Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Classical Religions

Students are expected to select one religious idea, concept, or theme from chapters one thru three and post comments on it. You can choose from India, China, or anyone of the River Valley Civilizations from chapter one. Let's get some discussion going as each student is required to post two seperate comments on classical religions and how do they relate or connect with current day religions or trends.

Chapter 3 Vocabulary list

Here's our list for Chapter 3, Classical Civilization: India:
Alexander the Great
monsoons
Mahabharata
Ramayana
Upanishads
untouchables
Indra
Mauryn Dynasty
dharma
Ashoka
Kushans
Guptas
reincarnation
gurus
Shiva
Vishnu
nirvana
Kamasutra
stupas

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Chapter Two Vocabulary list:

For chapter two (Classical Civilization: China) you are to put together flashcards the same way you did chapter one. Here's the required words, terms, and people you need to define, analyze, and explain their significance:
Yin and Yang
Dao
Dynasty
Qin
Confucius
Zhou Dynasty
Han
Analects
Silk Roads

Questions for Chapter one

If any students or parents have any questions about the vocabulary or content of chapter one please feel free to comment on this post or to email me.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Chapter One-Foundations

Students in July should be reading and finished with the vocabulary for Chapters 1-3 by the end of the month. Here's a list of the first chapters vocabulary: (For each word you need to put them on flashcards with the term on front along with the source and theme at the top, on back you need three lines: 1) definition 2) analysis 3) significance of each term)
Chapter 1:
Prehistory
Paleolithic Age
Neolithic Age
hunting and gathering
Neolithic revolution
Bronze Age
slash and burn agriculture
civilization
nomads
cuneiform
Mesopotamia
Sumerians
Hammurabi
city-states
ziggurats
Kush
pharaoh
Indus River Valley Civilization
Huanghe (Yellow River)
Shang
Phoenicians
monotheism
Mandate of Heaven

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Welcome to AP World History

I would like to welcome parents and students to my blog on AP World History class. I have provided a link to the textbook's website we use in class that has several valuable tools to supplement the text. I will be providing more information in future posts to help prepare for the up-coming school year along with summer homework.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Introduction to WHAP

I'd like to introduce myself and students to the World History AP course. I have been teaching World History AP for four school years now at Basic High School. This course is built towards preparing students to take and pass the College Board test in May. It is a college preparatory class as it is very fast paced and requires a lot of independent learning. The textbook we use is a college level text that covers the material on the College Board test and is written with deep analysis and synthesis of the Worlds' History. Writing is a large component and skill that is required in this class as they will throughout the year work on three different styles of essays. Students will write compare and contrast essays, document based question essays, and a change over time essay throughout the year. These three essays compose a large portion of the assessment on the end of the year test.
Students are expected to sign up and take the test as this is the main purpose and goal of the course. If students do well and pass with a three or higher (on a scale of one to five) they may receive college credit for introductory World History prior to enrolling in college. Though I must say, each college varies on what scores and test it accepts as credit.
Students in this course will develop valuable study skills, writing skills, and much deeper analytical thinking that will be a step in the right direction in preparing them for college. I look forward to working with all of you and feel free to post any questions you may have on the upcoming course of World History AP.