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COURSE OUTLINE

Course Title: American History
Course Code: CHA3U
Grade: 11
Course Type: University Preparation
Credit Value: 1
Prerequisite: Canadian History Since World War I, 10, Academic (CHC2D) or Applied (CHC2P)
Curriculum Policy Document: Canadian and World Studies, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2005, Revised
Department: Canadian and World Studies
Course Developer: Sharon Clayton and Deb Homuth
Development Date: 2007
Course Revised by: -
Revision Date: -

Course Description:

This course traces the social, economic, and political development of the United States from colonial times to the present. Students will examine issues of diversity, identity, and culture that have influenced the country’s social and political formation and will consider the implications of its expansion into a global superpower. Students will use critical-thinking and communication skills to determine causal relationships, evaluate multiple perspectives, and present their own points of view.

Unit	Titles and Descriptions	Time and Sequence
Unit 1	American Beginnings This unit begins with Christopher Columbus’ discovery of North America and continues in a study of the American colonies with a focus on Puritan new England. The unit studies the economies of the North and the South and how they were alike and different and the important role this was to play in the shaping of America.	20 hours
Unit 2	Shaping a New Nation The unit begins with the French Revolution and continues with a study of Thomas Jefferson’s important nation shaping presidency. The War of 1812 with Canada is examined next followed by a look at the nation’s westward expansion—the challenges and the successes. The study of the American Civil War or the War Between the States as the Americans called it. The unit concludes with a study of reconstruction.	21 hours
Unit 3	Migration and Industrialization The story continues with the massive immigration at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century. The immigration patterns and migration patterns of those immigrants is examined followed by a careful study of the intensive industrialization of the United States again with an eye to challenges, successes and its effects on shaping America as we know it today.	20 hours
Unit 4	America in the World Wars This unit examines the United States entry into each World War, the role the nation’s presidents as well as its ordinary men and women played and the effect of these international events on shaping the nation.	21 hours
Unit 5	Growth after World War II describe the changing characteristics communities from earliest times to the sixteenth century; Through the American presidents the history is traced of the maturation of the U.S. into world superpower status, its allies and its enemies and how international events guided the U.S. in its decision-making.	21 hours
	Final Evaluation The final assessment task is comprised of two parts. The first part is a vocabulary assignment worth 9% of the final mark and a part of which is done during every unit. The entire assignment is completed and compiled at the end of the course and submitted for evaluation. The other part of the final assessment is a proctored final exam of 2 hours in length worth 21% of the student’s final mark.	7 hours
	Total	110 hours

Teaching / Learning Strategies:

A wide range of teaching and learning strategies are employed including inductive reasoning exercises, reading text and articles, answering questions, completing graphic organizers, research and reporting, map making, essay writing, research essay writing skills, interpreting data from tables, graphs, graphing, predicting, pursuing case studies, creating case studies, test writing, creating power point presentations and finding and posting resources.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about a student’s progress towards meeting the learning expectations. Assessment is embedded in the instructional activities throughout a unit. The expectations for the assessment tasks are clearly articulated and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course. The purpose of assessment is to gather the data or evidence and to provide meaningful feedback to the student about how to improve or sustain the performance in the course. Scaled criteria designed as rubrics are often used to help the student to recognize their level of achievement and to provide guidance on how to achieve the next level. Although assessment information can be gathered from a number of sources (the student himself, the student’s course mates, the teacher), evaluation is the responsibility of only the teacher. For evaluation is the process of making a judgment about the assessment information and determining the percentage grade or level.

