Adlai E. Stevenson High School Course Description Division: Special Education Course Number: ISO121/ISO122 Course Title: Instructional World History Course Description: One year of World History is required for graduation. In the division of special education, World History remains a survey and foundation course for social studies. As such, the framework of historical patterns, themes, and concepts are explored. This course touches on some of the greatest ancient and classical civilizations of the old world. It also covers the development of western traditions, especially in the last five hundred years. There is an emphasis on the geographical context of civilizations. Students will engage in an appreciation and diversity of the human past and the commonalities in each stage of history. Basic skills in reading, writing, note and test taking will be practiced. Social skills, cooperative group work, debate and class discussion will be taught, as well. In support of each student, the course will reflect the flexibility necessary to adapt to the individualized needs of each student with respect to modifications, pace, accommodations and class size. Content Objectives By the end of this course, students will be able to: A. Identify the eight characteristics of Ancient Civilizations and be able to explain the impact of the Agricultural Revolution and the environment on their formation. B. Identify critical attributes of ancient empires and discriminate differences between them. C. Summarize the achievements, significance, and legacy of the Byzantine Empire, Islam, Africa, the Silk Road and the Middle Ages. D. Describe the characteristics that led to the Renaissance and Exploration and the issues and abuses that led to the Reformation and Absolutism. E. Connect the transformation in human knowledge and new technologies to the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment and political revolutions in England, America, France and Latin America.
F. Interpret the driving forces of the Industrial Revolution and connect them to Imperialism and Nationalism. G. Express the effects of globalization on the United States and/or other countries in the world in a written argumentative research paper. College Readiness Standards By the end of this course, students will be able to: A. Identify sequential, comparative, and cause-effective relationships. B. Make generalizations and conclusions about specific topics. C. Express judgments about a certain topic. D. Focus on the topic and understand relationships between specific issues. E. Develop and take a position when writing. F. Organize Ideas in a written composition. Social-Emotional Learning Objectives By the end of this course, students will be able to: A. Increase self-awareness in relation to my emotions, self-perception, and strengths & weaknesses. B. Develop social awareness skills in the areas of empathy and perspective-taking, respect for others & appreciating diversity, and organizational awareness. C. Develop self-management skills, including impulse control & selfdiscipline, stress management, self-motivation, goal setting & organizational skills, and positive outlook & adaptability. D. Develop relationship skills, including building relationships and social engagement, teamwork, communication, resolving conflicts, helping & seeking help. E. Develop responsible decision-making skills with regards to problem-solving, evaluation/self-reflection, and ethical responsibility.
Content Learning Targets: A. Students will be able to identify the eight characteristics of Ancient Civilizations and be able to explain the impact of the Agricultural Revolution and the environment on their formation. 1. I will construct a logical connection between the Agricultural Revolution and the formation of civilization. 2. I will assess the effects of geography on the beginnings of human civilization. 3. I will I will show evidence for each of the eight characteristics of civilizations across Sumer, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China. 4. I will investigate the methods by which cultural diffusion occurred in ancient civilizations. 5. I will compare and contrast the major ancient religions, specifically the role of monotheism versus polytheism. B. By the end of this course, students will be able to identify critical attributes of ancient empires and discriminate differences between them. 1. I will be able to compare and contrast the major concepts of religions in ancient India, China, Greece and Rome. 2. I will be able to evaluate the impact of trade and the impact of the Silk Roads on cultural diffusion between the East and West. 3. I will be able to examine the golden ages of the ancient empires and compare and contrast them with each other and cite the contributions to modern society. 4. I will be able to compare and contrast the governments of the ancient empires and compare and contrast them to concepts of government in the United States. 5. I will be able to compare/contrast the rise of the ancient empires and explain/compare the reasons for their decline.
