6

Understand how and why the role of the United States in the world has changed over time.

7

Understand the impact of war on American politics, economics, society, and culture.

8

Analyze the relationship between progress, crisis, and the “American Dream” within the United States.

 

Honors Differentiation Statement

American History II is an honors level course. This course is also available in the Program of Studies at the College Preparatory level. Students earning credit for an Honors level course receive an elevated number of Quality Points for their Grade Point Average. Students choosing the Honors level course should be aware that this Honors level course will include:

  • Required extension opportunities that are directly related to the Standard Course of Study. This includes additional content beyond what is covered in the College Preparatory level.
  • More challenging coursework and assessments. Students will be expected to demonstrate higher levels of understanding for grades.
  • Projects and presentations will be more in depth.
  • Students will have to focus and study regularly to master the content.
  • The expectation that students can move through the coursework at an accelerated pace and students experiencing difficulty should quickly seek guidance from their teacher on how they can be more successful.

Below is a sample of how the Honors level objectives may differ from those in the College Preparatory level:

Honors Level Objective

College Prep Level Objective

AH2.H.4.3: Analyze the social and religious conflicts, movements and reforms that impacted the United States since Reconstruction in terms of participants on both sides, strategies, opposition, connection to larger global conflicts, and results and evaluate their lasting impact on the United States (e.g., Prohibition, Social Darwinism, Eugenics, civil rights, anti-war protests, etc.)

AH2.H.4.3: Analyze the social and religious conflicts, movements and reforms that impacted the United States since Reconstruction in terms of participants, strategies, opposition, and results (e.g., Prohibition, Social Darwinism, Eugenics, civil rights, anti-war protests, etc.)

Assignments in an honors-level course will also differ from those of a standard course. You will be expected to research, analyze, and engage with material more complex than in a standard course. Below is an example of a differentiated honors-level assignment:

Honors Level Assignment

College Prep Level Assignment

Conduct an individual research project on an activist from one of the major Equality movements we studied in class: what goals did they have? How did they develop their perspective on equality? How did they participate in the movement? What was their lasting impact? How did their perspective affect their actions and outcomes? Compare your research to that done by your classmates: how did your person influence others? How did they fit in with the larger picture of the movement? How do their actions compare with those of today’s activists?

Conduct a Web-Quest on each of the major Equality movements of the 1950s-1970s to explain the goals, principal participants, and successes of each movement [Women’s Rights Movement, American Indian Movement, etc.]

 

Course Evaluation and Assessment

Grading Scale:   A = 100-90; B = 89-80; C = 79-70; D = 69-60; F = 59-0

This course will be graded using the total point system. You can keep track of your grades by adding up the number of points you earned on assignments and dividing that number by the total number of points possible. [i.e. 278 points earned/300 points possible = 92.6, or 93%]

Portfolios will be submitted in lieu of traditional unit tests. They will be due at the end of each grading period, for a total of three per semester. Portfolios will give students the opportunity to demonstrate learning by submitting artifacts (work created during the grading period), reflecting upon and analyzing their work, and creating new pieces that demonstrate what they have learned during the grading period. Portfolios will carry a high point value, replacing tests and (during the hybrid learning phase) larger group projects.

Portfolios will be graded according to the rubric available on Canvas.

Students will be expected to work on their individual portfolio during the course of the grading period and help will be provided for portfolio assembly/feedback during Cougar Time and/or upon request.

Quizzes will be based on the reading and lecture material and will serve as progress checkpoints during a unit.

Homework/Classwork: Will range from 10-65 points depending on the size of the assignment. I try to stay away from weekend homework, except for the long-range assignments, but there are times… YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT IS TO READ THE SYLLABUS AND SUBMIT THE COURSE CONTRACT!

Discretionary points may be awarded for outstanding work on one or more major assignments, such as a simulation, or a run of excellent well-written assignments.

A note on Extra Credit, it is not a given and is available to those who have done all their work but would like to understand more and/or improve their grade. Extra credit work is assigned on an individual, as-needed basis. Extra Credit assignments are typically permitted once every 6-weeks grading period and are due on or before the last day of the grading period.

Late Work:

It is the STUDENT’S responsibility to see me and receive all missed work after being absent as well as to turn in any assignments or make up any quizzes/tests that were due when they were absent. All missed tests/quizzes/notebook checks/etc. that a student CAN make up will receive a grade of one (1) until the assignment is made up. Missing assignments that CANNOT be made up will receive a grade of zero (0).

Late assignments will be deducted 25% of their point value for each day late.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THREE DAYS.

