Exploring History Through Literature and Writing
This course tackles the challenge of making history and literature feel distant or dull, bringing them vividly to life. Through readings, creative projects, and powerful writing, you’ll uncover the connections between the past and present!
Daysha Rae, M.Ed
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(565)
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What's included
12 pre-recorded lessons
12 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentAssignments
1 hour per week. Learners will be given enrichment activities to do each week in addition to a small writing and research project near the end of the course.Letter Grade
If a parent requests a formal grade report, I will create an assessment for them based on the lessons taught and enrichments completed. Just remember to ask!Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! This course is designed to develop versatile writing skills while fostering critical thinking and creativity! 🌟 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐬! 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙣: -Creative responses like found poetry -Analytical tasks such as photo and text analysis -Short essay responses with a focus on crafting clear, concise arguments -A culminating research-based mini-essay project 💡 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞? 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢𝙨, 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙙. 𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙮𝙡𝙚—“𝙄 𝙙𝙤,” “𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙤,” “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤”—𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤: -Build reading comprehension and critical analysis skills. -Explore universal themes and text structures. -Use primary sources, non-fiction, fiction, music, and video clips to tell historical stories. -Enhance learners’ writing skills 📝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡: -Gain an understanding of historical time periods through multiple mediums. -Analyze texts using text-to-world, text-to-self, and text-to-text connections. -Build confidence in writing and analyzing through guided tasks. -Complete a final research-based mini-essay project focusing on their historical era of choice. 📋𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 (𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀!) 🎥 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: With engaging video lessons and interactive activities, teens can learn on their own schedule 🕒🏠. Each lesson features 1-2 video lessons, guided notes, and practical enrichment opportunities. I generally respond within 24 hours, but I also set aside time to review enrichment activities every Friday and Sunday, providing guidance and feedback in this flexible self-paced format. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝟏𝟎 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁? -A mix of historical exploration and skill-building in reading and writing -Respect for all perspectives and open-minded discussions -Extensive, personalized feedback both in class and on assignments 🖋️ 𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜!
Learning Goals
Learners will improve their reading, critical thinking, analysis, and writing skills.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum12 Lessons
over 12 WeeksLesson 1:
The Civil War
We will be exploring the Civil War era with Ambrose Bierce’s short story "A Horseman in the Sky." This powerful tale highlights themes of duty, sacrifice, and the human cost of war. Learners will analyze Bierce’s use of imagery and tone to depict the complexity of choices during wartime. Lesson 2:
The Civil War
We will continue exploring the Civil War era by examining primary source letters and excerpts from Abraham Lincoln’s iconic speeches, including the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address. These texts provide insight into the themes of unity, sacrifice, and freedom. Learners will create a Found Poem to capture the emotional depth and historical significance of this pivotal time. Lesson 3:
The Progressive Era in Poetry and Prose
In this lesson, we willexplore the Progressive Era through the lens of two iconic poems: Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing” and Langston Hughes’s “I, Too.” You’ll examine how Hughes responds to Whitman’s optimistic portrayal of America, analyze their use of poetic techniques like cataloging and metaphor, and reflect on the contrasting tones and perspectives of the two works. Through this activity, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and social dynamics of the Progressive Era. Lesson 4:
Voices of Change—A Seat at the Table
Building on our exploration of the Progressive Era, learners will engage in the A Seat at the Table activity. By comparing Langston Hughes’ "I, Too" and Walt Whitman’s "I Hear America Singing," they will reflect on inclusion, equity, and the metaphor of “a seat at the table.” Learners will respond to guided questions and discuss the societal impact of these themes. Other Details
Parental Guidance
I recognize that discussions about Emmett Till’s story and legacy can evoke strong emotions. To ensure a safe and respectful learning environment, I will:
1. Begin the lesson by setting ground rules for discussion, emphasizing respect, empathy, and active listening.
2. Acknowledge the emotional nature of the topic and encourage students to express their feelings thoughtfully while respecting others.
3. Provide learners with options for how they wish to engage, such as written reflections instead of verbal participation, if they are more comfortable.
4. Redirect any unsolicited or overly emotional comments by acknowledging the sentiment and gently refocusing on the lesson objectives.
5. Encourage learners to share their thoughts or emotions privately after class if they feel overwhelmed, and offer guidance or resources for further support.
This approach ensures a structured and supportive environment while allowing for meaningful engagement with sensitive material.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Primary Sources:
“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus
“Second Inaugural Address” and the "Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln
short historical fiction stories and poems
Mamie Till-Mobley’s statements and the photograph at the train station
Letters and memoirs from Civil Rights leaders
Protest songs and lyrics from the Vietnam War era (e.g., “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel, “Fortunate Son” by CCR)
Secondary Sources:
PBS American Experience documentaries
The materials are chosen to represent diverse views and provide balanced historical context.
Joined June, 2020
4.9
565reviews
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Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
North Dakota Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
5 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from College of St. Scholastica
Bachelor's Degree in Music from Jamestown College
Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education from Jamestown College
Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Jamestown College
Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature from Jamestown College
I have been teaching literature and writing to teens for over 25 years. I hold Bachelor’s Degrees in English, Writing, and Secondary Education, as well as a current teaching license. In 2005, I earned a Master’s Degree in Education and continue to take professional development courses annually to refine my teaching practices and stay current with educational trends and new teaching methods. Alongside my work with pre-teens and teens, I am also an English professor at the university level, where I teach writing and literature courses.
During my 21 years as a high school English teacher, I was proud to help our sophomore students consistently achieve the highest reading and writing scores in the state. My teaching approach focuses on building a strong foundation by breaking the writing process into small, manageable steps. I am super patient and encouraging with my feedback and guidance, ensuring students feel supported and confident as they grow in their writing abilities.
My courses are designed to accommodate all types of learners and abilities, providing a supportive environment where every learner can thrive!Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$16
weekly12 pre-recorded lessons
12 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Ages: 12-17
