Class Policies/Expectations

World Studies Syllabus Class’ Policies/Expectations

 Punctuality, Unexcused absences, and Classroom Demeanor are all factored in the participation grade. Students are expected to show up to class on time and ready to learn. Texting, talking, and sleeping are some examples of unacceptable demeanor. Also, there is to be no eating in class unless there is a designated food day.

 Academic Integrity will be adhered to. Failure to follow principles of Academic Integrity will result in a zero for the assignment (includes tests, essays, and quizzes), a meeting with the teacher and counselor, and parents for a first offense. A second offense consequence will be determined by the dean and teacher, and will include a zero for the assignment. In order to eliminate ambiguity regarding issues of academic integrity students must remain silent during all tests, essays, and quizzes. Plagiarism (including copying homework) is considered an issue of academic integrity.

 Students must turn in all assignments on time Google Classroom and turn in a copy of specified projects to turnitin.com when requested by the teacher. Late work will be accepted for feedback purposes only. Students have until 3:45 p.m.on the day that they have class to turn in an assignment. If a student is absent for class, that student must turn in the assignment the very next block that he or she is present. Projects/parts of projects that are late will result in a 25% grade decrease for the project/part of project for each block that it is late. Students must turn in a hard copy of an assignment. E-mail assignments will not be accepted. Lastly, some assignments may be required to be brought in to the classroom. Students must turn those in by the beginning of class (students may not run to the library, etc. to print or get an assignment to turn in in class, nor use class time to draw or glue, etc.). Technology is not a valid excuse for failing to turn in a hard copy of an assignment when it is due.

 In the event of an absence the student must submit work due the day that he/she returns to class. As for missing a test or quiz, that student must make up the test or quiz the very day that he/she returns to class. The quiz or test will be taken during class time. Repeatedly missing test and quiz days will result in a meeting with parents and counselor.

 Students are expected to do all readings punctually and will be assessed on all readings given.

 Respect is a central theme of this class. Students always maintain an attitude of respect toward each other and toward the teacher.

 World Studies is an honors level high school class. Self-motivation is essential. The aforementioned expectations will not be of concern if a student is motivated, prepared for class, read the assigned material, takes notes, and work hard.

Grading

90-100 A Tests: 30% 80-89 B Projects: 25% 70-79 C Quizzes 20% 60-69 D Homework: 15% Participation: 10%

Introduction to the Social Sciences (Civilization Sept.-Mid. Oct. and Religion)

Essential Questions: Enduring Understandings:

 How do biological and Geographic features  Physical patterns and processes affect the influence human behavior? nature and distribution of the earth’s  What methods do social scientists employ in features. their investigation of the past and present?  Social scientists use a variety of sources in  What are primary versus secondary sources? order to interpret past and present events.  Was the Neolithic Revolution a mistake?  Not all sources are equal or shed light on  What is a civilization? topics in the same way.  How did religions of the world emerge?  Some theorists, such as Jared Diamond  What social issues did religion address? postulate that it was a mistake while others  What is the relationship between religion speculate that it helped mankind progress. and culture?  Civilizations have certain characteristics.  How can we use maps as tools to  Religion and culture have a reciprocal understand the world around us? relationship of influence.  Maps do not just show location but also provide information as to patterns of human behavior, weather, etc.

Topics Covered:

 Research Skills  Differentiating between primary and secondary sources  Inferring information from artifacts  Categories of Social Science Analysis  Note taking abilities  Map making and reading skills  Ancient Civilizations  Investigation and comparing world religions

Research/Writing/ Presentation Skills: Social Science Skills:

 MLA Citation  Using various methods of social science  Using Internet and library research research and interpreting data.  Giving a large group presentation  Reading choropleth, topographic, and  Working with PowerPoint/Presi political maps  Identifying primary and secondary sources  Effective note taking  Locating lines of latitude and longitude  Identifying characteristics of a civilization  Comparing world religions and examining the influence of religion and culture on human thoughts and behavior.

Unit 1: Asia Mid. Oct.-December

 To what extent have the peoples South and  Physical forces have a significant impact on East Asia been able to adapt to their climate human activities in South and East Asia. and geology?  Ancient cultures, religions, and traditions  How has Geography, religion, and have shaped the societies of South and East philosophical ideas spread over Asia and Asia. Cultural diffusion has accounted for the influenced the various cultures in Asia? many commonalities of Asian countries.  How has the legacy of colonialism affected  Imperialism from outside the regions the peoples of Asia? affected both South and East Asia.  What are the issues for Asia today?  Past philosophies and beliefs influence  How have the political ideas of Asian nations contemporary Asian politics and social in the past apply to the present? interactions.  How has cultural diffusion influenced Asia’s  Asian countries have a myriad of issues development? ranging from development disrupting social structure, to negative population growth in Japan.

Topics Covered:

 Pre-colonial histories of China, Japan, and India  Colonial history of India and China th th  19 and early 20 Century history of India, China, and Japan  Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution, and the Meiji Revolution.  WWI and WWII  Economic Development in China, Japan, and India

 Writing thesis statements  Population geography/Demography  Making opening statements and arguing a  Understanding colonialism side of a case  Examining sources to discover ideas and  Making decisions informed by facts opinions.  Writing a policy statement

Unit 2: Europe December-End of First Semester

 How did Greece influence Rome and in turn  Geographic, economic, and historical factors how did Europe’s Greek and Roman roots made it possible for the nations of Eurasia to influence its cultural, political, and economic accumulate enough power and reach to development? colonize much of the world  What are the effects today of European  Europe’s Greek and Roman roots influenced colonialism on Europe? Europe’s ideas of democracy, globalization,  What are Contemporary issues in Europe? and influenced the unique cultures of the  Will there be a “United States of Europe” various European countries. and is Europe returning to as a center of  From French being spoken in Reunion Island innovation? to Turkish Immigrants in Germany, Europe’s  What are the various economic systems colonial legacy continues. around the world? How are they different?  Global economic forces have led the nations What needs to they address? of Europe to engage in broad economic cooperation.  The threat of climate change has led many European nations to adopt climate friendly measures and policy  From capitalism to socialism, innovation and meeting people’s needs are some of the many aspirations of the world’s various economic systems.

