This section is mainly for 7th grade World History in California so these units are aligned to those standards. Students, feel free to browse and "expand your knowledge" (thanks Jasmin!). Each unit contains movie recommendations, music to set the mood, PowerPoint notes, assignments, lesson plans, videos and review games.
The standards contain a group of "history analysis skills" that I cover throughout the year. This opening "unit" briefly introduces those skills. The idea is to set a framework that the rest of the units of the year will follow. Here I introduce my Five Highways of History as well as show students the importance of learning history. This, along with other introductory activities takes up the first two weeks of school.
History Labs: How Do You Know?
Our first "real" unit of the year is the Roman Empire. This is typically a four-week unit since it is packed with information and helps set the stage for the rest of the year. Inside you will find History Labs related to the death of Julius Caesar, barbarian ordeals, and opera.
History Labs: CSI: Rome, Rome Culture Shock
7.2 Arabia
This unit explores Arabia. There are no posted labs at this point as I've yet to come up with any worth sharing. The notes contain a few mini-labs such as designing a plan to get water through the desert.
History Labs: Culture Shock: Arabia
7.3 China
The California standards begin this unit with the later dynasties but my notes begin with the founding Q'in dynasty and, honestly, ignore some of the later dynasties. It seems pointless to tell a story without a beginning. Contains a CSI style lab investigating some of the more spectacular Chinese inventions. This typically takes two weeks and is bundled with the Japan unit.
History Labs: Chinese Inventions Stations
7.4 Africa
Typically I combine this unit with 7.2 as both mention the influence Arabia had in Africa. The focus is on Ghana and then Mali (where the Arabic influence was strong.) Includes a lab on African oral history and folktales. Combined with 7.2 this unit takes 4-5 weeks.
History Labs: African Proverbs and Folktales, Culture Shock: Africa
7.5 Japan
I love this unit! Volcanoes, sumos, samurais, ninjas - you can't ask for much more than that. Includes a Haiku lab and a few mini-labs sprinkled throughout the notes. There is also a Culture Shock lab that has students acting out Sumo rituals and making origami. This is a three week unit that I bundle with China. I have found that teaching the units seperately causes my students to lump everything about them together.
History Labs: Japan Culture Shock, Haiku
7.6 Medieval Europe (Dark Ages)
This covers European history from the fall of the Roman Empire up to the beginnings of feudalism with a specific focus on the lifestyles of the various groups of people. Includes a feudalism lab from TCI that is absolutely wonderful. This is part 1 of a 2 part unit on Medieval Europe and takes about 2 weeks.
History Labs: CSI: Nottingham, TCI Feudalism, Barbarian Kingdoms
7.6 Medieval Europe (Late Middle Ages)
The second half of the Medieval Europe unit explores the conflict between kings and Christian popes, the Crusades, and the Black Death. There are multiple labs in the unit. One is a CSI lab on the Black Death and another involves designing castles. Fun unit but very heavy on information.
History Labs: CSI: London, Castle Builder
7.7 Latin America
The Maya, Aztec and Inca are all covered in this unit. They are broken up into seperate sets of notes but I test them together and the same themes are covered in all three topics. All together this unit takes 5-6 weeks. I usually do this unit after finishing the Renaissance sort of as a "Meanwhile, in America..." story before looking at the explorers.
History Labs: CSI: Copan, Mayan Culture Shock
7.8 Renaissance
This, together with the Reformation and and the Revolution form a unit I call "The 3 Rs" which lasts roughly 6 weeks. This section in particular focuses on why change became so desired in Europe and how the artists sort of set the tone for what was to come in both religion and science.
History Labs: CSI: Florence, Da Vinci's Notebook, Perspective in Art, Leadership with Niccolo Machiavelli
7.9 The Protestant Reformation
Two week unit focusing primarily on Martin Luther and the changes he inspired in the Christian church. The first week of the unit examines the various abuses occuring in the church during the Middle Ages while the sencond looks at Luther's response to them. I have found that tying the unit around a central figure makes what is an otherwise very hard to follow topic very interesting for my students.
History Labs: CSI: Reformation, Reformation Culture Shock
7.10 The Scientific Revolution
Very short unit lasting only a week that essentially follows the story of Galileo. It is themed around the movie the Matrix as the central question in both is what is truth and what are the consequences of seeking it. Copernicus and Newton are briefly discussed but Galileo serves as the anchor.
History Labs: Galileo: To Tell The Truth
7.11 The Modern World
An ever-changing unit that wraps up my year and brings us back to Europe. Admittedly this is the weakest of my units and I am constantly changing it to find the right story to tell within it. Ultimately, I want it to serve as a bridge from 7th grade world history to 8th grade U.S. History but it remains (for five years now...) a work in progress.
History Labs: Pirates Culture Shock