Internet memes are funny and silly. Teens love them. Adults love them. I love them. Sometimes, I get lucky and stumble on a meme that tickles my inner history nerd just right- by summarizing hundreds of years of modern world history into, "knock knock, it's Europe!." This is a real social studies class, covering the real, extremely important and serious topic of European imperialism. 

Each class session will be centered around a meme we will spend the duration of our meeting unpacking. 
Students will complete a final project in which they create their own meme relating to our class content. 
It may sound silly (and it is) but learning through memes is an amazing way to turn today's visual culture into something productive. Students will develop the important social studies skill of analysis in this fun, content packed class. Elements of geography will also be present as we look at how imperialism changed the globe. There will be short readings provided to accompany the meme. 

Students may be directed to Antimatter.Systems to create memes in a supervised (by me) studio. 

Class 1: Knock, knock: it's Europe
Intro to Imperialism (what it is, why Europe is so important to its continued development)
Also; what is a meme?

Class 2: It's simple; Spanish or Vanish
Spain in South America; first contact with the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Christopher Columbus and how he wasn't very bright, but was very effective at killing a lot of people and cultures. 

Class 3: Africa: are you here to help us? Europe: Well, yes but also no. 
The Scramble for Africa, and what exactly the Europeans did with Africa and how. 

Class 4: It's free real estate!
England becomes a global leader in Imperialism; their mercantile and liberalistic policies that made colonies a virtual necessity. English attitudes towards Imperialism and the birth of modern racism. 

Class 5:  Is a criminal record still a requirement?
England's prison colony: Australia, and the treatment of Aboriginal people, and other Eastern hemisphere colonial activities.

Class 6: Columbia says we can't build a canal in Panama? 
The United States' entrance into the imperialism game, primarily (but not exclusively) in South America, beginning with Columbia and the Panama Canal. 

Class 7: Did someone order some freedom?
In the mid and late 20th century, when Europe was backing out of their colonies, America started stepping up their game... all in the name of stopping communism and maybe some oil.
HW: Students should make their own meme about some aspect of imperialism. 

Class 8: The legacy of imperialism
We will discuss the lasting legacy of imperialism today, including environmental challenges faced by over farming in Africa and political instability in South America. Students will show off their imperialism memes.