Course Description
Tenth Grade Core at American Heritage School blends
three subjects:
1) World
History II (present-1500 AD): Roots and Branches
2) Literature:
The Bonds of Liberty
3) Writing
Portfolio: From the Abundance of the Heart
Organized with history as a
backbone, the curriculum uses great pieces of literature to “flesh out” the
history. Along the way, students write about topics related to their study of history
and literature.
In History, students will begin in
the present world and work their way backwards through the past 500 years of
world history. This sequencing will encourage students to seek out the roots of
current events and recent world history, to understand why the world they have
inherited is the way it is and how they can be useful in the hands of the Lord
in carrying out His latter-day work. Our travel backwards in time will include
units on recent events in the Middle East, the Cold War, World Wars I and II,
New Imperialism, the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution, the American
Founding, and the prelude to the Restoration (including England’s Glorious
Revolution, the Age of Discovery, the Protestant Reformation, and the
Renaissance). These studies will be framed by a consideration of the Allegory
of the Olive Tree in which we learn about the Lord’s work with His worldwide
family. This unique allegory helps students understand that they are called to
labor in the Lord’s vineyard in the latter days as He fulfills His promises to
gather Israel and preserve them against the season of the Second Coming. With
this perspective, students will consider how historical developments have furthered
the work of the Lord in 1) spreading political, economic, and social liberty;
2) preaching the gospel to all peoples; 3) gathering Zion through temples; 4)
strengthening families; and 5) restoring truth in all realms of labor, inquiry,
and expression. Students will simultaneously note how the Adversary attempts to
1) limit political liberty, create economic bondage, and pervert social
liberty; 2) hinder missionary work; 3) impede temple work; 4) destroy families;
and 5) eliminate the very concept of Truth. This historical perspective will
help learners understand how to use their liberty to be useful in the Lord’s
hands in building the Kingdom of God on the earth.
If through their study of history
students gain a knowledge of how to build the Kingdom of God, then through
their study of literature students will develop the heart necessary to do so. In advising a troop of actors,
Hamlet states that the purpose of acting is “to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up
to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very
age and body of the time his form and pressure.” This argument can be
generalized to literature, for great literature enables readers to see
themselves more clearly. It allows them to polish the “dark glass” of
self-deception which distorts their ability to engage in true and joyful
relationships. Indeed, literature is liberating, but not, perhaps, in the sense
in which that word is invoked in our modern world. Literature does not liberate us in the sense
of opening our eyes to relativistic definitions of truth, morality, and beauty;
rather, it brings into focus the bondage we must escape as well as the bonds we
must take up order to enjoy true liberty. Through various works of literature
this year, learners will learn to recognize the bondage in which we, often
unwittingly, find ourselves entangled, and the bonds to which we can willingly
submit which will enable us to give and receive love. To this end, students
will develop careful analytic skills in both reading and writing about
literature.
Student
learning from history and literature will culminate in Writing Portfolio. They will come to experience writing as a
relational activity: not one done in isolation, but a process which can be used
to build the kinds of relationships they care about—with their friends, with
their family, with future employers and college admissions, and even with their
Father in Heaven. The best writing is ultimately an act of heart, an act of
giving. Students will develop both the skills and the dispositions necessary to
think well and to serve others through the power of the written word. They will
practice writing in a variety of genres and for a variety of purposes and
readers—emails, argumentative essays, literary analysis essays, poetry, short
stories, research papers, résumés, summaries, tributes, etc. They will experience writing as a process of revision and
empathic anticipation, and they will become more sensitive to the elements of
language which enhance communication—voice, word choice, sentence structure,
organization, and conventions. Class will be organized principally as a writers’
workshop. Improvement in writing
abilities is the product of multiple cycles of drafting, feedback, and
revision. The teacher will use the
tutorial approach to individualize writing feedback. Occasionally the teacher will share
“mini-lessons” to provide class-wide instruction. To succeed in this class,
students should actively seek and use feedback from a variety of sources
including the teacher, peers, family members, and other trusted adults.
Anchor Scriptures
History
Jacob 5: 71-74
“And the
Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with
your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard;
for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor
with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up
unto myself against the time which will soon come.
“And it
came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord
of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of
the Lord of the vineyard in all things … even until the bad had been cast away
out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved unto himself that the trees had
become again the natural fruit; and they became like unto one body; and the
fruits were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the
natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the beginning.”
Literature
Doctrine and Covenants 88:125
And
above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle,
which is the bond of perfectness and peace.
