What's included
Homework
There is no required homework. All of the activities are optional and learners are encouraged to check out the resources that they find interesting.Assessment
Formative assessment will be incorporated throughout the class regularly- mainly through discussion & games. I'll provide regular feedback. I do not normally provide a written report or letter grade, but I can if notified in advance of this request and provided details about what is expected.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 10
This small-group class will explore Ancient Rome and the Maya, Aztec and Inca Mesoamerican civilizations. This class can be considered part 3 of my 3 part Ancient Civilizations series, although they can be taken out of order, or without completing the other parts. No prior knowledge is required. My goal is to inspire my learners to be historic investigators! As global citizens, I want my learners to explore and interpret information from multiple sources and viewpoints. This is a FLEX class, meaning there are no scheduled live meetings. That being said, if multiple enrolled learners are interested in an optional face-to-face meeting, I can certainly see about arranging one. Class logistic details: On Monday of each week, information will be posted in the Outschool classroom, so that learners know the focus for the week and how to access the lesson (which will be in a self-paced Nearpod). Weeks will run from Monday through Sunday, although I completely understand if anyone needs more time. All of the activities will be available for the entire 4 weeks. To allow for personalization and differentiation, a variety of optional activities will be included. Some of the optional activities include: polls, discussion boards, virtual field trips, matching activities, games, WebQuests, and videos etc... I've created all of the Nearpods and will be regularly interacting with the discussion boards. I'll also be providing an optional student guide that can be used for note-taking. Order of topics: Week 1: Ancient Rome Week 2: Maya Civilization Week 3: Aztec Civilization Week 4: Inca Civilization & Review (including an end-of-week Kahoot challenge over the content in weeks 1-4) Students are encouraged to ask questions, if needed. ALL activities in the weekly Nearpod are optional, so I recommend discussion between parents and learners to ensure expectations are clear. Obviously, the more a learner engages with the course content, the more they will get out of the class. A positive class culture is a must and it is assumed everyone will treat each other with respect. Most importantly, I want all learners and parents to be 100% happy with the quality of this class. I would appreciate if concerns, questions, or ideas for improvement could be communicated before the end of the class, so that I have the opportunity to make adjustments. *If you're interested in this class and cannot find a suitable scheduled section, I recommend the self-schedule option or you can contact me to schedule another section. I'm also happy to offer sibling discounts and/or multiple enrollment discounts. *Part 1 & part 2 of this class are not prerequisites, but recommended. I teach a version of this class that meets "live" once a week that is very similar to this FLEX class (except that class is 12 weeks long and includes all of the Ancient Civilizations in the FLEX parts 1, 2, and 3. Please also check out those reviews for more information about the experiences of prior learners (and their parents) and the reviews for the longer FLEX Ancient Civilization class (that I do not currently have available, because these shorter parts are replacing it).
Learning Goals
Learners will:
● Identify geographic and agricultural factors that shaped the development of early civilizations
● Distinguish, compare, and contrast key cultural and political characteristics of advanced ancient societies.
● Identify the unique accomplishments (and limitations) of early civilizations.
● Ask and respond to historical questions, evaluate data, compare and contrast multiple perspectives.
● Develop increased proficiency in map reading, evaluative research, and critical thinking.
● Collaborate with peers to discuss ideas and problem-solve.
● Analyze primary and secondary documents.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This history about the Ancient Civilizations course is exciting, interesting, and will undoubtedly include sensitive subjects- as is true of all history. I will work hard to ensure discussion remains age-appropriate and pro-actively contact parents if any questionable situations occur.
*This class uses Nearpod as the main tool for delivering instruction and interactive activities mentioned in the class description (discussions boards, games, Webquests, polls, instructional slides and videos, matching and drag and drop activities and virtual field trips). I'll share a 'how to use Nearpod tools' video in the 1st lesson. I am the creator of all of the Nearpods and have been utilizing it as an effective educational technology tool for years.
A user account is not required and there is no cost. Learners will be able to access each Nearpod by clicking on a link, or entering a code on the Nearpod website- all which I will provide. Only enrolled learners will be contributing to the Nearpod, and may choose to participate or skip any activities they want, to tailor the class to meet their needs. If any additional information regarding Nearpod or ways in which it will be utilized, please do not hesitate to contact me.
By parental request, I can provide detailed information for their individual learners' participation for any of the Nearpods we use.
Supply List
I will provide the required materials for the course.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Teaching Certificates
Indiana Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Missouri Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from University of Missouri, St. Louis
Bachelor's Degree in History from University of Missouri, St. Louis
I am a certified social studies teacher with over a decade of experience working with learners. I am certified in Missouri and Indiana to teach social studies to grades 5-12. *Social studies refers to American History, Geography, Government/Civics, Sociology, Psychology, and World History.
I focus on individualizing lessons to meet the needs of learners, including those who struggling and/or students who need more challenge. I have a BA in Political Science, a MA in Secondary Education, and an Ed Spec degree in Educational Technology. I use technologies in effective and creative ways to enhance the learning process and increase motivation of learners.
If a parent has any questions about my education and/or qualifications, I encourage them to message me.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$5
weekly or $20 for 4 weeks4 weeks
Completed by 5 learners
No live video meetings
Ages: 13-16