IB History of the Americas: OVERVIEW 2011-12 Glennon / Gerent
COURSE EXPECTATIONS: This course will be more difficult for some students than for others.
Basically, if you can convince the teacher that you are extending 100% effort, you are guaranteed a C
in the class. Your effort will be judged by consistency in turning in assigned work, by your
attentiveness in class, and by your participation in class discussions and group projects.
You must be prepared to:
1. read all assignments;
2. prepare DQs;
3. take reading quizzes;
4. contribute to group projects;
5. take notes/participate in discussions and Socratic Seminars;
6. prepare essay outlines for unit tests - outlines to be turned in with essays;
7. take essay tests;
8. prepare an Internal Assessment (research project in accordance with IB standards).
GRADING SCALE: A=85% B=75% C=65% (or best effort) D=55% (not best effort)
READING ASSIGNMENTS, DQs, and QUIZZES: Reading assignments will be given for each unit. The
reading should be completed by the day it appears on the assignment schedule. Watch the
assignment sheet for quizzes. They will be based on noted pages. Discussion Questions (DQs) and
Important Becauses (IBs) items will be provided to guide your reading and assist your studying for
exams. A thesis and outline should be prepared for each question.
While you are encouraged to work as part of a group to prepare and share DQs, IBs and other class-
related assignments, each student is expected to submit work that is unique to them. DQ/study
groups are voluntary and may be formed with students from any IB history class. Whether or not you
do DQs and IBs, you are expected to do ALL of the reading and, periodically, you may be asked to
share DQ information with your "in-class" group or with the entire class.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: Periodically, worksheets, maps, group projects or other homework will
be assigned. These assignments are REQUIRED and will account for approximately 20% of your Fall
Semester grade (30% of your Spring Semester grade).
GROUP PROJECTS: Some of the course material will be prepared and presented in groups. Your
grade(s) will be assigned based on:
1. Quality of reported material and presentation (product grade) - teacher assigned grade
shared equally by group.
2. Ability of group to stay on task and work cooperatively, encouraging each member's
participation and performance (process grade) - teacher assessed grade and shared equally.
3. Individual contribution to group effort (individual grade) - assessed by group members.
NOTEBOOKS: Your notebook is a valuable resource which you should have with you for each class. It
should include unit schedules, handouts, class notes, DQ outlines, group work, self-assessments,
etc. for what you have accomplished throughout the year.
QUIZZES: Based upon your readings, quizzes will be given on an announced schedule. Unannounced
quizzes may be given at the teacher's discretion.
TEST DAYS: The Social Studies test day will be Mondays for shorter essays or block days for longer
essays, such as DBQs. If a test must be moved to another day, it will be cleared previously with
students and/or the other department involved. Make up tests will be arranged by instructor and
must be completed WITHIN TWO WEEKS of the test day.
TESTS: Because the IB exam is a series of essays, essay tests will be given. In these cases, any
outlines or pre-writing work MUST be turned in with the completed essay and will count on the
essay grade! Some essays will be take-home, but count as tests. Quizzes, essays and your Internal
Assessment will account for 80% of your total Fall Semester grade (70% of your Spring Semester
grade).
BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS: The students of Rancho Buena Vista High School will demonstrate Good
Character on and off campus. Each student is Trustworthy and consistently shows Respect and
Responsibility to themselves and others. They are Fair and Caring in all their actions and model
appropriate Citizenship.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT: Each student in the class will select an individual topic for historical
investigation. Each student will prepare, and be graded on, the full component required by IB,
including a Plan of Investigation, a Summary of Evidence, Evaluation of Sources, Analysis, Conclusion,
and a List of Sources (bibliography/Works Cited). Included with the basic investigation will be a clear
thesis/research question, an analysis, and a conclusion. The completed Internal Assessment will be
due on December 7th.
Though not a typical requirement for Internal Assessment, an oral presentation (approximately 10
minutes) may be requested by IB. This will be audio taped, and it will include fielding questions from
the audience and a defense of the thesis. The orals will be observed and graded by Ms. Glennon
and/or Mrs. Gerent.
Grades at each stage will be based on both the quality of its content and upon punctuality. Your
Internal Assessment will account for approximately 20% of your Fall Semester grade.
IB EXAM: The exam will be given May 4-5, 2010 and consists of two, 2 1/2 hour exam sessions. The
first exam session consists of a 1 hour Document Based Question (one Prescribed Subject will be
selected) and two essays on different topics (chosen from 30 questions - 5 on each of 6 topics) to be
written in 1 1/2 hours. The second exam session, the next morning, requires three essays (chosen
from 25 questions) on Latin American, U.S. and Canadian history from colonization-1995. See the
Rancho Social Studies Department website-- www.ranchosocialstudies.org/ibamericas--for the IB
History HL Syllabus Details.
The cost of the exam will be announced in October and is comparable to Advanced Placement Exam
costs. Registration takes place in October and payment must be made by the announced November
deadline. While students are not REQUIRED to take the exam, advanced university credit may be
earned, similar to Advanced Placement Exams. Also, all students will write a comparable exam as
part of their second semester grade in this class.
