BIG HISTORY 2
The Big History Project is a social studies course that spans 13.8 billion years. It weaves insights from many disciplines to form a single story that helps us better understand people, civilizations, and how we are connected to everything around us.
Rise Out has adapted this curriculum into a three-semester format suitable for homeschoolers. In this second semester we will cover the 5th and 6th thresholds of “big history”:
5. Life on Earth
6. Collective Learning
Later semesters will cover the the modern revolution and speculations about “deep future.”
Although taught as a history course, the first half of this class can be considered an introductory biology class. It’s ideal for students who are more interested in history than math, and are searching for a science class that approaches scientific topics from a philosophical perspective. (It’s also good for students more interested in science than history, and are searching for a history class about science!)
This is an ambitious course that will have at least 3 hours of homework every week, including writing assignments and a semester-long timeline project that you do at home. You also have the option of taking this course for a grade. Taking it for a grade is not required, but we’re offering this option because some parents have requested more ways to show colleges that their students’ work has passed independent assessment.
This is an exciting class that we’ve spent over a year developing. It combines art, archaeology, philosophy, biology, astronomy, history, geology, and other disciplines to answer the question: “How did we get here?”
For more information about The Big History Project and the curriculum we will be using, see David Christian’s TED Talk or visit The Big History Project web page.
NOTE: This second-semester class assumes you have taken the first semester of Big History, covering thresholds 1-4. If not, you can still enroll, but you’ll be asked to do an extra module before class begins to familiarize yourself with the topics and the format.
Instructor: Laura Fokkena
Grading Assessment: Heidi Sandler and Janee Ronca
DETAILS:
Suggested age range: 13+
Outside work: 3+ hours of homework per week. All materials are provided online. Students will need an internet connection and access to a computer or laptop with a keyboard and reasonable screen size. The course can be accessed by a smart phone but the readings have not been adapted for small screens and the writing assignments require a keyboard.
When & where: Fridays at Voyagers in Chelmsford (directions) from 12:30-1:30, Feb. 8-May 10, 2019. No class Feb. 22 or Apr. 19.
Fee: $250 for the semester, which includes a non-refundable registration fee of $10. There will be one required $2.99 YouTube movie rental midway through the semester. Please read our media policy. $10 discount for Voyagers members. Payment plans available. Fees waived for families with financial need. (Waivers and payment plan information.)