Fullerton Joint Union High School District

United States History Syllabus 2016-2017

La Habra High School

Grading Guidelines and Shared Responsibilities, Attendance and Behavior Expectations,

And Essential Curriculum Standards of the Course

Instructor: Ms. Medina

Email: jemedina@fjuhsd.org
Location: Room 85
Phone (562) 266-5249
Office Hours: Tuesday/Wednesday 3:00-3:30 p.m.
Google Classroom Code:

In order to facilitate effective partnerships with parents/guardians to support student

learning and success in school, teachers will make every effort to return telephone call
messages and emails within 24 hours of receipt, unless the call or email is sent over a weekend,
holiday, vacation period, or teacher absence.
I.
Grading Guidelines and Shared Responsibilities
In 1990, the Fullerton Joint Union High School District (District) adopted Student Grading
guidelines so that the practices used within the District will have sufficient common criteria
and purpose to provide grades accurately representing student performance. The success of a
student grading plan is dependent upon the cooperation, interest, and assumption of
responsibilities by teachers, parents/guardians, and students.
The teachers responsibility is to assign grades based upon fair and consistent standards and to
communicate these practices to each student. Grades are to be determined by student
performance on teacher-initiated assignments, tests, homework projects, and class
participation. Students will be informed of progress periodically. Three types of grades are
earned:
Grades that reflect cumulative academic progress.
Citizenship grades and comments that describe personal behavior of the student in
class and which are reported separately from academic and work habit grades.

 Work habit grades that describe how a student organizes, conducts, and completes
assignments, and which are reported separately from academic and citizenship grades.
The District Board of Trustees and staff members believe that students and parents/guardians
should:
Understand the course expectations and grading practices, asking questions if needed.
Stay informed of progress. Parents/guardians can gain information by discussing
progress with students regularly and by asking teachers.
Understand how things are going at school. Know why a students grade is or is not
up to family standards. It is the parents responsibility to communicate with the
teacher if additional information or help is needed at home to improve a students
grades.
If a parent/guardian or student disagrees with a grade received, a review may be initiated by
contacting the teacher. If the matter is not resolved, the parents or student may then contact
the Principal/designee for further assistance.
Specific grading guidelines for this course include the following:
Article of the Week (AoW).......................................20%
Class Assignments...25%
Projects.15%
Quizzes..10%
Unit Test........30%
Article of the Week (AoW)
Each Monday, you will receive an article. The article will relate to the topic studied for that
week You will be required to annotate the article and produced a one page reflection. This
assignment will be due each Friday.
Class Assignments
Each day, you will work individually or in pairs to complete a class assignment. Google
classroom will be a tool you use to turn in assignments at the end of the period.
Projects
You will work in groups of three or four for projects. Future projects will use different
platforms ( formal presentations, videos, research papers, and storyboards etc) to represent
your arguments.

Unit Test
Each unit will have a summative assessment (unit test). The format of the test will vary. A
combination of multiple choice questions, true and false, short answers and essay questions
will be used to assess how much youve learned over the course of the unit.
*Assignment Headings
1.) Headings go in the upper right hand corner (unless told otherwise) such as Full Name, Date,
Period and Title (unless there is one given)
2.) Work with no name earns a zero and gets thrown away! Dont let this happen to you.
II.
Attendance and Behavior Expectations
Student academic success is tied directly to attendance. If the student is to have the greatest
opportunity to learn and be successful, excellent attendance is essential. Tardiness will have
consequences. After the 2nd tardy, I will call home. After the 3rd tardy, I will assign you a
detention. If tardiness persist after the 6th tardy, you will be assigned a Saturday School.
In addition, students are expected to:
RESPECT yourself, peers and teacher
Have an open mind. Be ready to explore different ways of learning.
III.
Essential Curriculum Standards
Essential Curriculum Standards have been adopted by the District for all core academic
courses. The Standards identify what students are expected to know and be able to do at the
end of the course. Grades take time to prepare, require careful thought, and can serve as the
teachers own test of effectiveness as wellWas the instruction understood? Did the students
learn the Essential Curriculum Standards?
Here are the Essential Curriculum Standards for this course:
California State Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/histsocscistnd.pdf
Common Core Standards:
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/11-12/

