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Famous People in History

A look at the lives of extraordinary people from history (Martin Luther King Jr., Salvador Dali, Steve Jobs, etc.).
Nelson Vargas, JD; Law/Hist. Professor
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(457)
Popular
Class

What's included

4 live meetings
3 hrs 40 mins in-class hours

Class Experience

US Grade 4 - 7
In this 4 week class, we look at extraordinary people in history. The class provides a brief biography, the society and culture that shaped them, and what contributions they made to history. The main goal will be to look at what led these individuals to become memorable and what we can learn from each of them. 

This class will present multiple viewpoints that exist on many social, political, and historical issues. Great care will be exercised to present a multi-faceted view of the lives of these famous people. 

The class consists of lecture and discussion, with a focus on story-telling. Participation is encouraged but not required. I enjoy telling stories from the perspective of the people who lived through and experienced the events discussed, so much of the class will focus on historical narratives, pictures, and videos of events being studied. 

Class curriculum includes: 

Week 1 (Famous Peacemakers) 

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mahatma Gandhi
The Dalai Lama

Week 2 (Famous Leaders)

Abraham Lincoln
Nelson Mandela 
Joseph Stalin
Margaret Thatcher

Week 3 (Famous Techies)

Steve Jobs
Albert Einstein
Stephen Hawking
Marie Curie

Week 4 (Famous Artists)

Elvis Presley
Leonardo DaVinci
JK Rowling
Salvador Dali

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Class discussion may include issues such as discrimination, sexism, racism, and oppression. Parents are advised to review the class topic list for each week.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Norman, Alexander. The Dalai Lama: An Extraordinary Life. Harcourt 2020. Branch, Taylor. The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement. Simon and Schuster, 2013 Burlingame, Michael. Abraham Lincoln: A Life. JHU Press, 2013 DeKay, James. Meet Martin Luther King Jr. Landmark 2010. Fisher, Louis. The Life of Mahatma Gandhi. HarperCollins, 1997 Etherington-Smith, Meredith. The Persistence of Memory: A Biography of Dali. New York: Random House, 1992. Carter, David A. Salvador Dali. New York: Chelsea House, 1995 Mandela, Nelson. Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Little, Brown and Company, 2008 (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://www.biography.com/ List of Top 100 Famous People:  . (2020, March 11). Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous-100.html
Joined August, 2020
5.0
457reviews
Popular
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Juris Doctor in Political Science and Government from SUNY at Buffalo School of Law
Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Government from SUNY at Albany
⚖️ LAWYER/JUDGE
🌟 LAW/COLLEGE Professor
👮🏼‍♀️ FORMER PROSECUTOR
🧑‍🎓 JURIS DOCTORATE SUNY at BUFFALO
📜 B.S. SUNY at ALBANY
🚑 EMT/FIREFIGHTER

I am a judge, a former federal prosecutor, policy counsel, refugee officer, and college and law school professor. My bachelor's degree is from the State University of New York at Albany in Political Science and History, with a minor in Economics. I also earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Buffalo.

I was the former Deputy Chief Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focusing on National Security cases and counter-terrorism. I was also the technology attorney and National Security and Litigation Division Counsel for DHS in Washington, DC. I’ve worked as a historian and researcher providing advice to the National Archives and to the DHS History/Law Library in Washington, DC. I have lived and worked in Africa and Asia, processing refugees seeking to come to the United States. I am also volunteer firefighter and licensed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
  
I strive to teach social studies, civics, and history in a way that inspires and entertains while fostering curiosity and critical thinking. As a proud father of three, I’ve spent the past couple of years getting used to the post-Covid homeschool experience. 

I love teaching and Outschool allows me to share my passions for various subjects with young minds. I've taught (as a guest) both middle, elementary, and high school social studies, government civics, technology, and history. I’ve taught at the University of Maryland and am currently an adjunct law professor at Catholic University School of Law in Washington, DC. I have also taught at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, in Brunswick, Georgia and have published in several academic legal journals and publications    

I see history as a way of understanding the past, processing the present, and helping to shape the future. Students in my class will experience a world war from the perspective of a conscript. They’ll see the New York City skyline through the eyes of a young immigrant arriving on a steamship at Ellis Island. They'll experience life in a refugee camp in Kenya from someone who lived there.  I bring history to life by telling the stories of those who lived it. I present real-life examples of how our government works and affects our lives.

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Live Group Class
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$85

for 4 classes
1x per week, 4 weeks
55 min

Completed by 7 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-14
3-10 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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