Syllabus
World History 09 
Instructor: William Van Wyck
EWHS Credit: Social Studies .5 (one semester)
School Phone: (425) 431 - 6098
E-mail: vanwyckw@edmonds.wednet.edu
Office Location: E100
Class Website: http://www.van-wyck.org
Description of the Course
This course is a semester long introductory course to historical study. Along with learning historical concepts students will develop important academic skills for success in high school and lifelong learning  such as time management, organization, reading, note taking, writing, public speaking, research, evaluation of sources, and consideration of multiple opinions
 Learning Targets

• What is a religion and how do religions develop within societies?
• What are the economic, political, cultural and geographic causes and consequences of change in human societies?
• What are the origins, key beliefs, practices, and structure of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism?
• What is the impact of extremism on all religions?
• How are the world’s physical characteristics, human activity & culture interrelated?

State Grade Level Expectations  (GLE)
This course fulfills the following Washington State GLE Requirements:
Component 2.4: Understands the economic issues and problems that all societies face.

• GLE 2.4.1: Analyzes and evaluates how people across the world have addressed issues involved with the distribution of resources and sustainability in the past or present.
• GLE 3.2.2: Understands and analyzes examples of ethnocentrism.
• GLE 3.2.3: Understands the causes and effects of voluntary and involuntary migration in the world in the past or present.
• GLE 3.3.1: Understands how the geography of expansion and encounter has shaped global politics and economics in the past or present.

Component 4.1: Understands historical chronology.

• GLE 4.1.1: Analyzes change and continuity within a historical time period.
• GLE 4.1.2: Understands how the following themes and developments help to define eras in world history:
• Global expansion and encounter (1450—1750).
• GLE 4.2.3: Analyzes and evaluates how technology and ideas have shaped world history
  Component 4.4: Uses history to understand the present and plan for the future.
• GLE 4.4.1: Analyzes how an understanding of world history can help us prevent problems today [CBA].

Component 5.2: Uses inquiry-based research.

• GLE 5.2.1: Creates and uses research questions that are tied to an essential question to focus inquiry on an idea, issue, or event.
• GLE 5.2.2: Evaluates the validity, reliability, and credibility of sources when researching an issue or event.

Component 5.3: Deliberates public issues.

• GLE 5.3.1: Evaluates one’s own viewpoint and the viewpoints of others in the context of a discussion.

Component 5.4: Creates a product that uses social studies content to support a thesis and presents the product in an appropriate manner to a meaningful audience

• GLE 5.4.1: Evaluates multiple reasons or factors to develop a position paper or presentation.
• GLE 5.4.2: Creates strategies to avoid plagiarism and respects intellectual property when developing a paper or presentation.

Content Outline and Assessments

• Five themes of Geography
• Ancient Civilizations and the development of religions
• Five Major World Religions:  Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism,
• Practices
• Origins
• Structure of each religion
• Religious leaders
• Religious Conflict
• Historical Research and Writing through the state mandated classroom based assessment (CBA)

Grading and Final Exams

Final grades will be a compilation of the following criteria:

• Exams - 40%
• Unit tests, quizzes and other formative and summative assessments.
• Participation - 20%
• Daily Work, Citizenship, Simulations, Presentations, Discussions, Debates
• Participation – Grades are earned through attending and participating and by completing homework, projects, in class activities, tests and quizzes for points. The EWHS Social Studies department adheres to the philosophy that all courses will promote citizenship and active participation in a democratic society; therefore students are expected to be present and perform in class regularly. It is often difficult to re-create active learning experiences (debates, presentations, simulations, etc) missed in class. Therefore we have agreed that in-class participation will comprise 20% of each students grade.
• Other - 40%
• Homework, Projects, Essays, CBA

Materials
In addition to the textbook, students must have all the following items in class each day:

• A 2” or larger 3-ring binder. Assignments and handouts will be kept for the semester.
• 2 pencils
• 1 blue or black pen
• notebook paper
• colored pencils

Attendance
All school wide attendance policies apply. Being late to class is counted as an absence by both district and school wide policy. You MUST be in your seat when the bell rings or you will be counted late.

Late Work/Make-Up Policy
Late work is accepted at half the value of earned points. Late work is not accepted after deadlines established for school wide progress reports during the semester. Students must arrange to make-up tests within two days of returning from an excused absence. Test make-ups are not possible after graded tests have been returned to other students. The EWHS Social Studies department adheres to the philosophy that all courses will promote citizenship and active participation in a democratic society; therefore, students are expected to be present and perform in class regularly. It is often difficult to re-create active learning experiences (debates, presentations, simulations, etc) missed in class. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and see if it is possible to make up the credit.  Please come find me before or after school or consult my webpage.  If you have an unexcused absence the work cannot be made up.

Common School Expectations
Students are expected to follow all school rules which are stated in the EWHS student planner and online at our school website at http://school.edmonds.wednet.edu/ewhs.

Classroom Rules (those that are not school wide)
We are here to learn. Behavior and actions that distract from the learning of any student are not acceptable in this class. It is necessary to demonstrate respect for other students, teachers, the classroom space, and yourself. If we all demonstrate this respect for each other and our classroom, disruptions disappear.

Headphones, electronic music players, sunglasses, as well as food and drink in the classroom are all ways of showing disrespect for our learning environment and each other. These items will not be allowed in the classroom.
Pagers and Mobile Phones are prohihbited. Backpacks, bags and purses must be kept on the floor, under your desk.