Week 1 Syllabus

Mr. Ditzenberger, U.S. History, American Beginnings
Time: 3:45
Unit : Prehistory-1800
Week: 1 Dates: 13/8-17/8
Expected Student Outcomes and Objectives:
1. Students will understand the key characteristics of the early American civilizations.
2. Students will practice taking notes and reading purposefully in a manner that will prepare them for the upcoming year.
3. Students will understand by a lecture and by a group activity the key aspects of trade in the civilizations of the Middle East, Mongols, and Africa.
4. Students will understand and summarize the rise the nation-state in Europe and how this resulted in increased exploration.
Standards:
describing the interactions and contributions of the various peoples and cultures that have lived in or migrated, immigrated, or were brought to the area that is now the United States, including African, Asian, European, Latino, and Native American;
Materials: American Nation book.
M 13/8
1. Opener: What is an American? (5 min)
2. Note cards for students/Assignment of Books (5 min)
3. Discussion of Opener (5 min)
4. Attendance/Seating Chart (2 min)
5. Introduction of Me (5 min)
6. Classroom Policies (10 min)
7. Pre-reading: Explain how Native Americans reached the Americas, one feature of the primary five N.A. civilizations (5 min)
8. Homework-read chapter one, section one.
T 14/8
1. Opener: Should scientists be able to exhume the decayed matter of American Indians’ bodies for scientific research? (5 min)
2. Results of Reading-Complete chart from page 12 in graphic organizer way, providing several examples. (15 min)
3. Lecture using Cornell note structure, section 1-(20 min)
W 15/8
1. Opener-Many early civilizations built vast monuments. What is the purpose of the vast monuments, and, do our civilizations have vast monuments too? If so, what are they and why are they built?
2. Lecture, section 2, chapter 1 (20 min)
3. Group Activity-you are head of “Middle Ages Investment Firm.” You are going to invest 1,000 pounds of gold in the civilizations of the Islamic world, the Mongol and Chinese worlds, and the civilizations of Africa. How would you divide your investment and why? Discuss in your groups and give a 2 minute presentation on your results. (20 minutes).
4. Homework. Complete number five for homework (due Friday). Write a three paragraph speech.
Th 16/8
1. Opener: with a partner, discuss what you know about the Middle Ages and the crusades. Each person should write down, in note form (a numbered list is fine), your information.
2. Section three reading together (GRP). (25 minutes)
3. Homework-answer 1 and 4 on page 23.
F 17/8
1. Opportunity Quiz. Five question quiz and review of the week 1.
2. Lecture, section 4, chapter 2 (30 min)
3. In your notes, summarize in some graphical way, the first four sections. What is not done in class will be due for home work.