John 8: 31-34
Then
said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then
are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free.
They
answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how
sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Jesus
answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the
servant of sin.
Writing Portfolio
Matthew 12:33-35
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or
else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his
fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth
forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil
things.
Course Objectives
This
course is intended to support parents in helping their students do the
following:
1.
Be
useful in the hands of the Lord in building the Kingdom of God on Earth.
a.
Investigate how individuals from history
have consecrated their unique talents and circumstances to further the work of
the Lord and apply principles learned to the student’s own service in hastening
the work of salvation.
b.
Select and memorize passages of
literature, including scripture, writing them on the heart for the Spirit to
draw upon while serving others.
c.
Practice learning the language of the
Spirit by recording truths received through inspiration and personal revelation
in a secure place and acting on them.
2.
Increase
faith in and knowledge of the Plan of Salvation.
a.
Through works of high-quality
literature, vicariously experience and reason about the choices that lead to either
bondage or bonds of freedom.
b.
Discover how significant developments in
world history during the 16th-21st centuries reveal both
the hand of Providence in gathering Israel home
and the hand of the Adversary in leading Israel astray.
c.
Understand and accomplish divine
purposes for writing, including establishing and strengthening relationships,
remembering/recording, planting the seed of faith/self-government, persuading,
and providing wholesome recreation.
3.
Develop
a love, understanding and appreciation for America and the Founding Fathers.
a.
Tune the heart and strengthen
interpersonal relationships by experiencing the eight loves of literature: love
of learning, God, good character, country, home and family, God’s word, the
Chain of Christianity, and other people.
b.
Understand and appreciate the
philosophical development and historical impact of America’s Providential
Constitution and the mission the nation fulfilled in providing a fertile
seedbed for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days.
c.
Analyze the rhetorical strengths of the
writings of the Founding Fathers and prophets and use both as models for
composition.
4.
Develop
the basic academic knowledge and skills necessary to be able to make
self-education a life-long pursuit.
a.
Develop charitable, empathic, and
critical listening and reading skills and use them with confidence.
b.
Improve reading comprehension through
self-directed vocabulary development and word studies.
c.
Demonstrate knowledge of foundational
developments of world history from the 16th through the 20th
centuries, and understand how historians construct historical narratives.
d.
Flexibly use the six (plus one) traits
of writing for different audiences and purposes, with a particular focus on
distinguishing between formal and informal voices, effective use of
coordination and subordination, and careful introduction and analysis of
evidence in argument.
5.
Learn
to reason and discern between right and wrong, truth and error.
a.
Compose literary analysis essays that
provide unique, grounded, and truthful interpretations of high-quality
literature using convincing textual evidence presented persuasively.
b.
Analyze primary source documents to
uncover the authors’ assumptions/logic and compare ideas with truths from
scripture, words of modern-day prophets, and the seven FACE principles.
c.
Identify and avoid abuses of writing (i.e., manipulation, self-aggrandizement,
deception); use written language truthfully to bless and uplift.
6.
Develop
character and self-discipline of mind and body.
a.
Demonstrate integrity by keeping the
commitment to wear the uniform properly and live by the Honor Code.
b.
Develop self-discipline through timely
submission of assignments that reflect the student’s best work.
c.
Develop self-discipline by engaging in
sustained intensive learning, particularly when the task is challenging.
7.
Conduct
themselves in all aspects of life as Christians.
a.
Develop an appreciation for and
recognition of literature (and by extension, entertainment) that is “virtuous,
lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy”.
b.
Relate events in world history to the
students’ own efforts to hasten the Lord’s work as young family historians and
young missionaries.
c.
Serve classmates by providing edifying,
timely, and specific feedback on peer writing.
d.
Show gratitude for the gift of our
building by eating in appropriate times/places.
Anticipated Sequence of Course Content
Unit 1 Hastening the Work in the Latter
Days
a.
Covenant History: Jacob 5 Allegory of the Olive
Tree; D&C 110 Keys of the Kingdom: Gathering, Perfecting, and Sealing
b.
My Covenants and Commitments: AHS Honor Code;
stewardship
c.
My Place in God’s Plan: AHS Mission Statement;
Seven Principles of America’s History, Government, and Education
d.
History Overview: Anchor Dates and Events
e.
Geography & Current Events Overview
f.
Current Events in the Kingdom of God
Unit 2 The Middle East
a.
Evaluating media sources: Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West (documentary)
b.
Secondary vs. Primary Sources: various articles
on Muslims and Americans’ perceptions of each other; excerpts from The Qu’ran and The Bible on violence
c.
