Description
Too often we focus on the distant past, failing to recognize the significant impact of more recent events on our daily lives. Study the period of time following the end of World War II through the today in this year long course. Discover the meaning behind commonly used phrases like “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” Learn to pay more attention to what is happening now in the world around us. Explore the people and events from this eight-decade span through readings, class discussions, simulations, document studies, and other activities.
Learn about generational cycles and how they are affected by history, as well as how they in turn affect history. Learn about and discuss the different generational archetypes described in the book The Fourth Turning by Strauss and Howe. How do we fit in to these archetypes? What do we agree with? What do we disagree with? Does this help us understand different generations and the choices they made?
There will be content in this class that will be of a more mature nature that parents and mentors need to be sensitive to in deciding whether this class is appropriate for their scholars. The recommended ages for this scholar class is for 14-18 year olds.
The Book List for this class is as follows:
Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly
A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lai
True Reagan by James Rosebush or Ronald Reagan: How an ordinary man became an extraordinary leader by Dinesh D’Souza
Surviving Columbine: How Faith Helps Us Find Peace When Tragedy Strikes by Liz Carlston
The Red Bandana (Young Readers Adaptation) by Tom Rinaldi
I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
Colleen Hunting –
I have been teaching from this curriculum for a few years now. It is a great guide for mentors to learn and present History. It is geared for students ages 12-18. In the past I would say that I learned history as a required subject. But while exploring History through this mentor packet I found a real love for the subject matter. It is a very comprehensive curriculum for the teacher who loves to learn. I love to teach but have little time to re invent the wheel. This is the perfect solution if you feel the same.
Colleen Hunting –
I have been teaching from this curriculum for a few years now. As a mentor teaching has become a very learning experience for me. In the past I learned History only because it was required. But while using this curriculum I found myself enjoying History for the first time. I recommend it highly to those of us who are interested in teaching without re-inventing the wheel. It is a great guide to a powerful learning experience.
Genevieve Rose Arnold (verified owner) –
I cannot recommend Our Place in History enough. It’s a dynamic curriculum that is easy to work with, easy to personalize, and so much fun to teach. My students raved about how much this class has helped them to love and learn from history. Every decade has given us so much insight into ourselves. Penny did a lot of work to choose the current events throughout the last sixty years that have had the most impact on our society. This is a rigorous class, which should be taken into consideration when deciding what age to teach. I think her recommendations age wise are spot on. This is probably my favorite class that I have taught to date (in my 20 year career as an educator).