World History (Freshman)
Archbishop Stepinac
Mr. Morki
Overview: In Freshman Year, students begin their study of World History, which concludes in Sophomore Year. Unlike United States History, World History is more in depth and complex, covering much more material, thus students are given two full years to prepare for the cumulative Regents Exam in World History. Students will be expected to study factual history and relate it to current societies around the globe.
Material: Primarily students will be studying material from the “World History Human Experience: The Early Ages” Textbook by Glencoe. In addition to basic textbooks and chapter tests, students are expected to use the Stepinac Library to further their study on given topics, which will include independent projects and essays in each quarter.
Grades: Students will be graded in each quarter based on a combination of tests and essays/projects at the teachers’ discretion. Typically students should expect no less then three (3) tests based on textbook materials and at least one (1) essay/project per quarter. Essays will be either thematic or document based, as seen on The Regents Exam. Tests will typically, but not always, be made of one chapter at a time, but may be expanded to cover topics that overlap chapters. Students are also expected to maintain homework and class participation grades to demonstrate ability to apply material covered.
Possible Essays/Projects: Projects and essays will be based around key topics from each quarter and are aimed at preparing students for essay writing on the Regents Exam. Examples include, but are not limited to the following ideas: Formation of Asian Civilization vs. Greek Civilizations during Quarter One, Independent Research on African Civilizations during Christmas Break Quarter Two, Independent Research Paper using the library based on the Crusades during Quarter Three and finally a take home Regents Style Exam based around a combination of multiple choice and essay questions.
Quarter Breakdown of Material
Quarter One 9/5-10/31:
Textbook: Chapter One – Chapter 5
Tests: Test 1- chapters 1 and 2
Test 2- chapter 3
Test 3- chapters 4 and 5
Project: Independent Essay based on a comparison of the emergence of Asian Civilization and Greek Civilization.
Quarter Two 11/3-1/20:
Textbook: Chapter Six – Chapter Nine
Tests: Test 1- chapter 6
Test 2- chapter 7
Test 3- chapter 8
Test 4- chapter 9
Project: Over the Christmas Break, December 22nd – January 2nd, students will be expected to write an independent essay based on the emergence of civilizations in Africa.
Midterm: Upon return from Christmas Break, students will begin a review for a cumulative midterm exam, covering chapters one (1) to nine (9), and will be given in a Regents format during the week of January 25th. Test will include multiple-choice questions as well as document based essays.
Quarter Three 2/2-3/27:
Textbook: Chapter Ten – Chapter Thirteen
Tests: Test 1- chapter 10
Test 2- chapter 11
Test 3- chapter 12 and 13
Project: Late in the quarter, students will cover a key section based on the Crusades. Early on in the quarter, students will be assigned an independent research project, to preface the material on the Crusades, in which they will be expected to use the Stepinac Library and other outside resources. Students will begin the research project with teachers’ guidance, but will conclude the assignments independently during Mid-Winter Break.
Quarter Four 3/30-6/9:
Textbook: Chapter Fourteen – Chapter Seventeen
Tests: Test 1- chapter 14
Test 2- chapter 15
Test 3- chapter 16
Test 4- chapter 17
Project: Students will be given a take home, Regents style test roughly made of fifty (50) multiple-choice questions and several document-based essay questions.
Final: Students will be given a cumulative final exam based on all chapters covered in the textbook, in a Regents format, with special focus given to specific areas of material from each quarter.