Advanced Placement U.S. History Salesianum School
Mr. McConaghy 2007 – 2008
RMCCONAGHY@SALESIANUM.ORG
(302) 654 -2495 ext. 268
Materials
1.) America; A Narrative History
Tindall & Shi
Sixth Edition
2.) REA United States History Preparation
(We Will Purchase These in February)
Course Description
The Advanced Placement program in United States History is designed to provide
students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with
the problems and materials in U.S. History. Students should learn to assess historical
materials – their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their
importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical
scholarship. The Advanced Placement U.S. History course develops skills necessary to
arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present ideas clearly
and persuasively. As much as possible, the AP course is taught by college format,
emphasizing lectures and essay examinations.
Approach
The Advanced Placement course is designed to give students a grounding in the
Chronology of U.S. History in the major interpretive questions that derive from the study
of selected themes. The approach is to conduct a survey course in which a textbook –
with supplementary readings in the form of documents, essays, or books on special
themes – provides chronological and thematic coverage. The objective of the course is to
prepare students to take the AP Examination which is given in the beginning of May.
Teacher Objectives
The teacher will:
1. Teach students how to prepare for the AP examination; I know what it takes to
score well on the exam – you do your part and we will be successful – there are
NO shortcuts.
2. Assist students in distinguishing between myth, fact, opinion, and interpretation.
3. Provide students with guiding principles on how to write effectively.
4. Adhere to college level writing standards.
5. Provide students with a working vocabulary in U.S. history.
6. Help students to develop concepts and generalizations.
7. Provide students with the opportunities to apply the skills of reading, discussing,
and writing as they explore the literature of history and learn to express and
defend their conclusion.
Expectations For Students
1. Attend class and be on time.
2. As in most college courses, the burden for acquiring the facts and ideas of
the course fall squarely upon your shoulders, you must get at least one-half
of the material on your own, including the majority of the facts.
3. Students must be able to draw upon a reservoir of factual knowledge; you
must keep a notebook with outlines corresponding to the previous night’s
reading – I will check at the beginning of class each day while you are
working on the days “Do Now”.
4. Analyze and interpret primary sources, documentary material, maps, statistical
tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence.
5. You must take notes from lectures and discussions. This skill will permit you
to survive in college.
6. Read your assignments and contribute to class discussions.
7. Have knowledge of the steps in writing essays.
8. Behave in a courteous manner that represents respect for yourself and for
others.
9. Class time is not to be used for study hall.
10. Your assignments will be posted on NETCLASSROOM each Monday.
11. All missed work (including absences) must be handed in the next school day.
12. All makeup tests will be given G-6 immediately following the absence.
Evaluation
Students are evaluated by objective tests, reviews of articles, class discussions,
identification tests, and essay tests.
Essays are evaluated on a 1-9 scale, as they will be on The AP Exam in May. You
may receive a grade of SMP on an essay. SMP means “See Me ,Please” a conference is
needed. This is not an option. Make an appointment and we will fix the problem. Any
piece of work can receive a grade of “R&R,” Redo and Resubmit.
Each marking period your grade will be determined by the following:
Unit Tests – 100 points each
1 timed DBQ to be done in class (this will allow us to begin working against a
clock as will be required for the exam in May) – 100 points
1 timed Free Response Question to be done in class (this will allow us to begin
working against a clock as will be required for the exam in May) – 50 points
Chapter Questions for each chapter – 2 points per question
1 book review -50 points (see separate book review sheet)
1 Cumulative Marking Period Exam – 200 points
ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM
8:OOA.M
FRIDAY MAY 9, 2008