Course Topic Outline:

 1) Introduction and Foundation: Weeks 1-3

 Introduction to Social Studies Skills and Themes: 

• 1.  Cause and effect, Compare and Contrast, Contextualization (Extent of Time / Chronology), Analize, Classification - PIES

  2. Source Evaluation - Origin, Purpose, Content, Value, Limitation (OPCVL)

  3. Research Skills

 2) World Religions - Weeks 4-6

 A ) Major guiding questions:

• 1. What is the significance of ideas as powerful forces throughout history in terms of different types of influence: political, intellectual, economic, environmental, geographic, military, social?

  2. How are religions shaping the civilizations that have already developed?

  3. How have the major religions changed over time and what have caused changes?

 B)  Major belief systems and religions to examine:

1. Judaism

2. Christianity

2. Islam

4. Hinduism

5. Buddhism

6. Confucianism

 3) Empires: Weeks 7-16

 A) Major Guiding Questions:       

• 1. What are the causes and effects of the fall and rise of empires?

  2. What are the characteristic of Empires?

  3. What countries or powers would be considered empires?

  4. What role do leaders play in the rise and fall of empires?

  5. To what extent do unity and diversity hinder or enhance an empire?

 B) Examine definitions of empire

C)  Empires to be examined in class:

1. Early (Classic) empires: (7-9)

examples - Greeks, Romans,  Han

 2. Middle period empires: (10-12)

examples: Byzantium / Medieval Europe, Aztecs, Heian Japan

3. Modern Empires (13-16)

examples: Great Britain, Spain, France