Overall Expectations - CHA3U

Communities: Local, National, and Global
Overall Expectations
HCL.01	analyse the interactions among major groups and communities in the United States throughout its history;
HCL.02	analyse the territorial expansion of the United States;
HCL.03	analyse the development of the United States as a world power and how American policy has influenced communities outside the United States.
Change and Continuity
Overall Expectations
HCC.01	analyse the historical process of change in the context of events that have transformed the United States;
HCC.02	analyse the historical process of continuity in the context of the development of American history;
HCC.03	analyse aspects of the history of the United States by using the concepts of chronology and cause and effect.
Citizenship and Heritage
Overall Expectations
HCH.01	explain how American social and political identity has changed over time;
HCH.02	assess the influence of key individuals and groups in shaping American arts and culture;
HCH.03	analyse how American culture has developed into a position of world cultural hegemony.
Social, Economic, and Political Structures
Overall Expectations
HSE.01	analyse the forces that have influenced the development of American society;
HSE.02	analyse the forces that have influenced American economic development;
HSE.03	demonstrate an understanding of the development of American political systems and structures.
Methods of Historical Inquiry and Communication
Overall Expectations
HMH.01	use methods of historical inquiry to locate, gather, evaluate, and organize research materials from a variety of sources;
HMH.02	interpret and analyse information gathered through research, employing concepts and approaches appropriate to historical inquiry;
HMH.03	communicate the results of historical inquiries, using appropriate terms and concepts and a variety of forms of communication.

The Final Grade

The evaluation of the student’s achievement in this course is based on the student’s achievement of the curriculum expectations. The percentage grade represents the student’s overall achievement and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the Achievement chart for this discipline. A credit will be granted if the final percentage awarded is 50% or more. The final grade will be determined as follows:

• 70% of the grade will be based upon assessment tasks completed throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to the most recent evidence of achievement.



• 30% of the grade will be based on a final assessment task that occurs at or near the end of the course. The final assessment task is comprised of two parts. The first part is a vocabulary assignment worth 9% of the final mark and a part of which is done during every unit. The entire assignment is completed and compiled at the end of the course and submitted for evaluation. The other part of the final assessment is a proctored final exam of 2 hours in length worth 21% of the student’s final mark.

The Report Card

The report card will focus on two distinct but related components of student achievement: the achievement of curriculum expectations and the development of learning skills. The report card will contain separate sections for the reporting of these two aspects.

A Summary Description of Achievement in Each Percentage Grade Range and Corresponding Level of Achievement
Percentage Grade Range	Achievement Level	Summary Description
80-100%	Level 4	A very high to outstanding level of achievement. Achievement is above the provincial standard.
70-79%	Level 3	A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the provincial standard.
60-69%	Level 2	A moderate level of achievement. Achievement is below, but approaching, the provincial standard.
50-59%	Level 1	A passable level of achievement. Achievement is below the provincial standard.
below 50%	Level R	Insufficient achievement of curriculum expectations. A credit will not be granted.

Achievement Chart: Canadian and World Studies, Grades 9-12

Categories	50-59% (Level 1)	60-69% (Level 2)	70-79% (Level 3)	80-100% (Level 4)
Knowledge and Understanding - Subject-specific content acquired in each course (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
	The student:
Knowledge of content (e.g., facts, terms, definitions)	demonstrates limited knowledge of content	demonstrates some knowledge of content	demonstrates considerable knowledge of content	demonstrates thorough knowledge of content
Understanding of content (e.g., concepts, ideas, theories, procedures, processes, methodologies, and/or technologies)	demonstrates limited understanding of content	demonstrates some understanding of content	demonstrates considerable understanding of content	demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of content
Thinking - The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
	The student:
Use of planning skills (e.g., focusing research, gathering information, organizing an inquiry, asking questions, setting goals)	uses planning skills with limited effectiveness	uses planning skills with moderate effectiveness	uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness	uses planning skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of processing skills (e.g., inquiry process, problem-solving process, decision-making process, research process)	uses processing skills with limited effectiveness	uses processing skills with some effectiveness	uses processing skills with considerable effectiveness	uses processing skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of critical/creative thinking processess (e.g., oral discourse, research, critical analysis, critical literacy, metacognition, creative process)	uses critical / creative thinking processes with limited effectiveness	uses critical / creative thinking processes with some effectiveness	uses critical / creative thinking processes with considerable effectiveness	uses critical / creative thinking processes with a high degree of effectiveness
Communication - The conveying of meaning through various forms
	The student:
Expression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression, logical organization) in oral, graphic, and written forms, including media forms	expresses and organizes ideas and information with limited effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with a high degree of effectiveness
Communication for different audiences (e.g., peers, adults) and purposes (e.g., to inform,to persuade) in oral, written, and visual forms	communicates for different audiences and purposes with limited effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with some effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with considerable effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of conventions (e.g., conventions of form, map conventions), vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline in oral, written, and visual forms	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with limited effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with some effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with considerable effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with a high degree of effectiveness
Application - The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts
	The student:
Application of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, procedures, processes, and/or technologies) in familiar contexts	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with limited effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with some effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with considerable effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, procedures, methodologies, technologies) to new contexts	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with limited effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with some effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with considerable effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Making connections within and between various contexts (e.g., past, present, and future; environmental; social; cultural; spatial; personal; multidisciplinary)	makes connections within and between various contexts with limited effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with some effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with considerable effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with a high degree of effectiveness

