AP United States History

Social Circle High School

Coach Dawkins
kevin.dawkins@socialcircleschools.org
Remind: @apush-schs

Course Description
This course is a chronological survey of the political, economic, and cultural development of the United States from its colonial
origins through the twentieth century. Because this is an Advanced Placement course, you will be required to master a more
challenging curriculum, develop higher level academic skills, and be willing to shoulder a heavier workload than students in typical
U.S. History courses. This course places special emphasis on the skills needed for analyzing primary and secondary sources, thinking
critically, evaluating multiple choice options, and writing analytical compositions to prepare students for college and beyond while
also providing the opportunity for students to earn college credit while still in high school. The course will conclude with an Advanced
Placement examination at the end of the year.

The Advanced Placement U.S. History Exam

The AP U.S. History exam will be administered on Friday, May 10, 2024. Exams will be graded by the College Board and will be
assigned a score of anywhere from 1 to 5. Most colleges and universities award credit for AP exam scores of 3 or higher, but many
colleges only accept a 4 or 5 for credit. You may search for credit policies via the following: www.apstudent.org/creditpolicies

Course Content
The course content is divided and organized into nine units (periods) and themes of study. Course themes will be referenced
throughout each of the nine periods of study and students will be expected to be able to know and use the themes to make meaningful
connections across units to develop contextual understanding.

The APUSH Course Periods and Themes are as follows:

Course Units (Periods) Themes
Period 1: Pre-Columbian America, European Exploration, & Spanish Colonization (1491-1607) American and National Identity (NAT)
Period 2: Colonial America (1607-1754) Work, Exchange, and Technology (WXT)
Period 3: Independence and the Birth of the American Republic (1754-1800) Geography and the Environment (GEO)
Period 4: The Young Republic, Age of Jackson, Manifest Destiny, & Antebellum Reform (1800-1848) Migration and Settlement (MIG)
Period 5: Sectional Crisis, the Civil War, and Reconstruction (1844-1877) Politics and Power (PCE)
Period 6: The Gilded Age, the New South, and the Transformation of the West (1865-1900) America in the World (WOR)
Period 7: Progressivism, Imperialism, the Roaring 20s the Great Depression, and World Wars (1890-1945) American and Regional Culture (ARC)
Period 8: The Cold War, Baby Boom, Civil Rights Movements, and the Vietnam Era (1945-1980) Social Structures (SOC)
Period 9: The Reagan Era, the Information Age, the War on Terror, and Contemporary America (1980-present)

Maturity of Content Matter and Curricular Materials

Given the college level nature of the Advanced Placement United States History course, students will encounter mature subject
matter and materials at times that would not typically be encountered in a general high school course setting. It is important that
students possess the maturity to approach readings and/or discussions that deal with sensitive topics in a mature, academic
fashion. The topics addressed in this course are reflective of what is currently taught in college level US History courses as well
as a current scholarship in the study of US History. Parents, please review the unit overviews, lists of primary documents, and
other readings and contact the instructor if you have any questions or concerns. The instructor will be happy to provide a copy of
any particular reading if requested and to discuss each assignment’s particular relevance if necessary. All topics and materials
will be discussed in a mature, scholarly manner and in terms of their relevance in the greater context of US History as a whole.

Course Materials
Students will be expected to complete reading from the course textbooks as well as additional readings and sources that will be
available via Google Sites and Google Classroom. Chapter and supplemental reading/assignments are essential. Students will be
responsible for completing the reading in advance of the class for which they are scheduled. The course reading for the course is from
the following textbooks:
Newman, J. & Schmalbach, J. (2020). Advanced Placement Edition: United States History. New York:
AMSCO
**Students may purchase a copy of their own Advanced Placement Edition: United States History (AMSCO). The most
updated version of this textbook is the 4th edition.**
Students will need the following materials daily for class:
3-ring binder #2 pencils
dividers highlighters
pens (blue or black ink) colored pencils

