An ABC book, the type of book read to children in preschool who are just learning the basics of language was the focus of a recent AP World History book. Although it may seem unusual, given that most of the work in AP classes is usually very strict and advanced, it had its purpose.

“It’s something I did with my 7th and 8th graders, that’s why I was a little hesitant on how to pull it of with [high schoolers],” teacher Julie Rutherford said. “But when you embrace the cheesiness of it, and the kids like that you’re joking around and having fun with it, sometimes that sets it.”

Students sat on the floor in the front of the classroom while others read aloud and showed pictures from their books. The setting looked like kindergarten all over again.

However, the ABC book isn’t as simple as it sounds.

“At first when I heard about the project,” sophomore Hibah Anwar said. “I thought it would be easy and childish. But once I actually started working it became more difficult and challenging to work on.”  

Students must use words to describe the characteristics and interactions of the Gunpowder Empires of the early modern era.

That’s where it gets complicated.

“It usually works better with themes, and this theme was Gunpowder Empires,” Rutherford said. “I also did it with APUSH with slavery. I know my kids were weak on Gunpowder Empires on the AP exam so I tried something new to see if it kind of seared it in.”

From the students point of view, Rutherford accomplished her goal.

“The project was basically a review for the test, of what we didn’t cover quite frequently in class,” Anwar said.

For Rutherford, the lesson itself was a trip back in time.

“Teachers have ‘teacher toolbox,’ things that we apply to different time frames and things like that from year to year,” Rutherford said. “I haven’t used it in a long time and I thought, you know what it’s time to bring this tool back out and see if this generation likes it.”