Frequently Asked Questions

What is OER Project: Big History (BH)?

Big History (BH) is a free, online social studies course for middle- and junior-high-school students that spans 13.8 billion years of history. It weaves together the story of the Universe, Earth, life, and humanity to form a single narrative that helps students develop a framework to organize and connect what they’re learning both in and out of school.

What are the goals of the course?

Big History challenges students to think critically and broadly and tries to ignite a passion for inquiry and exploration. In addition to helping students master the sequence and scope of 13.8 billion years, the course develops essential skills and intellectual tools such as thinking across scales, making and testing claims, and causal thinking. See the BH Course Guide for details on these essential skills and core concepts.

Who is the target student?

Big History is designed as a social studies/history course for sixth- through eighth-grade students. With a variety of content formats, scaffolds, and structured routine-based approaches to fundamental historical thinking and writing skills, BH accommodates a wide range of student skill levels.

How is the course delivered?

All the content is available online, which ensures the content is up to date, relieves schools of the need for costly textbooks, and helps teachers engage students by providing approachable, media-rich materials that can be used in different ways. Class materials are available in PDF, Word, and Google Doc formats to make it easier to view and print in a variety of environments. At the discretion of teachers and school, the course can also be downloaded and integrated into a variety of LMS platforms and Google Classroom. You can also use Clever to access OER Project resources! Find out more here.

How is the Big History course structured?

While Big History covers 13.8 billion years of history, it’s organized in a way that’s not overwhelming for students (or teachers). The narrative of increasing complexity from the Big Bang to the future helps ground students in a story about change over time. The course is organized around eight thresholds of increasing complexity, which helps students make sense of billions of years of history. The first unit of the course introduces students to the core concepts and themes of Big History. Units 2 and 3 focus on the more scientific thresholds of increasing complexity. These two units cover the period from the Big Bang to the formation of the Solar System and Earth, all the way to the evolution of life on Earth. Units 4 through 6 bring humans into this history. From our earliest beginnings to our evolution into a species with the ability to collectively learn, to our adapting a foragers’ lifestyle that sustained humanity for hundreds of thousands of years. Students then learn how agriculture increased complexity as humans settled down and formed more-complex societies. As these societies connected across longer distances, collective learning increased as goods, ideas, people, and diseases traveled across trade routes. This increase in collective learning got a huge boost when the four world zones became interconnected, and humans began using fossil fuels as a new energy resource. Finally, in Unit 7, students will explore what the future may hold as they predict what the next threshold might be. Within each unit is a series of four to six lessons that include articles, videos, and activities that reinforce key concepts and develop critical thinking skills. Every unit and lesson includes guides that walk through the key ideas, vocabulary, instructional strategies, sample answers, and formative assessments. Download the BH Course Guide to find out more.

What planning and instructional resources are available to teachers?

BH offers teachers a wide variety of resources and support for course planning, including:

• Ready-to-teach lesson plans.
• Teaching guides and supplementary instructional resources found in
• A robust teacher community of educators and experts available to answer questions and share lessons, activities, and instructional strategies. Check it out here.
• Writing activities that help students craft claims and counterclaims, plus extension document-based questions.
• Videos with captions and transcripts, comics, graphic biographies, interactive classroom activities, leveled readings, audio readings, podcast clips, and more, all designed to accommodate a variety of learning and instructional styles.

What assessments are included in the course?

The course gives teachers many opportunities to review their students’ work both formally and informally. All assessments are optional and to be used at the teacher’s discretion. Assessment tools include:

• Rubrics to guide student writing and presentations.
• Lesson-closing activities such as exit cards.
• Optional formal writing activities such as document-based questions.

Do I have to teach the entire curriculum?

Because the course is structured around a narrative of increasing complexity with one threshold building on the next, the best way to teach Big History is to teach the whole course. However, we want anyone and everyone to use BH in whatever way best serves them. If that means using bits and pieces to supplement your current curriculum, that’s great too!

How does the course align with state standards?

The BH curriculum provides an opportunity for students to develop a well-grounded foundation for a deep understanding of historical, geographical, and scientific topics through its readings, videos, and activities. One benefit of the BH course is that its structure also supports teacher and curricular flexibility while aligning with the rigor and standards of the C3 Framework. Teachers are encouraged to revise or include additional materials at any point in the course in order to focus on—or dig more deeply into—specific topics or historical periods.

