1. Aim: How Can I Be a Successful AP World History Student?
Do Now: Why did you want to take AP World History? List at least 2 expectations and 2 questions you have.
HW:
Return the signed and completed contract/contact form
Organize your AP World History notebook according to instructions in your syllabus
3. Find a news article that relates to one of the 5 Themes of AP World History. Write a 1-2 paragraph summary, and an explanation as to how it relates to the specific theme.
Monday September 9, 2013

2. What is AP World History?
Welcome to AP World History; a challenging and fast paced year-long college level history course. AP World History is unique from the standard High School history class in several ways. Firstly, there is no getting around the fact that we will be covering A LOT of history; from the Paleolithic through the present day. In order to cover all of these time periods, the students will be required to do independent learning in addition to what we cover in class. Secondly, AP World History is largely thematic; the focus is more on understanding key concepts, rather than memorizing every single historical event that ever happened. (Whew!) For example, we will look at cultural, religious, and ethnic conflicts across different regions and time periods. Lastly, we will study civilizations and peoples that are often ignored by standard history courses. (When was the last history course you took that spent time on Australia, sub-Saharan Africa, or female war leaders?) By taking this class, you are committing to take the AP World History Exam on Thursday May 15, The fee for the exam is $89. Keep in mind that scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the exam will result in college credit (and a major savings!) In addition, you also are required to take the Global History Regents on Wednesday June 18, 2014.

3. What Sources Will We Use?
Required class textbook: Stearns, Peter N., et al. World Civilizations The Global Experience AP Edition, DBQ Update (4th ed). US: Pearson, The textbook can be kept at home unless the teacher requires it to be brought in for a class activity. In addition to the textbook, we will read selected primary and secondary sources throughout the course. Whenever possible, these sources will be made available on our class website.
What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

4. What Materials Do I Need?
You must have a separate binder or sectioned notebook that will be used only for this course. The binder or notebook must be divided into exactly 7 sections, with a separate storage folder for each section. The first 6 sections will be for the 6 periods of time [see the course outline below], and the last section will be used for review materials. The binder must always contain extra college lined loose leaf paper, several pens, and #2 pencils. The purchase of an AP Review Book in not required, but highly recommended. You may purchase one at a reduced price at our school book store. *This syllabus must be secured in the front of the binder or notebook.

5. How is AP World History Structured?
The Course Outline: This course is unified by the 5 Themes of AP World History. The historical chronology is broken up into 6 periods of time, each of which is broken down further into key concepts (19 in total). Additionally, the students will develop the 4 Historical Thinking Skills as they progress through the course. Sound confusing? Don’t worry! We will constantly refer back to the themes, periods, key concepts, and historical thinking skills… which is why this syllabus must remain in the front of the student’s binder at all times.

6. The 5 Themes of AP World History
Interaction Between Humans and the Environment
Development and Interaction of Cultures
State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict
Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
Development and Transformation of Social Structures

7. Historical Periods and Key Concepts
Period 1: Technological and Environmental Transformations, to c. 600 B.C.E.
Key Concept 1.1. Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
Key Concept 1.2. The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
Key Concept 1.3. The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
Period 2: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies, c. 600 B.C.E. to c. 600 C.E.
Key Concept 2.1. The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
Key Concept 2.2. The Development of States and Empires
Key Concept 2.3. Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange
Period 3: Regional and Transregional Interactions, c. 600 C.E. to c. 1450
Key Concept 3.1. Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
Key Concept 3.2. Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions
Key Concept 3.3. Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences

8. Historical Periods and Key Concepts
Period 4: Global Interactions, c to c. 1750
Key Concept 4.1. Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
Key Concept 4.2. New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
Key Concept 4.3. State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
Period 5: Industrialization and Global Integration, c to c. 1900
Key Concept 5.1. Industrialization and Global Capitalism
Key Concept 5.2. Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
Key Concept 5.3. Nationalism, Revolution, and Reform
Key Concept 5.4. Global Migration
Period 6: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments, c to the Present
Key Concept 6.1 Science and the Environment
Key Concept 6.2 Global Conflicts and Their Consequences
Key Concept 6.3 New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, and Culture

