Description
Windows to the World: US & England – Course Description
In Windows to the World: US & England, we study missionaries and history in the US from the circuit riders to important missions work (US and foreign) by people still living.
For this highly interactive course, we travel around the world and through different time periods with world literature – missionary biographies of different regions as well as fiction and/or non-fiction books set in those regions.
Students will read missionary biographies, and occasionally, a work of fiction (choice). Students write different kinds of short reports to teach the rest of the class about the history and culture, explore the culture and the spiritual climates, and work with a timeline and maps through a semester-long project.
We learn a lot about missionaries’ lives, the need of the culture for Truth, how the culture’s view of God affects what happens in the country and in its people’s lives, what is happening historically in the country of study and in other countries around the world, and how God is at work through time and place.
Parents may purchase the books or check them out of the library – a list will be made available to those registered for the class.
What This Class Is Not
Windows to the World: US & England is not a typical curriculum-based, chronological move through world history. We step out of that box and move through different time periods, always with a view to the present country or region.
The assignments include a lot of reading, so the student and parent must commit to reading the books (usually very interesting). If a student has reading issues, it is fine if the parent reads them aloud to the student – but there must be a commitment to do the reading.
Other assignments are hands-on and designed to engage the student in the region’s culture, history and spiritual realities. We will include videos, music, foods, and customs. Students will be asked occasionally to prepare a food and serve it to their families.
Teacher Background
This course is taught by a former history-hating student, now a “retired” homeschool mom. It was not until I started homeschooling my own children that I learned that history is about the compelling stories of people who were just like we are! It changed everything for me – I would love to help change that for your students if that is their situation.
Grade Levels
- Middle School to early High School
Prerequisites
- None
Curriculum
- Most books are YWAM biographies (except the first one), parents may purchase or get from library.
Windows to the World: US & England Course Outline
- US and British history and culture (pre-revolution to modern)
- Lives of circuit riders
- Technology and impact on missions and culture
- Missionaries who stayed in US
- Missionaries who began in US and traveled
- One small project
- A culinary adventure
- Games based on class content
Estimated Workload
- 1/2 to 1 hour, plus reading time
