AP World History Unit Plan

11th & 12th Grade

Predict the Future based on the Past

 

 

I)          Title: Predict the Future based on the Past

 

II)        Subject: World History      

 

III)       Topic:  Predicting the Future based on patterns in human history from the conception of human civilization to present trends and events.

 

IV)       Level:  Advance Placement

 

V)        Grade: 11th & 12th Grade

 

VI)       Duration: 15 Days

 

VII)     Instructional Objectives:

 

  The student will,

·         identify the impact of interaction among major world societies in trade, international exchange, war, and diplomacy from the foundations of human history to the present and relate these patterns to the near future.

·         analyze the impact of technology and change on human and non-human populations from historical patterns to the globally connected nation states of the present, predicting the potential of such on the near future.

·         evaluate social structures, gender structures, and intellectual developments in the past and in the present, relating these patterns to potential future outcomes.

·         examine problems faced by humans at the present time and investigate potential outcomes of these problems in the near future.

·         predict potential outcomes in relationships among nations, religious groups, ethic groups, and other human groups in political, social, economic, and intellectual themes.

*      by completing a worksheet on political issues from the nine main regions of the world and on the world as a whole.

*      by completing a worksheet on social issues from the nine main regions of the world and on the world as a whole.

*      by completing a worksheet on economic issues from the nine main regions of the world and on the world as a whole.

*      by completing a worksheet on human issues in the past, present, and future.

*      by developing a PowerPoint Presentation on the groups prediction of the human world at their 25th High School reunion.

 

 

VIII)    Information Literacy Objectives:

 

*      The student will:

·        use and analyze primary sources, including documentary materials, maps statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence, to predict future events in four group worksheets and a PowerPoint presentation.

·        locate and identify sources, judging said sources for superiority and adaptability to the groups needs for quality answers to the worksheet questions and for the development of the class presentation.

·        evaluate the quality of the information given from source material by judging the authors qualifications and any potential bias of the material, by doing a web tutorial titled “How to do Research.”

·        organize information from various sources and create a group presentation to present to the class.

 

IX)       Type of Instruction: WebQuest and PowerPoint Project

 

 

X)        Procedure:

Day 1:       Conduct a teacher directed class discussion on the future of man, based on what we learned in the past and what we know of the future. Touch on the following topics:

A)     Optimism or pessimism.

B)     The 20th Century as a new period in world history.

C)    Using the past to address the future.

D)    Making sense of recent developments.

E)     Extrapolating trends in world societies.

F)     Evaluating the conditions of woman.

G)    The overcrowding scenario.

H)    A postindustrial world.

I)       World history themes.

J)     The forces of international integration.

Day 2: Organize and begin the WebQuest

A)     Break the class into groups of three, four, or five depending on the class size. The optimal group size should consist of six students.

B)     Explain the project and the projects requirements to the class

C)    Take the students to the Media Center and have them do the following:

1)   Power up the computers (Each student should be at a computer and group members should sit next to each other, in the same row.)

2)   Read through the entire WebQuest.

3)   Read the linked tutorial site in the Process section on evaluating websites for bias and authenticity.

Day 3: Viewing an interesting website on predicting the future.

A)     Each member of the group should finish the tutorial on bias and authenticity.

B)     After the tutorial, each group member should read the linked summary in the book about predicting the future.

C)    The teacher and available Media Center personnel will assist students as necessary, weaving through the computer isles to make sure students stay on task.

Day 4, 5, and 6: Work on the four worksheets connected to the WebQuest.

A)     Each worksheet requires in-depth research and must be answered with historically accurate information or reasonable and realistic predictions. Each worksheet is worth 50 points. Only one copy of each worksheet needs to be turned in per group.

B)     The teacher and available Media Center personnel will assist students as necessary with directions, research, potential computer problems, and whatever else may arise during this aspect of the project. The teacher will also weave through the computer isles to make sure students stay on task.

Day 7, 8, 9, & 10: Work on composing the PowerPoint Presentation.

A)     Students are to develop a PowerPoint Presentation summarizing the information collected on the four worksheets and their scenarios of the future, 25 or 26 years from today.

B)     Each PowerPoint presentation must include the following components and should be put in the following order:

1)     An introductory slide.

2)     A summary of the political, economic, and social issues from each region of the world from your answers given on your political, economic, and social worksheets. (Students will develop a slide for each region of the world with the political, economic, and social issues summarized together on one slide. An example would be a slide titled “Latin America” with three bullets, one for political issues today, one for economic issues today, and one for social issues today.)    

