High School Unit Study: Combining World History, Literature and Writing
One of the best things about homeschooling high school is planning out courses to dovetail into meaningful unit studies. Why study the necessary World History course and American Literature at the same time. And why write a paper on frogs if what they interested is their history course topics?
How about combining World History, World Literature and writing assignments for a truly meaningful unit study program. Homeschool high schoolers earn 1 credit in World History, and 1 credit in World Literature (full Language Arts credit because it will include reading, writing, vocabulary and editing).
This is a good unit study for juniors or seniors, since it assumes a little writing experience. We are giving our suggestions for a Level 3 College-Prep credit. To level up to Advanced or rigorous Honors credit, simply follow the instructions in each book for a meaningful power-credit. To understand leveling, read this post.
There are a number of ways you could go about this, but I’ll suggest what we have done for some of our homeschool high schoolers. We use 7Sisters:
- History and Philosophy of the Western World
- World Literature and a few other guides
- Writing courses (I’m suggesting Advanced Guide to High School Writing)
BTW: Unit studies are another way to describe integrated learning. If you would like a more in-depth discussion on how to create integrated learning experiences for your teens or homeschool co-op, check out this post.
Start with the chapter topics from History and Philosophy of the Western World.
Add books.
Include study guides on at least 9 books.
We start with the 9 books that are part of 7Sisters’ World Literature Bundle:
The Epic of Gilgamesh (ancient text – author unknown)
Antigone by Sophocles
Plato’s Republic
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Integrate writing assignments.
We use the High School Writing Bundles, according to the age and ability of the students. Juniors usually use Advanced High School Writing Guide Bundle.
This bundle includes 30 weeks of writing:
- Essay writing: 10-week guide with empowering but accessible assignments on Essay Format, Persuasive Essay, The Compare/Contrast Essay, Fiction Literary Analysis, Non-Fiction Literary Analysis, Writing An Editorial/Letter to the Editor and SAT/ACT Essay.
- Poetry writing: 5-week guide with inspiring, you-can-do-it activities on poetic themes, tone, symbolism, sound and rhythm
- Short story writing: 5-week guide that coaches teens through writing a myth-fantasy short story (they LOVE this)
- Research paper writing: 10-week guide that coaches teens through a solid research paper (MLA style but APA or Chicago-Style are available to switch out)
Add some special projects and hands-on activities. Suggestions can be found at the end of each chapter in History and Philosophy of the Western World.
Next, create a syllabus. Click this link for instructions on creating a syllabus of your own.
Please remember that there is not ONE right way to homeschool or create a homeschool syllabus. Adjust the syllabus to meet your homeschool high schoolers’ needs.
- You may rearrange books and writing guides in any order you wish.
- You may rearrange amount of time spent on each book or writing guide.
- Teens with learning differences or special needs may need to listen to audiobooks and complete the study guides with help as well as using dictation apps to help create the papers.
- Honors and Advanced-level homeschool high schoolers may need more weeks added in order to complete their additional assignments. (Many Honors and Advanced teens need an additional week per book so they may need 40 weeks to complete their credits.)
BTW- 7Sisters has several free unit study posts for various occasions, including:
Here is one example of a syllabus that combines World History and World Literature credits.
- Note that this will be 2 credits:
World History (a required course for graduation) - World Literature (This will be the title of one year’s Language Arts credit. It will include World Literature and writing guides as one Language Arts credit. Language Arts is a HUGE credit.)
Syllabus for World History and World Literature (2 credits)
Texts:
History and Philosophy of the Western World (7SistersHomeschool.com), World Literature (7SistersHomeschool.com), Advanced High School Writing (7SistersHomeschool.com)
Purpose:
The purpose of this course is for the students to learn history of the Western World along with introductory philosophy of each era so that they receive a more complete understanding of each era and location covered. Integrated into the learning experience from each historical era and/or region will be appropriate reading and writing experiences.
Goals:
The goals of this course include completing a full World History credit at College Prep level and a full Language Arts credit at College Prep level.
Grading:
- Attendance 10%
- Class Participation 40% (In co-op, this includes passing around homework- so you must keep homework current to get a good participation grade. In individual learning situations, this includes doing work with good attitude and discussing goals and learning with parent at least weekly.)
- Homework 50%
- Homework must be neatly done, stapled together, and handed in weekly.
