9-12 Social Studies: World History

French Revolution

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This annotated inquiry leads students through an investigation of the French Revolution. Adolescent students are quite concerned with challenging authority and establishing their independence within the world; the concept of revolution brings those two concerns to their most world-altering levels. This inquiry gives students an entry point into thinking like historians about the French Revolution. The question of success invites students into the intellectual space that historians occupy. By investigating the question of the French Revolution’s success, students will need to make decisions about what the problems of the Revolution were, how to give weight to the events of three different periods of the Revolution, and what distance, if any, was between intentions and effects.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Formative Assessment, Vocabulary

Author: NY State Social Studies Toolkit C3 Inquiry

Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, and Zheng He

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In this lesson, students will explore the adventures of these three world travelers. After viewing three short videos about their journeys, students will analyze photographs of a city that all three travelers visited, write a log entry describing a sighting of Zheng He’s fleet of ships, and then read excerpts from Marco Polo’s and Ibn Battuta’s accounts of their journeys. The lesson will conclude with students writing a short play in which the three travelers meet and share stories of their adventures.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: PBS

Indus Valley Civilization

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The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the largest of the ancient civilizations. Learn the who, how, when, where and why of the Indus Valley Civilization (and get some advice on how to be more successful in your romantic relationships while you're at it).

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment

Author: Laura Diaz