Section 01: MW 1:00-2:20 AM; SSB 2408

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COURSE OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION

The core objectives for this course are to present students with the history of ancient Egypt from the pre-historic period (c. 4000 BD and before) through the last vestiges of native control in the Late Period (664-332 BC) and the periods of occupation by foreign nations or sovereigns in the Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC) and the Roman Period (30 BC-AD395).

GOALS FOR STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

-- Develop a perspective for the use of archeology in establishing historical facts
-- Identify and appreciate the problems establishing credible chronologies both relative and absolute
-- Identify historical designations such as dynasties, kingdoms, and intermediate periods
-- Contrast the underlying differences between the ancient Egyptians and other contemporary cultures
-- Understand the mechanics and workings of the ancient Egyptian social and political systems
-- Analyze the fundamental impact of ancient Egyptian religious beliefs on political and social structures
-- Review the development of ancient Egyptian society as it was shaped by geography and natural resources
-- Develop an understanding of the complexities of researching ancient cultures
-- Examine the impact of ancient Egypt on modern societies
-- Anticipate and analyze what yet might be uncovered by archeologists and historians
-- Recognize much will never be known for certain about this civilization

REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALS

Ian Shaw, ed., The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, 2000 Edition, Oxford University Press

Other sources of relevant information (such as newspaper articles, internet sites, and media presentations) to be announced in class.

CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM

I do not allow children to attend class with students who are caregivers. Usually the classroom is too crowded and sometimes the subject matter we are discussing is not appropriate for children. I am also uncomfortable with the idea of leaving small children in the hall during class. If you have a child that cannot attend school or daycare and you are faced with missing class in order to care for the child call me and we can meet in my office before or after my classes to discuss what you missed in class and address your questions. You will receive full attendance points for that class. This policy also applies for exam days.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is required and I will take attendance at every class. The classes will include interactive discussions, lectures, slide presentations and video documentaries. For class attendance and participation in these activities you will receive points that count toward nearly 30% of your total grade. You will receive 10 points per class and additional thirty bonus points if you miss no more than two classes throughout the semester. You should make every effort to attend class. If you decide to drop or withdraw from the class, it must be done formally following college procedures. Do not simply stop attending class. This will result in a grade of 'F'.

COURSE WITHDRAWAL DATES AND RELATED POLICIES

Specific information on dropping classes and partial refunds of tuition is published in the official college schedule. Become familiar with this information. It could save you money and help you avoid an 'F' if you decide to drop a class.

IF YOU ARE LATE/IF I AM LATE

If you are occasionally late for class, always come in for the remainder - don't skip the entire class. Be sure to remind me after class to mark you present. You can make an appointment to meet with me later to cover anything that you missed.

I will never intentionally miss class or be late. If I know in advance that I cannot be at class I will arrange for a substitute teacher. Because I commute to campus like all of you, there may be occasions when a traffic jam, an accident, or car trouble causes me to be late. In that case, wait one-half of the class period or until someone comes to tell you that class is cancelled. If, for some reason I am unavoidably detained en route and realize that I cannot make it to class, I will call someone on campus as soon as possible to have her/him notify the class. If, after one-half of the class period is over and I am still not there, class is officially dismissed (pray for me - something serious has happened).

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Classroom activities will not necessarily cover every topic in the text book or every question on the quizzes/exams (see the section, 'Study Suggestions'). Rather, I will use the class periods as a chance to give an overall perspective of the topic at hand and to add relevance to the material under discussion. Classroom activities will not rely solely on traditional style lectures. I will combine lectures and video clips with interactive discussions, that will focus on the accounts provided in the readings and video documentaries. You are expected to read the appropriate materials prior to class and be prepared to contribute to these discussions.

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM, COMPUTER LITERACY, AND CRITICAL THINKING

SCC has made a commitment to emphasize these three areas of learning in all classes. In this class a number of activities and assignments will emphasize one or more of these skill areas throughout the semester. The research project/project for this class will require the use and integration of all three. In addition, I will assign five take-home assignments throughout the semester that will require the application of these three skill areas and the use of the internet. Finally, essay questions on exams and class discussions will focus on the development and demonstration of communication and critical thinking skills.

