Illinois

Northern cardinal perched on a flowered branch.

OER Project courses are the right fit for Illinois schools in more ways than one.

World History Project (WHP) Origins to the Present is ideal for high-school students taking world history, and it is aligned to the vast majority of the Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) for the Social Sciences.
Big History Project is an excellent fit for Illinois middle-school students, and it supports the rigor and standards of the C3 Framework.

Explore the courses mentioned above at your own pace, and once you’re ready to dive into planning, check out the tailored resources below to get started!

Which best describes you?

I’m new to OER Project and about to start using the courses and materials.
I’m a returning OER Project user in Illinois looking to see what’s new.

New to OER Project checklist

Getting started with WHP Origins or Big History Project is a piece of cake! We recommend following the onboarding checklists below so that you’re equipped with all the information you need to get started:

	World History Project (Origins)	Big History Project
Professional development opportunities	Explore the WHP Origins course. You can also find our WHP Origins course guide here. Attend a live WHP Origins introductory session. Register for a session today! Take our free, online PD course, Teaching World History (TWH) Origins.	Explore the Big History Project course. You can also find our BHP course guide here. Attend a live BHP introductory PD session. Register for a session today! Take our free, online PD course, Teaching Big History.
Standards alignment materials	Read our WHP Origins Illinois standards-alignment document. Read our WHP Origins course plan, generated by an Illinois teacher, which includes a pacing guide.	Read our BHP Illinois standards alignment document. Read our sample BHP year-long and semester-long course plans, which include pacing guides.
Talk to a real person!	Connect with other Illinois teachers in the OER Project Online Teacher Community—ask questions, share stories, and seek support! Still have questions? Email an OER Project outreach coordinator for support! You can either email them or find a time on their calendar for a meeting.

"It has made my students more confident and successful and is a tool that I will continue to use." — Scot, high-school history teacher, Vandalia, IL

Returning to OER Project checklist

So you’ve taught with OER Project materials in Illinois before. Welcome back! We update our courses and materials each year, so let’s catch you up on what’s new. To prepare for a new term or semester, we recommend checking off the following items:

	World History Project (Origins)	Big History Project
Professional development opportunities	Attend a live WHP Origins introductory PD session, or attend an advanced training tailored for veterans. Register for a session today! If you haven’t already, take our free, online PD course, Teaching World History (TWH) Origins.	Attend a live BHP introductory PD session, or attend an advanced training tailored for veterans. Register for a session today! If you haven’t already, take our free, online PD course, Teaching Big History.
Standards alignment materials	Read our WHP Origins course plan, generated by an Illinois teacher, which includes a pacing guide.	Read our sample BHP year-long and semester-long course plans, which include pacing guides.
Talk to a real person!	Connect with other Illinois teachers in the OER Project Online Teacher Community—ask questions, share stories, and seek support! Still have questions? Email an OER Project outreach coordinator for support! You can either email them or find a time on their calendar for a meeting.

What Illinois Teachers are Saying

"I've taught World History Project and Big History Project for the last six years and have found that my students have become more engaged in their classroom due to the multiple resources that are made available through the OER Project. Leveled readings make it easy for readers at all levels to fully understand the materials so that they can engage in meaningful classroom discussions. They get the exact same information at a level that they can process. It has made my students more confident and successful and is a tool that I will continue to use."

— Scot, high-school history teacher, Vandalia, IL

Cover image: The northern cardinal among pear tree blossoms. It is the state bird of Illinois © Danita Delimont / Gallo Images / Getty Images Plus