Please note that you MUST respond to the prompt in the following manner:

1. Your response should be thorough and based on historical evidence and content and in complete sentences.

2. You are  REQUIRED to cite your sources at the end of your response. (Footnote/Turabian). If you have the use (1) after the cited section that works too... I know superscript isn't easy in this block!

3. Once you have posted your response you are then required to comment on 2 other posts made by your peers.  Your dialogue should be academically based and question their thinking or even provoke some further conversation.

(PROMPT): BLOG DUE --NOV. 30TH.

Was royal absolutism the best form of government for the 17th century?

Age of Exploration (CCOT)

Please note that you MUST respond to the prompt in the following manner:

1.     Your response should be thorough and based on historical evidence and context, and should be in complete sentences. (USE of SAQ approach is suggested- TEA)

2.     You are REQUIRED to cite your sources at the end of your response (Chicago Turabian format)

3.     Once you have posted your response, you are then required to comment on 2 other posts made by your peers.  Your dialogue should be academically based and question their thinking or provoke further conversation.

Blog is due by October 27, 2018. Please be sure to check your rubric.

PROMPT:
Discuss the change and continuity of the Renaissance and Reformation into the “Age of Exploration?”

Renaissance- September 2018

Please note that you MUST respond to the prompt in the following manner:
1. Your response should be thorough and based on historical evidence and context, and should be in complete sentences. (Use of SAQ approach is highly recommended.)
2. You are REQUIRED to cite your sources at the end of your response (MLA format).
3. Once you have posted your response, you are then required to comment on 2 other posts made by your peers.  Your dialogue should be academically based and question their thinking or provoke further conversation.

September 2018 blog is due by Friday, 9/28/2018 at midnight!  Please be sure to check out rubric for specifics.

PROMPT: TO WHAT EXTENT WAS THE RENAISSANCE A BREAK WITH ITS MEDIEVAL PAST?

selfie blog -savanna amaral

                  The painting I chose was Camille Monet in Japanese Costume and was painted by Claude Monet in 1876.  The piece was done in oil on a large canvas.  The women is life size.  This is one of my favorite painting because of quirkiness of it.  I also really enjoy the vibrant colors of her kimono and the fans surrounding her.   The painting is joyful and lighthearted, however has a nightmarish undertone because of the juxtaposition between the women's happy expression and the angry Japanese man in her clothes.  Nevertheless I love this painting because it makes me think, I could stare at it forever and would never get bored of it.  Each time I look at this painting I always notice something new.  If i could rename this painting, which I would gladly do, I would name it Cultural Appropriation.  Although this painting is gorgeous and I love it, it is pretty controversial and shows a women dressing in clothes that she does not understand the meaning of and really shouldn't be flaunting.  In conclusion, I love this painting because I feel like it really gives the audience a sense of the times. 

AP Euro

Overall AP Euro has been a class in which I have learned the most information out of all of my classes. While the curriculum may be challenging due to the lack of exposure unlike many other courses, it is well worth it. The class is filled with opportunities to grasp the information and if you do your work your grade should not be a concern.  The biggest advice to be given is to stay on top of your reading and work as a whole. If you read the chapters assigned for homework the rest will come along easily. While it may seem like a lot, by spacing out the reading it will all be fine. (It is possible to do the night before though if you are a procrastinator like me- just not fun to do! ;)
 I felt more prepared for the exam at the end of the year than I had with the majority of my other AP tests. It is great to have a teacher who enjoys what they are doing and fully committed to their students’ success.

The Ballad of the Tragic Heroes of AP Euro

If you're reading this, you've obviously already signed up for the class. 

This is good. 

You've taken the leap of faith.

And you won't look back.

========================================================================

Prologue:

"You're here now, anyways, so you might as well just go with it..."

The hardest part is over. You've gotten up the nerve, and regardless of teacher recommendations, you went for it. You ignored the nay-sayers, and whether you realize it or not, that initiative you'd taken- no matter how apprehensive or how concrete it may have been- is the only tool you will need to succeed in this class. However, I hope to give you an instruction manual, of sorts, for how to take control and manage this class.



========================================================================
Tips to manage the class:

"I can get you the three, but the five is on you..."


1.) You will find that the book either really helps, or really doesn't.

• Do not stress over each intricate detail! If reading the course book traditionally helps you best, read the book. If online research helps you best, use the book as a guideline for searches!
• Use the first few chapters of the book and their respective reading checks to determine what works best for you!

2.) Manage your time, or expect to be up late some nights

• In just thinking realistically, you won't magically change your habits. I didn't change  mine right away. You've endured late nights before, so either expect to begin working hard to better yourself and procrastinate less, or expect to rely on what you've learned (Staying up late at night) and what has worked in terms of getting projects done for you.

3.) Some nights, there will not be homework. Some nights, you'll drown in it.

• This is just the nature of the class. Plan ahead, so you know when to push things off and when to get things done. This is especially important if you're to take multiple AP classes.

========================================================================

Personal Anecdotes and Opinions:

"Were I Superman, my Kryptonite would be history classes, yet here I am anyways.."

