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AP World Unit 0- What does it look like in your classroom?

Katie Raby

Knowing history up to 1200 is important because it gives us a solid foundation in understanding how early civilizations and cultures shaped the world we live in today. It helps us see where major religions, political systems, and trade networks came from, and how they've influenced everything around us. 

A few years ago, I tried to cram WAY too much information in Unit 0 and it cost me valuable time. Last year, I switched from a regional focus with Unit 0 to larger concepts (maintaining control, state infrastructure, religion as a help/threat to power, etc). I believe this helped students better apply the content they've learned to SAQs. 

Here is one of my favorite assignments from this unit.

Parents

  • Thanks for the share and the comments,   and  .

    I especially like this post for two reasons:

    1. Cramming too much into a course just to say you covered it is never a good idea.

    2. You totally nailed it with the concept idea, scaffolded response sheet, and the tapestry analogy. The right scale is important so that there is a framework that connects pieces of history together. 

    I also think your lesson, Katie, would be a great way to introduce a civics course. I'm going to borrow it!

    Can you say more about your example with Confucius and the civil service exam? What are you hoping students will come up with for an acceptable response?

Reply

  • Thanks for the share and the comments,   and  .

    I especially like this post for two reasons:

    1. Cramming too much into a course just to say you covered it is never a good idea.

    2. You totally nailed it with the concept idea, scaffolded response sheet, and the tapestry analogy. The right scale is important so that there is a framework that connects pieces of history together. 

    I also think your lesson, Katie, would be a great way to introduce a civics course. I'm going to borrow it!

    Can you say more about your example with Confucius and the civil service exam? What are you hoping students will come up with for an acceptable response?

Children
  • in reply to Donnetta Elsasser

    Of course! Here is what a few students put last year:

    How is this way of creating order different from the last two law 

    codes? BE SPECIFIC

    This way of creating order was different from the last two law codes because the Confucian Civil Service Exam is more focused on testing the people on their knowledge of Confucius beliefs and morals which helped to determined which Chinese citizens could secure a government position. Hammurabi’s Code, on the other hand, are lists of laws that must be followed and the punishments for an action that doesn’t follow the law. The Book of the Dead showed what the people of ancient Egypt should and shouldn’t do to get into the afterlife.

    The Civil Service Exam was created much, much later than the other two law codes.  but why are some aspects of this similar to the last two law codes? BE SPECIFIC

    The Civil Service Exam was created much later that the other two law codes, however, some aspects are similar to the last two law codes because all three attempted to keep order in their society, eventually leading to the development of social hierarchies in these societies. To keep order, each society developed their one laws based on different things, but made for similar reasons. The Book of the Dead for the Egyptians were based on religion. Hammurabi’s Code was based on the written laws for Babylon and punishments. The Civil Service Exam was based on the exam for the Chinese about Confucianism.

    The Civil Service Exam was supposed to be based on merit, which means it is equal. In practice though, how “equal” was this testing system. Explain your reasoning. 

    The testing system for the Civil Service Exam was not very equal. In Ancient China, students had to study for the exam in order to obtain a government position. In theory, this testing system was made to give people positions based on their merit and not connections. However, poorer people of lower class didn’t have the proper education (lack of access to tutors and books needed to study for exam), meaning that people of higher class were more likely to do better and pass the exam.

    How is this way of creating order different from the last two law 

    codes? BE SPECIFIC

    Confucius teachings are heavily integrated in laws as government officials are selected based on the civil service exam where civilians can enter the imperial bureaucracy. The other two law codes are run and enforced by hereditary lines while this way of creating order is run by state officials. 

    The Civil Service Exam was created much, much later than the other two law codes.  but why are some aspects of this similar to the last two law codes? BE SPECIFIC

    The Civil Service exam has similar aspects to  Hammurabi’s code and the Book of the Dead despite it being created at a later death, but this is due to it serving the same purpose as the two law codes: A way to maintain order and controlling the function of society.

    The Civil Service Exam was supposed to be based on merit, which means it is equal. In practice though, how “equal” was this testing system. Explain your reasoning. 

    The testing system was not as “equal” in practice. The civil service exam provided the opportunity to everyone regardless of status, however the education required to pass was mainly provided by the wealthy to their children in the nation. This results in more people of higher statuses to become state officials rather than a diversity of backgrounds and wealth of people.