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
JENNIFER JOY MASKELL –
My kids and I loved this course. The children learned about events and people from these time periods in a manner that caused them to reflect on their own ideals and where they come from. The course ties in The Fourth Turning, by Strauss and Howe. This helped us understand the main reason for studying history. History repeats itself, and we are able to learn from the mistakes and successes of past generations. The nonfiction novels selected are fantastic and interesting. Several of the chosen novels have multiple reading levels to address the needs of a wide range of students. The hero reports also bring in a positive twist to what could otherwise be a depressing time period. This is a fantastic course.