BASIC IB History of the Americas Higher Level (HL) OUTLINE—
PRESCRIBED SUBJECTS: (also used as a basis for the DBQ choices)
Subject 1—Peacemaking, peacekeeping—international relations 1918-36
Subject 2—The Arab-Israeli conflict 1945-79
Subject 3—Communism in crisis 1976-1989
20TH CENTURY WORLD HISTORY TOPICS: ALL are from the 20th Century and limited to events prior
to 2000.
1. Causes, practices and effects of wars
2. Nationalist and independence movements, decolonization and challenges facing new states
3. The rise and rule of single party states
4. Peace and cooperation: international organizations and multiparty states
5. The Cold War
6. The state and its relationship with religion and with minorities
Verification of Understanding and Commitment
I have read the course Overview and the expectations noted above. I understand that I will NOT be
allowed to drop the class and add Government/Economics after the first 3 weeks of Fall semester. If I
decide to drop honors after that time, I will have to take both government and economics second
semester. I realize that I will have committed to complete a significant research project required of
all students in the IB History of the Americas course, regardless of whether I take the IB examination
or not.
Student Name (print) _________________________________ Student Signature
________________________________
Parent Signature _________________________________________________________ Date
_____________________
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IB History of the Americas: Scope and Sequence—2011-12
FALL Semester: Route 2—20th Century Global Topics with focus on DBQ Topics*
Introduction (2 weeks)
Mapping a Global Perspective
The Turning of the Centuries: From the 19th to 20th and the 20th to 21st
Industrialization and impact of technology
Cultural Shifts and the Arts
Emerging Middle Class Democracy and Nationalism
Imperialism and Its Impacts
*Peacemaking, peacekeeping—international relations 1918-36 (3 weeks)
Getting to War—the forces of history
*Considerations for Peacemaking
Fourteen Points
*Setting up to keep the peace
The Treaties of Paris 1919-20:
Versailles
St. Germaine
Trianon
Neuilly
Sèvres/Lausanne (1923)
The League of Nations
Kellogg-Briand Pact
*Advantages without responsibilities—the Washington Naval Conference
*Challenges to the peace
The Ruhr Crisis (1923)
“Locarno Spring” (1925)
Manchuria (1931-33)
Abyssinia (1935-36)
*The Arab-Israeli conflict 1945-1979 (2 weeks)
From the Ottoman Empire to the ashes of the Holocaust—Israel
The Fight for Survival: statehood for the Jews and diaspora for the Palestinians
Allies align and attacks increase—From Suez to Yom Kippur
Attempting a breakthrough—The Camp David Accords
*Communism in crisis 1976-89 (9 weeks)
Background—Russia and the Birth of the Soviet Union
Leadership, Ideology, and the rest of the World: Lenin to Khrushchev
*The Brezhnev Era
*Gorbachev and the End of the Soviet Union
Solidarity in Poland
The Velvet Spring in Czechoslovakia
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Background—China, the Rise and Fall of the Chinese Republic, and
the Birth of the Peoples’ Republic of China
*Mao Tse-tung (Mao Zedong) and the fulfillment of revolution
*After Mao: The Gang of Four
*Deng Xiaoping and the defeat of the Gang of Four
*Deng, Economics and the Four Modernizations
*Deng, Politics and Tiananmen Square
The Cold War and the Americans
Origins - Truman and Containment
*End Game—Reagan and Bush
Final Exams (1 week)
SPRING Semester: History of the Americas
Unit 1: Introduction to Latin America (3 weeks)
Compare and Contrast United States and Latin American History—
Colonial development, governance and social patterns
Independence movements
Post-independence political, social and economic development
Economic growth late 19th and early 20th centuries
Impact of and response to the Great Depression
Unit 2: Country Studies/Units (8 weeks)
Argentina
Brazil
Mexico
Cuba
Central America (schedule permitting)
Review for IB Exam (2 weeks)
IB Exams (2 weeks)
Begin—Overview of American Government
.
Government/Economics (2 weeks)
Contemporary Economic Problems: Foreign and Domestic
Class Simulation incorporating areas of study and current Global/American issues
Final Exams (Government/Economics) (1 week)
Basic Textual Resources:
FALL Semester:
The Oxford History of the Twentieth Century. Howard and Louis. Oxford University
Press, 1998.
Twentieth Century History, Tony Howarth, Longman Press, 1987 (available in on-line excerpts)
Supplemental Text—Rise to Globalism, 8th edition, Ambrose and Brinkley. Penguin Books, 1997
SPRING Semester:
Modern Latin America, Skidmore and Smith. Oxford Press, 1996 & 1997
Supplemental Text—A History of Latin America, George Pendle. Penguin Books, 1981
Excerpts from Why Nations go to War, 8th edition, John G. Stoessinger, Bedford / St. Martin’s,
2001
