Course Description:

The World History course is carefully designed to address the issue of why studying history is important as well as to help students better prepare for success in a
college level history course. As such, students are expected to keep up with the rigorous lessons and activities provided in this class. Students should expect to
do reading assignments on their own almost every night, complete projects outside of class, actively engage in class participation, and be willing to put forth the
appropriate level of effort studying the content.

The basic course will concentrate on the world’s history from early civilizations to the present. The course content will emphasize developments in the rich
political, cultural, social, and intellectual heritage with a focus on European history. Although political history tends to provide the framework for the course,
economic, religious, social, intellectual, diplomatic, and artistic history will receive significant consideration.

Students will be expected to analyze, make assertions and, to their best ability, support and defend their analysis and conclusions. They will be expected to do
more than memorize dates, names, and facts – this course is meant for students to become independent thinkers and challenge their thinking about history. This
class is geared to prepare students for this challenge. The class is heavily focused on reading and writing, analyzing and interpreting primary source documents,
and formal assessments.

Students are not automatically expected to have all of the required writing and analytical skills as some of these will be taught and developed over the course of
the year. However, students are expected to be proficient in higher level thinking skills by the end of the course, if not sooner. It is expected, however, that the
student enter the class each day willing to put forth the effort to learn with a positive attitude; this will go a long way in the success of the student.

Specifically, the course aims to develop the student’s ability to view history with a perceptive and open intelligence; to refine the ability to gather evidence; to
present conclusions in a coherent and cohesive manner; to read with analytical discrimination; and to write with precision and clarity.

Classroom Guidelines:

General Classroom Rules:

 Be prepared and on time for class (bring all materials and textbook to each class).
 Be respectful of yourself, your peers, guests, and your teacher.
 Be courteous of each other’s views and ideas.
 No profanity, fighting, or disrespect.
 Be in compliance with dress code (including ID badge)
 No cell phones, food, candy, or drinks will be tolerated. If I see or hear your cell phone, iPod, video game, etc., It will be confiscated and turned into
administration.
 Each student is expected to follow all rules and regulations of Skyline and Dallas ISD.
 Respect school property as well as the property of others – This include returning any borrowed materials to the owner in a timely fashion (e.g. lecture
notes, handouts).
 Plagiarizing, cheating, or helping others to cheat, is wrong. (Expect severe academic implications if you do).


Classroom Procedures:

 You should be seated in your assigned seat and working quietly on your warm-up when the bell rings. If you finish your warm-up early, you should sit
quietly until further instructions are given.
 If you are not in the room when the bell rings, you will be marked tardy.
 If you are late and 3 bell activities are missed in a row, your parents will receive a phone call.
 The teacher will dismiss class.
 Bring ALL materials to class daily.
 Stay alert and on task – do not put your head down on your desk or sleep in class.
 No cheating! Assignments will be given a zero, and I will call home.
 DO ALL assignments in INK – blue or black only. Do not use pale colors such as yellow gold, silver, pink, etc. Pencil will only be used on scantrons.
 WRITE LEGIBLY!! All of your essays will be handwritten. If your essay is illegible, it may result in a lower score than you deserve!


Classroom Management Plan:

 1st Violation/Infraction: warning (Students Conference)

 2nd Violation/Infraction: Parent contact via phone call; email; Parent Conference
 3rd Violation/Infraction: Assignment to a 30 min. Teachers Detention/Behavior Contract Referral (Counselor and Parent notified)

 4th Violation/Infraction Refusal to attend “Teacher Detention” or failure to follow the Behavior Contract: Discipline referral submitted to the House
Office

Tutoring Hours:

 Tuesday – Thursday from 7:30am – 8:00am

 By appointment only in the afternoon

Supply List:

 3 ring hardback binder w/pockets

 70 page spiral (any color)
 Packages of dividers (8)
 Blue, Black, red pens
 Box of Kleenex
 Pack of marker (10ct)
 Colored (construction) paper
 Map colors
 Other supplies as needed for projects.

Re-Test Policy:

To ensure that test grades reflect content mastery, a student will be permitted to retake any major test that he or she has failed within five school days
of the date the failing grade was received. If the test is passed on the second attempt, the failing grade will be removed from the grade book, and the
passing grade will be recorded, with the following exception. When student behavior or actions clearly demonstrates that a major test was failed due
to lack of effort or inappropriate behavior, a teacher, with the principal’s approval, may assess a grade penalty. The grade penalty will be either the
average of the two tests or a 70 (if either the average or the second attempt is above 70). The grade given to a student failing the test for the second
time will be the higher score earned on either test. The retesting policy will not apply to ACPs.

Make-Up Policy:

Students will be permitted to make up assignments and test without grade penalty after an absence. Students will be given at least two school days
for every day missed to complete the assignment or test missed after an absence. I highly recommend using a system in which you team up with
another person in class who you can call and get the assignments if you are out.

Late Work:

There is an abundant amount of information to cover in this class. Students will be given at least one opportunity to submit late work not related to an
absence. It is important that you developed good organizational and study skills from the very beginning and you use your time wisely.
 Papers and Essays:

All papers are to be typed using the following format:

 Double-spaced
 1” margins – top, bottom, left, right
 Pages number
 Cover sheet
 Paragraphs indented
 12 pt font
 Times New Roman

FYI: All written assignments much have a heading and title:

Heading – always written in upper right corner as follow:

Name (first & last)

World History/period

Date

Ms. Willis

Title – Written on the first line of the notebook paper

Please adhere to these guidelines.

Fall Semester Units;

1)Early Civilizations, 2) Ancient Greece and Rome, 3) Byzantium and Islamic Civilizations and Middle Ages, 4) Renaissance and Reformation and
Absolute Rulers, 5) Early Africa, Asia, & the Americas and European Exploration
 Spring Semester Units:

6) Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution and the Age of Revolutions 7) industrialism & Imperialism, 8) World War I & the Russian Revolution, 9) the
Interwar Years & World War ii 10) Cold War & Modern Era.

Expectations for Everyone

1. Be Prompt.
2. Do all work in INK.
3. Be prepared with your materials.

Needed daily: Pen, binder, spiral, notebook paper

*******BINDER CANNOT BE SHARED WITH ANOTHER CLASS**********

4. Be polite & appropriate.

5. Be a promoter & participate.
6. Respect everyone and the classroom
7. Be Patient.
8. DO ALL OF YOUR WORK. The easiest way to fall behind in class is to not do your work or to miss an assignment or two. Grades will be taken from a
variety of assignments including homework, quizzes, classwork, class participation, oral presentations, historical analytical written responses,
multiple choice tests, group and individual research projects, etc.
9. Pay attention to your progress.
10. Turn in work on time.
11. BE AWARE OF YOUR ELECRONICS.
12. Keep in contact.
13. At the end of the year YOU WILL BE TAKING AN ACP COURSE EXAM FOR WORLD HISTORY.

Parents, I urge you to communicate frequently with your son or daughter about the work load and progress in class. Student progress can be checked
by visiting Parent Portal.
KEEP THIS SYLLABUS IN YOUR BINDER THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

Student Assessments:

Grades are only meaningful in that they are a reflection of what you have learned. In this course your grade will be determined from the following
assessments:
Category Weight

Classwork/Homework 40%(no more than one half homework)

Tests 25%

20%(Ex. Composition, research paper,

Projects/Products
presentation report)

Six-Week Test Grade 15%

Total Points 100%