Lore and Legends: Spooky Characters in History
This four-session class explores the tale of the Headless Horseman (203 year anniversary!), Mothman lore, the Salem witch trials, and Vlad the Impaler (inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula) from a language arts and history perspective.
Christine Harkness, PhD
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(68)
What's included
4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
2-4 hours per week. Learners will be required to watch video lectures (approximately 20 minutes each week) and read a variety of fiction and non-fiction passages each week. Depending on the learner's reading skills, they will spend between one and two hours per week reading independently. Completing the weekly assignments (comprehension assignment, project, discussion/collaboration activity) will take approximately one to two hours. Students may wish to devote more time to projects, so there is also an element of personal choice.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
In this four-week flex class, students will explore four legends or lores that remind us of spooky times. Students will study Ivan the Impaler, the Salem witch trials, the lore of Mothman, and the Washington Irving tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. For each class, learners will be required to watch video lectures and read passages about the week's topic. They will complete a required comprehension activity (multiple choice, short answer, and extended responses). They will also have a choice project each week that will allow them to demonstrate their learning and ideas in a creative manner (for example, write a song or poem, make a movie trailer, build a scene with Legos, etc...) Learners will interact with each other and the teacher through discussion boards, collaborative slide activities, games, and by sharing projects. Each lesson will encompass history, geography, and language arts related to the week's topic. Topics will be presented in historical chronological order.
Learning Goals
~Students will learn about geographic aspects of a region and how they influenced the people of that region.
~Students will learn about the history of a region and how it influence the character or tale we are covering that week.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Vlad The Impaler
Vlad the Impaler-students will learn about his historical significance in Romania (aspects of his reign and brutal strategies for strengthening the central government. Students will also read snipets of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Students will answer literal comprehension questions regarding Vlad's life and reign and inferential questions about his inspiration for the enduring character Dracula. 24 mins of video lessons
Lesson 2:
Salem Witch Trials
Salem witch trials-students will learn about the events leading up to the series of hearings and prosecutions in Salem, Mass. that have come to be known as the Salem witch trials. Students will answer literal questions about the people, events, and geography of the region and time. They will also answer inferential questions considering the ideas of "mass hysteria" and extreme thinking and how they apply to the Salem witch trials. Lesson 3:
Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow-this story was originally published in 1820. We will celebrate its 202nd anniversary by reading the story, exploring the geography and history of Tarrytown (Hudson Valley) and the surrounding region, and analyzing the characters in one of Washington Irving's most popular tales. Students will answer literal questions about the geography and history of the Hudson Valley before 1820 and about the characters and events of the story. Lesson 4:
Moth Man Lore
Mothman legend-Students will learn about the Mothman, a piece of West Virginia folklore. It was reportedly first seen in 1966. Students will learn about first-hand accounts of people who claim to have had interactions with the supernatural creature. They will answer literal questions about the people, events (collapse of the Silver Bridge), and geography of Point Pleasant, WV as they relate to the Mothman. Other Details
Parental Guidance
All of the characters/situations we will discuss have an element of death involved, some of them violent.
(ex. burning people at the stake, Headless Horseman lost his head from a cannon ball shot)
While no violent or gory images will be used as part of the instructional materials, students and parents should be aware that there were deaths of people in the communities surrounding all of the topics of this flex-class. The concept of death will be examined for each week as accidental or intentional. We will also discuss the historical context of battles and mass hysteria and how they contributed to deaths in their particular circumstances.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Students will need access to a digital or hard copy of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. All other written materials will be provided by the teacher.
Joined July, 2020
5.0
68reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have extensive work and training in emotional regulation and understanding. If questions or concerns arise regarding the concept of death that negatively impact students, I can address them directly, with empathy and validation, bringing the student to a deeper understanding of the emotions surrounding death in multiple circumstances. Additionally, I have personally visited the sites of three of the topics we will be discussing, so I can also share my personal experiences.Reviews
Self-Paced Class
$15
weekly or $60 for all content4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 8 learners
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Ages: 10-14
