This is the first course in a two-course sequence. AP Modern World History is a college-level survey course that covers the major global trends, events, changes, and systems from 1200 to the present day. This course consists of seven distinct units that unfold specific topics in specific regions and time within the scope of the following six themes identified by the College Board:
- Humans and the Environment
- Cultural Development and Interactions
- Governance
- Economic Systems
- Social Interactions and Organization
- Technology and Innovation
The goal of this course is for students to understand the significant factors that have shaped our world today and why/how global societies developed in the manner that they did. Students will be assigned to read varied reading materials, including textbook chapters, and watch instructional videos, and have discussions with their classmates.
Additionally, the course orients students to the AP Exam terminology and the AP Exam styled essay writing. The AP historical thinking skills are integrated into the learning activities so that students can develop these skills consistently and apply them when taking the AP Exam. Throughout the course, students will be challenged to write short and long argumentative essays, analyze sources, compare historical events, make historical connections, and provide historically valid evidence.
The course will also utilize the AP Classroom practice activities at the College Board site to maximize the AP Exam preparation experience. Course does not include the AP Exam; students can contact their school’s AP Coordinator or the College Board to sign up to take the Exam. There are required due dates in AP courses. The pacing of due dates in AP courses aligns to the completion of all lessons and required assignments and assessments prior to the national AP exam date related to this course title. This course requires purchase of a textbook.
Prerequisites: None
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
- Identify the development, success and failure of major global systems and ideologies of governance.
- Understand the factors that created and impacted the global economic system, and identify the major events and societies that have historically and currently greatly contributed to the system.
- Explain the historical development of global cultures, and the events that have shaped them.
- Examine the importance of the interaction between cultures and clashes that have ensued between different cultures with different goals, customs, and ideologies.
- Identify the various environmental factors that lead to and shape human and societal behavior in different parts of the world.
- Examine the major technological advances that have occurred during the time period and explain their world-changing impacts.
- Identify truth’s about the nature of humanity or society through the study of historical data and examples.
- Understand the factors that led to the development of different global societies and how different groups of people interacted with and fit into their respective societies.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: A World Snapshot (1200-1450)
Unit 2: Trade and Connectivity (1200-1450)
Unit 3: Empires of Land (1450-1750)
Unit 4: The Age of Exploration & The Columbian Exchange (1450-1750)
Unit 5: Empires of the Sea (1450-1750)
Unit 6: Nationalism & the Enlightenment (1750-1900)
Unit 7: The Industrial Revolution (1750-1900)
Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.
Additional Costs: Students are responsible for acquiring the required textbook, available in print or digital (e-textbook) formats: Hansen, V. and K. Curtis. (2016). Voyages in World History, 3rd Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN-10: 1-305-58300-0 ISBN-13: 978-1-305-58300-9
Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.
Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.
Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/
Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments.
Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:
- Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
- Download and install software
- Use a messaging service similar to email
- Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
- Open attachments shared in messages
- Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
- Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
- Save a file as a .pdf
- Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
- Insert images or links into a file or html editor
- Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
- Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
- Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
- Use presentation and graphics programs
- Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
- Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
- Create and maintain usernames and passwords
Additional Information: The official course descriptions for Advanced Placement courses and information about their exams are located on the College Board site at a http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/descriptions/index.html.
Michigan Virtual prepares students in AP courses for the AP exam, but does not offer the exam test itself. It is the responsibility of the school or parent to register for a local administration of the AP exam.
There are required due dates in AP courses. The pacing of due dates in AP courses aligns to the completion of all lessons and required assignments and assessments prior to the national AP exam date related to this course title. The calendar of AP exam dates is published by the College Board (Exam Calendar).