World War I Begins (Sort of!)

Humanities has left the Civil War behind (mostly) and pressed forward into World War I (or at least the build up). We have begun by exploring the major countries in Europe on the eve of the war and their interconnections. Topics that we are pursing include Nationalism, Imperialism and Militarism.

We are also covering some geography by playing a video game regularly to build spatial awareness of Europe. You can try it here.

We also have continued our reading of The Secret River, with students taking more responsibility for unpacking the primary and secondary understandings, and occasionally lifting the corner on tertiary understanding.

In writing, we have been exploring the key components of an essay, primarily Claim, Evidence, Rational, and Explanation, through short paragraphs in order to hone our explanatory skills and not operate on the assumption that just because it makes sense in our head everyone else will see it the same way.

If you have any questions, or need to contact me, email is the best option. You can reach me at eamonn.obrien@asu.edu.