This back-to-school introductory lesson pack for high school world history covers SPICE-T themes, an overview of time periods, using primary and secondary sources, reasons to study history, and how historians work with documents. Introduce these important concepts before diving into content in your on-level world history or honors world history classes. The lesson includes the following:

48-slide introduction to SPICE-T themes and time periods with embedded questions and quick activities. Available in both PowerPoint and Google Slides™ formats with editable text
6-page guided notes packet with dynamic questions and visuals. Available as a printable PDF, a Google-ready digital assignment with text boxes, and as an editable PowerPoint file
Eurocentrism Reading Assignment with questions and answer key. Available as printable PDF, a Google-ready digital assignment with text boxes, and with an option for audio to support students
20-slide introduction to documents, sources, and theory with embedded questions. Available in both PowerPoint and Google Slides™ formats with editable text
2-page guided notes packet with dynamic questions and visuals. Available as a printable PDF, a Google-ready digital assignment with text boxes, and as an editable PowerPoint file
Vocab lists differentiated for on-level and honors world history with a fully editable Word Doc file
Vocab review crossword and answer key
SPICE-T bulletin board posters in both color and black & white options

The themes and time periods lesson provides a broad overview of topics within a world history course and introduces the following topics:

Thorough introduction with examples of the SPICE-T themes
Big historical time periods: Ancient, Classical, Middle Ages, Modern Age
Basics of reading a timeline (BC/AD vs. BCE/CE and how to read centuries)
Embedded timeline practice
Paleolithic Age and Neolithic Revolution overviews
Intro to major ancient civilizations
Pre-Columbian civilizations
Characteristics of classical antiquity
Polynesian migrations
Middle Ages/Medieval Period
Gunpowder Empires
Age of Exploration
Scientific Revolution
Capitalist and Communist ideologies
Age of Enlightenment
The Industrial Revolutions
Political Revolutions
The Cold War Era
20th and 21st Centuries

The documents, sources, and theory lesson covers the following topics:

Reasons to study history
Primary vs. secondary sources
How to identify a primary source
What do historians do with sources?
Quick intro to reading and analyzing primary sources
How to identify a secondary source
Why historians use secondary sources
History as a narrative
Decisions historians make

Terms of Use: These resources, including Google links for digital access, are for personal and single teacher use only. If you are posting this lesson/assignment, it must be posted in a password protected place for your students such as Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, etc. It may not be posted in a publicly accessible place or on any site that charges for access.

Themes in World History

Intro to Themes, Primary & Secondary Sources for High School World History