Is APUSH or Hon US History in 9th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS, high school US History is year 2 of a 2-year USH sequence that starts in 8th grade.

That's what causes the ill-advised structure of trying AP USH in 9th, to be scheduled alongside Honors USH.

That's also why some schools do the flip of AP Gov and Honors USH in 9th, and honors gov and AP USH on 10th.

can you expand on this, please? Where does honors USH start compared to APUSH?

8th grade US history covers 1754-1890
9th grade US history covers 1870-present
APUSH covers 1607-present

[Anonymous]

So it covers a longer time period? Is there more writing? I assume there is more reading.

[Anonymous]

There’s a lot of reading and writing in APUSH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it covers a longer time period? Is there more writing? I assume there is more reading.

Yes, yes, and yes

[Anonymous]

APUSH isn’t a great class for freshman to take. If they are very strong readers and writers, it’s fine, but I do think that the benefits that come from a class like this are greater if kids take it sophomore or junior year. I didn’t realize some schools allowed kids to take it in 9th.

DD used Yawp 1 + 2 per the suggestion of a friend at private school (where, btw, most kids take APUSH in junior year). Highly recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid graduated from PHS SMCS program several years ago. He took AP Gov in 9th grade and APUSH in 10th grade, as that was the only option available to his cohort.

Our strategy was very simple -

1) Take one AP test from all 5 core subjects (English, Foreign language, Math, Science, Social Science) before applying to college. So, by end of 11th grade they had taken 8 APs and covered all 5 core subject areas.

2)Since AP exams are held at least a month before school ends, the teachers are never able to finish the curriculum in time, or the last few units were taught in a rush. So, my kids had to get ahead for all APs before school started and studied some units during summer break. They were usually a quarter ahead in APs.

3) Study using the Barron's study guide and they bought it during summer and studied during summer.

1) this is what most public state flagships recommend.

2) This is common but stupid behavior because the exam grading already builds in a generous curve and focuses on broad fundamentals, not details of every unit.
Missing one unit is better than rushing all the units poorly.
AP USH asks questions like "talk about economics and racial tensions in YOUR CHOICE of either 18th or 19th Century".
AP Lit says "choose ANY book from this list and talk about themes blah blah"

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Why isn’t this an option at all MCPS high schools?!?

Meaning APUSH in 9th? What's wrong with taking AP Government in 9th and then APUSH in 10th? AP Government is the easier class, compressing a 1 semester class into a full year of HS. Seems like a better way to start. APUSH covers 2 semesters of college work so moves at a faster pace and is the more challenging course. Seems better to start with APUSH.

Do they have a textbook for APush? What books do they need to read? Asking for Blair freshman.

Not Blair but I bought my kid American Yawp Vol 1 and 2. It made a big difference to be able to read in bed instead of sitting in front of a screen long hours.

Is that the textbook they used for the course? Or was that a supplement to whatever textbook they used? TIA.

The textbook doesn't really matter. It is covering the same content.

Some textbooks have DEI

And...? Buy a book that you like. It is pretty hard to find a college US history text that is not focused on social history. - APUSH teacher

If you just want the basics/facts, buy Amsco.

[Anonymous]

It's too bad those are your kid's options. There are numerous other AP classes like AP US Gov that are perfectly appropriate for many 9th graders. Many top MCPS schools like Whitman do not allow 9th graders to take APUSH, except in the very rare exception.

[Anonymous]

Again, why don’t kids at EVERY McPS HS have these options?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, why don’t kids at EVERY McPS HS have these options?

I believe kids at every MCPS HS do have the options to take both APUSH and AP GOV.