Policy for Re-Doing Work:
If you have submitted work, and neither of us is satisfied with the results, it can be re-done for an improved grade. You will have two days in which to resubmit regular assignments, such as homework or classwork. Larger projects will have a longer time allowance. Please note, however, that the opportunity to re-do an assignment DOES NOT extend to work that is not turned in on time and is obviously done in a cursory, last minute manner. If you’re having difficulty understanding or completing an assignment, let me know ahead of the due date and we’ll deal with it. That’s the responsible thing to do.

Extra Help: I am available by request before school (8:30-9:00) but please don’t hesitate to contact me outside of that! I try to check at least 2-3 times in the afternoon and evening and I will also put practice games, activities, and review materials on Canvas.

 Course Expectations

I expect serious approaches to all of your work in this class. Each day, all necessary materials should be brought to class.

Discipline and Tardies: At CATA, instruction is very important. All students are expected to be in their classrooms and ready to receive instruction before the tardy bell rings for each class. Following the tardy bell, students who are not in class must report to the front office for a tardy pass if they tardy to first period.  During the rest of the day teachers will mark student tardy in the PowerSchool Attendance System.   Only students with a Tardy Pass will be admitted after the tardy bell rings for any class period.  There is absolutely no food allowed in the classrooms.  Students may not bring in food.  

  • Tardies will be recorded as unexcused unless an excuse can be verified by staff. 
  • All students must report to the office when tardy to first period and to class the rest of the day.  Teachers will mark students tardy who are late to 2nd period, 3rd period, and 4th period.  If a student is tardy twice in third period on Cougar Time days (Once before class and once after lunch), then the teacher will  mark them tardy one time in Power School and write it up as a minor incident in Educator Handbook for the second tardy of the period.    
  • Tardies will result in the following penalties:
    • 1st/2nd Tardy:  Warning from an administrator in the front office (1st period) and the teacher in the classroom (all periods).
    • 3rd Tardy:  Warning from an administrator in the front office (1st period) and the teacher in the classroom (all periods).  The teacher will contact the parent on the third tardy by phone. 
    • 4th/5th Tardy:  Warning from an administrator in the front office (1st period) and the teacher in the classroom (all periods). The teacher will submit a discipline referral to the administration and 1 day ASD with administration.  The administration will contact the parent.  
    • 6th/7th Tardy:  Warning from an administrator in the front office (1st period) and the teacher in the classroom (all periods). The teacher will submit a discipline referral to the administration and 2 days ASD with administration.  The administration will contact the parent.  
    • 8th Tardy: Warning from an administrator in the front office (1st period) and the teacher in the classroom (all periods).  The teacher will submit a discipline referral to the administration and 3 days ASD.  The administration will set up a parent conference, create a written plan, and possible additional consequences.  

 The administration reserves the right to modify consequences on a case-by-case basis whenever appropriate. This may include loss of parking privileges. Students arriving on late buses will not be considered tardy.

Plagiarism and Cheating: Plagiarism is presenting borrowed information as a student’s original work. This may involve complete essays or research papers or paraphrases, direct quotations, summaries, or translations derived from translation services or software. Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is usually dealt with severely in higher education, including a failing grade on the assignment, a failing grade in the course, or even academic probation or expulsion.

  • 1st Offense - Any student who is guilty of cheating or plagiarism will receive a zero for the work and will not be allowed to make-up the assignment. the parent/guardian of the student will be notified by the teacher.
  • 2nd Offense - A student who receives a second violation will result in two days of ISS. Any subsequent offense will result in up to a three-day OSS (out-of-school suspension).

Make-Up Work: Any time a student is lawfully absent from class, he/she will be given an opportunity to make up any class work, homework, tests, or examinations missed. In cases where the work missed as a one-time activity that cannot feasibly be reproduced (field trips, production work activities, and/or internships), the student will be given an alternative assignment in lieu of the original assignment.

Upon returning from an excused absence, students will be given two days to make up the work missed for each day absent. When arrangements are not made by the student to make up work, or if the make-up work is not completed on time, the student will receive no credit.

Students who have an out-of-school suspension and students with unexcused absences and tardies are encouraged to make up all missed work but are only allowed to make up major tests or projects (i.e. research papers) for credit and take semester exams.

Teachers will record zeros on daily work for out-of-school suspensions only when the entire class was required to do work.

Contact Information

Ms. Ann Tesar -- Room 610

704-296-3088 (7124) [School Voicemail]

Email: Ann.Tesar@ucps.k12.nc.us