Islam 101: Guest speaker Maysa Kergaye; “A
Latter-day Saint Perspective on Muhammad” (James A. Toronto)
d.
Field Trip: Khadeeja Mosque
e.
Arab-Israeli Wars
f.
War on Terror, the Arab Spring, and beyond
g.
Covenant People, Covenant Land (Zionism): The
Chosen (Chaim Potok)
Unit 3 The Cold War
a.
Hot Spots & Containment: Truman Doctrine
speech, Korea, Vietnam: excerpt from Fallen
Angels (Meyers), Cuban Missile Crisis, Chile
b.
Communism vs. Capitalism vs. Law of Consecration
& Church Welfare: External to Internal (Marx, Smith; Dutch potatoes for the
Germans); Command Economy simulation
c.
Communism and the Family
d.
Case Study 1: Communism in Russia
e.
Case Study 2: Communism in China: Red
Scarf Girl (Ji-Li Jiang)
f.
Globalization: United Nations, NATO
g.
Space Age/Paranoia: excerpts from Martian Chronicles (Bradbury)
h.
Churchill “The Iron Curtain” Speech; Saints
behind the curtain; Berlin Wall
Unit 4 World War II
a.
War in the Pacific and Birth of the Nuclear Age:
Excerpts from Flyboys (James Bradley)
on Japanese Military Mindset; Excerpts from Flags
of Our Fathers (James Bradley) on American heroism; Excerpts from Hiroshima (John Hersey); “Marine Corps
Anthem”
b.
Holocaust & Existentialism:
Man’s Search for Meaning (Victor Frankl); “Metamorphosis” (Kafka); The
Book of Job
c.
Propaganda & Social Darwinism ( “The Eternal
Jew”; Donald Duck “Der Furer’s Face”); Treaty of Versailles: War “Crimes” and
International “Justice”
d.
Appeasement & Total War: The Rise of the Third Reich
(documentary); excerpt from 7 Tipping
Points that Saved the World (Chris
Stewart & Ted Stewart) on the Battle of Britain
e.
Greatest Generation: Compare Boy Scouts and
Baden Powell with Hitler Youth and Hitler; Guest Speaker: Elizabeth
Hornabrooke; Oral history project (Interview and record history of individual
from WWII generation)
f.
Individual Spiritual Warfare: Screwtape
Letters (C.S. Lewis)
Unit 5 World War I
a.
“The Changing Causes of War” (Shawn Miller)
b.
Industrial war; Nationalism and Alliances
c.
Romanticization and Disillusionment: excerpt
from All Quiet on Western Front (Eric
Maria Remarque)
d.
Great Depression
Unit 6 New Imperialism
a.
Independence: Gandhi (video)
b.
Case Studies in Imperialism and LDS Missionary Growth:
i.
India
ii.
Japan
iii.
Egypt
iv.
China
v.
Congo
vi.
Rawanda (excerpts from Left to Tell)
vii.
South Africa
viii.
Banana Republics
ix.
Zanzibar
x.
French Indochina (Vietnam)
c.
Cultural Imperialism and Cultural Relativity
(Critical examination of Moral Relativity) “White Man’s Burden” (Kipling); “Babar
the Elephant” (Jean de Brunhoff)
d. Origins
of Darwinism and Social Darwinism: excerpt from Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith (Deborah Heiligman); “Progress: Its Law and Cause” (Herbert Spencer)
e.
Ending the Atlantic slave trade: Amazing Grace (video)
f.
Priesthood for All: Official Declaration #2;
“Long Promised Day” (video)
Unit 7 The Industrial Revolution
a.
Mechanization and effects on working class:
reader’s theater from primary sources on textile industry; “The Conditions of
the Working-Class in England” (Friederich Engels); “The Philosophy of
Manufactures” (Andrew Ure)
b.
Industrial Paradigm Then, Information Paradigm
Today: “Signs of the Times” (Thomas Carlyle)
c.
History of world demographics
d.
Cause and Effect Essay: Short and Long-term
Impact on Family Life
e.
Providential Industrial Revolution: “The Rise of
Mormonism and the Birth of Modern Society” (Mark Skousen); “History of the
Church in Great Britain” (Richard L. Evans)
Unit 8 The French
Revolution & Napoleon
a.
Empires: Napoleon (documentary)
b.
Internal government: Les Misérables (Victor
Hugo)
c.
French vs. American Revolutions: Guest speaker
TBA
d.
