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Columbus Day: To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate

Students will read about opposing viewpoints regarding the federal holiday and discuss how we as a nation should approach the holiday.
Social Studies Center
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(661)
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
1 in-class hours

Class Experience

This second Monday in October is Columbus Day which started as a means of celebrating Columbus' "discovery" of the Americas.  It became an official government holiday in 1937, though many cities and states had celebrated Columbus throughout the US.  Almost since it's inception, it has been a controversial holiday as some people see Columbus as a sort of hero, especially those of Italian heritage, while others, such as Native Americans, see him and the celebration as commemorating the beginning of the end of their communities.  

Students will read about Columbus Day prior to class.  Then we will discuss the different perspectives, our thoughts on the holiday, and if/how the day should be remember, if at all.  The discussion will be a Socratic based discussion where students will contribute not only to the discussion, but also to the questions that may be raised.  Students should walk away with and understanding of the holiday, and the history surrounding it that contributes to the controversy over the holiday.  The goal is that students will come to their own conclusions regarding the holiday.

Other Details

Supply List
Come with a copy of the document(s) that were read for class, questions surrounding what you read, and a writing utensil.
 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined October, 2016
4.9
661reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Social Studies Center started out with Laura Forde teaching as an individual on Outschool in 2016.  She is a licensed Social Studies teacher with a BS in Social Studies Education and a MS in Educational Leadership who has taught since 2003 in both North Dakota, West Virginia and online.  As Outschool grew, demand for her engaging, effective classes grew as well.  Now an organization of qualified teachers continue to teach the content in a similar format and engagement.  

We believe that students need to be engaged and involved in their learning.  In our classes, we try to give the kids new information, have them practice it, and then apply it.  We also believe it is important that what is learned in class is relevant to their own lives.  Having student-centered learning and a tie to their lives helps students retain what they have learned.  Our subject specialties are history, government, geography, criminal law, sociology, and other social studies classes.  

We love the content we teach and believe that you are never too old to learn more.  We continue to challenge ourselves through professional development, books/articles, and research to always be improving and to ensure your child is given the best learning experience we can possibly deliver.

Reviews

Live One-Time Class
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$10

per class

Meets once
60 min
Completed by 17 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
3-9 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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