9. The Four Historical Thinking Skills
1. Crafting historical arguments from historical evidence
Students will identify, describe, and analyze diverse primary sources
Students will learn how to determine point of view, the intended audience, the purpose, and to evaluate the reliability of the source
2. Chronological Reasoning
Students will learn historical causation; how to identify, analyze, and evaluate short and long term cause and effect relationships in an historical context
Students will be able to recognize, analyze, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change over time. They will also be able to place these patterns within the 5 historical themes.
Students will be able to describe, analyze, evaluate, and construct models of historical periodization. They will analyze the reasons behind these periods, and understand that such periods are human constructs. By the end of the course, the students will determine if they agree with the currently accepted periodization of history, or if they would alter it to be more inclusive of previously maligned peoples and civilizations.

10. The Four Historical Thinking Skills
3. Comparison and Contextualization
Students will be able to describe, compare, and evaluate economic, political, social, and cultural developments within a society, between multiple societies, and in different chronological and geographical contexts.
Students will be able to connect economic, political, social, and cultural developments within societies to local, national, regional, and global contexts.
4. Historical Interpretation and Synthesis
Students will describe, analyze, evaluate, and construct diverse interpretations of the past, based on varied primary and secondary sources. They will identify the social context, key historical content, intended purpose, intended audience, point of view and bias. They will then assess the validity of the source, and be able to suggest “missing voices” to better understand an historical issue.
Students will apply and synthesize the other historical thinking skills, ideas from other disciplines such as geology and anthropology, as well as disparate and even contradictory sources, to come to a better understanding of the human past. Students will understand that the story of human history is not and cannot be confined to a single discipline, or a single interpretation.

11. How Will I Be Graded?
HW, Quizzes, Exams, and Projects = 80%
Class Participation (Including attendance, being seated when the bell rings and ready to work with their notebook open, participation in class and group discussions, and attentiveness) = 20% 
HW and quizzes will be averaged for each marking term and count as a full exam. Key Concept HW: For each Key Concept, the student will be given a reading assignment with a writing component. The student will be tested on the reading with a weekly quiz. (Usually the quiz will be on Mondays unless otherwise noted). Group HW: The students will be assigned groups in September. (The arrangements of the groups may change at the discretion of the teacher throughout the year.) Due to the sheer volume of history that the students are required to know for the course as well as the Global History Regents, we cannot cover everything in class. For this reason, the groups will be assigned graphic organizers throughout the year that must be completed. The group will delegate the division of the work. Once they are collected, the teacher will correct them. When the corrections are revised, then the work will be graded, and the graphic organizer distributed to the class for each student’s study use. The groups will also be assigned mini projects throughout the year.

12. How Will I Be Graded? Continued…
Exams: There will be a minimum of 1-2 full period exams per marking term. Projects: Projects will count as 1 or 2 full exam grades (the student will always be notified in advance). Make-Up HW and Exams: Students are responsible for making up any missed work. If you are absent, you must speak with your teacher as soon as possible to discuss the due dates for anything you missed. In the Case of a School Closing: Hopefully there will not be another hurricane or snowstorm, but as we know, Forest Hills High School cannot control the weather. In the event of a school closing, continue to do all of your assigned readings and homework. If there is an exam scheduled during this time, assume the exam will take place the first day school reopens. If there is a true emergency, please inform the teacher as soon as possible.

13. Expectations of Behavior
Consult your class contract. Obey the class contract.

14. What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is defined as taking credit for someone else’s work as your own and not citing your source. This includes copying and pasting from the internet without citations (including pictures), copying from a classmate, or paraphrasing someone else’s work (simply changing some of the words does not change the fact that you plagiarized, if you do not cite your source). Any assignment that is plagiarized will receive a grade of zero, and possible disciplinary action through the Dean’s Office. Keep in mind that it is standard university policy to expel students who have been caught plagiarizing on more than one occasion. This does not just apply to students; professors have been fired for the same reasons!