Philosophy of the French Revolution: “The Social
Contract” (Rousseau) vs. “The Second Treatise of Government” (John Locke); “On
the Moral and Political Principles of Domestic Policy” (Maximilien Robespierre)
e.
The French Revolution (documentary)
f.
Field Trip: Utah County Jail
Unit 9 The American Founding
g.
“The
Spirit of the Laws” (Montesquieu)
h.
“The Declaration of Independence” (Thomas
Jefferson)
i.
American Exceptionalism: Excerpt from 7 Tipping
Points that Saved the World (Chris Stewart & Ted Stewart); “A Plea for
Caution From Russia” (Vladimir Putin)
j.
Persuasive Essay: Is the US Constitution
exceptional?; Excerpts from Constitution USA (documentary); The Constitution of
the United States of America
k.
Separation of Powers
l.
Bill of Rights (negative vs. positive rights)
m.
Amendment Process
n.
Federalism
o.
Mercantile War & Rise of British Empire:
Seven Year’s War
p.
Glorious Revolution: “Cato’s Letters” (John
Trenchard and Thomas Gordon); English Bill of Rights; “The Tenure of Kings and
Magistrates” (John Milton)
Unit 10 Prelude to
Restoration
a.
“Our
Divine Constitution” (Ezra Taft Benson)
b.
Scientific Revolution: New Organon (Francis Bacon); “Sentence of Supreme Inquisition
against Galileo Galilei”
a.
Age of Discovery: Conquista— “Second Letter to
Charles V” (Hernán Cortés) & “A Brief Account of the Destruction of the
Indies” (Bartolomé de las Casas); Keys of Discovery— “Book of Prophecies”
(Christopher Columbus);
b.
Protestant Reformation and Spiritual Roots of
Democracy: Religious Wars; Letters from Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn to
King Henry VIII; Reluctant Revolutionary
or Fires of Faith (documentary); “Address to the Christian
Nobility of the German Nation” (Martin Luther); Word Alone—Excerpt from Fire in the Bones (S. Michael Wilcox)
c.
Renaissance Humanism vs. Medieval
Worldview—“Creation of Adam” from Sistine Chapel Ceiling (Michelangelo);
“Humanist Manifesto” (modern); “The Prince” (Machiavelli)
d.
Hamlet
(William Shakespeare)
Assignments
Bellwrites
How we
start class sets a tone. Each day you will have a bellwrite prompt on the
board. It is your responsibility to be seated and working on the bellwrite when
the bell rings. You will have 5-10 minutes to write as much as quickly as you
can. This is a place to try to get all your thoughts down on paper. Even if you
are still unsure of what you think about the topic, just start writing and
think on paper. During this time the teacher will greet students and take roll.
This is time for quiet writing, not talking with classmates. Your bellwrites
will be graded on thoughtfulness, length, and orderliness.
“Small Plates”
When
Nephi delivered the plates to his brother Jacob, he indicated there were two
sets of plates: a larger set for the detailed history of the people and a
smaller set for “the things which I considered to be most precious” (Jacob
1:2). Likewise, each term students keep a working notebook with all the notes
and day-to-day assignments. These are the “large plates” which should be stored
in the classroom “cubbies.” At the end of each term, students will also compile
“small plates” record of the things which they consider to be of greatest
value. These small notebooks will
include evidences of the student’s most valuable learning—samples of best work,
evidence of progress, and work which is most important to the student. Along
with each item in the “Small Plates,” the student is required to give a brief
introduction including a justification for why it has been included. The small
plates along with the commonplace book will be of equal value to a final exam
in the calculation of term grades.
Homework
Homework
will generally consist of reading for history and literature. Students are
expected to annotate every reading in a way that enhances their engagement with
the text. Annotations will be checked from time to time and included in the
grade. Pop reading quizzes will also be given.
Other
homework assignments will include extended writing projects and research
projects.
General Policies and Procedures
Classroom Scriptures
Each
student is expected to have a personal copy of the scriptures to keep at
school. They are an integral part of our learning and must be brought to class
daily. Electronic scriptures are acceptable.
Submission of Assignments
In the
past I have tried allowing students to submit assignments electronically, but inevitably
it created more problems than it was worth. Thus, hard copies of assignments
are required. All assignments, unless otherwise specified, must be typed. They should be in MLA format with Times New
Roman font size 12. If your printer is broken, please plan to pay to print your
assignment at the school library.
Electronics in Class
Laptops
may be used in class for appropriate educational purposes such as typing a
paper, taking notes, looking up information related to a class discussion, or
creating a PowerPoint presentation. Laptops may not be used for accessing social networking sites, email,
Pinterest, games, etc. Misuse of
electronics will result in loss of privileges and a parent conference on integrity.