BH emphasizes the development of social studies skills such as causal thinking, claim testing, reading, writing, and spatial analysis. Students will learn how to evaluate secondary sources and primary source excerpts, assess and write claims supported by evidence, analyze causes and effects, develop their geographic skills through map analysis, and think across scales as they consider change over time. In addition, the BH curriculum provides students with multiple opportunities to engage in inquiry-based learning as they develop questions, create arguments, and deliver presentations in a variety of formats. Students will hone these skills while focusing on the history of humanity from foraging communities to the future, and while gaining an understanding of how humans fit into the history of our planet and the Universe.

What is OER Project: World History (WH)?

World History is free—like all OER Project courses—and is aligned to world history curriculum standards across the United States.

There are three versions of the WH course: Origins to the Present, 1200 to the Present, and 1750 to the Present. Each version of the course includes carefully scaffolded units and lessons that you can use throughout your school year. World History course materials (activities, readings, videos, writing assessments, and more) will support your students in drawing a line from the past to the present, with an eye to the future.

What will I find in the World History curriculum?

WH has a clear focus on narrative and skills-building. In WH, students put the narratives of history into context, looking for evidence to support, extend, and challenge their thinking. The course uses three course frames—communities, networks, and production and distribution—to help students develop a framework for organizing their thinking. WH has a clear focus on reading a variety of texts, including primary sources, just as historians do, with a dedicated close-reading approach. World History also places a strong emphasis on aligning with AP® historical thinking skills and reasoning practices, such as contextualization, sourcing, causation, comparison, and continuity and change over time (CCOT), as well as developing writing skills to prepare students for advanced high-school and college coursework.

What grade level is this course designed for?

Although you’re free to use World History materials with any grade level you like, we designed the curriculum with high-school world-history standards in mind, and believe that’s the best fit.

How does World History align with state standards?

WH is designed from the ground up to meet world-history standards across the United States. With a careful balance between content and skills, and the flexibility to incorporate content addressing local requirements, WH is for everybody. Interested in learning how we align with the world-history standards? Check out our guide, where we highlight how we took Common Core, the C3 Framework, and various keystone state standards into account as we created these courses.

What types of scaffolds are available in the World History curriculum?

To ensure WH meets the needs of teachers and students, we’ve included these scaffolds:

• At least three Lexile-leveled versions of each article to ensure readers at all levels are engaged.
• Audio versions of articles and full transcripts of videos to support comprehension.

We offer additional scaffolding suggestions in the Lesson Guides that accompany each lesson. Also, check out our Differentiation Guide for more details about our overall approach to modification and adaptation of curricula. The guide includes clear examples we think you’ll find helpful.

I understand the course has three different versions. Which one is right for me?

Yes, there are three different versions of the course: Origins to the Present, 1200 to the Present, and 1750 to the Present. The 1750 course is best for teachers in states like California and New York, where state world-history standards begin around the year 1750 CE. If your state standards begin a bit earlier, the 1200 course provides more context for the massive worldwide changes that manifested around 1450 CE. For those whose state standards start with early humans, the Origins course is the best choice. Does your world-history course begin at a different time altogether? Feel free to use materials from all three versions to create your own scope and sequence for the year.

Are you primarily focused on skills or content?

Both! We believe that great courses should provide engaging content that draws upon the insights of multiple disciplines to inform historical inquiry. We know it’s important for students to engage and learn about different perspectives when studying history. WH students also develop a set of intellectual tools that help them think critically, tie together big ideas, and build informed arguments—and practice these skills across disciplines. Students will spiral through skills-building activities throughout the WH course content, increasing their expertise in eight different historical thinking practices: change and continuity over time, contextualization, comparison, sourcing, claim testing, causation, reading, and writing.

Whom should I reach out to if I have questions about WH?

You can email us at help@oerproject.com if you have any questions! We’ll make sure you get the information you need.

What is OER Project: World History AP^®?

World History AP (WH AP) is a free, College-Board-approved world-history course. Precisely aligned to the AP^® World History: Modern Course and Exam Description (CED), WH AP can serve as a textbook for AP^® World History: Modern classrooms.

WH AP supports diverse learners and provides opportunities for all students to engage in college-level material. By the end of the course, students will be proficient in the content, historical thinking skills, and reasoning processes assessed in the AP^® World History: Modern exam. They will also develop thinking and analytical skills that will serve them well as they continue with their secondary and post-secondary studies.

Is WH AP approved by College Board?

Yes! College Board has approved the WH AP course materials as a college textbook, and has approved the WH AP syllabus as well. Teachers can submit the WH AP syllabus to College Board during the audit process.

