World History Micro-Lessons

Build engaging, asynchronous online lessons with Markdown, interactive quizzes, and seamless LMS integration.

Markdown Powered Interactive Quizzes Auto-Resize Iframes Canvas Ready

Getting Started

Follow these simple steps to create your first asynchronous lesson

1

Duplicate the Template

Copy the lessons/sample-lesson folder and rename it to match your lesson slug.

2

Edit Your Content

Update the front matter (title, grade level, etc.) plus the Markdown sections with your narrative.

3

Add Interactive Quizzes

Drop ```quiz { ... } ``` blocks to render multiple-choice checks for understanding.

4

Publish & Embed

Host the static files, then use the lesson URL inside an iframe. The frame adjusts height automatically.

Available Lessons

Explore ready-to-use lesson templates and examples

Silk Road Exchange Sample Lesson

30 minutes • Grades 9-12 • 3 Parts

Complete example showing Markdown-driven sections, quiz blocks, and the shared design system.

Markdown Front Matter

Start each content.md file with YAML front matter to define lesson metadata 

---
title: Industrial Revolution
grade: 10-11
time: 25 minutes
focus: Innovation & Labor
---

Interactive Quizzes

Add quiz blocks using JSON format for multiple-choice questions 

```quiz
{
  "title": "Checkpoint",
  "prompt": "Which empire...",
  "type": "single",
  "options": [
    { "label": "Mongol", "correct": true }
  ]
}
```

Canvas LMS Integration

Copy this iframe code into your Canvas course

Iframe Embed Code

Paste this HTML directly into Canvas HTML editor:
<iframe
  src="https://worldhistory.masterydata.org/lessons/sample-lesson/index.html"
  width="100%"
  height="800"
  style="border:0;"
  allowfullscreen
  loading="lazy">
</iframe>
Auto-resize: Content height adjusts automatically
Responsive: Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Self-contained: All assets load independently

Pro Tips

  • Keep each lesson self-sufficient with all images and assets in the same folder
  • Use meaningful folder names that match your course structure
  • Test lessons locally before deploying to ensure all links work correctly
  • Consider creating a lesson library that students can access directly outside Canvas