2010-11 U.S. History A syllabus - Portland Public Schools

Instructor:	Christopher Snyder
School:	MLC HS
School year:	2010-11

Course description:
Course number:	27211
Course title:	U.S. History A
Subject:	Social Sciences and History
Grade level(s):	9, 10, 11, 12
Credits:	0.5
How has the United States of America lived up to the five fundamental promises of the declaration of Independence? (Equality, Rights, Liberty, Opportunity, Democracy) Students will grapple with this question throughout the course by exploring conceptual understandings, major issues, and turning points. In Grade 8, students will have studied US History through Post-Civil War Reconstruction. After an introduction/review of the establishment and development of the American republic during the 18th and 19th centuries high school students will primarily explore the time period between “Industrialism and reform in United States” and “The Making of Modern America”. This alignment will emphasize student’s critical thinking and the ability to process information and ideas abstractly. High school students will study and explore history which links the present to the past and the future. Students will integrate conceptual understandings, recognize interconnections and analyze how the events of the past impact our future. The reforms made in American law and culture in the early to mid 20th century will be explored through the history of the Progressive Era and the modern Civil Rights Movement. Students will study child labor, the Suffrage Movement, the development of American cities, the barriers to equality that the poor and minority have faced, and the key events, people, and strategies of the Civil Rights Movement.
Prerequisites:
none.
Priority standards and final proficiencies:
• Locate and identify places, regions, and geographic features that have played prominent roles in historical or contemporary issues and events. • Analyze changes in the physical and human characteristics of places and regions, and the effects of technology, migration, and urbanization on them. • Hypothesize why places and regions are important to human identity and serve as symbols to unify or fragment society. • Analyze how worldwide transportation and communication patterns have affected the flow and interactions of people, ideas, and products. • Give specific examples of how government policies and decisions have been influenced and changed by individuals, groups, and international organizations. • Analyze the purposes and functions of major international organizations and the role of the United States in them. • Recognize and interpret continuity and/or change with respect to particular historical developments in the 20th century. • Assess and interpret how individuals, issues, and events changed or significantly influenced the course of U.S. history after 1900. • Determine the causes, characteristics, and impact of political, economic, and social developments in Oregon state history. • Determine the causes, characteristics and impact, and lasting influence of political, economic, and social developments in local history.
Schedule of topics/units covered:
- Bias in History - Progressive Era – City life, Labor issues, Corruption in Gov’t, Women’s Suffrage. - Working with primary documents. - The modern Civil Rights Movement - Persuasive writing
Academic vocabulary:
Cultural Factors, Economic Factors, Reform Movements, Progressivism, Great Depression, New Deal, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, WWII, Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War. Bias, Muckrakers, progressives, suffrage, monopoly, segregation.
District adopted materials:
History Alive!
Supplemental resources:
Variety of collected photos, Howard Zinn’s A people’s history of the United States, self produced lecture notes/powerpoints, Ronald Takaki’s A different Mirror, Labor related music, Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire video, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, The Eyes on the Prize video series, Speeches found on Youtube, MLK Jr.’s Why we can’t wait, and more…
Differentiation/accessibility strategies and support (TAG, ELL, SpEd, other):
The differentiation strategies used in this course are based on the evidence (data) received through multiple forms of pre, ongoing, and formative assessments. Described here are the types of assessments used and specific differentiation strategies in place to meet the needs of ALL learners (including TAG, ESL, Special Ed...) I present content to students in a manner that caters to multiple intelligences and a variety of learning styles and abilities, including: group work(using a variety of grouping strategies), independent research, creative activities, role play, the storyline method, multimedia activities and projects, lectures, and discussions(during which I use a variety of questioning techniques with the intention of differentiating for students with different abilities.) Individual students’ needs are also met through the use of differentiated readings (same content, different writing), extension activities, access to district provided textbooks which can be checked out, personal attention during and after class by myself and Para Educators, student choice in activities, college prep/academic skill building lessons, analytical/everyday use skill building lessons, a mixture of independent and group work, and a dedication to presenting content that is challenging, of interest, and relevant.
Career-related learning experiences (CRLEs):
Field trips Guest speakers Project-based Learning
Essential Skills and required Work Samples:
Read and comprehend a variety of text Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Write clearly and accurately Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Listen actively and speak clearly Required Work Samples: 1 Persuasive Work Sample Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Think critically and analytically Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Personal management and teamwork Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Use technology Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Civic and Community Engagement Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill: Global Literacy Assessments used to assess this Essential Skill:
Assessment/evaluation/grading policy:
Students can receive full credit or no credit for the course. Individual assignments are marked E for Excels in Criteria, M for Meets Criteria, or NI for Needs Improvement. If a student receives an NI I expect him or her to revise the assignment and turn it in again in order to earn credit. All assessments are a mix of formal and informal. Pre-assessments include discussions, pre-writes, and daily warm up activities. The pre-assessments are extremely valuable in measuring both the content knowledge and ability levels of the students. Throughout the trimester students are evaluated according to participation(I inform students that if they miss a day they need to come check in with me to see about making up participation credit), quality and quantity of work turned in, their portfolio project, and any tests given. All work in the class aids students in the creation of their portfolio project, which plays a large part in their final assessment.
Behavioral expectations:
I expect students to act within the behavioral boundaries of what has been agreed upon by myself, MLC, PPS, Portland municipal law, Oregon state law, federal law, and The U.N.’s Human Rights Declaration. I allow students to further their positive behavior by including in this equation their own moral obligations.
Safety issues and requirements:
In this class I present students with emotionally and academically challenging curriculum. Therefore, I require and enforce that all who enter my classroom behave with their own, and others’, physical and emotional safety in mind.

Approved by Jeff Spalding on 9/19/2010.