You need a World History credit, but you want something different. You want a way to connect the dots, think critically, and understand history as a story that’s still unfolding.
🔍In this class you will:
- Investigate themes in human behavior across cultures and eras
- Read and analyze primary and secondary sources (documents, letters, speeches, images)
- Explore context through films, lecture, discussion, and creative projects
- Connect past to present through current events and global issues
- Build strong skills in critical thinking, comparative analysis, and argumentation
💡 Each unit begins with a central question and ends with thoughtful discussion, synthesis, and insight, helping students develop a strong grasp of both continuity and change throughout history. Students gain:
- A deeper understanding of world history through a lens of ideas, not just chronology
- Transcript-ready academic work that aligns with high school social studies requirements
- A greater ability to analyze complex texts, form arguments, and engage in meaningful dialogue
- A more informed view of today’s world—grounded in the lessons of the past
🧭Part 1 dives into the following themes:
- How have humans conceived of government? How and why have those conceptions changed over time?
- How and why have humans created the concept of “the other?”
- Why do humans fight each other? And in some cases, why do humans choose to seek peace?
Is There Homework?
Yes! Students will be provided with weekly assignments (reading, watching, listening, writing) to do in advance of class meetings. Students can expect to spend 2-3 hours outside of class each week on work to prepare for class.
Can A Student Earn A Grade?
Yes! Grades are based on class participation (35%), weekly written journal responses (35%) and a final project (30%). Class participation can be by voice or by chat. If either of those are a hurdle for a student, other options are available. Students receive weekly feedback on their work, and can choose to receive a progress report midway through the semester.
Is This An “Honors” Course?
An honors or advanced designation is decided by a school district or state department of education. Homeschooling parents choose how to designate the classes their learners engage in. Students who want additional rigor are provided with a “Digging Deeper” option that adds additional homework material, higher standards for written assignments, and are required to do a final project.
What Sources Were Used To Create This Class?
This course was created using a wide variety of high quality educational materials that provide factual accuracy, diverse viewpoints, primary sources, and thoughtful opinions. Sources include (but are definitely not limited to):
- The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan
- Teaching World History Thematically by Rosalie Metro
- The Crash Course – World History
- The Crash Course – European History
- Worlds Together, Worlds Apart by Robert Tignor, et al
- The Smithsonian Institution
- National Geographic
Approximate Weekly Schedule
Week 1: Welcome and Introduction to Theme 1: Humans and Government; Hammurabi and Ancient Babylon
Week 2: Han Dynasty; Roman Republic and Empire
Week 3: The Umayyad Caliphate; Absolute Monarchy
Week 4: Modern Finland; Nunavut Province in Canada
Week 5: Introduction to Theme 2: How and Why Do Humans “Other” Each Other?; Does Writing Make You Civilized?
Week 6: Alexander the Great, Alaric the Goth; Henry the Navigator
Week 7: The Spanish Requerimento; The Qing Dynasty and the English King
Week 8: The Meiji Restoration in Japan; The Third Reich
Week 9: Structuring “Civilized” with the Creation of The UN Commission on Human Rights; Intro to Theme 3
Week 10: Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire; The Crusades: Fighting For, or Against, Religion
Week 11: The Berlin Conference of 1885, King Leopold, and the Free State of Congo; The Serbian Black Hand and WWI
Week 12: The Costa Rican Constitution and Funding Peace; The Rwandan Genocide
Week 13: Conflict in the West Asia; Big Question 3 Wrap Up
Week 14: Historical Noodling: Analysis, Synthesis, and Final Projects