Likes: 

1.) Challenge

I may not be in the many on this view, but I've generally found that when I work hard for something (Especially in this class) I'm proud of anything generated, and I feel a greater sense of accomplishment than I would from taking a less intensive history course.

2.) Assignments

The assignments are not just research papers and cut- and- dry, boring, mind- numbing, time- wasting garbage. Everything has a purpose, and everything is (somehow) enjoyable. 

Dislikes:

1.) The class seemed more skills- based in the last half of the year than it seemed content- oriented

This was likely due to the looming test, but the content passed beyond my comprehension a bit towards the end [See Suggestion 1].

2.) Kids dropping out before giving the class an honest try

A large portion of the bad rap the class has is rather on the behalf of the students' perception than the quality of the teacher

Suggestions to Mrs. Salisbury:

1.) More activities to assure the absorption of information by the class would be beneficial.

To cite the industrialization activity, and the corresponding understanding my class had of that time period, which was significantly better than our understanding of that of other time periods.

2.) Initiating a higher prevalence of concept maps than PowerPoint lectures

I, personally, felt that concept maps generated a better understanding than a ricochet of information did.

========================================================================

Final Commentary:

"That wasn't so bad, I guess..."

This class will be many things.

This class will leave you tired.

This class will leave you dazed, and slightly confused.

This class will leave you questioning your academic career

And while this class will be many things for you-

Many things even I may not relate to-

This class is one very important thing.

This class is worth every moment.

"Good luck, and Godspeed."

...

"That test was easy..."

"I had never heard of that before..."

"I'd never have dreamed I could do that well..."

...

...

"I've learned."

(AP Euro Class of 2017-2018)

[Robert Gerardi]

- -

~ ~ Thank you for your time and consideration in reading my post ~ ~

- -

how to survive ap euro

I am an average student unlike some of my other peers that have taken AP Euro(who are mainly top 20 of the class).  I am not on track for an Ivy League school or even a little Ivy, yet I survived this class.  SO if your like me and are simply average you too can do well in Euro.  Euro is challenging but not undoable.  There is a lot of work but the key is to manage your time and try really hard not to procrastinate, even though it is inevitable.  Another good tip is to make sure you use your planner to block out your schedule.  Write down everything in this, when you have work, practice, or after school clubs.  This really helped me find time to get stuff done.  Also another good tip is that homework can not just be done at home but one the bus, in the car, in a lab period, and in a class where you are not really doing anything.  The best way to prevent a late night is to get as much work done before you get home.  ALSO, this is a little personal but if you come home from practice do not start your homework after you shower.  I find that I am most productive before a shower because after you take a shower all you want to do is relax.  Also just relax!! Everything will work out.  

AP Euro. Isn't Really That Bad

I remember when I first decided to take AP Euro. despite all of my peers discouraging me from doing so - I was told that taking the class would be an awful experience for a multitude of reasons: a ton of homework, boring subject matter, extremely difficult assessments, and the big, scary AP Euro. exam. Luckily, my peers were wrong. Although AP Euro. was a challenging course, I found it to be quite manageable as Mrs. Salz gave us many opportunities to succeed including test/quiz corrections, reasonable deadlines, and interesting lessons which made it much easier to learn/understand material. My only criticism would be that the nature of the course forces students to learn such a large span of history in such little time, however, this is not Mrs. Salz's fault, but instead, a reflection of College Board's flawed system.

To survive AP Euro next year, I would recommend that you:

• Do the summer work
• This is required, so you have to do it anyway. However, try not to think of it as a chore. The summer work will benefit you as it will give you a glimpse into what the course is actually like, and will introduce you to the material putting you at an advantage. 
• Pay attention in class
• This is a given, but it goes a long way. Be sure to actively pay attention in class  - maybe even take notes. This will allow you to follow along and understand the periods as they are presented to you. 
• Take all opportunities to correct your work
• If you can improve your grade by staying after school for an hour or less every/every other week, why not do so? Seriously, just do it. It pays off. 
• Read all of the assigned readings/take notes on them 
• This will allow you to understand the material and not be confused in class. You don't have to go crazy with the notes, just take enough to allow you to understand the important parts of the sections. You can use these notes on most assessments, so if you take accurate notes, you can greatly improve your grades. 
• Try not to stress about the course/the AP exam. 
• If you're doing what Mrs. Salz tells you to do, you'll be in good shape. Take things one step at a time. Everything will be okay!

How To: Survive AP Euro

 AP Euro was one of the most interesting and informative classes that I have taken all throughout high school. Any class is ten times better when the teacher enjoys and cares about their job and you can really tell that Mrs. Salisbury does. One of my favorite aspects of the class were the creative activities that we did to help us remember certain events (30 years war and industrial revolution). They really did helped me get a better understanding of the topics and something that I could easily remember.

Although it was always worth it, the amount of time spent at home reading and taking notes to understand a topic before class was not my favorite. However, this did help prepare me for situations where I'm not going to be spoon fed information and actually have to read something for myself. My biggest piece of advice going into this class would be to read and take handwritten notes on everything. It will help you remember so studying is easier and also makes reading checks much easier. Along with that, always make sure to plan ahead based off of the schedule so that you can take your time on assignments instead of cramming right before it is due.