The OER Project team conducted a materials assessment to ensure that WH AP course materials align with the AP^® World History: Modern CED. The CED identifies historical developments within each unit. WH AP has content material to address each of these topics. As a result, each article, video, and activity in the course aligns with specific historical developments, themes, and illustrative examples in the CED.

Is WH AP a comprehensive curriculum/textbook I can use in my AP^® World History: Modern classroom, or is it a supplemental resource?

WH AP is approved as a complete, standalone textbook for teaching AP^® World History: Modern. You are, however, free to use our materials in your classroom in whatever way you see fit.

What makes WH AP different from other AP^® World History: Modern curricula?

WH AP is one of the few free-to-use College-Board-approved AP^® World History courses available today, and the quality of its materials and instructional model meets or exceeds that of any existing textbook. Developed during a two-year pilot study and informed by insights from learning scientists and existing AP^® World History: Modern teachers, the WH AP curriculum includes articles, videos, activities, and assessments. Students learn better when they’re engaged, and WH AP also makes a lot of room for fun along the way.

Unique features

• Regular updates that include the latest research, information, and improvements, meaning you won’t have to struggle with out-of-date textbooks ever again.
• The OER Project Teacher Community, an active hub where teachers swap ideas and seek and receive support.

How does WH AP assess my students’ readiness for the AP^® World History: Modern exam?

WH AP provides ample opportunities to assess your students’ readiness for the AP^® exam. Resources include end-of-unit DBQ and LEQ assessments that align with the CED’s recommended reasoning processes, such as comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time (CCOT).

SAQ Practice activities in each unit of the course allow students to construct concise and detailed responses to prompts like those they’ll see on the exam. In addition, each practice progression in the course has a Thinking Tool, which can be used to formatively assess your students’ understanding of historical thinking skills and reasoning processes.

Other opportunities for formative assessment include Themes Notebook activities, which occur twice in each unit, and which assess your students’ prior knowledge and demonstrate how their thinking has changed as they progress through the content for each unit.

What planning and instructional resources are available to teachers?

WH AP offers teachers a wide variety of resources and support for course planning, including:

• Ready-to-teach lesson plans.
• Teaching guides and supplementary instructional resources found in .
• A robust teacher community of educators and experts available to answer questions and share lessons, activities, and instructional strategies. Check it out here.
• Writing activities that help students craft claims and counterclaims, plus DBQs, LEQs, and SAQs to help them prepare for the AP^® exam.
• Videos with captions and transcripts, graphic biographies, interactive classroom activities, audio readings, and more, all designed to accommodate a variety of learning and instructional styles.

To whom should I reach out if I have questions about WH AP?

You can always email us at team@oerproject.com. A member of our team will be in touch right away to answer questions, clear technical hurdles, or take your comments!

How does this course align with state and national standards?

State standards provide a framework to address climate change in the classroom, whether or not your state’s standards explicitly address the topic. The evidence of a changing climate is recognized in many science standards, such as NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), and is included in disciplines such as geology, biology, and chemistry. Most states have integrated environmental and sustainability issues into social-studies standards, focusing broadly on the interactions between humans and their environments. Climate-change knowledge is particularly relevant in the areas of geography, civics, economics, and government.

Even if your state standards don’t specifically mention climate change, weaving this knowledge into existing curricula will help students as they prepare to be informed citizens, workers, and leaders in a society affected by climate change. Click here to learn more about standards alignment in OER Project: Climate.

There is skepticism about climate change in my students/school/community. How do I approach teaching this topic?

People have a wide range of background knowledge and lived experiences relative to climate. Although these perspectives are powerful tools, they can be complicated to navigate. Here are some tips to help facilitate positive engagement:

• Take the role of lead learner: No one has all the answers when it comes to climate change. Model effective inquiry by adopting an “I don’t know, but I do know how to find out” ethos. Doing so promotes discussion grounded in evidence and curiosity.
• Connect to local issues: Grounding the content and activities in local concerns, interests, and cultural knowledge will help students build connections between their experiences and climate content in a way that encourages common understanding and recognizes students’ backgrounds and values.
• Practice testing claims: Facilitate exploration and proactively challenge information and preconceived notions students might have about climate to help them become more adept at evaluating and making evidence-backed claims.

I don’t have time to teach a dedicated climate course. How can I incorporate these materials in my class?

The lessons in the OER Project: Climate course are designed to be flexible and easily integrated into your classroom setting. The course can be taught as a full-semester program for a comprehensive investigation or through standalone lessons, allowing you to tailor the curriculum to meet specific learning goals, schedules, and student needs and interests.

