Students are invited to engage in the study of early twentieth centuries events by following the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien to explore the different landscapes, events and stories that inspired The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and Middle-earth. PowerPoint slides will guide the lesson through photographs, maps, and other authentic materials as learners look the causes and conditions that shaped the landscape, mythology, and epic adventures of Tolkien's fantasy world. 

This course is devoted to teaching the historical content of the earliest twentieth using Tolkien's life experiences and inspirations. Aligned ELA Common Core and National History/Social Standards, recordings of each session will be available to review for those students unable to attend Live meetings as well as for those whose caregivers would prefer to participate with their learner at a later time; cameras do not need to be left on once visual check-in has occurred. 

The approach of this class is historical and thus expresses no personal viewpoint or opinions from the facilitator; time is allotted at end of each session for any situations that may have need extra discussion or clarification.

(Day1) The Industrial Revolution:
Tolkien biography from 1892 until 1914 as economic and social conditions shifted in the early 20th-century.  

(Day2) World War I
Causes of World War I and Tolkien biography from 1914 until 1918 in relation to his experience.

(Day3) The Interwar Years
Post-war years' political ideology, revolutions and struggles from the World War I armistice through the Great Depression as related to Tolkien's life from 1918 - 1938.

(Day4) The Writing and Revision of Lord of the Rings
Tolkien biography from 1937 to 1973 in which the Hobbit was published and the writing of The Lord of the Rings around which World War II occurred; 'applicability' (for which Tolkien compared his writing) is discussed. 

Detailed descriptions of the sessions are available for review in Learning Goals.

The classroom environment itself is designed to reflect and honor diverse identities with time given to address and/or discuss any situations or clarification that may arise using the instructional strategies provided by the Learning for Justice's Teaching Tolerance toolbox (https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/teaching-strategies). 

Information presented in the topics are "matured" themed and may be sensitive material for some learners. These include but are not limited to shifting cultural and societal norms (e.g., underlying prejudice and overt hate), discriminatory practices (e.g., racism, sexism, homophobia), and human rights violations (e.g., war crimes, genocide). Any pictures used to relate key concepts, vocabulary, timelines, and other information will be non-descriptive and taken from the Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/).



**** The above picture was purchased for Shutterstock (Standard License).