The following is a curriculum guide for the World Studies course at Jones College Preparatory High
School. Actual assignments and further information will be discussed in class and posted on the website homework page with advance notice. Scope and sequence subject to change, depending on the needs of students, the school calendar, and the events currently happening in the world at large.
FIRST SEMESTER
UNIT 1:FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND EARLY CIVILIZATIONS (4 WEEKS)
A. Introduce the 7 categories of analysis: geography, economy, technology, political system, arts, social structure, transfer (G-E-T P-A-S-T) through personal artifact analysis activity.
B. Using social science categories of analysis, debate modern legacy of early/classical civilizations.
C. Skill building
1. Organization: class binders
2.
3.
4.
5.
Artifact Analysis
Note-taking: G-E-T P-A-S-T charts and using textbook for research
Fundamentals of Argumentation: claim, warrant, data/evidence, backing
Textbook's Web Research Tutorial
D. Assessment: early civilizations research project (debate on modern legacies of early civilizations) and unit exam
E. Connection(s) to next unit: social science categories, civilization development, and world religions
UNIT 2: CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS AND MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS (2 WEEKS)
A. Continue study of early civilizations by comparing and contrasting classical civilizations using DBQ: Classical Athens vs. Han China: How Great Were the
Differences
B. Another look at the development of major world religions and ethical traditions:
Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Daoism, Christianity, and Islam
C. Skill building
1. Note-taking: Venn diagrams, DBQ bucket analysis, document analysis worksheets
2. Analysis of Primary and Secondary Sources
3. Writing Fundamentals using DBQ (compare/contrast essay):
4.
5. a. b. c. d.
Formal Writing Guidelines (appropriate language and usage rules)
Thesis and Baby Theses Statements
Outlining
Using Rubric to Edit/Proofread Your Essay
Baby MLA: In-Text Citations of DBQ documents in essay
Fundamentals of Interviews
D. Assessment: DBQ, World Religion Fair, and Unit Exam

UNIT 3: GLOBALIZATION 1.0 (6 WEEKS)
A. Rome's Three Heirs
1.
2.
3.
Byzantine Empire
Islamic Empires
Medieval Europe
B. Globalization 1.0
1. Silk Road
2. Maritime Revolutions (Early Chinese Exploration, Africa-Arabia-India-China
3.
4.
5. water routes, Transatlantic Slavery & Trade),
Spreading of Disease (e.g., Bubonic Plague, role of European diseases in conquest of Latin America)
Spreading of Religions (e.g., Islam in Africa, Christianity in Europe, role of
Christianity in conquest)
Spreading of Culture and Technology (e.g., Renaissance, Crusades)
C.
D.
Skill Building
1. Book and CPS and CPL Electronic Database Research a. b.
Chicago Public Library/Harold Washington
CPS Electronic Databases
2. Fundamentals of Writing Continued a. b.
Developing and Organizing Your Evidence
Responding to Counter-Evidence c. Formulating Effective Introductions and Conclusions
3. MLA Citation
4. Plagiarism Tutorial via Indiana University with certificate showing quiz completion
Assessment: Unit Exam and Great Divergence Research Paper that will challenge students to combine argumentation skills learned in Unit 1 with writing skills learned in Unit 2 and research and persuasive writing skills learned in Unit 3 to prepare a critique of debate regarding the so-called “rise of the West“ or “great divergence” occurring between the 16th and 19th centuries.
UNIT 4: INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS (3 WEEKS)
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Reformation and the Scientific Revolution
Absolute Monarchs in Europe and The Enlightenment
The Enlightened Revolutions: French, American, and Latin American Revolutions
Skill Building
1.
2.
Book, Web, and CPS and CPL Electronic Database Research
Discussion: Enlightenment Salon
3. Collaborative and Presentation Skills: Children's Books on Political
Revolutions
E. Assessment: Enlightenment Salon, Children's Books on Political Revolutions, and
Unit Exam
* * * WINTER BREAK * * *
UNIT 5: INDUSTRY AND EMPIRE . . . GLOBALIZATION 2.0 (3.5 WEEKS)
A. Industrial Revolution

B. European imperialism in Africa and Asia
C. Resistance, rebellion, revolution
D. Skill Building:
1.
2.
Note-taking
Historical thinking
E.
A.
B.
3. Case studies: context, themes, agency, cause/effect
Causes of World War I (cause/effect DBQ)
Events of World War I (to include Battle of Gallipoli and involvement of colonial soldiers for global perspective)
Assessment: Parliamentary hearings on Industrial Revolution and Unit Exam
SECOND SEMESTER
UNIT 6: WORLD WAR I IN GLOBAL CONTEXT (3.5 WEEKS)
C. Settlements resulting from World War I: Treaty of Versailles and Creation of
Modern Middle East
D. Skill building:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Advanced DBQ Writing (subset cause/effect essay)
Peer editing
Transforming Rough Draft into Final Draft
Strategic Thinking, Negotiation & Working with Maps of Middle East
E. Assessment: Causes of WWI DBQ essay, Modern Middle East project, Unit Exam
UNIT 7: WORLD WAR II IN GLOBAL CONTEXT (3 WEEKS)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Worldwide Depression and the Rise of Dictators
Causes, events and aftermath of World War II
Skill building:
1.
2.
3.
Using and critiquing propaganda techniques
Creating multi-media presentations from archival footage
Effective presentation techniques
Assessment: World War II Multi-media presentations and Unit Exam
UNIT 8: COLD WAR (3 WEEKS)
A. Postwar Europe: International Community vs. International Divide (Creation of
B.
C.
D.
E.
United Nations vs. Origins of Cold War)
Maoist China
Hot Spots in the Cold War: Vietnam, Congo, Cuba, etc.
Skill building:
1.
2.
3.
Sophisticated Evidence Gathering and Argumentation
Note-taking
In-class evaluative essay
Assessment: Mao Human Rights Trial and Unit Exam
UNIT 9: DECOLONIZATION AND INDEPENDENCE: LEGACY OF WESTERN INTERFERENCE
AND INTERNAL POWER STRUGGLES (6 WEEKS)
A. End of Empire: Former Colonies Gain Independence – India and Pakistan
B. End of Empire: Former Colonies Gain Independence – African “nations”
C. Nationalism in Middle East

D. Democracy v. Authoritarianism in Latin America
E. Skill Building
1. Effective discussions
2. Critical viewing: biases, assumptions and hyperbole in documentaries vs. feature films
F.
3. Advanced historical reasoning and thinking
Assessment: Decolonization Summit, Critical/Evaluative/Position Essay, and Unit
Exam
UNIT 10: GLOBALIZATION 3.0 . . . THE WORLD TODAY (2 WEEKS)
A. End of the Cold War and Rise of Globalization 3.0
B. Reforming the United Nations
C. Current Conflicts: Alternatives to U.N.
D. Skill Building:
1. Problem-solving
2. Web literacy: current events
3. Effective persuasive presentation skills
E. Assessment: U.N. Reform Debates and Final Exam