Unit 1: What is Big History?
What’s so big about Big History? It explores all 13.8 billion years of the Universe’s history. But it’s also about you, and the tools you’ll need to examine this history—like scale switching and claim testing.
Lesson 1.1
Welcome to Big History
This isn’t your average social studies course. Big History explores the history of the Universe, Earth, life, and humanity, and how you fit into that history.
Lesson 1.2
Scale
Looking at the history of the Universe from different scales of time and space will help you see both the big picture and the tiny details that make up our shared history.
Lesson 1.3
Origin Stories
How did the Universe begin? How did human life on Earth come to be? People across different times and regions created origin stories to answer these questions.
Lesson 1.4
Claim Testing
How do we know if the claims people make are true? In Big History, we test claims with four claim testers: intuition, logic, authority, and evidence.
Teaching This Unit
Unit 1 Vocab
Key Unit 1 vocabulary words and definitions.
Reading Guide
Developing reading skills for the classroom and beyond.
Differentiation Guide
Research-backed strategies for differentiation, modification, and adaptation.
Openers and Closers Guide
Learn how and why to use these quick activities at the start and end of lessons.