C. Students will be able to summarize the achievements, significance, and legacy of the Byzantine Empire, Islam, Africa, the Silk Road and the Middle Ages. 1. I will be able to summarize the achievements, significance, and legacy of the Byzantine Empire. 2. I will be able to understand the teachings of Islam, compare and contrast them to the other monotheistic religions, and explain the expansion of Islam as well as the major cultural and technological advancements of the Islamic empire. 3. I will be able to explain the importance of god and salt in early Africa and differentiate among the major kingdoms, and understand the impact of cultural diffusion on Africa, culturally, economically, religiously. 4. I will be able to understand the impact of the Silk Road on cultural diffusion in China, India, the Middle East, Africa and the Mediterranean. 5. I will be able to describe the cultural and political achievements of China s golden ages and the significance of Marco Polo s journey to Europe and China. 6. I will evaluate the role of feudalism and the power of the Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. 7. I will evaluate how the feudal political structure gave rise to early limited government in England. 8. I will describe characteristics of the Renaissance, identify artists and writers, and explain how humanism affected the arts of that period. 9. I will cite reasons for European exploration and conquest and analyze the consequences. D. By the end of this course, students will be able to describe the characteristics that led to the Renaissance and Exploration and the issues and abuses that led to the Reformation and Absolutism. 1. I will be able to describe the characteristics of the Renaissance, identify artists and writers and explain how humanism affected the arts of this period.
2. I will be able to cite the reasons for European exploration and conquest and be able to analyze the consequences of European exploration and conquest. 3. I will be able to analyze the problems in the Catholic Church that led to the Protestant Reformation, compare and contrast the new religions, and identify the effect and response of the Catholic Church to the Reformation. 4. I will be able to compare and contrast absolutism in England, France, Austria and Russia. E. By the end of this course, students will be able to connect the transformation in human knowledge and new technologies to the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment and political revolutions in England, America, France and Latin America. 1. I will be able to explain how new technologies and enlightened ideas of the philosophies led to changes in political ideas in Europe and America. 2. I will be able to assess the political, social and economic imbalances in France that led to the revolution and evaluate the changes the Revolution brought to French society, economy and government. 3. I will be able to analyze the influence of ideas of the European Enlightenment philosophies on thinking of colonists prior to the American Revolution and after the American Revolution in the formation of our government. 4. I will be able to analyze the causes of the revolutions in Latin America and compare them to England, America and France. F. By the end of this course, students will be able to interpret the driving forces of the Industrial Revolution and connect them to Imperialism and Nationalism. 1. I will be able to identify the technological, economic and social effects of the industrial age. 2. I will be able to associate the rise of social movements with the rise of big business and industry.
3. I will be able to analyze the effects of Nationalism on Europe and how it helped fuel imperialism. 4. I will be able to describe the effects of imperialism on Africa and Asia. G. By the end of this course, students will be able to compare and contrast the factors that led to conflict/aggression in WWI, WWII, Russian Revolution, and trace the origins of the Cold War. 1. I will compare factors that caused WWI and how the Treaty of Versailles set the stage for future conflict. 2. I will be able to discuss the political and economic challenges nations faced prior to WWII and examine how aggressive world powers emerged and what was needed to defeat them. 3. I will understand the causes and consequences of the Holocaust and the significance of using atomic weapons against Japan. 4. I will be able to describe how the Russian Revolution provided the blueprint for Stalin to implement a totalitarian government in the Soviet Union, beginning the divide between ideologies leading to the Cold War. H. By the end of this course, students will be able to express the effects of globalization on the United States and/or other countries in the world in a written argumentative research paper. 1. I will be able to define and site examples of globalization and assess varied reactions to globalization, from full acceptance to complete rejection. 2. I will be able to reflect upon 9/11 and the War on Terror in the context of globalization trends. 3. I will be able to evaluate the causes of issues in the globalized world, such as ethnic cleansing/violence in the Balkans, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
College Readiness Learning Targets A. Identify sequential, comparative, and cause-effective relationships 1. I will recognize clear cause-effect relationships described within a passage. 2. I will select phrases from a text that illustrates how societies feel towards others. 3. I will read portions of text predicting how a person s actions would likely impact a specific situation. 4. I will use various strategies (e.g., questioning, role-playing) to determine plausible cause-effect relationships. B. Make generalizations and conclusions about specific topics 1. I will draw simple generalizations and conclusions about key historical figures in a variety of texts. 2. I will analyze the reasonableness of generalizations by reviewing information presented in the text and other sources. 3. I will compose generalizations that include qualifying language (e.g., a few, sometimes) when limited evidence is presented by the author or narrator. 4. I will determine what a literary narrative is generally about, organizing the text s information into general statements that are supported by details from the text. 5. I will draw reasonable conclusions about people and situations using evidence presented in a text. C. Express judgments about a certain topic 1. I will show a little understanding of the persuasive purpose of the task but neglect to take or to maintain a position on the issue in the prompt. 2. I will show limited recognition of the complexity of the issue in the prompt. 3. I will practice generating possible positions on an issue.
