US History

Course Description/Overview/Welcome Statement

United States History II addresses the making of modern America, highlighting the events and issues in United States history from the late Industrial Revolution to modern times. Topics include, but are not limited to, the Industrial Revolution, the Progressive movement, imperialism and foreign affairs, the World Wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, the civil rights movements, the rise of terrorism, and modern social and political history.

English skills are improved through reading, writing, conversation, and presentation.

Course Title: U.S. History II

Credit Type: US, NCAA

Credit Amount: 1.0

Grade Level: 11-12

Learning Expectations

It is expected that students will become familiar with the content of US history and in particular the methods employed by historians in studying & interpreting it. Upon completion of the course, students should feel comfortable

• Engaging in deliberative, collaborative, and civil dialogue regarding historical and current issues.
• Applying knowledge of governmental structure, historical concepts, geographic interrelationships, and economic principles to analyze and explain current events.
• Identifying local, state, national, or international problems; consider solutions to these problems; and share their ideas with appropriate public and/or private stakeholders.
• Developing and demonstrating the values that sustain America’s democratic republic, such as open-mindedness, engagement, honesty, problem-solving, responsibility, diligence, resilience, empathy, self-control, and cooperation.
• Engaging in dialogue regarding American exceptionalism, in the sense of the special character of the United States as a uniquely free nation based on democratic ideals and personal liberty.

Grading Rubric: The district-approved grading scale is as follows:

A   93-100%

A-  90-92%

B+ 87-89%

B   83-86%

B-  80-82%

C+  77-79%

C-  70-72%

D   60-69%

F   59% & below

Assessment of Progress

Formative Assessments: These will include daily writing prompts & historical sourcing activities to be completed in class. Such activities are designed to conform to the standards laid out in the Utah Education Network standards for United States history available for viewing here. *

Summative Assessments: Summative assessments will be performed during the last week of every term – in the days leading up to October 18th, January 12th, March 16th & May 25th. These assessments will require students to rigorously apply the skills they have been learning throughout the related term, & will account for the point equivalent of an entire letter grade.

Course Materials

It is expected that students will provide their own writing utensil (pencil or pen) & a lined-paper notebook for use in class. Supplementary texts, worksheets, & other materials will be provided for the student.

Classroom Procedures

In general, students should conform to the following behavior while in class:

Be Prompt: It is expected that students will be on time to class. This is necessary in order to facilitate the effective use of our time & to minimize disruptions. Any work that is missed as a result of tardiness or absence will have to be made up within a week of the original assignment’s date, & class notes must be obtained from student-peers. Should extenuating circumstances apply, please feel free to discuss them with the instructor & we will work together to find solutions.

Be Prepared: It is expected that students will come to class with necessary materials (writing utensil & notebook) each day. Although we will endeavor to keep homework to a minimum, it is expected that when it is assigned the student will bring it completed on the corresponding due date.

Participate: Taking part in class discussions & activities is a requirement of this course. This does not mean that students must constantly raise their hands or share deeply held opinions, but it does mean that they should be engaged in what is going on. Active listening, note-taking & a willingness to add their voice to the conversation will be necessary to the learning environment we hope to create.

Be Respectful: Every person in the classroom has a right to expect that they will be safe. Bullying, inappropriate language & general disruption will not be tolerated.

Calendar of Due Dates for Major Assignments

As mentioned above in the section Assessment of Progress & Achievement, there will be a major summative assessment at the close of each Quarter. Beyond this, each quarter will also include a project designed to allow students to delve deeper into the historical periods in question, prepare for the major summative assessment, and finally to pursue learning that aligns more with their personal interests.

These projects will be due the week before the close of the corresponding Term:

Term 1: October 9-13

Term 2: January 8-12

Term 3: March 12-16

Term 4: May 21-25

Progress Reports and Report Cards

It is the policy of Provo School District that Powerschool be updated at least once a week, making it the best place for students & their parents to monitor progress throughout this course. If anything seems amiss, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information in the section below; I will be more than happy to work things out with you.

Connecting Home to School

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about either this syllabus or the course in general.

Phone: 801-373-6550 ext. 3386

Email: stevent@provo.edu

Personal Statement and other items (optional)