View Cart
John Maunu
AP® World History: How to DBQ
As we get closer to the AP® World History Exam, students will begin to stress about the required essays they will write as part of the exam. The...
The following lesson plan uses the historical thinking skills of comparative and cause and effect to analyze two historians' perspectives on the Rwandan genocide. Helen Epstein and Philip Gourevitch relate their perspectives about that African genocide and students are asked to analyze those points of view by noting the authors' theses and their use of evidence in support of their historical argument about those perspectives.
Those that teach AP® History and rigorous history courses understand that the national AP® exam and state social studies tests include multiple-choice questions (MC) and short-answer questions (SAQs) that use secondary sources like Epstein and Gourevitch to introduce those questions. Plus, the DBQ and LEQ also demand that students can develop a historical argument in support of a thesis. This comparative lesson module allows student to practice those skills.
John Maunu is a College Board AP® World History: Modern consultant who teaches summer workshops nationally. He is a co-moderator of the College Board® APWH: Modern Teacher Community and a Digital Resources Editor for the World History Connected Online Journal. He was an AP® European and World History teacher for many years and is currently an online consultant for AP® World History: Modern in Michigan. John has also been a Senior Reviewer and item writer for many editions of the AP® World History: Modern coursebook by AMSCO® (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020 editions).
AP Human Geography: How to Improve FRQ Responses
This blog entry is designed to provide some hints to help your students improve their writing on the free-response section of the exam. The...
How to Approach the 2023 AP® World History Exam
Experienced AP World History teacher Dave Drzonek and AP World History Exam table leader Charlie Hart discuss what students did well and what they...
Pole Vaulting Your Way Through the DBQ
Teaching a young, eager, and naive student how to write a sophisticated DBQ is like teaching a similarly inexperienced athlete how to successfully...
AP® World History: Murder Mystery Party
The teaching of AP® World History can be a daunting task at times. Teachers are asked to teach over 800 years of historical content and then develop...
Women's History Month: Gender and Disease in World History
In celebration of Women's History Month, explore this lesson with your students that gives them the opportunity to practice an important part of the...
AP® World: Cultural Diffusion Activity
Cultural diffusion and cultural syncretism are two important concepts in the AP® World History curriculum. Because of its importance, I’ve developed...
AP® World History: Comparison, Continuity, and Causation
Do your students struggle to understand the difference between Comparison, Continuity, and Causation when writing essays? Using this presentation...
AP® Psych: Test Prep Review Tools and Games
As the AP® exam draws near, students often become increasingly anxious. Review games and activities can target areas students need to review while...
Using Cognitive Science to Facilitate Better Review for the AP Psych Exam
Review season is upon us. With preparations for upcoming AP exams, finals, and other year-end assessments principals in cognitive science can help...
Research as the focus of the AP Psychology Exam
This year’s AP Psychology Exam will be the first exam with the new curriculum which focuses intensely on research. Some may wonder about this focus...
AP US History Exam Review with focus on Historical Reasoning Processes
From a practical point of view, argumentation is at the heart of the free response section of the AP exam. This can be particularly difficult with...