**This syllabus may be adjusted and/or updated as needed throughout the year by the teacher**
Class Rules and Expectations
● Students should come to class prepared and on time – This includes having completed any readings and assignments that
are due prior to the beginning of class and being seated and ready for class when the bell rings.
● Respect the rights of others – Only one person talks while everyone else listens. Treat others with dignity and respect.
Students should feel safe and comfortable with exchanging ideas. There is no such thing as a stupid question! No profanity or
name calling of any kind will be tolerated.
● NO Cell Phones – The use of cell phones, iPads, laptops, or similar devices is prohibited in class without permission. All cell
phones or similar devices used during class without permission will be confiscated.
● Follow all rules and policies – See the Social Circle High School Student Handbook

Course Calendar and Pacing

Students will have access to a course calendar on Google Sites as well as Google Classroom. In addition to the online course calendar,
students will receive a Period Overview sheet at the beginning of each unit. This sheet details what we will be doing in class, what
assignments and reading are due, and when assessments are scheduled. This sheet should be a place in your AP US History binder and
should be referred to daily. This Period Overview sheet is planned a month or more in advance. When you are absent, for any reason,
it is your responsibility to check the Period Overview sheet and Google Classroom and be prepared to turn in or complete any
assignments/assessments that are planned for the day you return.

Please note that the Course Calendar and Period Overview sheets are subject to change. If a change needs to be made, students will be given notice.
** “I didn’t know” is not a valid excuse in AP U.S. History. It is your job to know what assignments are due and when**

Absences and Tardy Policy

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed while you were gone and to make up any missed work,
quizzes, or tests. Notes from the previous days are always available on Canvas. Students should make arrangements to get the
missing notes from Google Classroom within two days from an absence. Students have two days to make up missed work and all
make-up work must be made up in this time range. After two days, students are responsible for the information that was missed.
Students are expected to make arrangements with me to make up tests or quizzes as soon as possible. If the student does not make up
for missing in class assignments, tests, quizzes, etc. then the student will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment.

Students should be in class and prepared for class to begin before the tardy bell rings. Students will not be able to enter the class
without a tardy pass after the tardy bell.

Late Assignments
Submission of assignments past due is not acceptable. Students are expected to complete assignments in a timely manner. All work is
due on the date specified (except excused absences). Extenuating circumstances will be evaluated at my discretion. All students have
the option to submit assignments via Google Classroom or email if there is an absence on a due date of an assignment, however, if
submitting assignments on Google Classroom or email, it MUST be submitted before the tardy bell for the student’s class period. If
you are absent, the assignment is still due.

Grading and Evaluation

Throughout the course, students will have several opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and comprehension of the subject matter.
Assessments and activities will include quizzes, chapter and unit exams, in-class activities, participation, and other activities and
assignments as necessary. All grades will be used on the following weighted system:

Weight Category Types of Assignments

Unit Tests, Major Essays, Projects, Major Quizzes, Short Answer Questions
60% Summative (SAQ), Long Essay Questions (LEQ), and Document Based Questions
(DBQ)
30% Formative In-Class Assignments, Reading Quizzes, Out-of-Class Assignments, etc.
10% Semester Exams Midterm (Fall Semester) and Final Exam (Spring Semester)

AP Bonus: At the end of the school year, each AP Student’s course grade will receive an “AP Bonus” of 10 points. The addition of
this bonus will complete the student’s final grade for the course.

**This syllabus may be adjusted and/or updated as needed throughout the year by the teacher**
**This syllabus may be adjusted and/or updated as needed throughout the year by the teacher**
Academic Honesty
Student work should be a reflection of that individual student’s ideas. Students should not look to another student’s work or share their
work with others. Receiving or providing answers for an assignment, essay, quiz, or test is cheating and academic dishonesty –
regardless of its form. Anyone caught cheating will automatically receive a zero for the assignment. Your parents will be notified and
a meeting with an administrator will be called if necessary. NO EXCEPTIONS.

