Syllabus

West Johnston High School

Teacher: Joseph Smith

Welcome to Honors US History!

Class Website: www.oocities.org/wjhshistory

This will be a reading and writing intensive course.

Loose-leaf Paper

3-Ring 3" Binders with separator pages

Red and Black Pens

Internet Access (for access to class website and research)

Index cards

You will need, in addition to the textbook, a notebook of handouts that I will supply you.

9 Major Tests: 40%

(For Honors Students) Take Home Essays: 30%

Homework and Notebook Checks: 10%

Oral Presentations and Class Participation: 10%

Quizzes: 10%

This course will attempt to better the student's skills in

1.) analyzing bias in historical and ALL documents,

2.) knowing how to group documents to make determinations and opinions

3.) generating ideas to look beyond black and white and dealing with ambiguities 4.) and evaluate and explain items.

The text is The Americans. Some outside readings from American Literature will also be assigned. There will be a large amount of reading for two major reasons:

1.)So the student will be prepared for class discussion and

2.)To raise the reading level of students.

Students are also encouraged strongly to read on their own. Students will be given credit as a "Take Home Essay Grade" for each biography or historical novel they read on their own. The reading selection must be cleared first by the teacher and a summary essay of the selection to be turned in after completion of the book. If you would like a suggestion, ask me. I have a list of books that would be excellent for our purposes that are also not so boring.

The course will also require a large amount of writing. There will be Take-Home Essays and homework. You will also be expected to take notes during class. There will be many writing assignments (essays) which will be central to the class. You are expected, also, to take notes on your reading in your notebook, which will be checked at random and graded.

There will be 8 Major tests given this semester in the form of multiple choice, essay and DBQ's. We will also have tests on terms and vocabulary from many of the chapters, as well as oral presentations.

There will NOT be a practice NC End-of Course Exam, as the exam has been suspended for 2 years.

There will be, however, a US History Field Test and a separate teacher-made final exam that will count 25% of the student's total grade.

It is important to be prepared for class and not fall behind as it will be very hard to catch back up. If you feel yourself falling behind, please do not hesitate to let me know. If you need me for any reason, my planning period is 4th period. Do not hesitate to talk to me.