EXAMINATIONS

To assess your grasp of the basic factual material relating to the information in the textbook, there will be four examinations:

Exam 1: Chapters 1, 4, 5 = 100 points
Exam 2: Chapters 6-8 = 100 points
Exam 3: Chapters 9-11= 100 points
Final Exam: Chapters 12-15= 100 points
Total: = 400 points

The basic factual information covered by the exams is drawn exclusively from the required readings and is covered in the Chapter reviews (that I will distribute in class). The exams will consist of multiple choice and essay questions and will be worth 100 points. Exams will generally be graded and reviewed at the next class.

If you are going to miss an exam, notify me in advance. If you find that you cannot attend an exam, I can make arrangements for a make-up exam but you must notify me before the exam. Otherwise a make-up exam cannot be guaranteed. Make-up exams are taken in the Assessment Center in ADM 1206F. To take the make-up you must go to the Assessment Center during their office hours (Monday & Tuesday, 9-4, Wednesday & Thursday 9-8, Friday 10-4) and present a picture ID. Make-up exams must be taken with seven days unless I indicate a longer period.

TEST ANXIETY/SPECIAL PROBLEMS WITH TESTS OR CLASS

There are times when students feel well prepared for an exam/quiz but 'freeze-up', 'go blank', or otherwise do poorly because of excessive nervousness. If you suffer from this problem or suspect that you do, I can refer you to an expert in the ACE center to evaluate and help you deal this dilemma. The service is free (and painless) so I encourage you to utilize this opportunity to help yourself become a better student. See me after class, in the office, or call if you are interested.

If you have difficulty writing essay questions, reading and comprehending class materials, or taking notes in class, see me for a referral to special student services that can help you (this is free too). If you are already working with a special student service let me know so I can accommodate your particular needs. If you have difficulty concentrating during exams/quizzes in a full classroom, talk to me about taking the tests in a quieter environment.

GRADING

Your grade will be based on your grasp of factual information as measured on the quizzes and exams, by your attendance and participation in classroom activities, by take-home assignments, bonus assignments, and a research project. Bonus points are awarded in this class for special work and are like "extra credit". They add into your score but do not increase the maximum possible score. Bonus points are a good thing. I recommend that you take advantage of them whenever possible.

Exams: 400 points (40% of total grade)
Class Attendance & Participation: 300 points (30% of total grade)
Assignments (12x25 points): 300 points (30% of total grade)
Maximum: 1000 points

Semester grades will be determined by the percentage of total points as follows: 90% and above = A*; 80%-89% = B; 70%-79% = C; 65%-69% = D; below 65% = F

*Research paper also required (see next section)

RESEARCH PAPER

A research paper is required for an 'A' in this class. As an option, you may skip the research paper but a 'B' is the highest grade you can receive without a paper, regardless of your other scores. If you strive to receive an 'A' in this class you must complete a research paper. Completing a paper does not guarantee a grade of 'A' but, on the other hand, your grade on the project will not lower your overall semester grade. The project is also an opportunity for those students who feel they perform at less than peak on exams to demonstrate achievement. The paper must cover some topic relating to ancient Egypt and use at least three scholarly sources (excluding textbooks, encyclopedias, or newspaper/internet articles). The paper must be 6 to 8 typed, double-spaced pages of text (not including endnotes and bibliography), and must include a cover sheet, page numbers, source citations, and a bibliography. THE OMMISSION OF ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS WILL RESULT IN THE PAPER BEING RETURNED FOR ADDITIONAL WORK. A section of the booklet that you were given on the first day of class provides the schedule and requirements for each step of the process plus additional information to guide your research and preparation of a paper. Most of the information in the last section was prepared by the ACE center located in the LRC building. The ACE center and other campus resources are available to you at no cost and I encourage you to take advantage of these services. See the section "Need Help?" for more information or talk to me. All papers must be approved before you start. This is a fairly large commitment so you should be prepared to spend about two hours extra per week.

