The Course: A Breakdown

   Chronological Boundaries:

• Foundations to 600 AD             (7 weeks = 20%)

• 600 to 1450                               (7 weeks = 20%)

• 1450 to 1750                             (7 weeks = 20%)

• 1750 to 1914                             (7 weeks = 20%)

• 1914 to present                          (7 weeks = 20%)

   Academic Skills:
         Guidelines from the College Board suggest the development of what they call "Habits of Mind" and  “Themes”.  

         These skills cover two categories: (1) those addressed by any rigorous history course,

         and (2) those addressed by a world history course.:

         Four habits of mind are in the first category:

             •     Constructing and evaluating arguments: using evidence to make plausible arguments

             •     Using documents and other primary data: developing the skills necessary to analyze point of view,                              

                    context, and bias, and to understand and interpret information

             •     Assessing issues of change and continuity over time, including the capacity to deal with change as a

                   process and with questions of causation

             •     Understanding diversity of interpretations through analysis of context, point of view, and frame of

                   reference

         Three habits of mind are in the second category:

             •     Seeing global patterns and processes over time and space while also connecting local developments to global ones and

                    moving through levels of generalizations from the global to the particular

             •     Comparing within and among societies, including comparing societies' reactions to global processes

             •     Being aware of human commonalities and differences while assessing claims of universal                                          

                    standards, and understanding culturally diverse ideas and values in historical context

      Themes:
            1.    The dynamics of change and continuity across the world history periods and the causes and                                       

                   processes involved in major changes of these dynamics

            2.    Patterns and effects of interaction among societies and regions: trade, war, diplomacy, and

                   international organizations

            3.    The effects of technology, economics, and demography on people and the environment                                              

                  (population growth and decline, disease, labor systems, manufacturing, migrations, agriculture,

                   weaponry)

            4.    Systems of social structure and gender structure (comparing major features within and among

                   societies, and assessing change and continuity)

            5.    Cultural, intellectual, and religious developments, including interactions among and within societies

            6.    Changes in functions and structures of states and in attitudes toward states and political identities

                   (political culture), including the emergence of the nation-state (types of political organization)

        The themes serve throughout the course as unifying threads, helping students to put what is particular about each period or society into a larger framework. The themes also provide ways to make comparisons over time. The interaction of themes and periodization encourage cross-period questions such as "To what extent have civilizations maintained their cultural and political distinctiveness over the time periods the course covers?"       (ACORN AP World 2005-2006)

I. Outside Reading

A. The reading materials have been carefully selected to enhance your attainment of reaching course objectives.

      1. First Semester: Guns, Germs and Steel  by Jared Diamond will be required reading for AP World History inthe fall.

          Students should purchase this book during the summer. It will be required the first week of school.

      2. Second Semester: TBA during the first nine weeks of the first semester

II. Writing

A. Essays:
      There are three types of essay assignments. Essays are to be between 500 and 1600 words. Each essay will begraded on the

       AP’s 9 point rubric scale. (Grade equivalents are listed below)(Core rubrics will be used)
 

      1. Document Based Question (DBQ) - Write a clear, persuasive thesis demonstrating your insightful analysis of source documents

          with reference to historical context and author bias. Analyze by comparing and contrasting the documents to form various 

          groupings. Focus on the Academic Skills listed above.

      2. Change-Over-Time Essay (COT) - Explain how a large global issue has changed over time in one cultural area or several.

          Provide ample historical evidence to support your clear and comprehensive thesis. Each essay should focus on a separate region.
 

      3. Comparative Essay (CMP) - Discuss the main similarities and differences between regional societies including            

          chronology, causation, and connections as relevant to the content. Each essay should focus on a different time  period and reflect

          on the 6 themes listed in the table above.

      1^st Semester ( 9 -97%     8 - 94%  7-91%      6 - 87%    5 - 84%    4 - 81%     3 -77%      2 -74%       1 -71%)

      2^nd Semester (9 -98%    8 - 93%   7-88%      6 - 83%    5 - 78%     4 - 73%    3 -68%      2 - 63%      1 -58%)

B. Biography (BIO) – (One per semester) Select a name from a different time and place as noted on the list of

      Names on my website or from the Biography handout.

C. Collaborative Projects
     

      1. Legacy Project : Creating study aids, guides, WebPages, power points, etc, designed to help next years

                        students pass the AP Exam.

      2. TBA      …other Projects will be announced as needed. Grading rubrics will be give to students prior to the

                          Projects start date