Unit study Assignments:
Week 1
- HPWW Chapter 1: Complete Ancient Greece and the Natural Philosophers
- World Literature: Complete the first half of Epic of Gilgamesh book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 1
Week 2
- HPWW Chapter 2: Complete The Miletans
- World Literature: Complete the second half of Epic of Gilgamesh book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 2
Week 3
- HPWW Chapter 3: Ancient Italy and Its Philosophers
- World Literature: Complete the first half of Antigone book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 3
Week 4
- HPWW Chapter 4: Early Greek Philosophy
- World Literature: Complete the second half of Antigone book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 4
Week 5
- HPWW Chapter 5: Athens of the 400s BC and the Sophists
- World Literature: Complete the first third of Republic book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 5
Week 6
- HPWW Chapter 6: Greece versus Persia; Socrates
- World Literature: Complete the second third of Republic book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 6
Week 7
- HPWW Chapter 7: Plato
- World Literature: Complete the last third of Republic book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 7
Week 8
- HPWW Chapter 8: Aristotle
- World Literature: Complete the first third of Three Musketeers book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 8
Week 9
- HPWW Chapter 9: Alexander the Great & the Hellenistic Philosophers
- World Literature: Complete the second third of Three Musketeers book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 9
Week 10
- HPWW Chapter 10: Rome
- World Literature: Complete the last third of Three Musketeers book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Essay Writing Guide, Week 10
Week 11
- HPWW Chapter 11: The Middle Ages
- World Literature: Complete the first third of Les Miserables book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Poetry Writing Guide, Week 1
Week 12
- HPWW Chapter 12: St. Augustine
- World Literature: Complete the second third of Les Miserables book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Poetry Writing Guide, Week 2
Week 13
- HPWW Chapter 13: St. Thomas Aquinas
- World Literature: Complete the last third of Les Miserables book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Poetry Writing Guide, Week 3
Week 14
- HPWW Chapter 14: Early Church Reformers
- World Literature: Complete the first third of Uncle Vanya book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Poetry Writing Guide, Week 4
Week 15
- HPWW Chapter 15: Renaissance and Reformation
- World Literature: Complete the second third of Uncle Vanya book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Poetry Writing Guide, Week 5
Week 16
- HPWW Chapter 16: The Renaissance and Reformation Across Europe: Italy, Spain, Holland
- World Literature: Complete the last third of Uncle Vanya book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Short Story Writing Guide, Week 1
Week 17
- HPWW Chapter 17: The Renaissance and Reformation Across Europe: Germany, Switzerland, France
- World Literature: Complete the first third of The Picture of Dorian Gray book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Short Story Writing Guide, Week 2
Week 18
- HPWW Chapter 18: The Renaissance and Reformation Across Europe: Scotland and England
- World Literature: Complete the second third of The Picture of Dorian Gray book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Short Story Writing Guide, Week 3
Week 19
- HPWW Chapter 19: The Baroque Period and Rene Descartes
- World Literature: Complete the last third of The Picture of Dorian Gray book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Short Story Writing Guide, Week 4
Week 20
- HPWW Chapter 20: British Empiricists
- World Literature: Complete the first third of The Good Earth book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Short Story Writing Guide, Week 5
Week 21
- HPWW Chapter 21: The Rationalists and the French Revolution
- World Literature: Complete the second third of The Good Earth book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 1
Week 22
- HPWW Chapter 22: Immanuel Kant
- World Literature: Complete the last third of The Good Earth book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 2
Week 23
- HPWW Chapter 23: The Romantic Philosophers and Georg Hegel
- World Literature: Complete the last third of The Good Earth book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 3
Week 24
- HPWW Chapter 24: The Industrial Revolution, Kierkegaard, and Existentialism
- World Literature: Complete the first third of The Good Earth book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 4
Week 25
- HPWW Chapter 25: Existentialism, Part Two
- World Literature: Complete the first third of Cry, The Beloved Country book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 5
Week 26
- HPWW Chapter 26: The Revolutionary Philosophers
- World Literature: Complete the second third of Cry, The Beloved Country book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 6
Week 27
- HPWW Chapter 27: General Philosophers of the Twentieth Century
- World Literature: Complete the last third of Cry, The Beloved Country book and study guide
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 7
Week 28
- HPWW Chapter 28: Twentieth Century & Contemporary Philosophy, part 1
- World Literature: Complete any honors or advanced level projects that are not finished
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 8
Week 29
- HPWW Chapter 29: Twentieth Century & Contemporary Philosophy, part 2
- World Literature: Complete any honors or advanced level projects that are not finished
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 9
Week 30
- HPWW Chapter 30: Your Turn
- World Literature: Complete any honors or advanced level projects that are not finished
- Writing: Complete Research Paper Writing Guide, Week 10
7Sisters email subscribers receive periodic practical encouragement, special offers and NO SPAM EVER.
Click the image above to periodically receive real homeschool value in your inbox.
[…] If your homeschool high schoolers are working on a history credit, any books they read or papers they write relating to that history topic can count as hours for both history and language arts. Here’s a post that gives lots of how-to’s. […]