Resources:

The key resources used in creating this course have been identified in each unit. No further resources than related internet sites are needed on the part of the student.

Program Planning Considerations for Canadian and World Studies:

Teachers who are planning a program in Canadian and World Studies must take into account considerations in a number of important areas. Essential information that pertains to all disciplines is provided in the companion piece to this document, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 to 12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000. The areas of concern to all teachers that are outlined there include the following:

• types of secondary school courses
• education for exceptional students
• the role of technology in the curriculum
• English as a second language (ESL) and English literacy development (ELD)
• career education
• cooperative education and other workplace experiences
• health and safety

Considerations relating to the areas listed above that have particular relevance for program planning in Canadian and World Studies are noted here.

Education for Exceptional Students. In planning courses in Canadian and World Studies, teachers should take into account the needs of exceptional students as set out in their Individual Education Plan. Canadian and World Studies courses reflect the real world, which offers a vast array of opportunities for exceptional students. Students who use alternative techniques for communication may find a venue for their talents as historians, politicians, political analysts, etc. Canadian and World Studies responds to the needs and demands of the real Canadian world.

The Role of Technology in the Curriculum. Information technology is considered a learning tool that must be accessed by Canadian and World Studies students when the situation is appropriate. As a result, students will develop transferable skills through their experience with word processing, internet research, presentation software, and telecommunication tools, as would be expected in any business environment.

English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD). This Canadian and World Studies course can provide a wide range of options to address the needs of ESL/ELD students. Assessment and evaluation exercises will help ESL students in mastering the English language and all of its idiosyncrasies. In addition, since all occupations require employees with a wide range of English skills and abilities, many students will learn how their own historical backgrounds can contribute to their success in the larger world.

Career Education. Canadian and World Studies definitely helps prepare students for employment in a huge number of diverse areas. The skills, knowledge and creativity that students acquire through this course are essential for a wide range of careers. Being able to express oneself in a clear concise manner without ambiguity would be an overall intention of this Canadian and World Studies course, as it helps students prepare for success in their working lives.

Cooperative Education and Other Workplace Experiences. By applying the skills they have developed, students will readily connect their classroom learning to real-life activities in the world in which they live. Cooperative education and other workplace experiences will broaden their knowledge of employment opportunities in a wide range of fields. In addition, students will increase their understanding of workplace practices and the nature of the employer-employee relationship. Teachers of Canadian and World Studies should maintain links with community-based businesses to ensure that students have access to hands-on experiences that will reinforce the knowledge they have gained in school.

Health and Safety. The Canadian and World Studies program provides the reading and analytical skills for the student to be able to explore the variety of concepts relating to health and safety in the workplace. Teachers who provide support for students in workplace learning placements need to assess placements for safety and ensure that students can read and understand the importance of issues relating to health and safety in the workplace.