The Young Historians - Continents: Europe and the Americas | Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

About the Course

The Young Historians - Continents: Europe and the Americas

Grades 3-5
CTY-Level
Session-Based
History and Social Science

Explore the history, culture, traditions, and beliefs of world civilizations across Europe, North America, and South America. This course emphasizes commonalities and differences among civilizations and prepares you for future work in pre-AP social studies classes. Learn to think chronologically and understand the major forces of societal change and order, as well as the cause-and-effect relationships throughout historical experience, through collaborative work and discussion with classmates in synchronous meetings. By the end of this course, you’ll be able to explain historical concepts such as causality, correlation, continuity, and change, while connecting events with their influence on cultures, traditions, and beliefs in global civilizations. Synchronous live sessions take place once a week.

Meeting times:
Tuesday – 7-8 p.m. ET

Time Commitment: 3-4 hours per week (1 hour of class time, 2-3 hours of independent work).

Course Overview

What we'll do

This course explores the history, culture, and traditions of different regions in The Americas and Europe. With an emphasis on major events, individuals, and eras, this course will provide students with a foundational knowledge base in world history. In addition, students can expand their knowledge of different peoples and their cultures in the diverse regions of The Americas and Europe. Each week, students will complete writing assignments, exams, and discussion forums to master the contents presented in the course. Synchronous live sessions take place once a week.

What we’ll learn

How to analyze aspects of South American culture and history, and the impact of European encounters through counterfactual historical reasoning, and the motivations and effects of European exploration in the Americas
How to compare Brazilian, Argentinian, and Peruvian history and culture, the European explorations, and the history and culture of England and France
How to evaluate contemporary crises faced by indigenous Americans, the significant moments in North American history, the historical impact of Ancient Rome and Greece, the impact of the American revolution on various groups of people within the American colonies, and the significance of various Renaissance thinkers and ideologies
How to examine the ways ancient American societies responded to social, political, economic, cultural, or geographical challenges
How to explain aspects of Incan society and its historical significance, the aspects of indigenous American societies, and the social impact of exploration on indigenous peoples in the Americas

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Explain historical events and when they occur in time
Explain cause-and-effect relationships throughout various histories
Collaborate with peers to write and speak about the historical and cultural traditions of different world regions
Analyze the influence of historical events on traditions, cultures, and beliefs
Analyze secondary and primary sources to develop understanding of historical content

How we'll measure learning

Instructors evaluate student work using rubrics and provide detailed constructive feedback on each assignment. This course is aligned to the common core standards.

This course is

graded.

Classes

Register for an Online course by selecting an open class below. If no open classes are listed, then course enrollment is currently closed. Note: You will need to have an active CTY Account to complete registration through MyCTY.

Jan 21 - Apr 13

12 weeks

$1,045

Enroll

Jun 16 - Sep 7

12 weeks

$1,045

Enroll

Testing and Prerequisites

	Math	Verbal
Required Level	CTY-Level	or CTY-Level

Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

Cost and Financial Aid

Tuition
- Varies
Application fee
- Nonrefundable Application Fee - $15 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
- Nonrefundable International Fee - $20 (outside US only)

Financial Aid

We have concluded our financial aid application review process for Academic Year 2023-2024 Online Programs (Courses with start dates July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024). Our application for Academic Year 2024-2025 Online Programs is expected to open in January. We encourage those who may need assistance in the future to apply for aid as early as possible.

Learn More

Course Materials

Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].

Book Title: The History Book (Big Ideas Simply Explained)
Author: DK
ISBN: 978-1465445100

Book Title: When on Earth?
Author: DK
ISBN: 978-1465429407

Technical Requirements

This course requires a computer with high-speed Internet access and an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome or Firefox. You must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

This course uses a virtual classroom for instructor-student communication. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client, and on tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Recorded meetings can only be viewed on a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both free to download.

Terms & Conditions

Students may interact in online classrooms and meetings that include peers, instructors, and occasional special guests.

Courses may include videos from the web. Recommendations or links at the end of videos are provided by the video host and are not CTY recommendations. 

Virtual class meetings may be recorded for students to review.

After a you complete a course, your projects may be used to illustrate work for future students. 

Our online History and Social Science courses include the study of economics, U.S. history and government, world history, and psychology. Reading and writing are at the heart of all our offerings. Courses for older students cover material typically found in introductory college-level classes, while younger scholars enjoy studying world history and geography. All courses are guided by expert instructors who connect with you through virtual class meetings and interactive review workshops. Whichever course you choose, you’ll gain important insights into the inner workings of government, world civilizations, global culture, and the human mind.

Dig into World History and Geography

In the newly created Preparation for AP World History and Geography Eastern Hemisphere and Preparation for AP World History and Geography Western Hemisphere courses, students explore fascinating historical concepts of the past through historical analysis, engaging discussions, and dynamic live sessions. Students meet with their instructor and peers each week to investigate transformative world events and discuss their thoughts with one another. Taking these courses will help students prepare for the challenge of AP History courses.

Meet our History and Social Sciences Instructors

Teaching AP World History: Modern, I'm frequently astonished at how natural it is for students from both the United States and across the world to meet and learn about a global subject from not just their instructor but, just as importantly, so many different student perspectives!

Tyler Meinhart

History and Social Sciences Instructor

I enjoy building relationships with students, facilitating their learning, and helping them achieve a refined understanding of the complex world around us. Using a high energy, enthusiastic approach to learning allows me to deeply connect with my students while having lots of fun!

Alejandro Lozano

History and Social Sciences Instructor

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