AP United States History

Instructor: Ms. Thomas

Email: colleen1.thomas@cms.k12.nc.us
Phone: (980) 343-3840
Remind Code: @d89gcgafh
AP Classroom Code:
Office Hours: Monday 2:30-3:30 or by appointment

Course Overview
AP U.S. History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university U.S. history
course. In AP U.S. History, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine
historical periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and
methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments;
making historical comparisons; and utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and
change over time.

This course is based on College Board’s AP US History course description. Below is a list of periods we will cover:

Period Description

1 Transformations of North America, 1491-1607

2 British North America and the Atlantic World, 1607-1754

3 Revolution and Republican Culture, 1754-1800

4 Overlapping Revolutions, 1800-1848

5 Creating and Preserving a Nation, 1844-1877

6 Industrializing America: Upheavals and Experiments, 1865-1898

7 Domestic and Global Challenges, 1890-1945

8 The Modern State and the Age of Liberalism, 1945-1980

9 Global Capitalism and the End of the American Century, 1980-Present

AP US History is a college level course and will be treated as such. It is expected that students spend at minimum
one hour every day on this course, not just the days this course meets. This course demands organization and
time management skills. Students will be pushed outside of their comfort zones in order to achieve academic
success at the collegiate level. Parents and students should fully understand the commitment of an AP level course
as well as the benefits. If your child demonstrates mastery of the material by scoring a 3,4, or 5 on the AP exam,
they can earn college credit.

The AP Exam will take place at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 5, 2023.

Required Materials:
1. Notebook and folder/binder
2. Chromebook and charger
3. Pens AND pencils
4. Highlighter

Expectations:
Students will come to class prepared to learn each day since our NMHS teachers work very hard to design and
prepare quality, standards-aligned instruction. Students will follow all school rules and CMS rules according to the
Students Rights and Responsibilities handbook.

Grading Policy:
Ms. Thomas’ grading philosophy: “Prepare” and “Rehearse” assignments will be graded for completion unless
otherwise stated. The goal here isn’t to penalize for learning and mastering the content and skills, and the
feedback/comments on assignments should be used to improve. However, there will be assignments that are
graded for accuracy to reflect your mastery of the content and skills.

This is also why it’s important to keep up with class assignments — the late work penalty will hopefully encourage
you to keep up with work in a timely manner, since the work won’t help you out much in the next unit! With
“Perform” assignments (or other assignments otherwise stated), grading will be for accuracy and mastery, so over
time, improvement should be evident based on in-class practice and feedback. If you are here for the grade, you
will need to work to improve and show mastery!

Grades will be calculated using the following:

“Prepare” (20%): Homework, warm-ups, exit tickets, checks for understanding
“Rehearse” (30%): Quizzes, mini-assignments, mini-projects, classwork, homework
“Perform” (50%): Unit tests, performance tasks, writing assignments, projects with rubrics

Grades will follow the North Carolina Grading Scale:

A- 90-100
B- 80-89
C- 70-79
D- 60-69
F- 59 and below

Final Grades will be calculated using the North Carolina format as follows:
Quarter Grade 50% “Perform”
30% “Rehearse”
20% “Prepare”

1st Semester 40% 1st Quarter

40% 2nd Quarter
20% Midterm

2nd Semester 50% 3rd Quarter

50% 4th Quarter

Final Grade 50% 1st Semester

50% 2nd Semester
There will be no final exam for the class if you sit for the AP Exam in May. However, if you
do
not take the AP Exam, you will be given a teacher-made final exam.

Late Work:
Students will be responsible for turning in assignments on time. Work that is received after the due date will be
considered late. If a student submits an assignment late, five (5) points per day will be deducted. Late assignments
will be accepted for a grade until one week (5 school days) after the unit test date. Assignments submitted more
than five (5) days after the unit test date will receive a 50% and feedback will be provided.

For any assignment that receives lower than a 50% but is legitimately attempted, the grade assigned will be a 50%
and a comment in PowerSchool will note the actual grade earned. A zero (0) can be earned for missing assignments
and assignments not legitimately attempted. A comment in PowerSchool will note the condition for earning a zero
(0).
Retest Policy:
Students who score less than an 80% on a “Perform” assignment will have the opportunity to retest if the first
attempt was a legitimate attempt. Students must complete tutoring prior to the retest AND must have completed
all work for that unit. Retests must be taken within three weeks (15 school days) of the original test date. If a
student retakes a test, then the second grade is entered into PowerSchool even if it is lower than the original score,
and a comment with the original score will be noted. The maximum grade that can be earned for a retest is an 80%.

Absences and make-up work:

It is the responsibility of the student to contact the teacher before or after class to discuss any assignments or
schedule make-up work. Make-up work can be found in the black bin on the table by the door. Make-up work is to
be completed outside of class time. Students have five (5) school days to return all make up work for full credit.

Any work turned in after 5 days is late. If a student is absent the day of test review, they should expect to take the
test as scheduled. Any previously announced assignments/tests prior to absences will not be moved or
rescheduled. Arrangements to make up missed quizzes or tests need to be made within five (5) days of the
absence.

Attendance Recovery:
In accordance with CMS policy, students that miss more than 10 days of class are required to do recovery time for
those days or they will fail based on absences. Students are expected to make up any missed work due to absences.
The process for recovering time will be organized through Attendance Recovery or through the teacher.

Academic Honesty:
Students are expected to adhere to the North Meck School Honor Code: “Each student is honor-bound to refrain
from cheating, lying or misrepresenting the truth and stealing.”

Tardy to Class:
Students are expected to attend all class sessions on time each day. The following tardy policy will take effect the
third week of school (Sept. 13): If a student is not in the classroom when the bell rings, they will be required to
scan the QR code on the teacher’s door and fill out the tardy form. Students will receive an email with the tardy
pass and must present it to the teacher to be admitted to class. Administration will follow up with consequences
based on our school policy.

NMHS 15 Minute Rule:

No students shall be allowed to leave class during the first or last 15 minutes of class.

Bathroom Policy:
Please try to use the restroom prior to class. However, if you need to use it, only one student will be permitted to
leave at a time. You must take the bathroom pass and be signed out by Ms. Thomas. If you do not return within 10
minutes, security will be called.

Technology Policy:
Electronic devices should not be seen or heard except during approved times. These include: before and after
school, and during lunch. Students may use devices in common areas. Once students enter a classroom, devices
must be put away unless given direct permission from the teacher to use to support instruction. Students must
turn over devices if the teacher collects them at the beginning of the class period. All devices must remain in silent
mode. No phone calls are allowed during school hours on personal devices. All items being used outside of these
acceptable use times will be confiscated with parent pick up only. While using Chromebooks, it is expected that
students remain on task and use the device for educational purposes only. Failure to do so will result in loss of
Chromebook privileges.