Advanced Placement European History s1

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EUROPEAN HISTORY COURSE SYLLABUS

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that our aim is too low and we reach it." -Michelangelo

Welcome to AP European History! This course begins in the Middle Ages, continues through the fall of the Soviet Union, culminating with the recent events in Europe. This course places attention upon understandings equivalent to those gained in a college-level introductory course. Students will evaluate, discuss, and analyze themes in modern European history. The course requires a large amount of reading and classroom lecture and discussion that leads to a greater understanding of European history.

Course Description

AP European History consists of 4 periods:

 Period 1: 1450-1648 o Unit 1: Late Medieval Europe,  Period 3: 1815-1914 The Renaissance o Unit 8: Industrialism and Social o Unit 2: The Reformation and Change Religious Wars o Unit 9: Nationalism and o Unit 3: Expansion of Europe Imperialism o Unit 4: The Age of Absolutism  Period 4: 1914-Present and Scientific Revolution o Unit 10: War and Revolution  Period 2: 1648-1815 o Unit 11: The Interwar Years and o Unit 5: The Age of Enlightenment WWII o Unit 6: The Age of Rebellion and o Unit 12: The Cold War Change o Unit 13: Challenging the Post o Unit 7: The Napoleonic Era War Order

In the broader context of this course, we will explore 5 different themes:  Interaction of Europe and the World  Poverty and Prosperity  Objective Knowledge and Subjective Visions  States and other Institutions of Powers  Individual and Society

The AP European History Exam By registering for this course, all students are required to take the AP European History Exam in May. Receiving a passing grade (3 or above) on this test will grant you college credit for the course.

Breakdown of the Exam:  Multiple choice (55 questions) o These questions will be difficult and will use graphs, photos, primary sources, etc. to answer.  Short-Answer Questions (SAQ) (4 total)  Document Based Question (DBQ)  Long Essay Question (LEQ) Students will be provided with rubrics on how the college board will grade these tests. We will practice throughout the year on how to be successful on the tests and all questions will be formatted according to the AP guidelines.

Required Materials for Class

 3-ring binder (1.5”) and dividers for each unit  Notebook paper for notes  Pens (blue and black ONLY) and highlighters  A charged computer  Headphones

Required Reading

 McKay et al., A History of Western Society, 11th edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s. Other supplemental readings will be used and provided for students.

Grading Grades are based on the ten-point scale utilized by Iredell-Statesville Schools. A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 50-59 Grading will be completed by determining the student's earned score over the total maximum points possible for the assignment. For example, if the total points possible to be gained from a test is 200 and the student earns 176 of those points, their true score will be an 88% (176/200=88). Essay Grading Scales: Daily assignments/Outlines: 5-10 points Quizzes: 20-30 points SAQs DBQs LEQs Projects: 30-50 points Tests: 100-200 points Based 7 = 100 6 = 100 Essays: 100-200 points on a 10 6 = 90 5 = 88 or 20 5 = 80 4 = 76 point 4 = 70 3 = 64 scale 3 = 60 2 = 52 per 2 = 50 1 = 40 essay 1 = 40 0 = 0 0 = 0 Weekly Schedule On Monday each week, students will receive a schedule that has all of the week’s activities/lesson plans on it. This schedule will also have any homework assignments listed for that week. I do this so that student athletes or students involved in work/extra-curricular activities can see when they have homework. Students are encouraged to ask for homework assignments early to account for nights that they will be busy. This schedule is also a way for parents to see what we are doing in class every week. Lectures and Note-taking Most days there will be a lecture and notes covering the chapter for the day. It is your responsibility to take and keep complete and organized notes and place them in the appropriate unit of your binder. Be sure to get the notes you missed from a classmate.

Chapter Outlines Students are expected to carefully read every chapter in the textbook and to thoroughly and individually complete chapter outlines. The reading assigned for each day must be completed before coming to class. Assigned readings will be on each weekly schedule.

Quizzes and Tests Students should be ready for announced and unannounced quizzes. Students can expect at least one quiz at the culmination of each chapter. Students should also be ready for tests at the end of each unit. There will be a multiple-choice and in-class essay test after each period. Testing at the end of each period will last two days. The first test day will consist of the multiple choice portion of the test and the second day will consist of the writing portions. There will be no retakes allowed.

Writing Assessments Students will write Document Based Question Essays (DBQ), Short Long Essay Questions (LEQ), and Short Answer Questions (SAQ). These essays will be assessed using the same scoring criteria used by the AP College Board. The essays will primarily be written during class and on test days. We will work together to build the skills necessary to write these essays according to the guidelines set by the College Board.

Expectations and Policies 1. No food or drink is allowed in class. Water is permissible if it is in a clear bottle with a cap. 2. Proper cell phone etiquette is to be followed. No phones are permitted during lecture or films. 3. Be on time. 4. Students are expected to complete all assigned tasks on time. Late work is not tolerated or accepted. 5. Cheating in any form is not tolerated! You are expected to exercise academic integrity - if you fail in this endeavor you will receive a failing grade for the assignment and your parents will be notified. You will not receive any credit for the assignment, test, essay, etc. It is important to understand the difference between working together and cheating. Copying a classmate’s outline or allowing a classmate to copy your outline is considered cheating.

How to be Most Successful in AP European History 1. READ EVERY NIGHT! The reading homework can quickly become unmanageable if you don't keep up with the schedule. The best strategy is to block time to read every night so you can read slowly. 2. As you read the textbook, LOOK UP WORDS YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH. Write these words down in your study guide and/or notebook so you don’t have to look them up again when you forget. 3. ASK QUESTIONS in class when you are confused or struggling to understand - chances are others would like clarification as well. 4. TAKE GOOD NOTES as you read and during the lectures in class. Be an active reader and note- taker AND review when you are finished. 5. BUDGET YOUR TIME thoughtfully - don't underestimate the amount of time you need to do your reading and complete assignments. 6. REVIEW past chapters as you go through the course - it will continuously help you to see and understand the big picture of history. 7. STAY ORGANIZED – use your 3-ring binder and dividers to organize your study guides, notes, essays, articles, and other materials by chapter. When it comes time to review in the spring you'll have everything ready! 8. BE IN CLASS - Missing notes, explanations, videos and group activities can make understanding the textbook more difficult. 9. PREPARE for tests - if you are in the habit of “never studying” or "cramming" the night before the test, you will be disappointed with your results in this class. There is just far too much content to "cram." Always remember that this is a college-level class! 10.BUY THE AP EXAM SUPPLEMENT MATERIALS – they can be used to prepare for the AP Exam and for chapter tests!

PARENT/GUARDIAN-STUDENT CONTRACT We (Parents/Guardians and Student) certify that we have read and understand the syllabus for Mrs. Hudson’s class and will honor it to the best of our ability. Parent/Guardian Signature(s) ______Parent/Guardian Printed Name ______Student Signature ______Student Printed Name ______

FOR PARENT/GUARDIAN TO COMPLETE (Additional Information for Mrs. Hudson) 1. Parent/Guardian Phone Numbers (home/cell): ______2. Parent/Guardian email addresses that are checked regularly: ______3. Do you have reliable access to the internet and a printer so that your student can make printouts of course materials from home? ______4. Optional, but helpful! Any extra information about your student that you feel would assist me in helping in the learning and growing process. Examples include new to the area, first AP class, special learning needs, particular interests, and extracurricular activities: ______