1. Welcome to AP US History!
Please have a seat, any seat will do.
My only rule is there needs to be at three people at a “table.”
Also, please take a syllabus from the table by the door.

2. My Experience
This is my 15th year teaching. The first 10 years were in Wichita Falls, teaching History and English in both high school and junior high. Four years ago I taught at Jane Long in Bryan, teaching Texas History and World Cultures.
This will be my fourth year not to coach. I’ve spent my first 11 years coaching football, basketball, track, and a little soccer too.

3. A Few of My Favorite Things

4. But My Actual Favorite “Thing”

5. So APUSH… First and foremost, this is a college-level class.
Please treat it as such.
My expectations:
Read/annotate your textbook chapters by the assigned date.
Be prepared for assignments, discussions, and activities.
Strive to do your best and improve.
If you’re not willing to do this, maybe another class would be best for you.

6. Comprised over four parts:
THE AP US History Test
Comprised over four parts:
Multiple choice questions
55 questions
40% of the score
Short-answer questions (SAQ)
3 questions
Question 1: periods 3-8
Question 2: periods 3-8
Choose between Question 3 (periods 1-5) OR Question 4 (periods 6-9)
20% of the score
Document-based question (DBQ)
1 question: topics from periods 3-8
25% of the score
Long Essay question (LEQ)
1 question (chosen from 3 options on the same theme: periods 1-3, )
15% of the score

7. Thematic Learning Objectives
The knowledge colleges expect students to develop in APUSH.
American & National Identity
Politics and Power
Work, Exchange, and Technology
Culture and Society
Migration & Settlement
Geography & the Environment
America and the World

8. Concept Outline 9 Historical Periods1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8:
9: 1980-present
Why do you think your assigned period(s) is divided the way it is? Discuss with your table.

9. APUSH in general
Main goal: to understand how each of the seven major themes connect to each of the nine historical periods and how they help connect periods to each other.
Historical Thinking Skills involved in this:
Historical Argumentation
Create solid arguments that are supported by evidence
Use of Relevant Historical Evidence
Analyze both primary and secondary sources and use them to draw conclusions
Contextualization
Explain how a specific event fits into a given time period
Causation
Explain cause and effect relationships (short term and long term)
Continuity and Change Over Time
Explain how and how much a given subject has evolved over time, and why both changes and continuities take place
Comparison
Explain how similar/how different historical subjects are

10. Textbook Give Me Liberty! by Eric Fonder (4th edition)
Reading is essential! I will not cover everything in class (impossible).
28 Chapters
You will begin with Ch. 3. We’re “skipping” Chapters 1 and 2.
Read Ch. 3 by next Tuesday (Sept. 5).

11. My class in general
Please review the late work and make-up policies on my syllabus.
I do give extra credit from time to time (discretionary).
Extend-a-bucks (two per semester)
Please use or remind to contact me.
If you send an or I read an after 9:00 p.m., I will not respond to it until the next day after 7:00 a.m.
Please be professional when writing me. Use proper etiquette.
Cheating does you no good in the long run, so don’t do it!

12. Periods 1 and 2 Assignment
Go to The Biography of America site.
The link is the sheet I gave you.
Watch Episodes 1-3 and answer the questions on the sheet on your own paper in complete sentences.
Due: Tuesday, September 5

13. Homework for tonight
Sign up for my schoology account and my remind account.
The access codes for both of these are on the syllabus.
For schoology, go to schoology.com, press the student button, put in the access code (95W2F-7MZS8), and register. That simple.
Watch the two videos in the Period 1 folder.
We will discuss these tomorrow in class.

14. Questions?