One way that I could see making the class better would to have more days to cover more complicated topics during class. I know that this is very hard to do however, because of the time constraints placed of the class because of the AP exam.

Many people have said not to take AP Euro because it was one of the hardest AP classes that they offer
however I actually enjoyed the class and found it manageable. I enjoyed the class because even though
it was hard work it was actually a lot of fun. The class was not boring and we did fun activities that helped
us understand the topics more. The class was also based on class discussion and note taking was not
a big part in class however that is because notes were done for homework. I also enjoyed the class because
I had good classmates and a great teacher who made sure she taught us everything we needed to know.
I don't believe I really disliked anything except maybe the report card project on a ruler. I only disliked it
because I waited until the last minute to do the project so I made more work for myself. I think the only
aspect of the class that needed to be changed was taking more time on the last two chapters. I feel like
i don't really know what really happened in those last two chapters, so that would be the only aspect of
the class that could be changed a little. Some survival tips for next year's students would be time management.
Time management I feel is the biggest survival tip because if you manage your time wisely and give yourself
enough time then the class really is not that bad. I waited until the last minute to do about everything but if
I hadn’t, I wouldn't be stuck reading a 20 page chapter in one night. I found this class very enjoyable and
not as bad as everyone says it was. I would recommend this class to any hardworking student who is
interested in European history.

Final Message of Comrade Commandante-Secretary-General Will Ott

Good day comrades,

If you are going to read one blog post from the end of the year, read this one. Seriously. If there is to be one bearer of the torch of truth in this dark night, than let it be I.

You may have heard some negative things about this class from your peers. I assure you, everything bad you have heard is counterrevolutionary propaganda spread by traitors of a wicked and cruel mindset, AP Euro is one of the best classes that you can take not only in the history department, but also the school. The course material itself is incredibly engaging, taking you from the late days of Medieval Europe all the way up to present day. Mrs. Salisbury does an excellent job of presenting the material as well, and makes sure to give you feedback on your work by grading it in due time (unlike certain other individuals within the building whose names will remain unsaid), and gives you the opportunity to improve your quiz grades if you want to (not like I needed to use that to any great extent though). Most of the activities assigned are not only manageable, but also fun and engaging, and will help you gain a deeper understanding of European history and the topic at hand, whether it be the Congress of Vienna or the Thirty Years' War.

Probably the only issue that you will ever have with this class will become evident the moment that you walk into the classroom on the first day in the summer. The classroom is on the second floor facing the sun, so it is wicked hot most of the time. Unfortunately there's not much that can be done about this other than installing sensors on the windows that tint them to a certain degree depending on the temperature, but that seems a bit far-fetched for now.

The only other obvious downside to the class is that the College Board is actually a secret pagan blood cult secretly known as the 'Priory of Sion' who feasts upon the lifeforce of the innocent students who dare walk through the doors on exam day, but that's only for one day.

And now, Comrade Commandante-Secretary-General Will's Not-So-Serious-Tips to Succeed in AP Euro Class!

1. Know All of The Course Material Ahead of Time:
Really, knowing about ninety percent of what's going to happen during your journey through this class is going to help you a lot. Take it from me, it's a strategy that works.

Failing that, you can always...

2. Convert to Marxism:
The materialist conception of history is the only correct conception of history.

3. Remember That You Will One Day Die:
So really, what are you more likely to remember as you're hooked up to a monitor in some bleak hospital, waiting for your last breath? The few extra hours of sleep you got one night, or that the Thirty Years' War brought an end to religious war in Europe?

4. Fall in Love With the Characters in this Historical Epic:
During your time in the course, you will meet one of the great men of history, a man named Maximilien Robespierre. He did absolutely nothing wrong. The French aristocracy had it coming. You will also read The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. Everything he says in that book is right. Understand that.

5. Learn Who Hegel Is:
HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL HEGEL

And Now Some More Serious Survival Tips/Advice...

1. Procrastinate Well:
If there's one piece of advice that seems to be constant in these types of things, its the standby 'don't procrastinate'. Really? I am fairly certain that hearing this piece of advice repeated dozens of times has had exactly zero effect upon anybody actually procrastinating. Look, with the way modern education is structured, with lengthy homework for virtually every class every night, it is almost impossible to not procrastinate and still possess the slightest modicum of free time and or remain sane. Therefore, I propose that instead of simply preaching 'no procrastination', that you do procrastinate, but I recommend that you do it 'well'. By this I mean setting enough time aside so that you can get more than four hours of sleep a night, and setting your time up so that although you put your assignment off till the 'last minute', the last minute winds up being sufficient enough to sustain your sanity.

2. Sophie's World is Not On the Summer Reading List This Year. Read it Anyways:
So, you may or may not have noticed that there were two books on the Euro Summer Reading List last year, and now we are down to one. This is because the other book, Sophie's World, has been removed from the list, possibly because it is the equivalent of roughly three hundred fifty pages of extra reading, and the assignment that went along with it went unused for a good chunk of the year. That being said, I still recommend reading the book over the summer as a leisurely read. You have over two full months mostly to yourselves, you can handle it. The book will give you a nice, base-level understanding of philosophy and the intellectual movements that underpin so much of European history. If you have the time, you should definitely read it.

