Product Description
Pages: 156
Grade level: appropriate for 6th – 8th grade, target grade is 7th (appropriate for high school with modifications*)
Course type: Study guide (Please see the Booklist for the books required to complete this course.)
* Early Modern Level two is a comprehensive course that is appropriate for both middle school and high school students with little modification. For high school students we recommend adding daily lesson summaries and one oral report of the studentʼs choosing. We also recommend reading unabridged, original version of Oliver Twist.
From the Stuart Dynasty to Lewis and Clark, Early Modern level two is a complete one-year curriculum guide that combines history with literature, world geography, and writing activities. Students study events from early modern history, a time of nationalism and revolution: scientific, agricultural, industrial, French, and American. It was also a time of civil war and rebellion: English, Spanish, Scottish, Russian, and American. And it was a time of advancement and expansion: the Age of Reason, Galileo, Lewis and Clark, East India Trading Company, Mercantilism, and the Enlightenment. This comprehensive course covers success and failures of civilizations in Early Modern history from all parts of the world.
Early Modern level two is a student guide that provides step by step lessons to teach world history from 1600 to 1850. Level 2 History Odyssey guides are written to be used independently by students with the parent/teacher assisting when necessary with lessons and assessing the student’s completed work. Early Modern level two does not require an answer key due to the subjectivity of the assignments that encourage critical thinking (i.e. there is rarely any one correct answer). Answer keys to map work are found in the main spine (The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia). A rubric is provided to assist in grading essay writing.
Literature and writing instructions and assignments found in the course include advanced outlining of history readings, attribution of sources, How to Write a Biography, How to Write an Essay, persuasive writing, creating a storyboard, literary analysis, creating a character web, and identifying elements of an epic.
Critical thinking with history studies found in this course include identifying connections and cause/effect relationships; evaluating the validity and type of history sources; timeline analysis; detailed examination of revolutions, wars, and conflicts; and identifying connections between geography and history through extensive map work.
This guide includes:
- 21 early modern history blackline maps
- Worksheets
- Recommended resource list
- 89 detailed lessons covering:
- Literature
- Writing
- Map work
- Timeline analysis
- Research
The History Odyssey Method– Five learning techniques are woven throughout all History Odyssey courses at age-appropriate levels: Students examine multiple resources, read historically significant literature, develop and strengthen critical thinking skills, practice and refine written and verbal expression, and study world geography and geographical significances throughout the history of humankind.
Please refer to the article The Best Way to Learn History for more information about the History Odyssey method of learning.
The History Odyssey method found in Modern Times 2:

Multiple Resources
- Examine resources of various groups from areas such as Africa, India, Britain, Eastern Europe, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Russia, Italy, Germany, United States, Greece, China, Middle East, SE Asia, and more
- Read about modern history events in a history encyclopedia
- Read classic literature, abridged and unabridged
- Examine primary source excerpts from modern history
- Conduct independent research of library and online resources

Literature
- Read modern history through historic fiction
- Read classic literature, some adapted
- Study poetry, songs, and short stories

Written & Verbal Expression
- Develop points of view and present arguments through well-composed essays
- Learn the basics for creating a thesis statement and writing a research paper
- Practice public speaking and rhetoric skills
- Identify main ideas in history readings through advanced outlining of history readings
- Write biographies on significant individuals during modern times and identify their effects and influences on history
- Conduct an interview and write a firsthand account

Critical Thinking
- Exposure to at least three sources for history events
- Organize, filter, prioritize, and discern vast amounts of historical data
- Refined practice evaluating the validity of history sources
- Detailed review of documents and legislation in modern history including long term effects
- Analysis of poetry, political cartoons, pamphlets, and speeches in modern history
- Identify, create, and summarize a complicated web of connections between events in modern times history
- Detailed examination of Imperialism including the effects on native cultures in many parts of the world
- Detailed analysis of Totalitarianism and Terrorism in many parts of the world during modern times
- Scrutiny of wars and conflicts including long term effects and assessment of the necessity of war
- Research and analyze the persecution of certain groups in modern history including the origin of prejudices still alive today
- Explore various political ideologies in modern history and their long term effects
- Literary analysis of historic fiction including characterization, theme, point of view, foreshadow, symbolism, and satire
- Grasp the concept of time and the progression of history, and identify connections between events through multiple timeline activities
- Compare and contrast groups in modern history
- Practice proper attribution of sources

Geography
- Detailed identification of land and water areas significant to modern history
- Gain a better understanding of events in modern history through detailed map work and completing map keys
- Learn about geographical obstacles and advantages and their effects in modern history
- Analyze how geography influenced trade, travel, wars, spread of ideas, and the communication between groups during modern times
- Study and map the effects of war on political boundaries and nation building
Important Copyright Information: If you choose the eBook version of this course, you are purchasing a license to use the PDF for your own children. You may make copies for your own children, but you may not share (email, download, print and distribute, resell, etc.) this eBook or any portion of this eBook to others.
Licensing is available for group, school, and co-op use. Please contact Pandia Press for details on group licensing (kate@pandiapress.com).