Description
Windows to the World: World History through Missionary Biographies
Windows to the World is a full-year, discussion-rich world history course that explores history, culture, and faith through the lives of Christian missionaries. Rather than following a traditional, chronological textbook approach, students travel to different regions of the world and time periods through engaging biographies, literature, projects, and hands-on activities.
This course runs on a two-year rotation. Each school year focuses on different regions of the world, allowing students to take the class for two separate years without repeating content. Students are welcome to enroll for a second year and experience entirely new regions, missionaries, and historical contexts.
Regions of Study (Rotating by Year)
Each year, the course focuses on a distinct set of regions. Examples of regions studied include:
- China and East Asia
- The United States and England
- Additional regions may be included in future rotations
Because the regions rotate, students who repeat the class will encounter new biographies, cultures, historical settings, and projects.
Course Experience
Students read missionary biographies and, at times, fiction or non-fiction books set in the regions being studied. The “heroes” of this course are ordinary people who demonstrated extraordinary courage, faithfulness, and perseverance as they followed God’s calling and helped shape history.
Throughout the year, students will:
- Write short reports designed to teach classmates about history, culture, and spiritual climate
- Work with maps and timelines through a year-long project
- Explore how a culture’s beliefs influence its people and historical events
- Participate in games and interactive activities that reinforce course content
Lessons also incorporate videos, music, customs, and hands-on cultural experiences. Students may occasionally prepare a food from the region studied and share it with their families as part of a “culinary adventure.”
The literature spans many time periods, helping students see how God is at work across history and geography.
What This Class Is Not
This is not a traditional, curriculum-driven world history course that moves straight through history in chronological order. Instead, the class steps into different eras and regions with a focus on people, culture, and God’s work through time and place.
The course does include a meaningful amount of reading. Students and parents should be prepared to commit to completing the assigned books. If a student has reading challenges, it is perfectly acceptable for a parent to read aloud, as long as the reading is completed.
Teacher Background
This course is taught by a former history-hating student turned “retired” homeschool mom. Teaching history through the stories of real people transformed her own view of the subject, and her goal is to help students discover that history is anything but dry—it is full of adventure, faith, courage, and meaning.
Grade Levels
- Middle School to early High School
Prerequisites
- No prerequisites
Curriculum
- Primarily YWAM (Youth With A Mission) missionary biographies
- A detailed book list is provided after registration
- Families may purchase books, borrow from libraries, use eBooks, or borrow from others
Estimated Workload
- Approximately 30–60 minutes per week, plus reading time
Testimonials
I hated history—it was dry, boring, fill-in-the-blank. After studying it this way, it’s my favorite class of all.