3. If You Have Any Questions About the Class, Ask Salz:
If you have to ask questions about ambiguities in the course material or come across anything you don't fully understand, don't hesitate to ask Mrs. Salz about it. She will make sure that you are informed on the topic. Or, in the unlikely circumstance you still find yourself confused, you can also always approach a former knowledgeable Euro student who is willing to help out their peers.

4. Take Advantage of Any and All Opportunities to Correct Your Papers:
Even I make mistakes some times. You will too. Salz provides you the great opportunity of being able to correct your quizzes/tests after you've done them, so this is a way to make sure that you don't fail the course if that's a potential concern for you, and a way for you to improve your already decent grade, if you so desire.

5. Don't Worry About the AP Exam:
It literally doesn't matter. Well, it does, but not really. The only actual purpose of doing well on the AP Exam is so that you can get credit for classes in college, although depending on which college you go to, you might not even get that. So don't stress out about it too much, don't stay up till five in the morning studying the day prior. Definitely do your best in regards to the classwork, prepare for the exam, but don't be too concerned if you don't feel great in regards to the exam. If you're a junior and you don't do well, you still have your entire senior year ahead of you. And if there do wind up being any seniors in Euro next year, you'll already have been accepted into college by the time scores come in, though it will be awful if you have it the last day for seniors like we did this year. (That being said, if I get anything less than a five on this year's exam I will take the exam again of my own accord next May).

6. Whenever You Make a Blog Post, Please for the Love of God Press the Preview Button Before Posting:
Every month, you will be making a post on this blog about a historical topic we are discussing in class at the behest of Mrs. Salz. That's easy enough in its own right. However, before you post, please for all that is good and holy press the preview before you decide to publish the post. There have been... numerous abominable formatting errors in posts this year as a result of this failure to check before posting, so please make sure that you do so for everyone's sake.

Finally, and most importantly, the shameless plug...

7. JOIN MODEL UN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Good luck, Godspeed, Join Model UN, Defenestrate Prague, Unionize the Student Body, and Long Live the Revolution!

Comrade Commandante-Secretary-General Will Ott signing off for the last time.

final blog :)) yayy

To be honest, Ap Euro wasn't as bad as it was made out to be by other students (this is coming from a very average student). I enjoyed many things about the class. One of these things being my class itself. It was filled with a bunch of people that I really get along with and we really got through it together. I also really enjoyed the interactive teaching style and most of the projects we did. I found all of them allowed us to be creative in some way. I didn't dislike much except for maybe the reading checks in the beginning, however I got used to them and they weren't that bad as the year went on (became part of the routine). I don't really have any suggestions to improve the class as I actually really enjoyed it, and have loved Salzy and her teaching style since Honors USHII.
For the students taking this class next year, here are some tips:
-make sure you read for your reading checks (as long as you know what is going on you can get an ok grade!!)
-take advantage of corrections (not a lot of teachers offer this, and it can really help your grade)
-make an effort (it will help you out in the long run, and its easier if you stay going strong from the beginning)
-manage your time!! (something I will never really figure out, but maybe you can!)
-don't make yourself crazy, and have fun! (:

AP Euro was lightwork

Jake Gausland

1. I enjoyed the majority of things that we did in this class throughout the year. I liked all the good laughs we had as we all tried to hide our pain. I liked the way that Mrs. Salisbury taught the class and presented the information, she could have easily just lectured the whole year and give us essay after essay but no she did not do that. She made the class much for enjoyable by presenting topics in different ways like that time she fed us during class, yeah thats right she gave us swedish fish, pudding, and something else I cannot remember. I liked the little classwork we did that hid all my bad quizzes, thank you!

2. I disliked the whole working part of AP Euro which is basically the whole class and year. I just do not like reading and there is a lot of reading so thats what I disliked the most but everything besides the work was great. The number one thing I disliked the most was the ruler project that we do in October, I am sorry but that was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. If someone is reading this from next years class please do not wait until the last day to do that project.

3. The one suggestion I have is that maybe Mrs. Salisbury can add more straight recall questions from the reading just to reward us for reading because sometimes I would read the whole chapter and take notes and still fail miserably, those are depressing times.  

4. Okay so here is the part that everyone reads but never actually follows through with what I am about to say, I know because I was in your shoes about a year ago reading these blogs and saying how I will take past students advice. My advice is do not put too much pressure on yourselves and do not stress. There is no need to stress about a chapter reading that is due in a week, either read little by little or deal with reading a whole chapter in one night, whatever you choose is on you. The more you stress about little things the more you panic and panicking is no good. Also, do yourself a favor and put your phone away when you are reading or doing homework, you will be amazed on how fast you can actually get work done. One last thing, develop your own style, whether this is taking no notes or 10 pages of notes, everybody has their own way of doing work/ studying and my recommendation is find what works with you and roll with it. I hope you take my advice and good luck to you guys.

Good Luck and Trust the process...

