Textbook: Worlds Together, Worlds Apart , Tignor, et.al.
Office in Bliss 38A – Stop by anytime. My schedule is posted on the door and in Bliss 37. I also often work in Room 37 when there is no class in the room.
Home Phone : 206-282-3182. Try to see me during the day. Call before 9:30pm .
Email: catherine.miller@lakesideschool.org
This is a survey course of world history that begins in about the year 1200 c.e. and continues to 1900 c.e. We will compare and contrast cultures while we apply several analytical themes including:
You will probably want to develop and keep in mind a number of “big questions” as we read and discuss material. These might include, for example:
• What is the true nature of humans?
• Is there good and evil in history?
• What is the nature of power?
• Can technology and a healthy environment co-exist?
• Why do we care about this anyway?
Our textbook will “slice” across the world in different centuries, looking at the Islamic world, Asia (including India , China , Japan ), Europe , the Americas
The world in 1300: Islam, Africa , Americas , Europe , China , the Mongol empire
The Middle Ages
Renaissance and Reformation
African kingdoms
Ottoman and Mughal Empires
European Global Contact
Asian politics and cultures
The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
The French Revolution
The Industrial Revolution
19 th C. ideologies
Growth of nation states in Europe
Absolutism and Constitutionalism
My Availability for conferences
My schedule is posted on my office and classroom doors. To set up a time for a meeting or schedule a study session, see me at school, contact me by email or call me at home before 9:30 pm . I am very happy to meet with you about assignments and tests but also about other issues you may bring up.
Grading
Your grade for this class will be based on a variety of activities inside and outside of class.
• Engagement evaluation (usually ungraded work):
• may include oral and written work
• your history notebook including your notes on readings, terms, definitions, vocabulary, written reflections
• your leadership responsibilities as unit discussion leader
• your demeanor in class during discussion (see guidelines below)
• Notes checks
• Graded work:
• Tests, quizzes and a final exam
• Written papers: reaction papers, position papers, document-based essays
• Group and individual projects
• Notes checks
Tests
• multiple choice
• map identification
• short answer
• essays
We will usually have a test at the end of a unit or a chapter. On essays, I will often give you an outline structure, asking you to synthesize and analyze the “chunks” of material we have read and discussed. Tests must be your individual work while projects and some papers will be group or individual work. I will often give you a study guide for tests and for other major assessments. Quizzes will usually be unannounced.
Discussion in class is a large part of classroom work. While I will not give you a formal grade for your engagement in our class discussions, your engagement will be part of my evaluation for your quarter and semester grades.
Unit Leaders will become the experts in a particular unit such as the Islamic World, African kingdoms, or Europe . As a Unit Leader, you will have major responsibility in class for:
• knowing, understanding and presenting the material
• choosing terms and definitions for the unit (that will be included on tests/quizzes)
• preparing the reading material exceptionally well so that you are able to lead the class to key ideas, concepts, issues, and themes in class discussion
• jump-starting the discussions in class
You will sign up in advance for your unit.
Reading Notes are required . Do them on each reading assignment. We will do some sample note-taking in the early days of the year. Ms. Schiller will be able to give you suggestions on taking and keeping notes. Take notes regularly and on each assignment. I will check your notes from time to time—unannounced. These help you retain and understand what you read. Just do it!
Study Guides are a list of topics and terms that I prepare for you to help you focus your studying for tests. These are for your use. I do not collect or grade them.
Papers may be major or minor, with point totals equal to more or less than a test. You will be graded on organization, content and analysis as well as sentence and paragraph construction. Often papers will be part of a project assignment.
Late assignments:
• Papers, projects and presentations are due before or at the start of class on the due date. If, for a substantial reason, you are unable to get an assignment in on time, you must come to see me BEFORE the due date to work out an extension. If you do not do so, your assignment is LATE. Late assignments will be graded 50% off. Don't be late!
Tardies and absences:
• I keep a record. Be in class, ready to start on time. Don't be late!
Classroom rules: We will develop some simple rules that will work for us during discussion on Day 1 or 2.
Classroom engagement is part of your grade:
• Class participation is an important part of your learning as a student of history. Your ability to listen carefully and respond respectfully to the ideas of your colleagues will help each one of us to grow and learn. Part of our work as students and scholars of history is to examine ideas, concepts and interpretations. When we do this in a respectful atmosphere we learn more, have fun and may apply these ideas and interpretations to our current lives and values.
• I will base your engagement evaluation on
• the quality (not necessarily quantity!) of your class participation
• participation in class discussion
• participation in group projects
• listening to presentations of others, to videos, to speakers
• working on an assignment when class time is allowed
Guidelines:
• Highest level participation means that you are in class on time, prepared to do the work of the day. You have read the assigned material. You are flexible, listen well, engage the group skillfully and show respect for all. You synthesize the material and contribute thoughtful analysis. You move the discussion forward, rather than dominate it. You take on your fair share of work for a group project.
• Middle level participation means that you are in class on time, prepared to do the work of the day. You make thoughtful contributions in discussions, but while these are related to the readings, you do not push yourself and/or others to high gear and may unnecessarily re-hash ideas examined earlier. You allow others to do the major work in a project or group assignment.
• Low level participation means that you are in class on time, prepared to do the work of the day. You may listen poorly, fall off the subject, show that you did not read the material carefully, or say nothing. You waste time in class and are off task on projects or group work.
• Unacceptable level participation means that you are rather rude or boorish in discussion, cut off other students, do not listen to what others have to say, have side-bar conferences with your neighbor, or simply repeat what others have said. You, show that you did not read or understand the material or are unprepared for a group assignment. You cause your group to be late for an assignment. You bury your face in your laptop or use your laptop for games or downloading in class.
My note: Technology provides us with wonderful tools. Our laptops will be one of those tools. However, we still have brains that need exercise in order to grow. We can use many tools to assist in brain growth. Laptops will not replace face-to-face discussion. Sharing ideas and respecting other students' contributions in discussion or in presentations is essential to brain growth and to good classroom demeanor. Laptops will not replace reading books for this class. Our textbook is a tool for learning history. Our textbook synthesizes and helps us to organize the volumes of material on world history. The textbook does not replace our brains.