AP U.S. HISTORY
HOOVER HIGH 2011-12
Today’s objectives
• Students will be able to understand why they were
very smart to sigh up for this course
• Students will know that during AP History classes we
will explore how to interpret history by reading
primary sources, role playing, debating and writing..
• Students will understand their responsibilities for
making this a great course.
• And, if 45 minutes gives us enough time, students will
be able to compare their ideas of the stereotypes
of Native Americans with the real pre-Columbian
History.
WHY AP U.S. HISTORY IS A GREAT PICK
• Students who take AP classes are more successful in
college.
• Students who do well on the AP Test can get
college credit.
• There is less of a transition or culture shock for AP
students when they go to college.
• Our class will be working as a team to learn.
• Students who take this course will learn how to
argue effectively, not just in their essays, but in
future sales or business dealings.
WHAT IS THE AP U.S. HISTORY TEST
LIKE?
• Read over the information sheet.
• Put a ? Next to something you do not
understand.
• Circle something you think is important
• Put a K next to something you already
knew
• Put an ! next to a line that contains new
information
• Compare your notes with a partner
• As a group, share your questions.
WHAT DO THE STUDENTS NEED TO DO?
• Students will be reading a chapter a week and taking
note to acquire background information.
• Sometimes you will be asked to read the chapter with a
role in mind of a person or type of person from that era.
• You will need to have about 4 pages of notes – if you do
Cornell notes or two column notes – this could go up to 6
pages as the left side is for terms/questions.
• SPRITE – you will need to summarize social, political,
religious, intellectual, technological, and economic
changes or influences in the chapter and compare to
others ideas in class in groups.
HOW WILL WE LOOK AT HISTORY
• You will have class debates..
• You will read primary sources to show us what
people in that time were thinking.
• You will try to put yourselves in the shoes of people
who lived a long time ago.
• You will have take a point a view (factual, critical,
positive, creative, or alternative) to get an insight
on historical times or event.
• You will become a better writer.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
• Read the chapters and take notes.
• Put 2-3 electronic flashcards online per chapter.
• Complete your writing assignments so we can review
one another’s work and get ideas on how other people
tackled the same problem in a constructive way.
• Be ready to be a bit challenged – a new reality for some
of you.
• Get into a study group in March and April.
• Come for a couple of hours for 4 weeks to review at
school before the test.
• Have fun with history and be part of a team learning
project!
• Have a positive, “can do” attitude.
Help – What can make this easier?
• We have pretests, primary sources, and examples of
good essays in the workbooks.
• If you want a shorter book to read, go online and buy
the AMSCO review book mentioned on your handout. It
is $17.75 plus shipping, in stores online I have seen it as
high as $60.00!
• This would save you time, you can still take notes, and
you will still have background material.
• Or you can accept the challenge to read a college text
and get ready for college level reading.
• mrsmurphyhoover@wikispaces.com
• Website with info, materials, reviews of other books,
teacher websites, historical websites, and links.
• Documentary movies are on my regular website.
WHAT WILL WE DO IN CLASS
• We will learn how to read and interpret primary sources.
• We will learn how to write well in logical steps.
• We will learn how to put ideas into categories like SPRITE
beginning with our next class.
• We will learn how SPRITE categories are related to the AP
U.S. History themes.
• We will learn how to write a great thesis statement.
• We will learn how to back up our thesis with evidence
using our historic background material.
• We will learn how to write essays for a content area – a
must have skill for college!
HOMEWORK DUE MONDAY
WHO IS GUILTY IN 1492?
• Read and take notes on Chapter 2
• Some information is summarized in the hand out outline.
• While you read think of how you would feel as part of
history living as this group
• We will number off and defend your group into 4 groups
• Who is responsible for the death of 90% of the Native
Americans?
• Did Columbus discover America or steal it?
• Were the savages too primitive, simple and backward to
defeat the superior Europeans?
READING
• Preview the text – look at all the headings, illustrations,
and charts
• Start by reading the introduction and the conclusion
• This will give you an idea of what the chapter is about
• Read topic sentences
• Read the middle section
• Look at your part – Columbus, Pizzaro & Cortez, Native
Americans, and the Spanish King and Queen.
• We will read primary sources in class on Monday.
• Look at your workbook – were the homes and works of
art shown here created by inferior people?
ROLES
• Columbus
• Tainos & Other Native Americans
• Queen and King of Spain
• Cortez/Pizzaro
• How did the Spanish treat the natives?
• Did they feel justified?
• What happened in Europe to make this time ripe for
exploring?
• Was the major reason for going to convert Indians
to Christianity?
Power Points on
mrsmurphhoover@wikispaces.com