Sara Letourneau
Period:F
5/28/18

I survived AP Euro and I think you might possibly be able to 

1. I did enjoy having this class throughout the year, as it was always an open space to have discussions (maybe too many discussions) and a place where I truly did learn about the subject I signed up for. This class has taught me a lot about politics and trends that have continued for hundreds of years and shown the continuous ways that people stand up against the powers oppressing them. Now I know weird facts about the monarchs and governments and ideologies that have affected the world. I enjoyed improving my writing tactics and understanding of questions.

2. I wished the class had a different time table where we didn't always feel like we had to do a little work for a little while and then pile on the work during another point of the year. I think the weather certainly didn't help, but there were some times that we were rushing to get a bunch of work done and other times where we had a little to do in a long period of time. Also, that the expectations changed for the quizzes and tests throughout the year as I did improve my grades, but still needed the same kind of help.

3. To improve the class I think being a little bit easier on the students as sometimes they may have disappointed Mrs. Salisbury, but they never intended to or didn't actually do anything wrong. Also that sometimes people can't remember every fact, it doesn't mean they didn't do the work. Also, in my personal opinion I think college board should remove the questions where it asks which best answers the question, because we all know there's always two correct answers and I never pick the right one.

4. Survival tips for getting through AP Euro includes doing your work before it is actually due (I know this sounds crazy and who actually does it, but I wish I did it more), learning how to find a good stress reliever, remembering that it's just a class (it's not life or death it will only last a year), your AP score isn't everything, and remember to sleep. It won't be as bad and scary as you thought it would be, you'll survive and thrive.

"BRACE YOURSELVES AP EURO IS COMING"

AP EURO💣 is a great class I would have to say one of my favorite classes I have taken throughout high school. I enjoyed how I actually learned something in this class, and I love history it is so fascinating and I loved💗 learning about the interesting, confusing, and twisted past of Europe. However I will not lie to you when I say that this class is challenging (sounds better than hard). But you can do it!! Don't stress, don't procrastinate but if you do you will be fine just be very stressed at times. I did it and survived. Sals is a great teacher and the class is fun, some months are way more stressful than others, and just try your hardest. The biggest wake-up call was constantly getting 40s-60s😖😨 on quizzes except that one 97👌💪 on the enlightenment quiz no idea how that happened. But don't worry😅. Eventually you will laugh 😂at the quiz grade stress a little and then be fine because you can correct them to get half the points back which is really helpful. This is the best thing about the class! So take advantage of it. Also if you find yourself running out of time on the quizzes go right to the SAQ (which become very easy with time) since you cannot get points back on these. The quizzes and tests really help with the test I found it very easy to answer all the multiple choice because of all the practice we had.

This class is hard, but it was not hell I if it was I would have made the title Welcome to hell, the title is brace yourselves ap euro is coming is because its hard much like the winters in Game of Thrones if you have not watched the show please watch it what are you doing, at least watch one episode sure its gory and a little nasty at times but its good so.. watch it. But the class is like winter love it throughout and towards the end get a little sick of it (love you Sals💕) but it does end and then you find yourself really looking back and actually missing the fun activites and conversations, the class is a truly great experience, Sals is great and while the class at times you will hate in the end you will love and appreciate it. 

Honestly the class was hard but worth it and if you are crazy like me and are taking 3 aps well first thing good luck 😵and second you can do it its not that bad tbh and I high key stressed a lot but eh it whatever, in the end it was worth it cause I loved taking APES Lang and Euro so much.  

👐👐👐👐SURVIVAL TIPS💖😬😏😉😋😚

BUY A AP BOOK I love the Princeton review book 

buy it before the class and so when you start learning go into the review book read it for further clarity, and take notes on the side this will help and especially for when reviewing for the test itself. 

This site has notes on every single chapter in the book, they are very helpful and for me personally much more beneficial than the book but don't just use these try reading the book(also the chapter numbers do not line up so always use the chapter name to make sure you are reading the correct notes)

http://college.cengage.com/history/west/mckay/western_society/9e/chapters/chapter12.html

Also these videos are really good for a nice summary of whatever topic you are learning (personally Tom Richeys videos are long boring and I can not stand his voice it is very annoying) ao these videos are better if you feel the same way 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWI-vV6rH86gdSM3ajwJrp0FPxKQ7Zpu0

Crash course has some too which are really good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vufba_ZcoR0&list=PL254vGmq1nHFFdkuegRR5zisPjDI8BlxH

GOOD LUCK 📿(prayer beads)

(kidding guys, just a prank)

this is accurate though #straightfacts 

THE EASIEST CLASS AT SHS?!?! (NOT CLICKBAIT)

This will be an in depth guide on how to get an above average grade in this class with minimal time put in at home (As long as you have lab or a class you don't do much in)
This class is what many may say is the hardest class at shs, and everyone who says that is dead wrong! If you can understand the simple concept of time management, and you don't listen to those kids who kill themselves over getting anything less than a 97, then the class isn't all too difficult. If you literally do not want any stress or anything, you can do everything for the class during lab, which I would recommend taking second semester, but either semester works. The first two quarters, my average was around 93, and the only homework I actually had to do at home was an essay, which took no more than an hour outside of lab. Trust me, you can get so much done at lab, for the first semester I don't think I had any homework, other than that one essay, and maybe some chem. (You can also correct your quizzes in lab, which is another huge time saver) If you play sports, then what you really should do when you have to read 30 pages is to just split it up 7 pages over 4 days. (Trust me, doing all of that in one day takes 5 times longer because you just sit there thinking about how you still have 26 pages left) The realest thing you must understand about this class is that you should not stress over these quizzes. I'm pretty sure my average on them was about 65 or so, but my average was still like 90 overall. As long as you don't get a 19 on them you should be fine.

