Renaissance History

This class is geared to the advanced 7th grader through 10th grader. Covering 1455 to 1707, our study begins with the Renaissance and Reformation, looking at artists, scientists, religious leaders and political movements around the world. We move into a study of the growth of nations in the second half of the class as we look at the rise of exploration and colonization from the Old World to the New World. We will explore peoples and places all across the globe as we look at topics such as the wonder of a continent impacted by bold new ideas, the curiosity and courage of the first explorers and immigrants to the New World, the rise of wealthy empires in West Africa, the lives of Aboriginal Australians, and the riches and mystery of Far East Asia. Weekly, the students will have readings from the text; 3-4 paragraph responses to topics from the readings the student chooses to explore; mapwork; and quizzes. A 3-5 minute speech will be assigned in the first semester and a 3-6 page research paper will be assigned in the second semester. An additional literature component will round out our curriculum: the student will read and respond to one fiction or non-fiction (relevant to the time period) per marking period, totaling 4 for the entire year. This course taps into the student’s curiosity and engages their interests as they are asked to investigate the topics that most interest them each week. Classtime will be used for further instruction, class discussion and engaging activities.