American History Outline

Unit One A
Colonial Times, American Revolution and Civil War (without Captain America)
The first unit is a review of 8th grade U.S. History. We begin with the foundations of America. Due the
vast exploration of European explorers, Native Americans began to face the challenges of European
conquest. As a result, the 13 original colonies were established but with a heavy cost. Once freed from
Great Britains rule, a division of ideological beliefs splits the newly founded America in half.
Unit One B
Reconstruction
The Union victory in the Civil War in 1865 may have given some 4 million slaves their freedom, but
the process of rebuilding the South during the Reconstruction period (1865-1877) introduced a new
set of significant challenges.
Unit Two
Changing America: Industrialization, Immigration, Urbanization and the Progressives
This unit takes a look at the end of the 19th century. America is beginning to flex its industrial power
and the need for labor coincides with the arrival of the Old and New Immigration from Europe.
America is also urbanizing quickly and the problems of city life are discussed. Finally, as a
subunit,the response by the progressives and the Populists in the late 19th century and early 20th
centuries are thoroughly discussed.
Unit Three
America as a World Power
This unit covers Americas emergence as a world power. Imperialism, trade, the Spanish-American
War and World War I and the failure of the Treaty of Versailles are found in this unit
Unit Four
The 20s
This unit explores the aftermath of WWI and the growth of American business during the Roaring
20s. The republican administrations of Harding, Coolidge and Hoover and the great crash of the stock
market are found here.
Unit Five
FDR: The Great Depression and the New Deal
Here we look at the effects of the crash of the stock market. Hoovers failed attempt and his
subsequent defeat by Franklin D. Roosevelt are studied. The impact of the Great Depression on the
lives of everyday Americans is a theme of this unit. FDR's New Deal and the growth of big
government aid programs are discussed as well.

Unit Six
World War II
This unit examines WWII. The special emphasis here is on Americas involvement in the war. The
domestic front and the effect of the war on women and minorities are fully examined. The war itself
receives full coverage.
Unit Seven
Post World War II and the Cold War
The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union is the focus of this unit. The arms race
problems in Europe and Asia ( the fall of China and the Korean War), and the overall conflict between
Communism and Democracy are discussed. This unit examines how the Cold War affected the lives of
everyday Americans. McCarthyism and the chilling effect on civil liberties are part of this unit.
Unit Eight
The 50s and Civil Rights
We take a look at how the returning GIs began to build their new lives after WWII. The baby boom
and the growth of the suburbs are examined. The beginning of the Civil Rights movement is found in
this unit. Televisions impact on American culture and the ideas of conformity are two other f
themes.
Unit Nine
The Stormy 60s
Starting with the New Frontier of the John Kennedy, the 60s present a decade full of highs and lows.
The assassination, Americas buildup in Vietnam, the space race and the first man on the moon, the
beatles, the presidencies of Johnson and Nixon, and so many other events.
Unit Ten
From Me to You
The last unit looks at the last 50 years of American history. The unit begins with the election of
Jimmy Carter in 1976 during Americas bicentennial. Ronald Reagans election and the rise of the new
conservatism are the central focus of the 80s. George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and the
election of Barack Obama finish the year.

Q&A
What happens if I am absent?
If paper assignments are handed out, it will be posted on the assignment wall near the front
of the classroom. Otherwise, you will find the assignments on Google classroom. You will have
ONE day to complete the assignment. If the assignment requires more time, then you will be
allocated sufficient days to complete work.
What happens if I turn in my work late?
If your assignment is turned in late, you will be deducted a letter grade for each day missed.
After three days, the assignment will receive a zero on ABI. You will not be able to turn it at
any other time.
Can I retake a test if I perform badly?
You will be given ONE chance to retake a unit test. At the end of each test, you will be given the
option to retake the test based on your score. If you choose to use it, the test will be the
following Friday.
Is extra credit available?
Yes, but theres a catch!
Dress up as an important person in history. Explain who your person is and why he or
she is important. [5-15 points]
Bring in foreign currency...bills only [5 points] dont worry I will give it back! You will
present to the class about the country the currency is from.
More to come!

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Your child is enrolled in my U.S. history course this year. While this required class will
be taught to the guidelines of the State of California framework and Common Core standards,
the method of instruction will emphasize student involvement. As often as possible, the
student will learn about history through various forms. Students will be exposed to primary
and secondary sources, articles of the week which focus on events in todays society, guest
speakers, and more. Quite often these activities will act as highlights for various lessons. It is
my intent to always provide a good balance of learning activities.
My most important objective for this class is to create and sustain a very high level of
interest in the student towards United States history. I will need your help. If you could
monitor your students attendance, participation, classwork and projects, it would be greatly
appreciated.
I hope you will take sometime to review this information with your child, then verify in
the space provided below. I welcome any comments or questions you would like to offer.
During the school year, I can be reached at (562) 266-5249.
Sincerely,

Jeannette Medina
..
Parent Verification and Comments
I have read the syllabus and reviewed it with my son or daughter (Please Print).
Student Name:
Parent/Guardian Signature:
Date:

COMMENTS: