Learn history through Star Wars! In each week of this ongoing class, we will look at the events and characters of the Star Wars universe and discover similar happenings in history. The world of Star Wars is rich and complex, filled with different characters, conflicts, and cultures. Many of the events in the series parallel things that have happened in real world history, so in this class, students will receive the chance to revisit some of their favorite parts of the Star Wars universe and learn about different areas of world history each week! Each class will have three main parts, an introduction to the Star Wars event, an exploration of the historical event, and a discussion of the similarities and differences between the two.

NOTE: This class is on a rotating schedule of 12 distinct lessons. If you have been enrolled in the class before, you may see topics here that you have already learned. Previous students are of course welcome to re-enroll, but make sure to check the topic each week if you do not want to repeat a lesson. The classes run in the same order so repeat students can choose to enroll and unenroll as it suits them!

UPCOMING TOPICS

Week of April 23 - Luke Skywalker started off his journey in Star Wars as a farmboy - who are some other heroes in history and mythology with a similar, humble background?
Week of April 30 - How does the Death Star and its development compare to other deadly weapons in history?
Week of May 7 - How do the warrior codes of the Mandalorians and the Jedi resemble the codes of honor of real world warriors?
Week of May 14 - Who are some real life princesses who became as influential as Princess Leia?
Week of May 21 - George Lucas is known to have taken much inspiration in writing Star Wars from the Cold War and Vietnam War - what were these 20th century conflicts about and what are some examples of this inspiration in the story of Star Wars?
Week of May 28 - When she was a padawan, Ahsoka Tano was unjustly accused and convicted of a crime she did not commit - who are some other figures in history who have suffered a similar fate?
Week of June 4 - How do Clone Troopers like Captain Rex compare with real world soldiers, especially soldiers who fought in World War II?
Week of June 11 - How is Emperor Palpatine's rise to power similar to other historical dictators?
Week of June 18 - How does the Rebellion against the Empire compare with other real world revolutions?
--One week break---
Week of July 2 - How is the arena on Geonosis like the Roman Colosseum?
Week of July 9 - How does the pirate Hondo Ohnaka compare with real life pirates?
Week of July 16 - How do Jabba and the Hutts resemble real life gangsters like the mafia?

This topic list is routinely updated! Any student will be able to join in at any time, as each discussion will be self-contained and have a different theme. Naturally, we will often discuss the events of the movies, but TV shows like The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian will receive attention as well. 

This class should be both fun and informative. Students will have the opportunity to learn real history in depth each week, while still having fun by having the chance to discuss a beloved series. When teaching, I typically utilize methods that balance lecture (supported by slides, pictures, etc.) with discussion, lecture to ensure that specific knowledge is imparted and discussion to ensure both enjoyment and retention. The more students have the chance to interact with material, the more they will get out of it! This is especially the case when discussing fiction and history, as a variety of different perspectives helps provide a much richer experience. Every student should be heard, as this benefits both them and those around them!

So... let's take a trip to a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and discover... maybe, it's not so far from our own after all.