I’m a history teacher, not a climate scientist. How can I teach my students about climate change?

Embracing the mindset of lead learner in the classroom will help you guide students as they explore the complexities of climate change for themselves. The course encourages educators to teach students how to ask the right questions, find answers, and test claims to come to their own conclusions. Modeling for students how to turn “I don’t know” into “I don’t know but I do know how to find out” demonstrates that learning isn’t just acquiring facts, it’s a matter of constantly engaging with and questioning the world around us.

How do I manage student misconceptions about climate change?

The prevalence of climate change misconceptions necessitates the development of critical evaluation skills for the information we encounter, whether it’s online, on social media, or within our communities. The course’s claim-testing series is designed to teach students the importance of analyzing information and to develop their ability to separate fact from fiction. The focus is on teaching students how to think, rather than what to think—a vital competency that transcends climate change discourse and is integral to their broader role as informed digital citizens.

I’m a science teacher. What are some ways I can use OER Project: Climate materials in my class?

The course equips students with a comprehensive grasp of climate change’s origins, effects, and countermeasures. This insight enriches their comprehension of the various scientific fields that converge in climate studies, such as chemistry, biology, geology, and physics. Integrating this course’s teachings into these disciplines serves as an effective method for students to assimilate the scientific aspects of climate change with practical strategies for advocating climate-positive actions.

Students in my class are feeling anxious/depressed/apathetic about the subject of climate change. What can I do?

Emotions like anxiety, despair, and depression can significantly diminish the drive and energy needed to tackle climate change issues.

OER Project: Climate is founded on the principle of climate optimism. This perspective views substantial challenges as motivation for action, holding onto the conviction that our collective actions can still shape a brighter future. The curriculum nurtures this outlook by demonstrating the validity of optimism, scrutinizing cutting-edge technologies to identify viable solutions, and integrating climate understanding with local realities, thereby empowering students to devise plans they can act on.

Where can I get support for teaching this course?

This course features the comprehensive resources typical of any OER Project course. For an in-depth look at the content and pedagogical methods, see the Course Guide and Course Outline.

The OER Project: Climate Teacher Community is a vibrant and welcoming hub, uniting educators from diverse educational stages, disciplines, and locations in a shared mission. This community is a treasure trove of knowledge and camaraderie, a place where you can connect with other instructors who are implementing this course’s curriculum.

If you’d like to communicate directly with the OER Project team, please don’t hesitate to send an email to team@oerproject.com. This contact is especially useful for frequently asked questions and additional support.

Do you have any tips on how to integrate local issues related to climate into this course? Where is the best place in the course to do this?

Anchoring climate education in local concerns not only fosters student involvement but also strengthens their ties to community heritage and values. The effects of climate change vary greatly across different regions, and acquainting students with the consequences within their own communities adds depth and relevance to their understanding. In Unit 2, students delve into a climate issue of their choosing, making it an ideal point at which to focus on local effects. Units 3 and 4 allow students to investigate and assess both adaptation and mitigation strategies pertinent to their community’s challenges. By Unit 5, they’re poised to implement civic projects that benefit their community. Highlighting climate-related vocations within local sectors, delving into regional climate policies, and engaging with local experts and policymakers can significantly enhance the impact of students’ initiatives.

How can I facilitate conversations about climate inequality?

The effects of climate change are extensive, and recognizing how they make existing disparities worse is crucial for devising future strategies. Climate justice and environmental justice are essential to the dialogue on climate change’s causes, consequences, and remedies.

OER Project: Climate educates students on these justices through a research-oriented method that encourages them to assess various sources and form their own insights. It prompts students to consider adaptive strategies and engage in deep analysis of actions at global, local, and personal levels. With case studies from across the globe, the course highlights the diverse and disproportionate effects of climate change. Providing students with foundational knowledge and the chance for in-depth contemplation and discussion fosters an engaging and nurturing setting to address climate-related inequalities.

How do this course’s materials differ from other climate materials?

The course is another open education resource (OER) curriculum from OER Project. Like all OER Project courses, it is free, open to public use, and adaptable to the needs of your classroom. OER Project: Climate is more than a repository of resources on climate change. Whether you’re teaching the full course or standalone lessons, the activities, articles, videos, and tools work together in a cohesive and comprehensive way.

This is a course focused on solutions and student action, designed to inspire students to think about the role they can play in solving climate change. This course recognizes that information surrounding climate change is complex and constantly changing, so rather than tell students what to think, we help them build new understandings of how to think through key literacy skills and inquiry-based activities.