AT History Mini-Project: Should History Be Periodized?

Task​: In groups, design a proposal on how History ​should​ be organized so that it can be learned most effectively.
Your proposal should...
1. Include a slides-based presentation that is delivered by all group members that
a. includes a SHORT list of key events that you believe students MUST learn before college, and
b. Competing perspectives with respect to how history should be periodized/organized, and
c. A recommendation based on your knowledge: HOW should we learn history?
2. Create visual, such as a timeline or VENN diagram that shows time, themes, important ‘must-learn’ events,
and other information to enhance/clarify your recommendation.
3. Include a works cited slide.
4. Be around 6-10 minutes in length (total), while including equal amounts of speaking time.
5. Consider the following questions:

Questions to consider:
● How are World Histories traditionally organized?
○ Why do you think they are organized in this way?

● Why is World History so often ‘periodized?’

○ What periods appear common? Why do you think this is?
○ What value does periodizing history have to the historian? To the teacher? To the learner?

● What are the ‘watershed’ moments that have transformed our human experience on earth?
○ How do you choose to define this?
○ How does the way you choose to define this impact the way you organize history?
○ What are the key events and/or themes that every student MUST learn before college?

● What might the way a society organize history say about the society itself?
○ What values might be present in these assumptions?
○ What values might be absent?

● Should​ it be periodized?
○ If so, how should it be periodized?
 ■ What are the positive effects of periodization?
■ Can you think of any negative effects? What?
○ If not, how else should it be organized?
■ How should it be organized? Events? Time periods? A thematic approach?
● A recommendation.
○ It might be based on other models you see during your research.
○ It should include events/themes you think MUST be studied.
○ It should be clear and concise.

Core Texts:
● Periodization in World History Teaching: Identifying the Big Changes ​(P. Stearns, JStor)
● Article: ​Splitting History​ (Lumen Learning)
● Historical Methodology and the Rise of the West​ (Crash Course World History)
● Redesigning A Thematic World History Curriculum ​(Civic Educator)

Examples of Organized History

● Assorted World History Textbooks - Patterns of Interaction, etc. (hardcopies)
● AP World History: ​Periodization​ (Advanced Placement)
● In Defense of Thematic World History​ (Online Article)
● The Big History Project
● World History for Us All

Debrief​:
1. What conclusions can we draw about the ways history has been organized in the past?
2. What are the costs and benefits of these types of organization?
3. AT History is NOT a World History course. It is a course where we develop our skills as historians through
analyzing key themes, making comparisons, asking questions, and drawing conclusions.
a. What do WE want out of this experience?
b. What themes, periods, and moments of time would WE like to focus on?
c. As historians, what should be our NON-NEGOTIABLES?

Note:​ The above experience and discussion will

be the basis of our content and theme selection
this year. From this we will generate a list, and
from that list we will select a theme and a
content area. This process will be as
democratic as possible, recognizing that it is
never possible for us all to get exactly what we
want.

Assessment​:
● Formative Assessment
● Standard: ​Presentation Rubric
● Grade is ‘grey’ in Powerschool

Reflect​:
● I used to think…
● And then I learned…
● And now I think…
● One question I have now based on what I learned is…