RobinL in Canada Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 My gr 8 son is covering Early Modern/ Modern this year, using Spielvogel's The Human Odyssey and The Universal History of the World series. He is a strong writer but has not yet specifically covered essay writing, though we will be doing that this year. Despite his strong writing skills, he is not yet very analytical--still more "report" oriented. Could anyone suggest some specific essay topics for this time period and this age/ type of student? I had asked recently about how to "spice up" his history studies, but didn't get many ideas beyond the basics (thank you for those, though), and right now I'm just looking for some good topics he could focus on in report-style essays that go beyond the most obvious for this time period. Any ideas? Any favourites your children have covered? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Comparison and contrast can be a great bridge into analysis. Example: Comparison/Contrast of urban and rural life during x period. A great think about it type question, is to have them explain how a given technological breakthrough changed life for regular folks (who did it put out of work/offer opportunities for, did it bring people together or divide them). Did x man reflect or shape the times he lived/ruled in? Why might one geographic area develop a culture different from another over a given time period? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TippyCanoe Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted November 4, 2012 Author Share Posted November 4, 2012 Thank you both for the thoughts--very helpful : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Here is a book with history essay prompts from all time periods. $0.50. http://www.currclick.com/product/2138/Historical-Essay-Questions?it=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Can you define what you mean by this time period? My understanding of modern history is that is all history after the Middle Ages. I have found over the years that most people mean something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted November 4, 2012 Author Share Posted November 4, 2012 I meant it in terms of the divisions given in WTM, so from approximately 1600 onwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 This might beyond him, but I think the ongoing emergence of modern countries in this period is worth examining. For an older student I'd blend that together with a reformation question somewhat along the lines of did modern countries come about because of the reformation or were they already emerging? The comparison of the English system of government to France is also an interesting one. Both countries end up chopping off the head of one king, but at vastly different times and reasons. How did this come about? Why were they so different? In art you move from the high Renaissance to the Barque and there could be some fertile ground there. I find the Barque such a contrast to the emerging Enlightenment thought. In lit, we begin to see the first prose narratives that eventually will emerge as novels and later short stories. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted November 4, 2012 Author Share Posted November 4, 2012 All good topics, thank you--but I do think somewhat beyond him at this point in terms of his ability to analyze the necessary material, put it in context, etc. We're moving pretty quickly through history this year as well--essentially combining two years' material into one so that we can get to Canadian history next year (though I'm now rethinking that and my put it off a year--depends on whether or not our high school co-op has a Canadian history course next year). Argh--I always find it tough to think of appropriate assignments for history at this level and high school. There is just so much that interrelates and inter-influences--anything a student can write at this level is so limited in comparison to the complexities of why various events occurred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 All good topics, thank you--but I do think somewhat beyond him at this point in terms of his ability to analyze the necessary material, put it in context, etc. We're moving pretty quickly through history this year as well--essentially combining two years' material into one so that we can get to Canadian history next year (though I'm now rethinking that and my put it off a year--depends on whether or not our high school co-op has a Canadian history course next year). Argh--I always find it tough to think of appropriate assignments for history at this level and high school. There is just so much that interrelates and inter-influences--anything a student can write at this level is so limited in comparison to the complexities of why various events occurred. I agree this is a hard age and this is a big time period. Maybe if you could tell us the specific topics you are covering, materials you'll be using, etc. it would help. For me, at least, I can only come up with the huge topics when I have such a broad time period, but if I knew you were going to focus on X I might be able to come up with something less difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 I agree this is a hard age and this is a big time period. Maybe if you could tell us the specific topics you are covering, materials you'll be using, etc. it would help. For me, at least, I can only come up with the huge topics when I have such a broad time period, but if I knew you were going to focus on X I might be able to come up with something less difficult. That's what I'm asking for, though--some *specific* topics to research/ write on from this general time period. For eg, research the development of the telescope. Or Rococo art; etc. I was wondering if others had some favourite, more engaging, more *unusual* topics their children researched so I wouldn't have to re-think the wheel, as it were :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Togo Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 The suggested resource from Westvon Publications is good and has a wide range of essay topics. Also, WTM has essay suggestions that can be used with any time period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 (edited) The companion site for Spielvogel has an array of essay questions tied to each chapter. http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn=0534646026&discipline_number=21 They are generally related to the focus questions listed at the beginning of the chapter. You might also want to look at the page in the link for InfoTrac College Edition/Research. It gives a reference to an article to read, followed by a few questions. Each question is worthy of a paragraph or two (or possibly a full essay). Taken together, they could provide the bones for a longer essay or research paper (with other sources added in). Edited November 8, 2012 by Sebastian (a lady) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 The companion site for Spielvogel has an array of essay questions tied to each chapter. http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn=0534646026&discipline_number=21 . This site is for Western Civ. Is there a companion site for The Human Odyssey, which is the book we're using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 That's what I'm asking for, though--some *specific* topics to research/ write on from this general time period. For eg, research the development of the telescope. Or Rococo art; etc. I was wondering if others had some favourite, more engaging, more *unusual* topics their children researched so I wouldn't have to re-think the wheel, as it were :) I did have a small brain storm. How about how printing effected other movements in the time period: science, the reformation, government, etc. I think given his age, I'd pick one thing for him to focus on and I'd do that based on my and his bent. I actually read a book on Rococo art and the French Revolution, but I'm thinking that would be a bit too much for him. On the other hand if you are going to get to the French Revolution a study of the painter David and his interaction with the revolution in his art might be a small enough topic for a younger student (I've always been intrigued by David in part because he was seemingly at the center of the Revolution and yet manage to survive the terror something many of his fellows did not). His Tennis Court oath is one my favorite drawings (I am not nearly as fond of his final painting). I have heard that he had to keep editing the people shown in it. Also, if you get to that time period you might study American reactions and interplay with the French Revolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 (edited) I'm not seeing one. Might be because it's a k12 title. I did find a site for the World History text. Some has a paywall but the focus questions might be what you're looking for. http://coursemate.cengage.com/CPReader/View/9781133230601/default.aspx?anon=True#f983d599-9ba0-4ebd-97c3-fbe6b61901fe If the chapters don't line up you could copy all the focus questions for early modern to a file and use them as a springboard. This link is for an older edition of World History http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn=9780495902270&token= I don't think it has the same quantity of questions as the Spielvogel Western Civ site does, but that book probably doesn't cover the same breadth of geography. You might try searching "world history essay questions" I found this from a college course on renaissance to imperialism. This one is a list of possible research paper topics (they are designed to prompt the student to take and defend a position). This one has some practice document based essay questions. (I've used DBQ's at the pre-AP level by letting them research the documents or the questions and having several days to write, rather than doing a timed essay.) SparkNotes has some history study guides that include essay questions. Edited November 9, 2012 by Sebastian (a lady) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Thanks for all the help; and I will check out the suggested links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jillie33 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) When I'm choosing a topic for my essay, I always choose a general topic and then just narrow it while doing a research. Here's a good guide - https://www.sophia.org/tutorials/choosing-and-narrowing-a-topic-to-write-about-for. Also, here's a guide to writing a http://historyessay.org/. But no matter what you should choose topic that interests you. This would bring some fun into writing. Edited December 23, 2015 by jillie33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 This is a pretty old thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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