U.S. History Course
Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH)
Course Objectives and Description: The Advanced Placement program in United States History (APUSH) is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge comparable with a two-semester introductory college course. As such, it is not a college prep course; it is the real thing. In order to deal critically with the challenges of APUSH, students will evaluate a variety of historical materials, including text, primary resources, scholarly articles, historical novels, and the like. Students will read a minimum of 60 pages per week and should expect to spend two hours working outside of class for each hour in class. Students will take notes from printed materials and lectures, write article reviews and essays, take quizzes, take tests in objective and essay format, and prepare team presentations. This class is rigorous and demands a yearlong commitment presently unknown to high school students. It is imperative that assignments are completed on time; once behind, it is difficult to catch up. So what is the reward? It is my goal that every student sits for the College Board AP exam administered in May and qualifies for six free college credits. This exam is expected—but not required (cost is $90). Scores are not reported until mid-July and have no bearing whatsoever on a student’s grade. A score of three or better (on a five point scale) deems the student worthy of free credits at most colleges nationwide; top-shelf colleges require a four. The exam is difficult, but not impossible. The best preparation is a rigorous course, with an emphasis in writing and reading. It is my commitment to you that I will work as hard as you are and give you adequate preparation for this exam. If you choose to rise to the challenge, I guarantee you at the year’s end you can stand toe-to-toe with any college freshman and hold your head high. This course will test your fiber; it will exhaust you, but
Course Objectives and Description: The Advanced Placement program in United States History (APUSH) is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge comparable with a two-semester introductory college course. As such, it is not a college prep course; it is the real thing. In order to deal critically with the challenges of APUSH, students will evaluate a variety of historical materials, including text, primary resources, scholarly articles, historical novels, and the like. Students will read a minimum of 60 pages per week and should expect to spend two hours working outside of class for each hour in class. Students will take notes from printed materials and lectures, write article reviews and essays, take quizzes, take tests in objective and essay format, and prepare team presentations. This class is rigorous and demands a yearlong commitment presently unknown to high school students. It is imperative that assignments are completed on time; once behind, it is difficult to catch up. So what is the reward? It is my goal that every student sits for the College Board AP exam administered in May and qualifies for six free college credits. This exam is expected—but not required (cost is $90). Scores are not reported until mid-July and have no bearing whatsoever on a student’s grade. A score of three or better (on a five point scale) deems the student worthy of free credits at most colleges nationwide; top-shelf colleges require a four. The exam is difficult, but not impossible. The best preparation is a rigorous course, with an emphasis in writing and reading. It is my commitment to you that I will work as hard as you are and give you adequate preparation for this exam. If you choose to rise to the challenge, I guarantee you at the year’s end you can stand toe-to-toe with any college freshman and hold your head high. This course will test your fiber; it will exhaust you, but