Below you will find specifics regarding Honors American I. This will include what to expect throughout the course and what extensions an honor student will recieve in this class that is not taught in the general level class.  If you have further questions please contact me at george.allen@cabarrus.k12.nc.us

Curriculum Content

The Honors American I course encourages students to continue their investigations and deepen their understanding of the American History begun in grades K-8.  In depth study of the following topics is included:  Exploration and Colonization, Tyranny and Revolution, Republic and Identity, Expansion and Reform, Compromise and Conflict, and Reconstruction and Opportunity.  The course covers the time periods between Exploration/First Contact and Reconstruction after the Civil War.  The course will comply with the Standard Course of Study Competency Goals as specified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.  Honors American I will provide a challenging and rigorous curriculum in preparation for Honors American II.

Standards and Objectives

Extensions to prepare for AP American II or Honors American II.  Skills needed for this and that are taught in Honors American I include mastery in historical language analysis and critical reading, primary and secondary source interpretations, cause and effect disection, and predicting consequences.  Writing in the argumentative, informational/expository, and narrative modes serve as benchmarks for written tasks throughout the course.  Students will also conduct research and incorporate their findings into digital media presentations for the class.

Curriculum Plan

This course follows the North Carolina standards as well as the Cabarrus County School District developed curriculum.  We do this to ensure a gaurunteed viable, and rigorous curriculum for all students.  Attached you will find the syllabus for this course.  Outlined within it is the expectations for the course, the grading scale, and the unit topics.

Instructional Materials and Methods

Extension topics will be imbedded into the normal curriculum and assignments/activities will be modified based on these extensions.  Modifications will include but are not limited to: intellectual debates, projects with more real world/theoretical application, assignments that require a more application based thought process.

Assessment

Students will be assessed through many different form throughout each unit.  Quizzes will be used to determine understanding throughout each unit and tests will measure the application of the standards.  During the unit honor students will participate in both collaborative and independent project-based learning activities.  In addition to traditional tests, some units will also include a cumulative project for a test grade.  Honor students will become an "expert" on a state by researching and writing a 500 word essay at the beginning of the semester.  They will then analyze and write six, one page articles on current events concerning their state.