For me personally, my favorite part of this class was learning about some of the things which made World war II so powerful in terms of politics, and which basically led to the Cold War. However, that was also my biggest gripe with the class, is that we didn't really learn about any of the battles of WWII, which is the coolest part of the war. (The only two battles which were name dropped in the book were the Battle of the Ardennes, and El Alemein) The one thing I would change about this class is that we spent like 4 months on stuff that all happened 400 years ago, but like two weeks on stuff that was more recent. I don't know much about what these AP people tell you the test is like, but I just wish I could learn more about WWI, WWII, and maybe even the Gulf War, even if it's not as big on the exam. Overall, this class was pretty good, even though in general I don't like this type of history, and if you're the kid signing up for Euro, you should be fine, I wouldn't stress too much.

You won't regret it

At the end of my sophomore year, I decided to challenge myself by making the transition from an honors US history II to my first AP class ever: AP European history (along with AP bio). I should mention that I absolutely loved my US history II class, some of it because the curriculum being studied but mainly because of the great teaching techniques that Mrs Salz incorporated into the classroom. For the first time in school, I felt like I was actually learning to learn, not for the grade; further driving my interest and self-confidence throughout my sophomore year. When course selections came out, my decision on whether or not I should take AP Euro fluctuated- I knew I would love the class but the fact that all my other friends had taken APUSH before me, I felt like I was behind somehow, which was pretty discouraging. But, in the end, I trusted in Salz’s encouragement and signed up! Looking back now, I will never regret that moment :)

What I really enjoyed in this class was, again, the way it was taught (I mixed in survival tips in here as well). When going into this class, I was a little intimidated because there was rumors about it being “the hardest ap class in the school”- this is false. Although the pacing is faster than college and honors classes, I have never felt overwhelmed with the amount of work given- she is sooo organized!!! Mrs. Salz is really great about giving monthly schedules about things that is due for hw (which is usually only taking notes). Also if the whole class feels that the time given for a certain assignment is too short and stressful, she is happy to make arrangements to change it so everyone is okay. I know you have all heard this secret before, but managing your time is key; especially when organizing large assignments by breaking them down into everynight(ish) sessions. Most of my friends, unfortunately waited to the last minuet and pulled all nighters all of the time. Speaking of large projects, the Machiavelli Project in the first quarter is the hardest project of the entire year so if you can do that, you can manage everything else later on in this class :) you’ve got this! Also I really liked how reliable and helpful Salz was throughout the year. If I couldn't understand a certain historical event, I never felt shamed for asking during class or even after school for some help (she is after school everyday which I have always greatly appreciated). I can remember in the beginning of the year, I received a couple of poor grades on the reading checks (mostly because I wasn't used to the timed testing) and I began to feel discouraged because I would spend so much time reading and taking notes on the material and it felt like my hard work was not paying off. I went after school one day (a mess) and just talked to Salz about how I was feeling and she was so understanding. She told me that she can allow me a few extra minutes on the quizzes and then, overtime, once I got faster and more comfortable, we could restrict the time back to the normal amount of time. Even though this might not seem like a lot, it meant so much that she actually cared about me as a student and making me feel more confident within the class :)

There's nothing that I really disliked from the class, besides the long sections of notes- which isn't really salz’s fault, it just kinda get tedious after a while haha.

One suggestion for the class is to not read Sophie’s world- it was incredibly boring and not useful. Other than that, I have no more suggestions. I can not express to you all enough how well Mrs. Salz prepared me along with the rest of the class, for not only the ap exam but for all of the lessons I will need for life later on.

Life in the College Board Cult: Is It The Cult For You?

