AP World History students watch Guns, Germs, and Steel

By Emma Melling

Emma is a senior staff writer and editor-in-chief of the Talon. She is passionate about journalism, writing, literature, and French. Emma plans to attend Bethel University in the fall and double major in English and Journalism. She enjoys writing features on arts and human interest topics and loves listening to people's stories. Her hobbies include reading, hiking and spending time with family.

Posted: January 13, 2016

With the second week of second semester hitting the halfway point, students of all grades continue get back into the swing of things and slip back into a normal school routine. In particular, AP World History students are becoming familiar with a new way of testing in class.

Unlike first semester, during which students would work on a chapter of AP World during the week and then take a final multiple choice and essay test every Friday, this semester students must read a new chapter each weekend, then take the multiple choice exam immediately the following Monday.

“I think it’s a lot harder because we were [used to having the] whole entire week to keep learning [the chapter] and working on it and review it, but now we have to do that on our own [the weekend before we take the test],” said sophomore Ellie Bedingham, a current AP World student. Undoubtedly, as the semester progresses students will become more comfortable with this new system.

While the new testing system will be in place for the rest of this semester, in AP World classes today, students experienced something new that will only happen once this year. All of Jennifer Tillman’s AP World classes watched a documentary that many of the upperclassmen know well: Guns, Germs, and Steel. The movie is based on the book written by Jared Diamond. Many of the upperclassmen are acquainted with the book, as it was required summer reading when Elizabeth Van Pilsum taught AP World History. Current students were not assigned the long, descriptive book as summer reading this year, and that they had the opportunity to watch the 55 minute documentary instead. AP World students will continue to study the impact of “guns, germs and steel” on the world through the rest of the semester.

You may also like…

Review: “Dial M for Murder” at the Guthrie

Playful adaptation brings Hitchcock classic to classic stage Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, The Guthrie’s Dial M for Murder is a charming and comedic production of a classic theatrical story. The show follows the twisted journey of Tony Wendice — a man plotting to murder...

Consumerism’s dangers and “rewards” programs

Coffee drinkers may not be saving as much as they hope If you think you have enough money to get Starbucks every day and avoid unnecessary advertisements, you’re in for a surprise. Starbucks, however, would like nothing more than to keep you — and your wallet — away...

Reflections on American culture

Compared with life in Slovakia, American routines can be ... surprising Imagine starting a new chapter of your life in a different country in a different part of the world with a different culture and language. Immersed in this new culture, you suddenly realize that...

A new era for girls basketball

New coach brings different philosophy A warm salty drop of sweat falls from your drenched forehead as you are catching your breath. You place your hands on your knees as you watch your legs tremble with aching pain. Just as you regain your strength you hear the...

History and film: fact or fiction

Is the screen an adequate medium for depicting the events of history?    This October, highly-esteemed director Martin Scorsese released a must-see historical spectacle, and the latest addition to his filmmaking oeuvre — Killers of the Flower Moon. Killers of the...