— Day 1 - The Mediterranean: Students will have a choice between learning about Greece or Rome today! The overall objective of day 1 is to gain an understanding of the Mediterranean culture and how those cultures rose and fell into power.  Students will then get a chance to explore a model of Ancient Greece/Rome(depending on what they chose) and get to build in an activity together!

— Day 2 - Egypt: Our goal for today is to show students the geography and changes of Egypt over time as well as the development of its culture. We will also cover the lifestyle and culture of the Ancient Egyptians and some of their defining mythology. After the lesson, students will be able to explore an Ancient Egyptian tomb!

— Day 3 - East Asia: Students are able to choose between Japan or China to learn about today! The day’s objective is to learn more about East Asia and how the development of those cultures shares similarities with other cultures. We will also go into East Asian mythology and important historical events that occurred within the culture. Afterwards, students will be able to explore a model based on the topic they chose and engage in a build of their own!

— Day 4 - Mesoamerica: On day 4, we will discuss Mesoamerica and it’s detachment from other civilizations. We will also explore the influences on and aspects of Mesoamerican culture and how they were similar and different to the Olmec, Mayan and Aztec cultures. Students will then be able to explore a model of an Ancient Maya and Olmec settlement, followed by a group build. 

— Day 5 - Europe: For the final day, students will be able to choose between learning about Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavia. The objectives for the day include learning about basic philosophical tenets of, cultural values of, foundational mythology pertaining to, typical daily life in whichever topic they chose. We’ll then be able to explore an English or Viking village(depending on their choice) and wrap up the week with a final group build. 

Connected Camps is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2015 with the mission to build a global online community where kids build, code, play, and learn alongside one another. Our programs are designed based on extensive research in the learning sciences. The founders and leaders of Connected Camps, Mimi Ito and Katie Salen, are professors at the University of California, Irvine, who specialize in the design of online learning experiences that are fun, social, and directly tied to academic outcomes. Learn more about the research behind Connected Camps at the Connected Learning Alliance resource site: https://clalliance.org/ 

One thing that makes our programs unique is our near-peer mentorship model. Our programs are led by young adults and college students, often with the help of high school volunteers. We hire counselors and coaches from top universities in computer science, game development, economics, social studies, and the arts, and train them on how to facilitate project-based learning with younger kids. Our young instructors have the same passion for technology, games, and digital making as our learners, and take on the role of instructors, as well as fellow enthusiasts and relatable role models.

The curriculum for this program was designed by a team of counselors pursuing degrees relevant to the material at hand. The learning experiences in this class are driven by these counselors’ academic expertise in the field, along with their desire to share their passion for the subject with a group of excited learners. All of Connected Camps’ curricula are vetted by the organization’s Product Manager, Matthew, who possesses a Masters in Secondary Education and a deep belief in the power of collaborative virtual learning.

Homework Offered
This class does not require any out-of-class work. We do offer optional challenges that students can work on as an extension of what is taught in class. We provide guidance and instructions for students who are inspired to delve deeper into the topic. The purpose of these challenges is to give students the opportunity to supplement their learning with additional material that aligns with their passions and goals. Students may then integrate their learnings into their project and showcase their accomplishments to their classmates.

With this approach, students can explore the subject on their own. We give students the opportunity to share what they’ve explored independently with the class.
0 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
At Connected Camps, we assess each student’s progress by engaging them in reflection of their own work and the work of their classmates. By building in Minecraft and applying concepts taught in class, our students are able to solidify their learnings through hands-on application. Our counselors’ focus is to provide qualitative feedback to further each students’ individual goals and interests, and we do not use letter or number grades.

In addition to our in-class reflections, our counselors also provide post-session recaps that offer a summary of what is accomplished each day. Through these summary reflections, students are able to review the material and share with their parents what they did in class. We find this approach allows kids of different interests and abilities to engage with our teachings in a way that is particularly relevant to them.
Grades Offered