U.S. History

Wenatchee High School

 

 

Instructor: Kory Kalahar        Room #: 204

Preparation Period: Third         Phone #: 663-8117 (voice mail)

Home Phone: 663-2278 (not after 9:00 pm please)

Email (school): kalahar.k@mail.wsd.wednet.edu

Website: http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/faculty/kalahar/web/index.htm

 

Text:  Nash, Gary B, American Odyssey: The United States in the Twentieth Century. New York: Glencoe, 1994.

 

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ushistory/amodyssey/index.html

 

Objective: This is a survey of U.S. History from 1870 to the present date. We will also spend a significant amount of time discussing the evolving history of the Western Hemisphere, Native Americans, and Colonial society. There is an emphasis on the major themes, ideas, and movements that have shaped and developed the country that we live in. This class is designed to give you a working knowledge of how the United States were formed and to lead into Contemporary World Problems for next year. We will be focusing on the four main strands of history in our journey to the year 2003: politics, economics, society, and religion.

 

Grading:                     94 - 100          A                     77 - 79                       C+

                                    90 - 92           A-                    73 - 76                       C

                                    87 - 89           B+                    70 - 72                       C-

                                    83 - 85           B                      60 - 69                    D

                                    80 - 82           B-                    under 60                    F

At various times during the course, grades will be posted in the classroom. Grades can be viewed from Mr. Kalahar’s website which will be updated bi-weekly. Grades can be discussed before school, after school, or by appointment, but will not be discussed during the period.

 

Evaluation: All evaluations and graded materials will be combined from a variety of activities to create a final grade. Each assignment is weighted the same and this will not change throughout the quarter. A participation and class atmosphere grade will be 10% of the overall score.

 

Tests: We will have a variety of tests in the classroom and assessments of student learning. On most of these tests you will be allowed to use one 3 * 5 note card for handwritten notes which will turned in with the test itself. The items on the test will vary from exam to exam. All tests will have essay questions that will necessitate analytical thinking and the use of facts, dates, and specifics.

 

Late Work:    Assignments not turned in at the beginning of class on the specified due date will not be accepted. Assignments will not be allowed to be made up, showing the benefits of attending class. In cases of excused absences, assignments are due in direct proportion to the number of classes missed. On a brighter note, some major assignments turned in early will most likely be awarded five extra-credit points, which usually comes in quite handy. This is one of the only ways to obtain bonus points.

 

Attendance: Attendance and being on time is important in any class, and US History is no different. I follow the school policy on tardies and attendance. Please refer to your student handbook for more information, and try not to be late or absent. For all excused absences, it is your responsibility to retrieve your homework, missed assignments, and show me your yellow slip. I will not come looking for you, but I am more than happy to help you make-up the work if you make the effort!

 

Current Events: Each week we will turn in current events summaries in class. These assignments are designed to keep us tuned into the world around us and make associations with the past since history often repeats itself. You will be responsible for two articles and two paragraph summaries each week. People will randomly be chosen to present their articles and their findings. Your summary will briefly paraphrase the events and provide an opinion concerning the issue. One article must deal with the state or nation and the other must be the nation or the world. The only local events that will work are ones that would bring state or national attention to the area. The articles must be attached to the summaries. These are due at the beginning of the period only.

 

Research: In this class there will be a variety of research activities and collaborative work. Please get used to the fact that information must be referenced and cited correctly. For example if you answer a question on a worksheet from an encyclopedia, you must cite that source or else it is considered your own. You want that citation to look like this…

 

“Cortes, Hernan.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998.

 

Or, you may need to create a PowerPoint on the Reconstruction Era and you have used some information from a website. You must copy down the name of the site, the URL (address), and the date you looked it up and it should appear on the PowerPoint in the following fashion…

 

“History of the US after the Civil War” http://www.ushistory.org/reconstruction.html, 15 May 2004.

 

The Year in History

 

Semester One

 

Native American Unit: Survey of American Natives

            Selected Readings

Unit One: Colonial Life and Revolution

            Chapters One and Two

Unit Two: Civil War, Reconstruction, and Industrialization

            Chapters Three and Four

Unit Three: Progressivism

            Chapters Five, Six,

Unit Four: World War One

            Chapter Seven

Unit Five: The Roaring Twenties and the Republican Presidents

            Chapter Eight and Nine

 

 

Semester Two

 

Unit Six: The Great Depression and the New Deal

            Chapters Ten and Eleven

Unit Seven: World War Two

            Chapters Twelve and Thirteen

Unit Eight: The Cold War

            Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen

Unit Nine: The Civil Rights Movement

            Chapters Seventeen, Eighteen, and Nineteen

Unit Ten: Vietnam and the Modern Era

            Chapters Twenty, Twenty-One, and Twenty-Two

Unit Eleven: Carter, Reagan, Bush to Bush

            Chapters Twenty-Three and on!