It is either little known or little acknowledged but a fact nonetheless; every person you have thusfar encountered is a member of College Board’s unpaid advertising service. We traipse around the school and town, seeking new recruits, preying on unsuspecting victims. We tell you: “Take AP classes!” We tell you that they’ll save you money, they’ll get you scholarships and credits, they’ll help you prove your worth to whatever mid-sized New England corporate facade of an intellectual haven that you think you need validation from. It’s like a weird cult, and if you’re reading this, you’ve already been roped in.
Now, cults are tricky business. Obviously, it’s too late for you. Much like myself, you have succumbed to a life of excessive homework and dangerous stress levels in the hopes that it’ll really pay out in time. You’ve selected European History as an instrument of your success. Oh yes, you are either good at history, fond of Mrs. Salisbury’s teaching style, or especially susceptible to peer pressure.
Here is what you need to know:The class is not that bad. For the most part, I enjoyed it. It is never boring, it is always interactive. I enjoyed all of the activities and group discussions that served as the primary educational instrument, in place of mindless slideshows. I enjoyed all of the related movies, songs, and readings that did not convey direct content but rather gave us an outlet with which to connect events to people, ideologies, and eras. The class is fast-paced, and the textbook is absolutely useless, but the information is manageable and the presentation of the information (excluding the textbook) is largely engaging. Salz does an excellent job of teaching her students how to take a test: time limits, essay formats, multiple choice strategies, etc. The only way she could improve the class is to review explicit content more frequently, as it can get confusing and, to reiterate, the textbook is useless for this purpose. At this point, dropping the class is not worth the trip to guidance, so I’d advise you to suck it up and stick with it. For greater ease in the course, I offer the following tips:
-Try to manage your time. I personally never quite got the hang of this, but if I had, I certainly would have been more successful and more well-rested.
-If the textbook confuses you, don’t read it. Buy a review book online, watch videos, read notes, use the textbook only for an outline so you know what content you need to learn, and then find a better way to learn it.
-Make an effort. Salz values students who care, and who make an effort to learn the material, complete assignments, succeed in the class. Ask questions if necessary, but don’t just coast.
-Adapt your taste buds to like coffee. Show me an AP Euro student who sleeps every night and I will show you a human anomaly.
-Lean into the cult life! After all, it’s not so bad.

My AP Euro Experience OKURRRR

Well,

Despite the boring and problematic nature of European history, Mrs. Salisbury definitely did a great job in presenting the material. Many of the projects helped A LOT in understanding topics that we all had difficulty with. While I did enjoy the class, I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking it. I think that the course has a controversial foundation that I definitely do not agree with. The curators of the material often look past the oppression and struggles that people of color were forced to face (and still do face) at the hands of historical European figures. With this fact in mind, I can say that I enjoyed being in Mrs. Salisbury's class, but did not enjoy learning the material.
I don't think there is anything that teachers can do to fix the foundations of this class and everything that Mrs. Salisbury did was very effective for the AP exam. I think in order to balance out the material, College Board should consider adding courses that have to do with cultures/history of color. It would be great for minority students to learn about their ancestors instead of their oppressors.

Survival Tips:

• Students should always take notes into reading checks! Take this very rare opportunity to help with your multiple choice and SAQ scores. 
• Always come after school to correct your reading checks! This is also a very rare opportunity that students should take full advantage of. 
• Make the material your own. While a lot of the topics in the class are very foreign to modern day Americans, it is very easy to make historical connections to current events. This really helped me understand the material while learning about Period 1. 

AP Losing Your Sanity

This class has been one of my favorite classes that I’ve had. Although I am someone who loves history and is fascinated by how times change. I was taught how to manage my time which was something that I constantly struggled with. The reading checks were an absolute pain in the butt, but they did force me to keep up with the readings and take helpful notes. To improve the class, I think going over the material from the readings prior to the quizzes would be helpful. I had a hard time grasping the material and I think even a twenty minute discussion would be helpful.

Note-Following these tips will make this extremely difficult class not as horrible as my title makes it sound. Mrs. Salisbury does a wonderful job on keeping the students on task and provides her students resources to reach their full potential.

• Always do the reading. The reading checks are very difficult if you take it without knowing the content of the time period. Making sure the notes that you take are descent will also help because they help you study for the overall goal of passing the AP exam at the end of the year.
• Make sure to pay attention in class. The discussion that we had in class were very helpful and prepared me for every test.
• Speaking about test, STUDY. It sounds like a give but you are tested on a time period and have to know information for multiple countries. By only studying for a short amount of time, you will not retain all the information (unless you are a genius, then ignore this tip).
• Procrastination is not your friend. By putting off the work you are setting yourself up of a night of tears, coffee and forty pages of notes at 1:00 in the morning (true story, do not recommend).

Sis Let Me Tell You About AP Euro

Let me tell you a story,

It all began when a nervous sophomore me was deciding what classes to take for his junior year. “It's the biggest and most important year of your high school career” they told me. The day before course selections where due I was sitting in my room, having a full mental breakdown (as I usually do). I had in front of me a schedule that had three AP classes, and the rest of them were honors. I felt like I genuinely couldn’t do it. One of my first ideas was to scratch off AP Euro, and go to Honors World History, because from the rumors that people told me, that would be one of my hardest classes. In my head I was telling myself that I wouldn’t have the time to labor over a book for hours on end, study constantly for quizzes everyday, and have all the projects in class done by the assigned date, but this my friends is far from the truth of AP Euro. In the Seekonk High School hallways, the truth has frequently been manipulated, but all those doubts I had were not an accurate representation of the class. So let's go through some tips on how to survive, what I liked, what I disliked, and the reality of the beast that is AP Euro.

Reality/ Tips:

• While reading is usually assigned every night it's not as rigorous as you may think. At most its a chapter in length, but I won’t lie to you they may be 30 pages long. However, knowing that the chapters are longer, Salz will give you two to three days to read it.
  
  
• DO NOT PROCRASTINATE IT WILL BE YOUR DOWNFALL AND YOU WILL NOT FINISH, AND THEN CRY.
  