Appropriate
use of laptops is a matter of personal integrity—will you keep your committment
even when the teacher is not looking?
Late Work Slips
Each
student receives 3 late work slips per semester. These may be stapled to a late
assignment and turned in up to 3 days late. After 3 days, an assignment will
not be accepted without a parent-student-teacher conference. Students may
redeem unused late work slips at the end of the semester for extra credit on
the final exam.
Students
are responsible for getting work from the teacher in advance if they know they
will be absent. In the case of an
unexpected absence, students should contact a classmate to find out about class
assignments. They should also speak with
the teacher after school or during lunch the day immediately following the
absence.
It is
inappropriate for students to stay home from school the day projects are due in
order to complete them.
Tardy/Hall Passes
You will
receive 3 tardy/hall passes per term. Each pass may be used to excuse a tardy
or a quick visit to the bathroom/locker. Tardies and leaving the classroom
distracts from learning, so please be considerate as you come and go. Quietly
fill out the pass and leave it in the in-basket on Mr. Dye’s desk. Please do
not visit in the hallways or distract other classes. Unused tardy/hall passes
may be redeemed at the end of term for extra credit on the final exam. If you
run out of passes, you will be required to come after school to visit with Mr.
Dye the day of the incident.
Classroom Care
Our building,
worth millions of dollars, was gifted to us by generous donors who frequently
visit our school. Please help us show respect for this gift by doing three
things:
1)
Clean
up after yourself each day in the classroom. Please store personal items (including
jackets, notebooks, and backpacks) in your locker and not in the classroom.
2)
Don’t
lean back in chairs and avoid banging the walls.
3)
Eat
food in the classroom only during approved class celebrations. Please eat lunch
and snacks in approved areas of the building.
At the
end of each class period, students should get in the habit of always cleaning
up around themselves (i.e., pushing in your chair, cleaning up bits of paper on
the ground). The last class to use the room each day should wipe down all
tables with disinfectant wipes. This will help everyone avoid getting sick so
often.
Uniforms
Students
who wear the uniform correctly will be admitted to class. Proper wearing of the
uniform shows respect for self, classmates, teachers, and education. The uniform
is an outward reflection of an inward commitment to unity, modesty, neatness,
and dignity.
Emergency Drills
Although
emergency drills are routine, we must take care to practice them as if they
were the real thing. During building evacuation drills students must line up in
a straight line with the teacher at the head. Students must not wander to visit
with friends. Timely accounting for each student and orderly conduct are
essential in a real emergency.
Communication with Parents
Daily
assignments and tests/quizzes will be graded and entered into Edline weekly.
Extended papers, which often require more time to grade, will be returned to
students as quickly as possible.
A class
blog will be updated at least weekly with information about class and assignments.
Please check it regularly for updates: dyecore.blogspot.com
I
welcome feedback from parents. Class pacing is a delicate balancing act and the
more information I have about what is happening in students’ lives outside of
school, the more able I am to adjust. The best way to reach me is by email or
in person.
Signatures
We have read and understand this syllabus:
Student Name ___________________________ Signature ________________________
Parent Name ___________________________ Signature ________________________
Home Phone ___________________________________________________
Parent Cell Phone(s)
___________________________________________________
Parent Email ___________________________________________________
2nd Parent Email ___________________________________________________
Volunteer
Opportunities
1.
I am interested in driving for one of the
following field trips (please circle):
a. Friday,
Sept. 12 Khadeeja Mosque, West Valley
City
b. Thursday,
March 26 Utah County Jail
2.
I would be interested in helping with one of the
following class celebrations (please circle):
a.
Reformation Day (Oct. 31)
b.
Red Scarf Girl—Chinese Themed (October)
c.
Greatest Generation—WWII Era Theme (December)
d.
Christmas in the World Wars (Dec. 18)
e.
International lunches during class presentations
on New Imperialism (January-February)
f.
Les Misérables celebration: breads and spreads
(April)
g.
End of School year celebration (May 20)
3.
I have musical expertise and would be willing to
help the 10th grade class prepare some musical numbers for the 10th
grade devotional and/or for the Christmas sing along. Please explain.
4.
I know someone who might be an interesting guest
speaker on one of the following topics. Please circle and explain.
a.
Current events in the Middle East
b.
Current events in the Far East
c.
The growth of the Church in Africa
d.
The Cold War
e.
Other
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