What's included
8 live meetings
7 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
In Session 1, students will learn about the murky origins of baseball including characters such as Albert Spalding, Abner Doubleday and Alexander Cartwright. We will also discuss the evolution of baseball rules, defunct teams, the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Negro Leagues, baseball books and movies, and other general topics. Session 2 will begin a team-by-team analysis starting with teams in the National League Central (Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals). Classes will include a visual slide presentation, videos (generally one 3-5 minute video per session), and facilitated discussion. Session 3 will cover teams in the NL East. Session 4 will cover the NL West. Session 5 will cover the American League West. Session 6 will cover AL Central teams. Session 7 will cover the AL East. In each of these sessions we will discuss the history of the teams, the stadiums they have played in, and notable players and managers. The final session (#8) will be an opportunity for each student to show off his/her “dream team” and to engage in a light-hearted discussion/debate with other students over who compiled the best team.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the origins of baseball and its evolution into the modern game that we see today. Students will be able to identify notable players and key events from baseball history. Students will be able to explain how Major League Baseball is currently structured and how a champion is determined.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
If time permits, we will be watching a 5-6 minute YouTube video about the San Francisco earthquake that disrupted the 1989 World Series. This video includes some disturbing images of the destruction caused by the earthquake. All of the images are of the type and nature that could be included on a nightly news broadcast.
Supply List
None
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Teacher expertise and credentials
For the first 22 years of my career, I worked in the field of transportation planning and traffic engineering. This work required a broad understanding of the historic, cultural, environmental, social and economic factors that influence the communities we live in today. Throughout that time, my wife and I have also been raising our six children, which has given me the opportunity to volunteer in various capacities with a number of youth-serving organizations. In 2017, I made the decision to switch careers and pursue teaching. I firmly believe that teachers are in a unique position to inspire youth, to encourage them to strive for deeper understanding of the issues that face our society, and to provide them with a sense of purpose for the things they do and the way they live their lives.
In 2019, I received a Masters degree in Secondary Education with a Pennsylvania state certification to teach 7-12 History & Social Studies. I currently work full-time as a social studies teacher for a company providing cyberschool services to various school districts across the country.
I love baseball, traveling, and the outdoors and have been to 48 of the 50 states (so far!) and over 100 National Parks and National Historic Sites. I am also very passionate about board games and believe that games are a tremendous way to develop social skills and critical thinking in kids. With my diverse background in engineering and education, you will most often find me teaching classes in history, social studies, math and science. I also like to teach "fun stuff" like baseball topics, board gaming, and outdoor camp cooking!
General Procedures & Expectations:
• Students should be prompt and respectful of others’ time. I will start classes at the scheduled time, even if all students are not present.
• If no students are in the classroom at the designated start time, I will wait 10 minutes before leaving the classroom. If there are unforeseen circumstances that keep a student from attending class, I will do my best to get them rescheduled to another section.
• I work very hard to keep classes within the designated timeframe, however, depending on the number of students and how inquisitive they are, we may run a few minutes over or under on time. I will provide a wrap up and verbal reminder at the end of our designated class period, so students who have other commitments can get going. If other students are still engaged with questions and/or discussion, I will make every effort to stay on-line for some additional time with them.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$80
for 8 classes2x per week, 4 weeks
55 min
Completed by 33 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
3-14 learners per class