U.S.

History/ Geography
Mrs. Punches
Room302
E-mail: laura.punches@eastjacksonschools.org

Welcome! United States History & Geography is a one-credit class that is required for
graduation. It is a yearlong course covering a wide range of topics and themes throughout
history. In this class we will be covering a broad spectrum of history beginning with Westward
Expansion and ending with the present day. We will study the political, economic, cultural, and
social changes throughout these time periods. The text will provide foundation reading. In
addition each unit will include selected articles, documents, letters, maps, interpretive data, art,
music, and other primary and secondary sources. This course will primarily move
chronologically through history. There will be a concentration on writing, citizenship, and study
skills in this course intended to make the students stronger critical thinkers and more successful
in the next three years of high school.
COURSE CONTENT:

Westward Expansion
Urbanization & Industrialization
Progressivism
Imperialism
World War I
America in the 1920s
The Great Depression
The New Deal
World War II
Postwar America & the Cold War
Civil Rights Era
Vietnam War
The Age of Nixon
Reagan & Beyond

ASSINGMENTS:
Daily assignments will be posted on the board. Assignments will consist of:

Readings from the text, handouts, and classroom materials

Reading quizzes
Selected worksheets and skill activities

Written assignments and projects (essays, document analysis, research projects,

questions from the text, etc.)
Other (presentations, debates, simulations, etc.)

QUIZZES/TESTS:

Quizzes will be administered regularly to monitor comprehension of class

discussion and reading assignments.
Major tests will follow each unit. These tests will consist of multiple choice, open
ended, short answer, and matching questions as well as essays.

GRADES:
Grades will be weighted as follows:

Homework/Class work:
Quizzes:
Tests/Projects:

40%
20%
40 %

MATERIALS: You should bring the following everyday:

Class folder
Notebook
Pencil / Pen
Text Book

You are encouraged to purchase the following items:

Colored pencils
Glue stick
Highlighter

ABSENCES:

You are responsible for making up what you missed. Check the classroom
binder, and ask a classmate or myself for materials that you may have missed.

BATHROOM PASSES:
You will be allowed 6 passes for the semester. Directions for how the pass system
works will be given in class.