There will be no partial credit for this assignment - you must complete all four phases of the project. If one item, such as the outline, is not submitted no credit will be earned for a paper. However, you can change your mind at any point if you decide not to complete this assignment. The graded research paper will be returned by the last day of class.

Approved topic and one paragraph proposal
Approved list of scholarly sources
Sentence outline of paper
Completed paper

note that all four parts of this project must be completed to get credit for the paper

The paper will be graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory based on the following: use of source materials and citations, Style (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc.), organization and presentation of material, research, andcontent. For missing cover page, page numbers, or bibliography, or less than 6 full pages of text, the paper will be returned for completion.

STUDY SUGGESTIONS

This course requires a significant amount of reading that must be done outside of class. It is critical that you keep up with the reading assignments in order to participate in and understand the class discussions. In addition, study guides or Chapter reviews are provided for each chapter of the textbook. I recommend that you review the study guide before reading each chapter and answer the questions in the study guide as you read the corresponding chapter. All multiple choice and essay questions for the quizzes and exams will be taken from the subject matter covered in the study guides. Plan on spending about 2-3 hours per week on reading and completing the study guides plus additional time reviewing for the quizzes and exams (i.e., intense review of the study guides). Simply reading the text and/or attending lectures will not be sufficient to pass this course. Learning to manage your time and allocating appropriate personal resources to this class will be very important to your success. For some tips directly from the "horse's mouth" check out advice from previous students that they left specifically for you. If you would like to add to this list send me some email or give me a note. Your advice will be strictly anonymous. If you have read this far you have earned your first bonus points in this class. You will receive five bonus points by simply giving me an index card or slip of paper with you name on it along with the words, "bonus points for reading syllabus."

NEED HELP?

The goal of this course is not just to cover a prescribed curriculum of reading material but to provide you the opportunity to learn the rich, complex, and fascinating history of one of mankind's oldest societies. If you have trouble with any aspect of this course either in understanding the material, taking notes, managing your time, or developing personal study discipline, see me. If your free time does not match my office hours, call and make an appointment for a time that is convenient. The College has an Office of Accessibility Services that guides, counsels, and assists students with disabilities. It is located in Room 1206 of the ADM Building. If you feel that you would benefit from these services see me or contact Pam Bova (636-922-8247) in the Office of Accessibility Services to discuss what you need to help you succeed and determine your eligibility for services. Additionally, there are campus resources available to you like the ACE center located in the LRC building that provides tutoring and other forms of individual assistance at no cost to you. The ACE center is also prepared to help you acquire or hone writing/research skills and the Computer Lab, also in the LRC building, can help you learn to access the internet and develop computer literacy skills. In addition the Computer Lab provides a selection of computer hardware and software for a variety of applications including research paper preparation. The reference librarians are eager to help you use the computers in LRC for research and internet access. Finally, other students, especially those with some previous college experience, can often be helpful.

Study groups, arranged with fellow students, have proven to be very effective and even though regular study group sessions require some effort, especially at a commuter campus, I strongly encourage you to use this tool. If you are spending the appropriate amount of time and trying your best yet not achieving your learning expectations, let me hear from you so that we can explore possible solutions. If you have personal or medical situations/emergencies that impact your attendance or performance let me know immediately. It may be possible to provide some flexibility. Try to notify me before it becomes a crisis. I want you to be successful in this class and your college experience.

A mental health counselor is available to assist all current St. Charles Community College students with a variety of issues. If you have any personal issues that are interfering with your success, please know that our counselor, Mary Hall, is here to help. Call 636-288-6533 to make an appointment or just to talk. You can also e-mail Mary at mhall@bridgewaybh.com or go to the SCC website to find more information.

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY

I expect honesty and integrity in all of your assignments, exams and quizzes. Exams and quizzes must be your work and your work alone. Likewise, you cannot aid another student. As for outside assignments and the research project, you may discuss issues, seek advice, and even have others review your work but the work must be your own. If that turns out not to be the case, appropriate measures will be taken. Remember that the issue of academic and professional integrity also includes misconduct or violations of college policies and rules.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSINGMENTS

class schedule and reading assignments