In this second video giving an overview of World War II, we see Germany and the Axis powers only continue to gain momentum in 1940.

In 1941, the Axis gains further momentum with control of most of Continential Europe. Hitler decides to break pact and invade Stalin's Soviet Union. United States enters World War II after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1942 we see the Axis get pushed back in North Africa and get bogged down in the Soviet Union. The tide of war turns in favor of the Allies.

In 1943, the tide really turns in favor of the Allies in World War II. They are able to push the Axis out of N.Africa and force a surrender from Italy (along with Mussolini being deposed). The Soviets are able to start pushing the Axis out of the Soviet Union.

As we go into 1944, we see the allies land at Normandy, liberate France and face Germany in their last major counteroffensive at the Battle of the Bulge. On the Eastern Front, the Soviets end Siege of Leningrad and begin to push through Poland and Romania. In the south, Allies land in southern France and take Rome.

1945 marks the end of World War II. V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) is May 8th 1945. War doesn't end in the Pacific until August of 1945 with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In this unit, students will become familiar with fables and trickster tales from different cultural traditions and will see how stories change when transferred orally between generations and cultures. They will learn how both types of folktales employ various animals in different ways to portray human strengths and weaknesses and to pass down wisdom from one generation to the next. Use the following lessons to introduce students to world folklore and to explore how folktales convey the perspectives of different world cultures.

Thinking about how we get Calories from the land limits human population densities. Created by Sal Khan.

There are a number of European alliances that contributed to the broad scope of World War I. Prominent among these are the 1839 Treaty of London, which promised that the United Kingdom would protect Belgium's neutrality, the 1879 Dual Alliance treaty between Germany and Austria-Hungary to protect each other in the event of Russian attack, the 1892 Franco-Russian Military Convention that promised mutual assistance in the face of attack, the Triple Entente linking the United Kingdom and France (and later Italy), and the Triple Alliance linking Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (at first). Created by Sal Khan.

This four-lesson curriculum unit will examine the nature of what Winston Churchill called the "Grand Alliance" between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union in opposition to the aggression of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

In 1944, the Americans (and Allies) make even more progress in the Pacific. By the end of the year, they have taken positions that put them within bombing range of Japan.

This inquiry focuses on the impact of the flooding of the Nile River on ancient Egypt, specifically the costs and benefits of the flooding. Through examination and analysis of various photographs, videos, and article excerpts, students will consider how these sources can be used to convey the impact of flooding on multiple groups of people in ancient Egypt.The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to learn about how Egyptian civilization grew by comparing the costs and benefits of the Nile River’s flooding. This inquiry highlights the following Virginia social studies standards.

Ancient Egypt was an early example of a massive civilization spanning thousands of years. Sal explains this history in an overview.

In the second lesson of four on Ancient Greece, students refine their knowledge of physical features as they investigate pictures of Greece and determine how a particular physical feature influenced human action. Key question: How did the physical geography of the Aegean basin shape the economic, social and political development of Greek civilization?

 This inquiry focuses on the government of Ancient Greece, specifically the creation of the Greek democracy. The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to consider the meaning of democracy and whose voices were heard in the original democracy and whose were not. Through analysis of videos, photographs of ancient artifacts, political cartoons and graphs students develop an argument supported by evidence that answers the compelling question, “Was Greek democracy a success?”

In the first lesson of four on Ancient Greece, students use geographic terms such as hemispheres, continents, and direction to describe the relative location of Greece within the world, within Europe, and within the Aegean Basin. In addition, students extend and refine their ability to identify various types of physical features on maps at a variety of scales. Students examine maps to identify and describe the physical environment of Greece. Key questions: Where is ancient Greece located?; What are physical features of the Aegean Basin?; How did the location of Greece and its physical environment influence its interaction with the rest of the world?

In the third lesson of four on Ancient Greece, students simulate trade between Greek city states and their colonies. The overall goal is for the Greek traders and colonists to travel to new territories, trade resources, and as a result build an empire and spread Hellenistic culture. Through the examination of the goods exchanged, students gain a basic understanding of specialization in the various areas of the Mediterranean Basin. Key questions: Why did the Greeks acquire colonies?; How did Greek culture diffuse throughout the Mediterranean world?; What were the effects of the diffusion of Greek culture?

In the last lesson of four on Ancient Greece, students employ spatial thinking to understand the extent of the empire of Alexander the Great by examining and comparing visuals and maps. Key question: How does the geographic extent of an empire influence its ability to exist through time?