Teaching
How ToUPPER SCHOOL HISTORY
Before reading the article
below, please
have a look at the video you'll find toward the top of this
page.
It will provide you a lot of information regarding Upper
School History. Then please read the article below,
scroll down and look at course descriptions and samples for
each course that we offer in Upper School History.
Our history courses are global in their orientation,
rather than oriented toward a single nation or segment of
history. History courses cover, in sequence and as they
occurred, the major movements and discoveries found in all
corners of the globe. These include each major religion in
detail as it appears in history, scientific discoveries;
political movements; philosophical ideas and movements;
social changes; artistic schools and movements, including
the works and lives of great artists; the history of
economics; the tale of nationalism, wars and peace; and the
development of literature. These are presented as an
integrated whole, rather than as separate subjects. We
experience them as an integrated whole which we call
"life". They should be taught as such, and not as
separate and unrelated subjects. Each course is filled with
exercises and field trips to be done by the student, to help
them fully understand and evaluate for themselves the vast
history of our world.
HISTORY COURSES OVERVIEW
History (including a very complete study of politics, religion and philosophy) for Upper School is a very thorough four year program, comprised of eleven courses, including a vast, expansive American Civics course. Courses are largely self-contained, and offer a global-centric view of history. Students learn history in a linear manner, everything right where it belongs in time and space, from start to today.
As to religion, they learn about each religion thoroughly as they arrive at that point in history, going to temples, churches and mosques, and speaking to worshipers as part of their studies. This removes the "unknown" quality to religion, and makes others more easily accepted by the student.
Students watch many documentaries and films as part of their history studies, each one broken down just as their reading materials are! A student who completes these courses is going to really understand who we are and how things became the way they are!
The next-to-final history course is largely based on Will and Ariel Durant's The Lessons of History . The student will decide for himself what he has learned studying history, what was and is important, and how he can use what he knows, today. Then he will do a survey to discover the condition of the world, to this minute. He'll research how many wars are being fought and where and how, he'll discover where there is poverty and hunger, and where there is not. He'll look at what modern civilization prizes, and what it is discarding...and then he'll act on the information as he sees fit.
THE END RESULT OF 'CONNECT THE THOUGHTS' HISTORY STUDIES IS A STUDENT CORRECTLY LOCATED IN HISTORY. THEY KNOW "WHEN" THEY ARE IN THE SCHEME OF LIFE, AND HOW THE CIVILIZATION THEY ARE A PART OF CAME TO BE, AND IN THE CONDITION IT IS CURRENTLY IN. THE STUDENT KNOWS WHAT THEY WISH TO IMPROVE IN THE WORLD, AND HOW.
Please note - Many of the required films or music used in our courses have links provided so that there may be no need to secure them. However, we cannot guarantee that all the links will be "live" or active when you use them. You may need to secure films or music in other ways. No film or music selected is very hard to secure. Any book required will need to be secured by you, though a great deal of reading material built in to the courses (such as The Story of Mankind) is built directly into the courses and so do not need to be secured.
All courses are PDFs and can be instantly downloaded upon purchase!
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The All Purpose Civics CourseAn All-Purpose Civics Course? What on EARTH is an "all-purpose" civics course? We wanted to provide a civics course that would work well for any place on Earth. Here it is!
History I - Pre-HistoryThe first history course for students ages 11-adult. How did the universe, the planet, and life get here? The scientific and religious ideas of creation explored in detail.
History II - Early CivilizationsHistory for students ages 11-adult. The great histories of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Middle East, India and China. Where did civilization start? What was the first city, the first religions, the first professions! An in-depth study of early civilization.
History III - GreeceFor students ages 11-adult. The birth of Western Civilization! An extremely thorough course covering philosophy and science, warcraft and democracy, theatre and poetry! No one living in the modern world can afford not to understand the civilization which gave us much of what we cherish.
History IV - RomeFor history students ages 11-adult. Learn about the greatest and longest-lived empire the west has ever known! For 1,000 years, Rome dominated the known world, its roads and writings and politics conquering all in its reach. The rise of Christianity and the life of Christ is covered in detail.
History V - The Medieval AgeFor the history student, ages 11-adult. A serious, intensive study of 1,000 years of human darkness. After the fall of Rome, we see a Europe lost in plagues and awash in religion. At the same tgime, in the Middle East, Islam is born in the writings of its prophet, Mohammad. A period of history that must be understood, to understnad the modern world.
History VI - The Three R's (The Reformation, Renaissance and Restoration)For history students, ages 11-adult. Europe is awash in religious war, as the Protestant faiths are born, separating from the Catholic Church. The Renaissance sees the greatest explosion of great art in history, from Da Vinci to Shakespeare, all studied in depth. One of the most alive periods in human history.
History VII - American Civics—An Owner's ManualFor serious history students, ages 11-adult. An owner's manual for the American citizen. What was the idea behind America, that drove people here to go to war with England for their independence? Break down all the important documents that made America, like the Constitution, and find out what they mean in history, and what they mean to you, today!
History VIII - Revolutions and NationsFor history students ages 11-adult. The detailed tale of the French revolution, the industrial revolution, and the changes that embraced the world in the 1800-1900s. Great art, great literature, and great changes filled the world. Discover them today!
History IX - World Wars & The 21st CenturyFor students ages 11-adult. The story of the most violent and volatile century in human history. From World War I, to the atom bomb, to the Cold War, the moon and the Internet. For the serious student who wants to understand the world we live in.
History X-XI - The Lessons of History; History CompletionFor the student, aged 14-adult, who already knows his history, and who wants to understand its value and use in today's world. Actually two courses. The first, built around Will and Ariel Durant's 'The Lessons of History', sums up the values of all the student has learned. The second course, 'History Completion', brings history up to today, and asks the student to understand the troubled world we live in.
Additional Studies Resource (for History and Science Courses)An additional studies resource guide for Upper School History and Science courses.