3)     A summary of what you considered to be the most important political issues and how, or if, they could evolve over the next 25 to 26 years.

4)     A summary of what you considered to be the most important economic issues and how, or if, they could evolve over the next 25 to 26 years.

5)     A summary of what you considered to be the most important social issues and how, or if, they could evolve over the next 25 to 26 years.

6)     A summary of each of your five answers from the Past, Present, and Future Worksheet.

7)     A conclusion slide.

C)    Students must have a minimum of at least 20 slides and a maximum of no more then 34 slides. The WebQuest gives the exact minimum and maximum per slide breakdown in the process section.)

D)    Each presentation must contain at least 10 images and a color background.

E)     The overall presentation should be visually appealing.

F)     Extra bells and whistles are strictly at the group’s discretion.

G)    A works cited slide must be added for quotes and any information copied from a source.

H)    The teacher will also weave through the computer isles to make sure students stay on task. The teacher will assist students as necessary with the development of the PowerPoint presentation, directions, research, and whatever else may arise during this aspect of the project.

Day 11, 12, and 13: Student Power Point Presentations

A)     Students will present their PowerPoint Presentations to the class.

B)     The teacher will set up the machine, monitor its use, and assist the group presenters where necessary.

Day 14 and 15: Presentations or Discussion

A)     If needed, students will continue to present their PowerPoint Presentations to the class. If not, these days will be used for an open discussion on the class findings. (These days may also be used, if the process is slowed at any point.)

B)     The teacher will set up the machine, monitor its use, and assist the group presenters where necessary or direct a discussion based on the student PowerPoint Presentations. The teacher will assemble questions for the discussion from the student presentations. The discussion will also be open for student questions and responses.

 

XI)       Materials & Resources Needed for Students and Teacher:

            Media Center: (Days 2 - 10)     

Access to Media Center Resources (Note: See Media Specialist before sending the class to the Media Center so that she can set out books and other resources that may be useful to students for this project.)

Availability of 20 to 32 Media Center computers connected to the Internet and equipped with Microsoft PowerPoint.

“Transport to the Future WebQuest” (The WebQuest has links to resources and websites for students research.)

Access to school On-line Data Base Resources

Encarta Electronic Encyclopedia

World Civilizations Text Book

Patterns in Human History Text Book

World Book Encyclopedia

Alternative Views of History Book Set

Copies of Past, Present, Future Worksheets

Copies of Political Issues Worksheet

Copies of Economic Issues Worksheet

Copies of Social Issues Worksheet

Classroom: (Days 1 & 11 -15)

Class Computer with Microsoft PowerPoint installed

LCD Video Projector and computer cable

Map of the World

Chalk for Blackboard

World Civilizations Text Book

Overhead Projector

Transparencies of projected world population in 2025

Transparency of the world at night (showing city lights and the effects of population and energy consumption)

Transparency on the effects of deforestation on the world

Transparency of potential global warming trends

Transparency of economic disparity among nations

 

 

XII)      Homework:   Day 1: Begin Reading Chapter 36 (A 21st Century World) in the World Civilizations Textbook.

                                       Day 2&3: Review KY Virtual Library “How to do Research” website in more depth. http://www.kyvl.org/html/tutorial/research/whyeval.shtml

                                    Day 4&5: Finish reading Chapter 36

                                    Day 6: Complete worksheets at home if necessary

   Day 7&8: Conduct extra research for the group PowerPoint Presentation

                                    Day 9&10: Complete PowerPoint Presentation at home if necessary

   Day 11, 12, 13, & 14: Prepare class presentation notes as necessary and begin reading Epilogue in the World Civilizations Textbook. 

                                    Day 15: Finish reading Epilogue

Note on Homework: As promised, homework will be light, as students have already taken the big Advance Placement exam.

 

XIII)    Assessment:  See complete student grading rubric at: http://polaris.umuc.edu/~estanton/finalproj/wqrubric.html for detailed grading. The project is worth 500 total. The point summary is as follows:

*      Complete answers to the 4 Worksheets (50 maximum points each, 200 pts total)

*      The PowerPoint Presentation (250 maximum points)

*      Group Participation (50 points)

*      Individual Workload (Deduction of 5 to 500 points) Deductions may be given for unequal contribution (lack of) or for serious off task behavior. A student will receive a verbal warning before any deductions are given.