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American Identity through Reconstruction Mr.

Genatossio American Identity through Reconstruction is a course designed with the intention of grappling with the question "What does it mean to be human?" In this course we will study American Identity and how it was constructed and changed from the early Colonial period through Reconstruction. We will examine who was considered "the other" in order to examine who was forging the American Identity. Through exploring the fields of philosophy, literature, and history we will seek to examine issues of servitude, slavery, and citizenship that Americans still struggle to answer today.

Overarching Essential Questions For The Year 1) Who has historically been considered an American? Who is considered an American today? Why? 2) How did the concept of Race change from the colonial period through Reconstruction? 3) To what extent is the story of the United States a story of progress? Materials/Texts: 1) A composition notebook and tape, a stapler or glue, and a folder.

Grading Policy Tests/Essays/Projects 40% There will be essays, tests, or large projects at the end of each unit. This means there will be about 2 per term. Each of these will count for a large part of your grade. Class Participation/Quizzes 20% Quizzes will be given on material covered in class. The better your attendance the better your grade. Participating in this class means many things, and includes: note making, listening to students as they speak, volunteering to speak, and engaging in whole class and small group activities.

Interactive Notebook/Homework

40%

It is your responsibility to keep your notebook up to date. Notebooks will be collected every week. If you ever miss a class you should either check with a notebook buddy or the class blog to find out what you missed that day. Classroom Expectations a. Attendance and Punctuality I believe in making the Humanities classroom as fun as possible. In order to plan longer activities, excellent attendance is VERY important, particularly when there is group work involved. If you are absent you can check the class website at It is your responsibility to complete any assigned work from that day/days. b. Completing assigned work I expect all assignments to be turned in on time. If you dont complete your work on time, it will make it extremely difficult for you to make adequate progress over the course of the term. Assignments are not meant to be busy workthey are for practice. c. In the classroom

Many of the topics we cover in the class are highly personal and we will sometimes have different ideas. This class must be a place where all participants can feel comfortable sharing their ideas and views without fear. Always remember that when we challenge things, we are challenging the ideas that another participant presents, and not the person themselves. In this way we can maintain a respectful classroom that treats all members of our community with dignity. Contact Information sgenatossio@gmail.com 617 947 7157

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