4. I will identify and discuss reasons for selecting one position on an issue over others. 5. I will choose a position on an issue and state it clearly. D. Focus on the topic and understand relationships between specific issues 1. I will maintain a focus on the general topic in the prompt through most of the essay. 2. I will ask who, what, when, where, and especially why of the topic to establish clear focus for the essay. 3. I will learn to recognize when an essay wanders away from its topic. E. Develop and take a position when writing 1. I will show little or no movement between general and specific ideas and examples. 2. I will read a variety of model persuasive essays. 3. I will recognize that essays and variety of texts are composed of ideas that must be explained or illustrated with specific examples and details. 4. I will redraft writing to include additional ideas that support the essay s main claim. 5. I will learn prewriting strategies such as free writing and brainstorming for generating ideas about a topic. F. Organize Ideas in a written composition 1. I will provide a discernable organization with some logical grouping of ideas in parts of the essay. 2. I will present a discernable, though minimally developed, introduction and conclusion. 3. I will recognize paragraphs as a means for organizing an essay.
4. I will discuss the purpose and importance of the opening paragraph for directing the rest of the essay. Social-Emotional Learning Targets A. Increase self-awareness in relation to my emotions, self-perception, and strengths & weaknesses. 1. I will recognize how others perceive me. 2. I will can identify the attitude that I portray. 3. I will can identify my strengths. B. Develop social awareness skills in the areas of empathy and perspective-taking, respect for others & appreciating diversity, and organizational awareness. 1. I will listen attentively to understand another person s feelings and/or perspectives. 2. I will utilize resources to understand another person s feelings and/or perspective. 3. I will evaluate how my actions impact others. 4. I will interpret the reasons for another s actions. 5. I will act responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind. 6. I will seek to understand the diverse background of others. C. Develop self-management skills, including impulse control & selfdiscipline, stress management, self-motivation, goal setting & organizational skills, and positive outlook & adaptability. 1. I will express my emotions in positive and constructive ways. D. Develop relationship skills, including building relationships and social engagement, teamwork, communication, resolving conflicts, helping & seeking help.
1. I will build and sustain relationships characterized by mutual respect. 2. I will try to resolve conflict by openly talking about disagreements with those involved. 3. I will invite and welcome feedback from others. 4. I will recognize when others need help. 5. I will offer assistance appropriately when others need help. E. Develop responsible decision-making skills with regards to problem-solving, evaluation/self-reflection, and ethical responsibility. 1. I will identify possible options, including major alternative points of view and their consequences, before making a decision. 2. I will evaluate possible options, including major alternative points of view and their consequences, before making a decision. 3. I will identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions. 4. I will reflect upon and evaluate the choices I make and the outcomes of those choices. 5. I will articulate socially defined ethics and norms. 6. I will make decisions based on my personal values, ethics and my knowledge of social norms.