  
• Quizzes and tests aren’t as frequent as you may think. What the rumors tell is that in AP European History you have some sort of assessment every day, but in reality you have a reading check (that you are aware off- it's not a pop quiz) the day after your reading is due.
  
  
• The homework you have in this class is very simple it’s all reading, reading, and reading. Very rarely will you have extensive essays to write, or hour long written work. Most of the time you’ll be reading, taking notes, or annotating the chapters in the book or a primary source document.
  
  
• Which brings me to a side note: make sure you do your reading because Salz doesn’t get mad very easily but one of her biggest pet peeves is when she tries to start a lecture in class, and no one has any clue of the topic because no one read the assigned work. This my friends will cause hell fire for your lives.
  
  
• Don’t be afraid to ask Salz for help. Seriously, there have been numerous times where I had to go away for something spontaneous, I was absent, or I just couldn’t do the work for legitimate reasons. All I had to do was talk to her about it, and she (as the understanding and kind human being she is) gave me an extension. She’s not a monster people, she's a kind and loving teacher that will go to all lengths to make sure you are comfortable in her class, and understand the material. However this is a two way relationship and if you aren’t putting out work, or are being rude, she has the right to not give you help- should you need an extension. She’ll ask if your ok on your bad days, and will help ease the stresses you feel from other classes. She’s not a straightforward teacher that only cares for her class- she’ll mend her schedule around other events to make sure you can perform at your best.
  
  
• Finally, make sure you follow your schedule. The schedules in this class will be your holy grail- it’ll give you a full lay out of the unit, when assignments are due, what we do in class, etc. These schedules may be modified due to time constraints, or snow days, but a new copy will always be on google classroom. Use this schedule if you want to survive. Staple it to a binder. Take a picture of it on your phone, but follow it to stay organized.
  
  

Things I loved:

• I think we can all agree that history classes in the Seekonk educational system have been, for lack of better terms, lackluster. However, in this class was the first time I actually learned something in history that would stick in my mind. I remember so much, and it’s crazy when I think about how much time we had, to how much information we covered.
  
  
• I also loved that we had cushion grades, because those allowed me to stay focused on the information and not worry to much about my grades. Often times I get so caught up in getting a good grade, that I just memorize the information for an assessment and then it’s gone. With having cushion grades I could focus on the information and this was the first class ever where my grades weren’t my main concern.
  
  
• I really appreciated the quiz corrections for the purpose I mentioned above because it kept my average in line, but the information I learned from righting my wrongs helped me retain concepts, dates, and important people in European history.
  
  
• One thing I also appreciated, was the idea that class wasn’t always lecture based, and instead we did projects, and group work that wasn’t superfluous or boring, but rather interesting.
  
  
• Euro was always my break in the day, and even though some days prove to be more difficult than the rest, the atmosphere of the class, was something that I needed to alleviate my bad days, and glorify my good days.
  
  

Things I hated:

• I didn’t like the fact that sometimes we spent days on projects, and sometimes these projects such as the Congress of Vienna simulation, were really difficult to understand.
  
  
• Also there were times when the reading was way too intense to keep up with. I remember one week when we had to read like 60 pages in the text book in the matter of like four days, and those weeks where reading got be to much, I honestly just stopped reading, because my brain was on information overload.
  
  
• Sometimes we didn’t go over everything in the chapter properly, so there were times where I was still really confused on certain topics.
  
  

Things to suggest for change:

• Mrs. Salisbury I need to tell you that the class needs to drill and kill period 4. I think we just had so much reading due in such a short amount of time, and the reading was so politically dense that the information was not registering at all. For this period the class needs to have more diverse activities, and less intense lectures to help understand the concepts- which include the Soviet Union, WWI, WWII, Fascism, the Revolutions, etc.
  
  
• Surprising I really understood the Cold War so whatever we did for that needs to be applied to the rest of period 4.
  
  
• I think the class should also pull it back with how much time we spent on Communism. I know that it’s a recurring concept throughout the second half of European History, but it just felt like it showed up in every assignment, and in every chapter. I think we spent a lot of time talking about it, and this took time from explaining the actual events that were occurring. Like the whole Communist Manifesto project was a lot, but that’s all I would recommend in trying to go over Communism, because after that we did organizers, and class lectures solely on this -ism.
  
  
• The class needs to pace the reading out more, because these 30 pages chapters are hard enough, but it doesn’t help that the book was terribly written. I often fell asleep while reading a chapter, and then I fell behind because there wasn’t enough time before the next one was due.
  
  
• The reading checks where really rough at times, I’m not gonna lie. Sometimes the multiple choice was really difficult, and not understanding the chapter in the book because the book is trash played a role in this difficulty. I think students should have a day of lecture to understand the information before the reading check is given.
  
  

Other than that, this entire class was actually life changing, because I was able to learn so many new techniques on how to study, and not only that I learned more about myself as student which isn’t something that a textbook can teach you. Mrs. Salisbury is by far one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and if I could make it (the constant stress ball who’s mental breakdowns are like clock work), than you can too.

Good Luck and God speed to the AP Euro class of 2018-2019...