Note+on+World+History

To Parents & Students:

This year's World History class will be much different than most history courses you have or will experience, focusing on 3 main ideas. These ideas are that the course will be:


 * 1. Thematic**


 * The thematic World History class will take some adjustments. Instead of chronological order, as in most history classes, we will be studying over-riding concepts (themes) and how they apply to history and the present. However, we will also be taking the first part of the course (about 4 weeks) to discuss the differences in a thematic approach versus a chronological approach, why it will be helpful, putting together a basic timeline of history, and exploring how the different themes fit into the timelines.

The themes we will be studying include: Time, Population & Migration, Economic Networks & Exchange, Uses & Abuses of Power, Haves and Have-Nots, Expressing Identity, Science, Technology, & Envronment, and Spiritual Life & Moral Codes

Each of the themes will be studied over a 4.5 week period and will include instruction and extension activities, case studies, and project-based assessments.


 * 2. Project-Based**


 * After attending a Buck Institute on Project-Based Learning in June, I decided that the best way to assess student learning would be through authentic, hands-on learning. Creating is the highest level of learning (Bloom's Taxonomy). Students will use research, technology, and their individual stengths and interests to create projects that demonstrate learning and ability.


 * 3. Standards-Based**


 * Standards-based assessment and reporting (SBAR) have been shown to provide a more accurate picture of a student's learning at a given point in time. I will be using a 4.0 scale to determine student grades.

You will notice that 3.0-4.0 are all "A". The 3.0 rating is where your student SHOULD be. Each student will be given the opportunity to achieve at the 3.0 level, however a 3.0 out of 4.0 is perfectly acceptable (still an A) and is one of the biggest changes for students and parents to deal with.
 * Explanation of Markings**
 * 4 |||||||||||||||||||| Exceeds Expectations - Student demonstrates above grade level understanding for the targeted skill or concept. ||
 * 3 |||||||||||||||||||| Secure - Student can apply the skill or concept correctly and independently. ||
 * 2 |||||||||||||||||||| Developing - Student shows some understanding. Reminders, hints, and suggestions are needed to promote understanding. ||
 * 1 |||||||||||||||||||| Beginning - Student shows little understanding of the concept. Additional teacher support is needed. ||
 * ID |||||||||||||||||||| Insufficient Data ||
 * Conversion of 4.0 grading scale to "traditional" grades:**
 * //Grading Scale // || **4.0 Scale Score ** ||  ||
 * 3.75-4.00 || A+ ||
 * 3.26-3.74 || A ||
 * 3.00-3.25 || A- ||
 * 2.84-2.99 || B+ ||
 * 2.67-2.83 || B ||
 * 2.50-2.66 || B- ||
 * 2.34-2.49 || C+ ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">2.17-2.33 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">C ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">2.00-2.16 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">C- ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">1.76-1.99 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">D+ ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">1.26-1.75 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">D ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">1.00-1.25 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">D- ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Below 1.00 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">F ||

The following are the **first semester standards** that we will be addressing:

Understand the use of geographic tools to locate and analyze information about people, places, and environments
 * Understand the cause and effect relationships and other historical thinking skills in order to interpret events and issues ||
 * Understand how physical and human characteristics create and define regions ||
 * Understand the effects of geographic factors on historical events ||
 * Understand how cultural factors influence the design of human communities ||
 * Understand the effect of economic needs and wants on individual and group decisions ||
 * Understand how human factors and distribution of resources affect the development of society and the movement of populations ||
 * Understand how and why people create, maintain, or chane systems of power, authority, and governance ||

Here is the **rubric** I will be using for the above standards:
 * World History Semester 1 Progress Report Rubric ||
 * Standard || Exceeds || Secure || Developing || Beginning ||
 * Understand the use of geogrpahic tools to locate and analyze information aboue people, places, and environments || *Selects a geographic tool to compare and contrast information about people, places, and/or environments. || Analyzes a variety of maps to draw conclusions about people, places, and environments. || Selects a specific geographic tool for a given purpose and can explain the reason for the selection. || Identifies the characteristics of a variety of geographic tools including physical, political, relief, and general purpose maps, longitude and latitude. ||
 * Understand cause and effect relationships and other historical thinking skills in order to interpret events and issues || *Interprets cause/effect relationships for historical events and time periods and their impact on current events || Correlates cause/effect relationships while interpreting historical events/issues || Understands the general concept of cause/effect relationships || Understands cause or effect in regards to a relationship ||
 * Understand how physical and human characteristics create and define regions || *Demonstrates how regions have developed over time amongst a similar culture over time || Demonstrates how regions develop and how people's interactions have been influenced by history || Demonstrates how regions have developed over time || Demonstrates the importance of how a region develops ||
 * Understand the effects of geographic facts on historical events || *Researches current physical and cultural patterns and assesses how humans continue to change the land to improve the quality of life (levees, reservoirs, artificial lakes, etc.). || Analyzes physical and cultural patterns of how humans changed the land to improve their quality of life. || Explains specific examples of how humans changed the land to improve their quality of life. || Identifies how geographic features impact people's lives. ||
 * Understands how cultural factors influence the design of human communities || *Evaluates how cultural diffusion has affected modern day societies. || Describes examples of culture and cultural diffusion that have affected ancient societies. || Understands that culture affects societies and provides an example of cultural diffusion. || Understands that culture affects societies. ||
 * Understand the effect of economic needs and wants on individual and group decisions || *Illustrate how choices made by individuals and societies have unintended consequences that can offset the initial effects of the decision || Explain the connections between cultural achievements of early civilizations and the development of policial and economic institutions || Understand how economic issues have influenced societies in the past || Provides an example of an economic need or want that infuenced an individual or group decision ||
 * Understand how human factors and the distribution of resources affect the development of society and the movement of populations || *Explain the impact of early policy decisions regaruding the use of resources in different regions of the world on mondern society || Analyze the impact (positive and negative) of human migration on physical and human systems || Identify push and pull factors that impact migration patterns || Indentify population issues ||
 * Understand how and why people create, maintain, or change systems of power, authority, and governance || *Evaluates power structures throughout historical time periods and trends || Articulates how people specifically and generally create and change power through a political/cultural system || Explains how power changes throughout a society || Understands the importance of power and the implications it presents ||
 * || The asterisk (*) denotes one possible way a student could demonstrate enrichment or extension that would be designated as Exceeds Standard. ||  ||   ||   ||