The following is a list of EXAMPLES of acceptable and unacceptable behavior. It does NOT include every single action that could be
considered unacceptable. The goal is for you to use this list to figure out for yourself what is and is not unacceptable. If you have a
question about this, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ask a teacher in advance.

Acceptable Not Acceptable

● When given an assigned reading for homework, using someone

else’s analysis of the reading (e.g. SparkNotes) without teacher
permission
Using Sources to ● Using a reference source to look up a
● When instructed to use a specific source(s) to complete an
Complete an definition or concept that comes up in an
assignment, using another source without notifying the teacher
Assignment assigned reading
● Copying even a short phrase word-for-word from a source
without using quotation marks AND providing a citation
● Fabricating or “fudging” data, information, or sources

● Having someone else proofread a ● Having someone else (peer, parent, AI software, tutor)
Proofreading paper/assignment and give feedback or proofread a paper and make all necessary corrections FOR
help you make improvements YOU

● Discussing a specific topic with another ● Giving another student your completed assignment, which the
student to clarify other student must also complete, to help him “understand” a
● Meeting with another student, showing specific topic
your assignment/paper, discussing it, ● Turning in work that is identical, or substantially similar to, the
and then taking your paper with you work of another student.
Getting and/or ● Recommending a specific source that ● Working with another student to complete an assignment when
Giving Help on you found useful to another student you have NOT been instructed to do so by your teacher
an Assignment ● Having someone (peer, parent, tutor) ● Merely copying a group member’s assignment, when you have
look over work you completed and make been instructed to work together to complete the assignment
some suggestions for improvement ● Giving your note book (including notes, assignments, quizzes,
● After an absence, copying and and tests) to a student who is taking the same class next year
borrowing a classmate’s notes from that ● Having anyone (peer, parent, AI software, tutor) complete work
class for you and submitting it as your own

● Providing specific information about a test to students in the

same course who have not yet taken the test
● Having unauthorized prior knowledge of a test
● Providing information to / accepting information from another
student in a testing situation (verbally or physically)
Preparing for ● Studying for a test with a group of ● Possession of unauthorized notes or study-aids during a quiz or
and/or Taking people exam.
Tests ● Having an electronic device visible at any time during a quiz or
exam is automatically considered an instance of Academic
Dishonesty.
● Looking at a classmate’s test during the test
● Changing an answer after the test was graded in order to change
the grade

**This syllabus may be adjusted and/or updated as needed throughout the year by the teacher**
 Please note that partaking in any of the “Not Acceptable” behaviors classifies as Academic Dishonesty and will be treated as such.

Google Classroom, AP Classroom, and Student Email

Students will be required to use online resources and platforms throughout the year.

Google Classroom is an online platform used for Social Circle City Schools.. Throughout the year, students will have readings,
assignments, and information that they will need to access and interact with on Google Classroom. Our Google Classroom as well as
Google site will also be the location for information on course pacing and calendars, APUSH Period overviews, assignments, and
daily classroom lessons. If a student is absent, they should check Google Classroom first for the information and lessons for the day(s)
of their absence. It is imperative that students access Google Classroom daily.

AP Classroom is an online platform created by the College Board to support students throughout their AP experience. This platform
provides a variety of resources and tools for students to evaluate their progress in AP U.S. History while also preparing them for the
AP Exam. Students will be expected to interact with AP Classroom and complete assigned progress checks throughout the course.

Students should regularly check their student email with Social Circle City Schools. If students or parents have any questions,
email will be the easiest form of contact. Please allow 24 hours for a response to any email.

Student Name (Print): _________________________________________________________________________

Student Signature: _______________________________________________________ Date: _______________________

Teacher Signature: _______________________________________________________

**This syllabus may be adjusted and/or updated as needed throughout the year by the teacher**