Advanced Placement United States History Course Orientation and Syllabus and Grading Overview

Course Overview and Materials

  • All course materials and documents are posted in chronological order under the "Classwork" section on Google Classroom.
  • Key documents are located under the "Course Overview" heading. These include guides on how to handle various assessment formats, though immediate review of certain items is not required at the start of the year:
    • Multiple-choice question strategies.
    • Short answer question techniques.
    • Long Essay Question (LEQ) guidance.
    • Essay prompts (specifically items one through five).
  • The syllabus is identified as the most important document for student reference.

Curriculum and Chronological Focus

  • The primary focus of the course is United States history, studied in a chronological manner (the order in which events occurred).
  • While the core focus is the U.S., the curriculum includes a significant amount of non-U.S. history that intersects with American development.
  • The course is considered heavy in both academic reading and writing.
  • Chronological milestones include:
    • First Semester: Spans from before 1491 to 1877. This period involves significant content that may be unfamiliar to many students, requiring a focus on specific names, dates, and unfamiliar events.
    • Second Semester: Primarily focused on the twentieth century, covering more familiar topics such as World War I (devoted one full day) and World War II.

The AP US History External Examination

  • The course culminates in an external exam written by the College Board, the same organization responsible for the PSAT and SAT.
  • The AP Exam for this course is scheduled for 05/07/2027 at 9:00 AM.
  • Staggered start times have been implemented by the College Board; students in this region are grouped in the same time zone category as Australia and other Asian time zones to allow for fewer versions of the exam to be written.
  • The exam is 3.5 hours long, making it the longest single-day exam administered at ISM.
  • Exam Structure:
    • 55 multiple-choice questions.
    • Three sets of three short-answer questions.
    • Two full essays.
  • Difficulty and Perception:
    • AP US History and AP World History are typically more highly regarded by universities for admissions and credit purposes compared to AP Geography.
    • While average scores are often lower than in AP Geography, this is balanced by the higher amount of college credit typically awarded for a passing score in AP US History.
    • Statistically, AP US History is one of the more challenging social studies courses, with an average score often just above IB History.
    • The previous year's class average for this specific course was approximately 4.2.

Pedagogy and Student Expectations

  • The course follows a traditional university-style format centered on lectures and significant note-taking.
  • There is a high expectation for textbook reading and literacy-intensive work.
  • Academic growth in reading and writing is a primary goal of the year.
  • The course does not utilize creative or collaborative group projects, such as making posters or simulated declarations. Any student seeking a more project-based environment is encouraged to consider Modern World History.
  • Students will write approximately 10 essays over the course of the year to build necessary academic stamina and skill.

Grading Structures and Assessment Schedule

  • Grading is based primarily on unit tests. Typically, one test is administered per unit.
  • Semester 1 Grading:
    • Four tests in total are administered: Units 1 and 2 (grouped together), Unit 3, Unit 4, and Unit 5.
    • Each test is worth 25% of the semester grade.
    • The early tests focus on multiple-choice and short-answer formats. Starting in October (Unit 4), essays are introduced into the testing format.
  • Semester 2 Grading:
    • Includes unit tests for Units 6 and 7.
    • Units 8 and 9 do not have a dedicated unit test. Instead, students take a full-length Mock Exam in mid-April, approximately three weeks prior to the actual AP exam.
    • The Mock Exam is worth 25% of the semester grade, the same as a single unit test.
    • Yearly Participation (often referred to as "good grades") accounts for the final 25% of the second semester grade. This category is used to stabilize grades or "bump up" students who are on the border between two marks (e.g., a student with two 5s and a 6 on exams may be elevated to a 6 for the semester).

Grade Point Conversions and Boundaries

  • AP exams utilize a 1–5 scale, while the school uses the 1–7 IB-style scale.
  • Conversion for Grade Point Average (GPA):
    • An AP score of 5 equates to an ISM grade of 7.
    • An AP score of 4 equates to an ISM grade of 6.
  • Internal Assessment Boundaries for ISM 7 and 6 grades:
    • ISM 7: Requires an 80% raw score on assessments.
    • ISM 6: Requires a 67% raw score on assessments.
  • Comparison to College Board AP Boundaries:
    • An AP score of 5 roughly requires only 50% of the questions to be answered correctly.
    • An AP score of 4 requires approximately 29% of the questions to be correct.
  • Policy on Low Grades: The instructor does not issue grades of 1 or 2. The minimum grade is a 3, provided the student completes basic tasks, such as writing their name.

Administrative Procedures

  • Students must maintain or create a College Board account to join the AP Classroom.
  • It is recommended to use a personal email address for the College Board account (rather than a school email) to ensure access is maintained after graduation.
  • Postal codes for account creation provided during the session include 1630 and 1221.

Questions and Discussion

Question: Is the exam on May 7 or May 8? Response: It is scheduled for May 7 at 9:00 AM. It has been moved back one hour compared to previous years.

Question: Do we do any creative projects, like making our own Declaration of Independence? Response: No. The course is strictly traditional and does not include creative group projects or posters.

Question: How does the grade boundary for a seven compare to AP Geography? Response: The requirement is 80% to get a seven in this course. While some students from other courses might find that high, it is a significant shift from traditional courses where 90% might be expected for top marks. In specialized AP courses, raw scores on assessments are typically lower, but grade boundaries are adjusted accordingly.

Question: Will I lose my College Board access if I leave ISM? Response: You can change your email later, but using a personal email address now prevents any potential loss of access to your records and scores after your school career ends.