America and the Contemporary World
2007-2008

Course Overview:   

Welcome to America and the Contemporary World.  This course will examine the history of the United States from the end of World War II to the present.  Students will learn contemporary issues from both a global and domestic perspectives, closely examining the interaction of politics, economics, geography, and history.

Class organization:

The class will be organized as follows:

Semester One: Quarter one and two

            Communism and Capitalism, Democracy and Authoritarianism

            The emergence of the Cold War

                        Presidential power, the affluence of the 1950s, the second Red Scare

            The Communist Revolution in China

            The Korean Conflict

The Communist Revolution in Cuba

The Vietnam Conflict

            The anti-war movement

Ronald Reagan and the fall of the Soviet Union

Semester Two: Quarter one

            Emmett Till and the Jim Crow South

            The African-American Civil Rights Movement and the 14^th amendment

            The Feminist, Hispanic, and Gay Rights movements

Semester Two: Quarter two

            Globalization

            Middle East

            The United Nations

Attendance

Because of the emphasis on demonstrated performance, cooperative/ collaborative learning and the block schedule; regular attendance is essential.  There is often no substitute for class work and group process. Meaningful participation in class is often dependent on students having completed their homework.  Therefore, students will be held accountable for homework assignments.

Make-up work (for excused absences)

·        Any assignment made prior to a student’s excused absence is due on the day of their return to class.

·        Missed tests must be made up within a week of the student’s return during a time agreed upon with the teacher.

·        Assignments given during an excused absence are usually due one class day for every class day of absence after the student’s return. So a student missing three periods will have four class periods to submit make-up work (three periods plus the day of their initial return). Students who need more time should speak to Mr. Koepping as soon as they return from the absence.

Make-up work (for unexcused absences)

Tests that are not taken and assignments that are not turned in because of unexcused absences will not be accepted upon the student’s return. Students will receive a zero for those assignments and those tests.

Late work

·        Taking into account the vagaries of high school life, Mr. Koepping will accept work one calendar day late for full credit. If an assignment were due on Monday, he would accept it on Tuesday (but not Wednesday morning) for full credit. This is not true for the decision homework in America and the Contemporary World or Advanced Constitutional Law assignments. Those assignments will only be accepted on the day they are due.

·        Students will lose 10 percent of the value of an assignment for each additional calendar day (excluding weekends) the work is late. For example an assignment that is due on a Monday that is turned in on Wednesday will be worth a maximum of 90 percent of the points possible, on Thursday that would fall to 80 percent, on Friday it would be worth a maximum of 70 percent. Work that is more than three calendar days late (excluding weekends) will not be accepted.

·        Work or makeup tests will also not be accepted after a quarter or semester is completed. A quarter or semester is considered complete when the students have attended the final class of that grading period.

Grading Policy

The grading system is based on a point system.  A student will be graded on a percentage of total points assigned.

         A = 90% - 100% of total points

         B = 80% - 89%

         C = 70% - 79%

         D = 60% - 69%

         F = Below 60%

·        Points will be earned in the following ways: quarter projects, group tasks, class participation, assignments, quizzes, and exams.

·        The semester grade for each student will be determined by a combined point total from both quarters.

·        It is the teacher’s responsibility to accurately and fairly assess each student’s work and progress.  Any misrepresentation of your or another student’s work is not acceptable.  If you are working with someone on an assignment make sure your thoughts and words are your own and that you don’t turn in work that is identical.  No credit will be given for work found to be in violation of this rule.  Refer to school policy on academic integrity.  If a violation has occurred, your teacher will write a referral, parents will be notified and a record placed in the student’s disciplinary file.

Class Requirements and Considerations

·        Students are required to bring their textbook(s), notebook, writing paper and a writing utensil to class every day.

·        Food or drinks are not permitted in the classroom. 

·        Students are expected to exhibit courteous respectful behavior to the teacher and each other.  Please be especially alert to times when the teacher needs the class’s attention or when students are addressing the class.