What is this site?
It is an online history book and a free alternative to textbooks. I try to write in an accessible, visceral style that engages the reader. I have a note taped to the monitor in my office that reminds me every day: Don’t explain. Evoke! My goal is a page that slots somewhere between a textbook and a magazine article. I rewrite whenever I catch myself slipping into textbook-ese.
What grade level is MrDowling.com written for?
That’s a tough question because I want the site to be accessible without writing down to the reader. My goal is to keep the Lexile level around 1000L. This may be a bit challenging for younger students and a bit easy for older students, but my focus is more on engagement than on hitting a particular reading level.
You will not find rhetorical questions (“Have you ever wondered…”) or questions that do not respect the reader. I am a lifelong learner, and I write for curious readers of all ages.
Is there an answer key for the assignments?
No, and that’s on purpose. Most of your homework questions ask you to think deeply and make connections, not just fill in blanks. I want you to take chances and try your own ideas, even if they don’t turn out exactly right. Wrong answers help you understand the material in your own way.
If I handed out an answer key, it would keep you from figuring things out for yourself. There’s usually more than one good answer in life, and you might come up with something even better than what I expected.
What are Star Questions
Some questions are marked with a ★ or an *. These are higher-order thinking questions. The answers do not come directly from the reading. In my classroom, students knew their answers could be wrong. All they had to do was respond in a complete sentence that restated the question and make a reasonable attempt at answering it.
Freed from the pressure of having to find the “correct” answer, students often considered ideas that led to excellent class discussions. They also surprised themselves by discovering how often their answers were right.
I urge teachers using these questions to allow students to be wrong.
Is everything free?
Yes. Everything on this site is free. At the bottom of most pages, you’ll find a list of resources. I provide the materials as PDF files and editable DOCX files for Microsoft Word. If you don’t like my questions, you are welcome to write your own. I only ask that you do not present my material as your own.
Unfortunately, the formatting of the pages is too complicated to reproduce reliably in Google Docs. I keep an eye on Google’s tools, though, and hope that someday I can make the files available in a format that works well for Google users.
Do I have to use the lessons in order?
I never did. This material is available for you to use every day, as I did in my classes, to fill holes where the adopted textbook is weak, or simply for a change of pace. You are welcome to use individual pages, assignments, or entire units in whatever way works best for your students.
Why don’t you have a lesson on a particular topic?
Mostly because I had to follow the Palm Beach County curriculum. In retirement, I have added new pages and will continue to do so. If something in particular is missing, let me know. I doubt I can research it and get something online quickly, but I will keep your idea in mind when I am writing new material.
Isn’t this AI slop?
MrDowling.com has been online since 1997, long before today’s artificial intelligence existed. I am the author and editor of every page on MrDowling.com. I use AI as one of several tools to help me research, brainstorm, check, and refine my work, but I make the decisions about what is published, and I take personal responsibility for every word that appears here.
For more about how I use AI on MrDowling.com, visit this page/ai.
Can you help me do my homework?
I’m sorry, but I can’t answer individual homework questions. I receive dozens of emails every day, and there just aren’t enough hours to reply to everyone. I wish I could, because I love hearing from students who want to learn more.
Are you a real teacher?
Yes. I retired in 2024 after teaching for 32 years in Martin and Palm Beach Counties, Florida. Now, when I’m not traveling, I spend my time working on this website and my YouTube channel.
Should I tell you if I find a mistake on your site?
Yes, please do. People from all over the world visit this site, and I’ve learned a lot from those who point out errors or suggest improvements. If you spot something that doesn’t look right, I’d be happy to hear from you.
A final thought
When I was teaching, I would say this to my students on the last day of class.
You are the world’s most valuable resource. Your efforts, your thoughts, and your dreams will carry us all to places we can only imagine today.
Sir Isaac Newton once said; “If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.” Your parents and your teachers, along with the millions of people who have lived and learned before you have provided the shoulders; you have the opportunity and the responsibility to see further, to learn more, to make a better world.
You will have access to technology we can only imagine today, but the greatest technology is within you. Your mind and your heart are greater than any tool. The future is going to be awesome. It is an honor to help prepare you for it.