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American History: Semester Course Part 1 Pre-Contact to the Civil War

Class
Melanie Wiancko
Popular
Average rating:4.9Number of reviews:(1,234)
In this twelve-week course, students will learn about America's history from the earliest migrations to the Americas, all the way to the Reconstruction era following the Civil War.

Class experience

US Grade 5 - 8
12 lessons//12 Weeks
 Week 1
Lesson 1
Pre-Contact to Indigenous and European Contact
- Overview and instructions for the course - The migration of the Indigenous people across Beringia to the Americas, ways of life (including food resources, tools, hunting techniques, farming, housing), spirituality and community in tribes, and the role of war
 Week 2
Lesson 2
Indigenous and European Relations
- European explorers, the first contact between the Indigenous people and the Europeans (including the Vikings), Roanoke, Jamestown (including the Jamestown Massacre), and the Columbian Exchange
 Week 3
Lesson 3
The Thirteen Colonies
- The creation of the Thirteen Colonies, how they formed and survived, relations between the colonists and Indigenous people, and the Mayflower - The Salem Witch Trials
 Week 4
Lesson 4
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
- Understanding why the slave trade started in the Americas, how African communities were terrorized by African warlords and Europeans, and the Middle Passage (journey across the Atlantic Ocean)
 Week 5
Lesson 5
Slavery in America
- The process of arriving in America and being sold to plantation owners, what life was like for those enslaved (including work, treatment, and relationship), slave resistance (including the rebellion of Nat Turner)
 Week 6
Lesson 6
American Revolution Part 1
- The Stamp Act (along with various other British taxes), the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party and its aftermath, the beginning battles of the American Revolution (Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill)
 Week 7
Lesson 7
American Revolution Part 2
- The Declaration of Independence (why was it created and what did it mean), battles of the American Revolution, the role of Indigenous warriors, the involvement of the French, Spanish, and the Dutch, the Treaty of Paris (1783)
 Week 8
Lesson 8
War of 1812
- The American's "Second War of Independence", the fight between the British (Canadians) and the Americans, the role of Indigenous warriors, the Battle of New Orleans
 Week 9
Lesson 9
Westward Expansion
- The role of Manifest Destiny, the Louisiana Purchase, the Missouri Compromise, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Trail of Tears and the "Indian Removal Act", and the California Gold Rush
 Week 10
Lesson 10
The Underground Railroad and the Civil War Part 1
- Conflict between Northern and Southern states over issues of slavery and economy, the role of the Underground Railroad (including Harriet Tubman's story), the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of the Southern States
 Week 11
Lesson 11
The Civil War Part 2
- The Emancipation Proclamation, the role of Black Americans (free and enslaved) in the war, battles of the Civil War (including the Battle of Gettysburg)
 Week 12
Lesson 12
After the Civil War
- The Union surrenders, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Reconstruction Era (including the steps towards ending slavery)
Students will use historical thinking concepts to analyze American history.
Students will be able to understand the key events which shaped American society. 
I have a degree in History and I am qualified to teach intermediate and senior divisions of History.  I have specifically studied American history from pre-contact to the 20th century. My lessons will be factually based using a variety of trusted sources that I have acquired through my research. 
Here are some specific areas of study that I have completed: Africa to 1800; The American Ghetto; Money and Power in the Atlantic World, 1400-1850; Glory and Despair: The United States 1607-1865;  Native-Newcomer Relations.
Homework Offered
Each week there will be an optional task assigned to the students. The task will be explained in class to go over expectations and answer any questions students may have. The tasks will vary in activities and length of time but should take on average 30 minutes to 2 hours (depending on the task and the length of time the student wants to spend). Types of tasks: Exit Tickets: Google Form questionnaire Short Videos and Handouts Short Readings Interview Task Write a Letter Individual Kahoots Crossword puzzle Accommodations can be made for individual students based on their learning needs and abilities. Please feel free to reach out to me and share your student's learning experience and if they have an IEP or any learning skills they are working on or need assistance with.
0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Individual Google Docs ('Progress Sheets') will be shared with the students to help students track their progress in completing weekly tasks and to get weekly feedback on their tasks. Students will complete their tasks outside of class time and submit them to the teacher as completed for feedback.
Grades Offered
Students will be given individual marks and feedback on each task they complete throughout the course. This will be updated on their progress sheet as the course progresses. Students will be given a percentage grade at the end of the course which will be a reflection of their weekly tasks. They will also be given written feedback on their overall participation and effort in the course at the end of the course. If students opt out of the optional tasks, students will be provided with written feedback on their participation at the end of the course. If students do not complete the tasks and do not participate in class, or leave the course early for whatever reason, no final assessment will be given.
Students are encouraged to take notes if that helps their learning.
Worksheets to help students follow along with the lessons will also be provided prior to each class which students can either print or have open on another device. 
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
This course will at times deal with sensitive matters such as wars, colonization and the wrongful treatment of Indigenous peoples, slavery, and other material that is relevant to American history. To help students understand these difficult topics, I will be using first-hand accounts when possible to help tell the stories of those impacted by these events. 
'Thinking Through the Past: A Critical Thinking Approach to U.S. History.' Volume 1: 1877 by John Hollitz 
'U.S. History' by P. Scott Corbett, Volker Janssen, John M. Lund
'American History 1492-Present' by Thomas S. Kidd
'Advanced Placement United States History' by John J Newman and John Schmalbach 
'An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States' by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz 
'Bullwhip Days: The Slaves Remember' by James Mellon
'Twelve Years a Slave' by Solomon Northup 
'Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad' by Ann Petry
Popular
Average rating:4.9Number of reviews:(1,234)
Profile
Hello Outschool families,

My name is Melanie Wiancko, but you can call me Mrs. Mel! I am a Canadian teacher who loves solving puzzles, hiking, jogging, reading, and playing games! I hope to offer courses that spark your interest in history,... 
Group Class

$216

for 12 classes
1x per week, 12 weeks
55 min

Completed by 104 learners
Live video meetings
Ages 10-14
3-12 learners per class

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