Topics Covered:

 The Greek and Roman Empires  Europe and Imperialism

 Greek Debt Crisis (origins of crisis and future of Greece)

 France and its Immigrant population (France’s colonial past coming back)

 England and its Immigrant population (England’s colonial past coming back)  Germany and its energy policy (how Japan’s nuclear disaster scared Germany)

 Democracy in Russia (The Old Soviet Union fell but is it really a Democracy?)

 Italy (Democracy or politics controlled by organized crime and the dominant media?)

 European Union Membership for Turkey

 Writing thesis statements  Analyzing Sources  Writing a Document Based Essay  Making historical arguments  Writing formal academic papers  Writing a thesis  Large group presentation

Unit 3: Africa and the Middle East Feb.- March

 Has the physical geography of Southwest  Southwest Asia’s location places it at an Asia predetermined the nature of its important crossroads in the world. economies?  Religious diversity and the legacy of a  How has religious and ethnic/cultural colonial past have fueled conflict in the identity influenced the outlook and politics region of Southwest Asia. of the people of Southwest Asia from the  Political and economic changes have past to present? resulted in the relocation of populations in  What difference has oil made in the Southwest Asia economics and politics of Southwest Asia?  Africa’s diversity of landforms and wealth of  Is peace among the religious and ethnic resources has not led to prosperity for most groups of Southwest Asia a realistic goal? of its population.  How has Africa’s geography shaped its  Centuries of exploitation of Africa’s people history? and resources by outside nations have  Is Africa still bound by the chains of limited the continent’s economic growth and colonialism? fostered instability.  Is health care Africa’s most serious problem?  In establishing boundaries inconsistent with  Can Africa meet its most serious political, Africa’s ethnic regions European colonization social, and economic challenges? fostered a legacy of conflict.  How has climate change affected people living on the African continent?

Topics Covered:

 Early Trade-Silk Road, Gold Trade  Trade Routes to and around Africa  Urbanization  Religions of the Region  Resources  Economic Development/Resource Allocation  Colonialism  Apartheid  Kingdom Period  Colonial Period  Independence Period  Africa in the Modern Day  Genocide: Congo, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Sudan and Climate change

 Writing a speech  Making Maps  Delivering a speech  Making historical arguments  Writing a policy statement  Writing a thesis

Unit 4: Latin America March-Mid. April

 Is modern Latin America more a product of  Modern Latin America has been shaped by its geography or its history? its widely varied physical geography, its  How has America’s cold war policy affected indigenous past, and its colonial history. the nations of Latin America?  Latin America’s economic progress has not  What factors have hindered the progress of erased its wide income gap and has come at Latin American? the cost of serious environmental problems.  What lessons can the economic decline of  Political conflict and a shortage of economic Argentina teach us? opportunity have contributed to significant migrations of people in Latin America.  The nations of Latin America face numerous challenges as they attempt to develop politically, economically, and socially.  Argentina’s economic decline can teach us great lessons of the deleterious cost of the elimination of a large middle class, and a huge gap between the small affluent class and large class of poor.

Topics Covered:  Indigenous Peoples  Colonialism  Independence  Post-independent History  The Rise of Brazil  The Cold War and Economic Development  Income Gap  Migration  Urbanization  Environment  Chile and Argentina

Research/Writing/ Presentation Skills: History/Geography Skills:

 Delivering a large group presentation  Analyzing Historical documents and  Formal Debating artifacts.  Developing a plan to address a local/global  Analyzing social structure. issue

Unit 5: North America Mid. April-Mid. May

 What was the cultural and political  Indigenous peoples in America where landscape of North America’s indigenous genetically diverse, and enjoyed a variety of people like? political systems and unique cultures.  Was European actions in North America a  The migration of peoples from across the Genocide? globe has influenced the development of this  How has the movement of people, products region profoundly. and ideas affected the physical and cultural  The geographic diversity of this region has landscape of North America? significantly influenced the economic  How has migration affected the diversity of development of the region. this region?  What challenges do the nations of North America face in terms of economic development, free trade, and security? Topics Covered:

 Indigenous Peoples  Genocide of the Indigenous peoples.  Colonial History-French, Spanish, British  Independence-Mexico, US, Canada  Migration and Spatial Diffusion  Settling of the West  US Immigration Policy  Immigration

Research/Writing/ Presentation Skills: History/Geography Skills:

 Writing a policy statement  Migration, Spatial Diffusion  Forum-style debate  Urbanization  Traditional v. Modern Culture

Unit 5: Globalization and Challenges today Mid. May-Mid. June

 How has globalization brought the world  The quick pace of globalization has caused closer together and further apart? challenges and created new opportunities  How should the international community  Problems across the world have impact on tackle the largest global problems facing the local, national, and international level. populations across the world?  Structures and politics hinder and enable  Is there a need for greater international global progress. Cooperation?  Why has the nations of the world not collaborated to eliminate climate change, and eschew and eliminate war.

Topics Covered:

 Environmental Issues: Climate Change  Global Income Gap  Globalization  Subnationalism, nationalism, internationalism  Democratization  Political Structures and NGOs  Poverty reduction and microlending Research/Writing/ Presentation Skills: History/Geography Skills:

 Writing a policy statement  Analyzing current issues in the world  Developing a plan to address a local/global  Examining change and stability in the world issue