World History
Sarasota Military Academy Captain Geimer
941.926-1700 Room 43
World History Syllabus
The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with the general history of the modern world. The course will focus on social, religious, political, economic, and military histories, and the effect that past events have had on the development of the world as we know it today. The development of the arts will be touched upon, as will the relationships actors on the world stage, including be not limited to emerging scientific communities, state interests, religious institutions, and world interest groups.
In brief, this course will expose the student to a review of ancient civilizations followed by a study of the Middle Ages. The Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Reformation will be studied, as will the Age of Revolution, the Age of Imperialism, and the Industrial Revolution. Finally, students will study the modern era, including but not limited to World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.
Materials
Student book bags or backpacks must be kept at the back of the room. All student belongings must be kept out of the walkways between student desks. Please use the baskets under the desks to hold anything that may clutter the classroom. The student must bring the following to class every day of the course:
· A 1” binder, with labeled dividers, for organization of course syllabus, lecture notes, completed work, in-class handouts, and research relevant to future assignments. Dividers should be labeled: Class Information, Classwork and Homework, Notes, and additional dividers to be determined at a later date.
· #2 Pencils and Pens with either blue or black ink (no work completed with any ink color outside of blue or black will be accepted).
· Notebook paper
· A Flash Drive (for projects)
Grading Policy
All student grades will be given on a weighted percent scale, in points of points possible format. Students’ final grades will be determined based on the following weight system:
· Performance (including Exams, Projects, etc.): 50%
· Classwork and Homework: 30%
· Employability Skills Evaluations: 20%
Assignments
All assignments are given with a firm due date. Failure to submit an assignment on its due date will be grounds for complete failure of that assignment (0%). Students are encouraged to keep a calendar of due dates and are encouraged to check due dates with the instructor in the event that they forget, or are unsure in any way. All assignments should be submitted in printed, word-processed format. The student should prepare these assignments in MSWord or equivalent format, adhering to a standard 1” margin, double-spaced fashion, using either Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial fonts of either size 11 or 12pt.
Attendance
If absent, it is the student’s responsibility to determine missed work and, if necessary, complete any missed assignments in a timely fashion. Any assignment due on a day in which a student was absent is expected upon their return to school. Work assigned during a student’s absence will be expected no later than one day after a student’s return to school. Daily attendance is necessary to succeed in the course. All absences should be avoided, if possible. Additionally, all absences should be phoned into the school’s attendance office by a parent or guardian. Failure to follow attendance policies set out in the SMA student handbook will result in deduction of Employability Skills points, which can severely damage any final grade received.
Make-Up Assignments
Students whose absences have been excused by the attendance office will be able to make up tests, quizzes, and classwork requiring instructor supervision by appointment only. The instructor will attempt to schedule at least one make-up day for each full school week during the standard lunch period, and will attempt to vary the day of the week to best facilitate student ability to keep appointments. Failure to keep an appointment or complete make-up work in allowed time will result in a grade of zero (0%), or complete failure of the assignment. No make-up work will be given or accepted for absences which were not authorized or excused by the attendance office. Students will receive a zero for any assignments missed for these types of absences.
Attitude
In the study of history of any kind, strong opinions often cloud objective study. It is important to recognize that, while you are entitled to any and all opinions you choose, you are not entitled to impose your opinion upon another individual. In this class, it is your responsibility to maintain a high degree of respect for your instructor and your classmates. When engaging in class discussions, presentations, or questions during lecture, no disrespect whatsoever of another’s statements will be tolerated, and failure to adhere to this policy will be reflected in a student’s Employability grade and grade for the assignment in question. Students are expected to come to class with a positive attitude and open mind, ready to learn. Students are expected to be awake and alert during class, and must attempt to participate in class discussions and inquiry-based lessons.
Cell Phones
Increased availability of cellular technology and abuse of cellular phone use has created a need for instructors to set strict guidelines for the use of mobile devices in the classroom. While in this classroom, pursuant to SMA policy, I will have no tolerance for the use of cell phones or mobile electronics of any kind. Cellular phones must be set to OFF: no vibration or noise of any kind will be tolerated during class. Cell phones must remain in a backpack or purse during the entire class period. Failure to adhere to these rules will result in strict consequences, according to the SMA policy on electronic devices.
TEST or QUIZ: Use of cellular phones in any capacity during the administration of a graded assignment of any kind will result in immediate and complete failure (0%) of that assignment. Due to the widespread use of text-messaging to cheat on exams, if I see your cellular phone or mobile device during an exam or quiz, you fail. Period.
Academic Honor Code
On a related note, no academic dishonesty of any kind will be tolerated. Any dishonest conduct during my class will result in immediate complete failure of the assignment in question and administrative action against the student or students involved. When preparing an assignment, please consider the following definitions of the most common forms of academic dishonesty:
Plagiarism is any attempt to pass another’s work off as your own, including but not limited to direct quotation or paraphrasing without citation of another author’s work. Lack of intent to explicitly plagiarize does not exempt one from punishment for plagiarism. How to avoid it: simply cite all sources.
Cheating is the willful sharing or receiving of another’s answers during examination, unauthorized receipt of exam questions prior to an exam, or any attempt to fulfill course requirements in any dishonest fashion.
Collusion is the willful aiding of another in any dishonest undertaking related to the completion of scholastic material. This includes, but is not limited to, sharing a paper with a classmate, giving an inappropriate amount of assistance on an assignment, communicating answers to a classmate during an assessment, or allowing a classmate to copy homework. Moreover, students are expected to keep track of their own work – possession of student work by another student is grounds for guilt on the part of both individuals.
Students With Disabilities
Students with disabilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act should provide the appropriate documentation to their administrator or guidance counselor in order to receive special accommodation for any portion of this class. Please inform the instructor of any need for modification or accommodation as soon as possible.
Addendums
Both students and instructor will fully comply with all SMA policies. Additionally, the instructor reserves the right to make reasonable changes to the syllabus when necessary. Students will be notified of any changes in classroom or course policies.
Links
China and Japan Review Chapters 3 and 8
PowerPoints