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AP UNITED STATES HISTORY 2024-25

  

Mr. Hawkins

  

If you want to reach me outside of school hours, you may email me at  [email protected]

  

Classroom Rules: 

  • Be respectful of everyone in the classroom.
  • Be prepared for class every day.
  • Be engaged and participate every day in class.

  

Classroom Expectations: 

  • I expect students to demonstrate respect for myself and their classmates.
  • I expect students to always practice academic honesty.
  • I expect students to come to class on time and be prepared to learn and participate.
  • I expect students to be dressed appropriately. 

  

Failure to meet these expectations will result in disciplinary consequences.

 

IMPORTANT:  Students are required to pay a test fee to take AP exams. This fee is due by October 27, 2023. The APUSH exam will be administered Friday May 9, 2025 at 8:00 a.m.

 

Supplies: 

  • School Computer
  • Pencils & pens (you need something to write with every day).
  • Binder with loose leaf paper or a notebook with a folder for notes and handouts (we will take a lot of notes ... sorry, it’s history class).
  • Dividers (these are to separate our units; this will help with keeping up with materials & staying organized).

 

Grades: 

Your grades in this class will be broken down by points. You can expect the following types of assignments throughout the course: 

  • MC tests
  • Short Answer Questions (SAQs)
  • Document-Based Questions (DBQs)
  • Essays
  • Other assignments (classworks, projects, quizzes, homework, etc.)                                                                                                              

Semester Exam:

At the end of each semester, a cumulative exam will be given on all information acquired during the semester. DO NOT DISCARD anything during the year. The semester exam accounts for 20% of the semester grade. Your second semester exam will be the U.S. History LEAP test.

  

Grading Scale: 

  • A        90-100                     5 Quality Points 
  • B        80-89                       4 Quality Points 
  • C        70-79                       3 Quality Points 
  • D        60-69                       2 Quality Points 
  • F         0-59                        0 Quality Points

 

Class Procedures: 

  • Before class - Anything I tell you to do before class (watch a video, read a document, etc.) should be completed before you enter class. You will be behind if this is not done, and you will not understand the material to the fullest extent possible.

   

  • Late and Make-ups - Students are responsible for finding out what they missed in class while they were absent. Students should complete the work upon returning to school. Students who were absent (excused and unexcused) should turn in their work within a reasonable amount of time to receive full credit unless other arrangements have been made with me. I will not be accepting excessive late work this year. If you miss a test and/or assignment and do not make it up within a reasonable amount of time, you will receive a 0 and have to complete an alternative assignment. What does a "reasonable amount of time" mean? If you miss 2 days of class, then you will have 2 extra days to make up work. If you miss a test day, BUT were here in the lead up to the test, you will be expected to make the test up when you return. 

  

  • Cell Phones and Smart Watches - Students should not have their cell phones or smart watches out at any time during class. This is not only a classroom rule, but a schoolwide rule AND a state law now. I will enforce this law inside and outside of my classroom. If a student has a phone or smart watch out during a test, they will receive a zero on the test and a discipline referral if they refuse to turn in their device. 

  

  • Cheating – The first time a student is caught cheating they will receive a zero and their parent will be contacted. The second offense will result in a discipline referral. 

 

  • Remind - I use Remind regularly for homework, tests, and quiz reminders. To sign up for Remind, text @apushwfhs to 81010. 

 

  • Essays - There will be two types of essays in this course. One will be a document-based essay and one will be strictly knowledge based. Although this is not English class, you should expect to write a good amount in here. 

  

  • Tests - There will be one test or quiz per unit. These tests will be aligned to the AP Exam. This means they will be AP level questions attached to some sort of document. You will need to study and prepare adequetaly to do your best on these. 

  

  • Class Website – The first thing you will do each day when entering the classroom is open your laptop and check the daily agenda on the class website. The agenda will tell you what we will be doing in class that day, and directions for the bellringer will be on the agenda. This is a great tool to use if you are absent, as most of our assignments will be accessible online.

 

  • Remote Learning Days - There will be four student remote learning days throughout the school year. On these days, students will not come to campus. Instead, you will work on assignments at home. For my class, these assignments will vary depending on where we're at in the course, but all will be accessible via OnCourse. If you do not have access to WiFi at your house, you are responsible for downloading the assignment before you leave campus or making other arrangements with me beforehand. The remote learning days are September 23, November 4, February 14, and March 31. 

  

Course Pacing: (subject to change) 

           Unit 1: 1491-1607 - 2 weeks

 

           Unit 2: 1607-1754 - 3 weeks

 

           Unit 3: 1754-1800 - 4 weeks

 

           Unit 4: 1800-1848 - 4 weeks

 

           Unit 5: 1844-1877 - 4 weeks

 

           Unit 6: 1865-1898 - 4 weeks

 

           Unit 7: 1890-1945 - 5 weeks

 

           Unit 8: 1945-1980 - 4 weeks

 

           Unit 9: 1980-2000 - 2 weeks

 

Primary Text: 

  • We will use the AMSCO Advanced Placement United States History as our primary text for this class. You are not required to purchase this book, as there are limited copies in the library.

  

AP Exam Structure: 

  • 55 MC Questions (arranged as question sets based off some stimulus i.e., political cartoon, chart, or reading passage) – 55 minutes - 40% 

 

  • 3 SAQs (precise questions that should be answered in three to five sentences) – 40 minutes - 20% 

  

  • DBQ & LEQ – 1 hour & 40 minutes – 40%

 

You will receive a score of 1-5 on the AP exam. An AP grade of 3 or higher is usually considered passing for most college schools. HOWEVER, some colleges may accept a 2 on the AP History exam, while others may require a score of 4.