Advanced Placement World History is a course designed to challenge highly motivated students to understand the global processes and history that shaped human development for the last 10,000 years.

This course provides balanced global coverage with content shaped by A.P. World History's five "themes" (Political, Social, Economics, Cultural (Religion, Art & Literature) and Human Interaction which identify the broad patterns of History. The Theme's also identify the processes that explain change and continuity over time and creates skills needed to develop a better understanding of them. These overarching themes and skills foster critical thinking and encourage students to develop their own abilities of historical investigation and that of lifelong students of global history.

The course itself is divided into different time periods (periodization) which will be used to analyze global events and interactions from the foundations of history to the present. The course is designed to challenge students to "ownership" of independent ideas-by maintaining a student-centered classroom environment.

Summer Assignments (pfaivo99@yahoo.com)

1  DUE by Monday, June 30^th - SEND ME YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

From your own email address (not your parents'), send me the following information

·   Your full name

·   Parent or guardian's full name

·   Parent or guardian's email address

·   Name the last Social Studies course taken by you.

·   Name the type of computer you will use for school work.

2. My Website ...http://www.ofalvo.com

This website is currently under construction for this next school year, and on June 30th it will be completed. It will be the center piece of this curriculum. You will need to become familiar with it. I will begin to post your summer assignments at this site as of June 30^th.

3 (Required)

Purchase the current addition of "The Princeton Review" Cracking the AP World History Exam. Various bookstores and Amazon.com will have the book.

Purchase: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond will be required reading for AP World History. I will assign a few chapters to be read during the summer and the rest during the first month of school. Readings and Questions for this assignment will be posted on my website after June 30^th. (Look for the link title, Guns Germs and Steel.)

4. Podcasts

I have created a series of Podcasts that will help you better understand what you are expected to know and accomplish in AP World History this coming year. You are expected to listen to them at your own time and pace. They are only 10 minutes long and hopefully they won't bore you too much.