American Heritage History
(Available for 11th graders)
This is a two semester class and MUST be taken along with American Heritage Language Arts
American Heritage ~ American History
(Unit and daily lesson plans can be found on Infinite Campus)
Course Syllabus Mrs. Schumacher
This year-long class is designed to explore American history and American literature from early North American colonization into the later 20th century. The total American experience is more completely appreciated through the study of social, political, cultural, and economic events. This course, which is structured into two back-to-back periods, will meet the requirements for two semesters of American history, one semester of American literature, and one semester of advanced composition. The overall American experience will be studied not only in and of itself, but also in conjunction with relationships with other world powers and situations. It should be remembered throughout the course that the United States has had and continues to have a strong impact on the world scene. The units that will be covered in this class include:
Unit 1 ~ Colonization of North America
Read Chapter 1 & The Crucible
Unit 2 ~ The American Revolutionary Period
Read Chapter 2
Unit 3 ~ The Early National Period
Read Chapters 3 & 4 & pages 186 – 211 of Chapter 5
Unit 4 ~ The Antebellum Period
Read pages 212 – 216 of Chapter 5 & Chapters 6 & 8
Unit 5 ~ Civil War & Reconstruction
Read Chapters 9 & 10 & the Civil War packet
Unit 6 ~ The Westward Movement
Read Chapters 7 & 11
Unit 7 ~ Big Business, Labor Unions, & the American Farmers
Read Chapter 12 & pages 440 – 457 of Chapter 13 & Huckleberry Finn
Unit 8 ~ Populism vs. Political Corruption
Read pages 458 – 482 of Chapter 13
Unit 9 ~ The Progressive Era
Read Chapter 15 & The Jungle
Unit 10 ~ Imperialism
Read Chapter 14
Unit 11 ~ World War I
Read Chapter 15 & Johnny Got His Gun
Unit 12 ~ The Roaring Twenties
Read Chapter 17, the Roaring 20s packet, & The Great Gatsby
Unit 13 ~ FDR & the Great Depression
Read Chapters 18 & 19 & Of Mice and Men
Unit 14 ~ World War II
Read Chapters 20 & 21, the Holocaust/Schindler packet, & Hiroshima
Unit 15 ~ Post World War II Transition & the Korean Conflict
Read Chapters 22 & 23
Unit 16 ~ Cold War Engagements through Vietnam
Read Chapters 24 & 26
Unit 17 ~ The Civil Rights Movement in the United States
Read Chapters 25 & 27
Unit 18 ~ The United States as a Global Force
Read Chapters 28. 29. 30 & 31
The three textbooks that we will use for the course include: The Writer’s Work, Elements of Literature, and The American Vision. As you will notice, you have been given a history reading assignment for each unit and 40% to 45% of the test questions for each unit will be over the assigned material. Periodically we will view videos, listen to recordings, etc. to enhance our study. You will be responsible for this material as well as material provided by your instructor through class lecture and discussion. Approximately 55% to 60% of test items will deal with these last items. There will be homework in this class and considerable reading will be required.
Grading
Grading is based on participation in in-class activities, assigned study guides, writing assignments, literature analysis, and unit and/or semester projects. The fall semester project includes preparing a video news broadcast based on the late 19th century with a focus on the contents of Unit 7. The spring semester projects include and oral book conference over Johnny Got His Gun and a written analysis over Hiroshima.
Tests will be written by your instructor and be a combination of fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, matching, and essay. There will be a cumulative semester exam in this class and it will count as 10% of the total semester grade. All grades for daily work, projects, discussion groups, and tests, etc. will be recorded by points and then grades figured based on total points following the percentages listed below.
Keep in mind that the items listed here apply to the American history portion of this class and additional items pertain to the American literature portion of the class.
95% – 100% A 79% – 77% C+
94% – 90% A- 76% – 74% C
73% – 70% C-
89% – 87% B+
86% – 84% B 69% – 67% D+
83% – 80% B- 66% – 64% D
63% – 60% D-
59% and lower F
Make-up Work Policy
If a student is absent on the day of a test that student will have five (5) school days to make up the test. The student is to speak with his/her instructor to set up a time to complete the missed exam.
If the test is NOT made up within the five (5) day time frame and the student has NOT spoken with his/her instructor about needing more time, the test score will be recorded as a zero.
If a student is absent and misses assignments, the student will have two (2) school days per day of school missed to complete make-up work.
Any work made up from an UNEXCUSED absence will have an automatic 50% deduction in grade.
