Introduction
Completing the Lessons
Lesson Organization
Lessons 1–4 and 6–9 have the following elements:
- Objectives: The objectives are a list of the learning goals you will be able to meet after successfully completing the lesson.
- Reading Assignment: Here are the chapters and pages you will read in your textbook, World History: Human Legacy. Be sure to complete the reading assignment before moving on to the discussion section.
- Discussion: The discussion highlights important points and concepts covered in the reading assignment. Each chapter discussion also includes an interactive feature that you can check out on the textbook website.
- Study Questions: The self-test’s completion exercises are provided to help you master the reading assignment’s important names, places, events, and concepts. An interactive feature enables you to receive immediate feedback regarding the accuracy of your submitted answers. These exercises are for practice only; the results will not count as a part of your grade.
- Assignments: This is your homework. Complete and submit all four parts of the assignment to your instructor only after carefully reading the lesson’s reading assignment and discussion, and successfully completing the self-test. Each lesson’s assignment will be worth 100 points except lesson 9, which covers three chapters rather than two. Lesson 9 will be worth 105 points. Read the “Assignments” section below for more specific details about your assignments.
Assignments
Each of the course’s eight assignments has four parts. Part A requires you to use the Quizzes page (see menu at left) to answer multiple-choice questions. Parts B, C, and D require you to respond to short-answer, “Thinking Geographically” (multiple-choice and short-answer), and essay questions in a single Word document you will submit as an upload for a grade.
With multiple-choice, short-answer, map, and essay questions, each assignment is a bit like an open-book test for the chapters covered. This reflects the structure of much of the midterm and final exams and serves two purposes: it directs your reading and study, and it also motivates you to do your best on each lesson. It’s like taking a practice test each time you complete a lesson!
Multiple-choice questions have been carefully chosen to cover factual information from each chapter. As you approach these, it’s important for your lesson grade and your learning to refer to the textbook for any question of which you are unsure of the answer. Correct answers will be provided for any that you miss: be sure to study these with extra care in preparing for an exam.
Short-answer questions will require you to do some writing to express your ideas. While not as expansive as an essay, clarity of thinking and expression, as well as answering all parts of the question, are important. Each answer should be two to three sentences in length.
Here is an example:
Question: Describe the roles played by both men and women in early hunter-gatherer societies.
Good answer: In hunter-gatherer societies, most hunters were men who hunted in groups. Women took responsibility for collecting plants and caring for children. Because each role was important to survival, men and women were likely equals.
Mediocre answer: Men hunted, women gathered.
The second answer is correct as far as it goes and it answers the question. The first answer is better, though, because it uses complete sentences to state ideas. It also shows the student’s understanding by more thoroughly explaining the roles and drawing a logical conclusion from the roles played.
Two map questions (one multiple choice and one short answer) will accompany a map. Refer to the preceding comments about these types of questions, keeping in mind that your reference for the answers will be the map.
Essay questions are your chance to “stretch out” in your writing! As in the short-answer questions, you’ll want to pay attention to multiple parts in the question. So, for example, you may be asked to describe and then compare a practice in Egyptian society. Each answer should be three to five paragraphs (at least one-half, single-spaced page) in length.
In the following example, there are two values to discuss. Note that the answer addresses both values.
Question: Why do you think Cyrus II of Persia was better known as Cyrus the Great? Use examples from the textbook to support your answer.
Good answer: Ten years after Cyrus II became king of the Persians, he led a successful revolt against the Medes, freeing Persia from the Medes’ control and uniting the Persians and the Medes under his rule. He then set out to expand his lands, and conquered a large part of Asia Minor as well as Mesopotamia. He eventually ruled the largest empire in the world. However, after he conquered a region, he allowed people to keep their own customs rather than forcing them to adopt Persian ones, which won him the respect of those he conquered. For example, when Cyrus conquered Babylon he freed the Jews from slavery and allowed them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.
Mediocre answer: Cyrus II revolted and won the largest empire in the world. People respected him and he let people keep their religion.
Take a good look at these two examples and analyze for yourself why the first one is a good answer and the second is not. This analysis should help you as you prepare to write your own answers.
Another Valuable Study Tip
You will be able to review your graded assignments, including your instructor’s comments about your short-answer and essay responses. Your graded assignments and the comments will be valuable study aids as you prepare for the midterm and final exams.
Pace Yourself
Sometimes students have deadlines to meet and want to submit more than one lesson’s assignment at a time. According to Independent Study Program policy, you may submit the work for up to two lessons at a time unless otherwise notified by your instructor. New information needs to be thought about, considered, and absorbed. Rushing the process can hurt your learning. Sending in several lessons’ assignments that are incomplete or incorrectly done will cost you more time because your instructor will have to return them ungraded. You should plan on taking about a week per lesson to complete the reading material, discussion, self-test, and assignment.
