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The Modern World

Driving Question: How did the world become more interconnected?

Before the late 1400s, most humans were farming and living in large, complex societies. But things began to change when the four world zones interconnected. Then, in the 1700s, new energy sources began to power machines...and everything changed.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Explain how the four world zones interconnected.
  2. Describe how interconnection increases complexity.

Vocab Terms:

  • Anthropocene
  • energy
  • fossil fuel
  • globalization
  • population
  • world zone
STEP 1

Opener: The Modern World

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page X of the Lesson 6.1 Teaching Guide Locked .

Our Openers and Closers Guide will provide more information about these short, but important, activities at the beginning and end of each lesson.

STEP 2

Complexity Accelerates

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page X of the Lesson 6.1 Teaching Guide Locked .

Check out our Reading Guide to learn about the Three-Step Reading approach.

STEP 3

Threshold 8

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page X of the Lesson 6.1 Teaching Guide Locked .

Check out our Video Guide for suggestions on incorporating videos in the classroom.

We have reached the last threshold of increasing complexity (as far as we know, anyway!). As this video and activity demonstrate, we’ve come a long way from our first threshold billions of years ago.

Threshold 8: The Modern Revolution External link

With an interconnected world and a new source of energy, complexity increased and revolutionized the world.
STEP 4

Closer: The Modern World

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page X of the Lesson 6.1 Teaching Guide Locked .

Our Openers and Closers Guide will provide more information about these short, but important, activities at the beginning and end of each lesson.

Most young people look at more memes in a day than they do news articles or videos. Here’s your chance to share what you’ve been learning, meme style.