Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions
of students and parents.
- How is my grade calculated for this course?
- What is your homework policy?
- How often is homework assigned?
- What are the requirements for assignments?
- What is your policy on absences and make-up work?
- How should I prepare for tests?
- What should I bring to class?
- What suggestions do you have for success in AP U.S. History?
- What textbooks are used in the APUSH course?
- What are some suggestions for Prep books for the AP Exam?
How is my grade calculated for this course?
Advanced Placement U.S. History:
Evaluations 60% (tests, quizzes, writing assignments,
projects)
Class Participation 25% (discussions & group activities)
Homework 15%
What is your homework policy?
Homework is directly related to class participation and class
activities.
You need to be prepared in order to participate in class
discussions and
group activities, therefore, in order to succeed in this class
you will need
to keep up with your homework assignments. Your preparation for
class is
key to your success in this course.
LATE HOMEWORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!
How often is homework assigned?
You can generally expect to have some type of a homework
assignment on a
daily basis. You will recieve a weekly syllabus each Monday that
will
outline your assignments for the week.
What are the requirements for assignments?
All written work turned in must be written in ink (blue or black
ONLY) or
typed. If it is typed, all typing errors should be edited out
before the
paper is turn in.
Written work must be written on only ONE side of an 8 1/2" X
11" paper. I
will NOT accept paper that has been torn out of a spiral notebook
(those
fuzzy ends get caught on all sorts of things!)
I WILL NOT ACCEPT papers that do not meet these criteria.
What is your policy on absences and make-up work?
AP U.S. History:
This is a college-level class and moves very fast.
Therefore, you
cannot affort absences from class. If you must be absent on the
day of a
quiz or test, you MUST MAKE IT UP IN THE NUMBER OF DAYS EQUAL TO
THE NUMBER
OF DAYS ABSENT. Arrangements must be made to take the test or
quiz before
or after school. Work not made up within the above requirement
will be
entered in the grade book as a zero. Students who make it a
habit to
be "absent" on test days or on days in which important
assignments are due
are not, in my opinion, A.P. material.
How should I prepare for tests?
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!
A.P. US History:
Prepare for tests properly. Review your text notes, class
notes and
your reading journal entries. Tests will consist of a variety of
evaluations including essays, DBQs (Document Based Questions).
Content
knowledge will also be tested using objective, multiple choice
tests
prepared by your textbook authors.
What should I bring to class?
A.P. US History:
You should dedicate an entire notebook -- I highly recommend
a 3-ring
binder notebook. You will be receiving a variety of handouts and
supplemental readings that you will want to refer to for the
current unit of
study and for your AP Exam review. These should be placed within
your notes
in your notebook for each topic area/unit of study. You should
bring the
textbook with you on a daily basis. Obviously you may not mark
in your
school texts (a privilege you will have in college -- but one
that you will
pay for!) -- but please highlight any handouts I give you and
highlight your
own reading notes and class notes as you study them.
What suggestions do you have for success in AP U.S. History?
Keep up with your daily assignments.
There is a great deal of content material to cover in
American History
from the colonial era to present day. Obviously there is not
enough time to
cover everything in class lecture, therefore, you are required to
learn the
basic content through your textbook reading assignments. This
content
material will be supplemented by class discussions, activities
and some
class lectures. You must have this basic content background in
order to
participate in class and to pass the unit tests as well as the
National AP
Exam in May.
Take reading notes.
Review all of your notes regularly, particularly before each
class.
Participate in class discussions! Remember, in this class, there
is not
one "right" answer to a question. Instead, your answer
is judged by your
ability to support your position with well-organized, substantial
evidence.
In addition, participation is worth 25% of your grade, so it will
be to your
advantage to participate in class discussions. Besides, talking
about
history is more fun that listening to others talk about history!
Start to prepare for the National AP Exam at the beginning of the
year!
This is not an exam you can "cram" for. You need to
prepare for this exam
all year long! You should be using your AP Review book and the
online
materials throughout the course.
What textbooks are used in the APUSH course?
Textbook: "The American Pageant" by David Kennedy,
Lizabeth Cohen, Thomas
A. Bailey; 13th Edition, Houghton Mifflin 2006
Supplemental Readers:
The American Spirit Vol I. to 1877
The American Spirit Vol II. Since 1865
Fast Track to a 5: Preparing for the AP* United States History
Examination
What are some suggestions for Prep books for the AP Exam?
There are many available at the national book store chains or at
your local
library. Two favorites of past AP students are:
The Princeton Review - Cracking the AP U.S. History Exam
Barron's How to Prepare for AP United States History
