The Big History Project asks big questions about our universe, our planet, life, and humanity. 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.

The Big History Project and other courses in The OER Project are available online, but their materials were designed for traditional classrooms, which can be overwhelming for parents who want to use the course with an individual student. Rise Out has adapted this curriculum into a self-paced online class suitable for homeschoolers. The first trimester (Big History 1) covers the first four units:

1. What Is Big History?
2. The Big Bang
3. Stars and Elements
4. Our Solar System and Earth

The second trimester (Big History 2) covers the next three units:

5. Life
6. Early Humans
7. Agriculture and Civilizations

Materials in Units 8 (“Expansion and Interconnection”), 9 (“Acceleration”), and 10 (“The Future”) are threaded throughout other Rise Out classes.

NOTE: Despite the word “history” in its title, students may use this class as a science credit. The Big History Project is an interdisciplinary program that combines physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, archaeology, biology, art, philosophy, history, 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 OER Project web page.

Prerequisites: None for Big History 1. Big History 1 is a prerequisite for Big History 2.

Instructor: Laura Fokkena

DETAILS:

Suggested age range: 13+. Because it requires no math, Big History is ideal as a first-year high school science class.

Outside work: Each class contains twelve modules with 4-5 hours of homework per module.

When & where: Self-paced courses can begin any time. Laura will hold office hours on Zoom for Big History students on Wednesdays from 11:00-12:00 Eastern Time from Sept. 6, 2023 - Mar. 27, 2024 (excluding December break). Attending office hours is not a required part of the course, but students who do are more likely to stay on track. This is where they can meet other students taking the course, and get answers to any questions they might have.

Fee: Online self-paced $95 ungraded/$145 graded. Both include a non-refundable registration fee of $10. All materials are provided on the course web site. We offer discounts for groups, siblings, and students who enroll in multiple classes. (Discount information.) Payment plans available. Fees waived for families with financial need. (Waivers and payment plan information.) Questions about how classes work? Read our course FAQ.