Mr.Oberholtzer

WashingtonTownshipHighSchool

SocialStudies

Dan Saia,Dept.Chair

Honors World History: The Modern Era

CourseSyllabus 2017-2018

Introduction to Honors World History & Cultures

Honors World History is an advanced course for students who are reading and writing at or above grade level, demonstrate intellectual curiosity and who possess a desire to study world history at a higher level o of cognitive complexity and intellectual challenge. Honors World History & Cultures is designed to provide the skills, practice and knowledge base for continued study at an advanced level for the student aspiring to attend a college or university after graduation from high school.

This course provides a comprehensive survey of world history from the origins of civilization to the present, with an emphasis on the development of civilization and the cumulative nature of civilization building, right up to the present.  Students will review history chronologically and topically, exploring in rich detail the historical foundations of our own world and divining insights into the problems of the past to gain solutions to the problems of the present.

Students are required to complete regular homework on a timely basis, read and analyze primary source  documents, write  essays,  complete MLA  formatted position papers as well as MLA formatted research based online projects, complete group projects using cooperative learning, research using the IMC and internet resources, master and employ technologies including computer hardware, district provided software such as Power Point, Moviemaker, Publisher and Word,while demonstrating mastery of content material through regular tests and quizzes. Students will become facile at utilizing digital tools, wikis,html pages and other technologies commonplace in today’s competitive global information based economy.

Students, especially honors students, are required to display honorable behavior at all times.  No  cheating,  plagiarism  or  misbehavior  that  sullies  the decorum  of the classroom is  permitted.  Every student  will  model  to  everyother  student  the  honor befitting an honors student on a daily basis without exception.

ReviewingCourseObjectives

(1) Students will master elements of civilization and understand the development of the Modern Era from Renaissance to the present.

(2) Students will maintain a minimum 85 average.

(3) Students will maintain a notebook and log. 

(4) Students will gain experience presenting,writing and creatively expressing.

(5) Students will learn to use computer technology like FrontPage, Power Point and Search Engines, wikis, DVDs, laptops, wireless, blogs and html pages

(6) Students will gain experience researching in theIMC

(7) Studentswillcomportthemselveswithhonoratalltimes!

Curriculum Schedule 2014-2015
MP 1 Review Ancient History & Foundations of Western Civilization (2 weeks)
Human Origins and the River Valley Civilizations Review
Human Origins, Theories and Facts
The Six Social Institutions
The River Valley Civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China
The Classical Civilizations of Greece and Rome Review
Ancient Greece review
Ancient Rome review
(Roman Republic and the Roman Empire)

The Medieval Civilizations review (2 days)
Byzantine Empire
Islam & Islamic Empires
Middle Ages in Europe

Renaissance & Reformation (6 weeks)
European Renaissance & Reformation

Age of Exploration, Settling of North America, The Global World (4 weeks)
Age of European Exploration, Settling of North America
The Global World (Asia, Japan, Central America)
Assorted topics relating to problems of the Modern World

Age of Revolutions  (9 weeks)

The Enlightenment
Age of Revolutions (American, French, Industrial, Scientific, Russian)
Transformative Change on a Global Scale
Midterm Examination

Emergence of Asia and a Global World
China, Ancient to Modern
India Ancient to Modern
Japan (Tokugawa to Post WWII)

WAR OF THE WORLD: 20TH CENTURY CONFLICTS (April-June)

Wars of National Independence and Liberation: Haiti and Mexico
China (European Incursions into China

World War I
Interwar Period (Middle East focus & Treaty of Versailles)

World War II (military history, political history)
-Genocide

Postwar: Cold War
(Super power conflict by proxy, i.e. Afghanistan,
Angola)
-Independence Movements (flexible, compare by continent)

Modern conflicts: asymmetrical warfare, international terrorism,
global economy, diplomatic history, future trends

Grading Policies
A category system is employed in determining each marking period grade, as well as
the final average. The categories and their percentage contribution to the overall
marking period grade are as follows:
Tests: 30%
Quizzes: 20%
Classwork: 20%
Homework: 10%
Participation: 10%
Notebook: 10%

(1) Test make-ups are done after school by appointment only!
Quizzes generally do not have to be made up, unless otherwise specified!
(2) Late work is accepted on a case by case basis after conference with teacher
Extra Credit and Remediation
Mr. Oberholtzer is available without appointment for extra help periods 1 & 6
Extra credit, tutoring services and negotiated projects are always available in
order to raise the student’s grade.

Students may retake tests and quizzes in order to raise their grade. There is a one week deadline.
Students may also  correct tests/quizzes after school. Corrected answers are
awarded half credit and this is added to the original score and entered into
the gradebook. Students have one week to correct outstanding tests/quizzes as well.
Students who abuse their privileges in class will have this privilege revoked.