Social Studies for Elementary Students US History an Ongoing Class
Welcome to the thrilling world of elementary US history! Using games, discussions, and lots of activities I turn boring ol' history into an exciting adventure!
Taylor Wirthlin
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(169)
What's included
1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hours per weekAssessment
Assessments will be informal in the form of activities or games.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 4
Hey there! Are you ready to travel back in time and discover the exciting world of United States history? Join my ongoing US history class where we explore a different topic or event each week - from Ancient America all the way to the Reconstruction period. Join us anytime! (If you take this class in its entirety it covers a full semester of US History curriculum). But wait, there's more! Our class is not just any ordinary lecture. With me, you'll get to learn history in a whole new way! Using the Nearpod platform, we'll play games, create art, have group discussions, and answer fun questions! You'll feel like you're right there in the middle of all the action. My approach to US History is based on my belief that students should be taught history from multiple perspectives. We look at as many views and perspectives of an event as possible! So what are you waiting for? Come join the fun and explore the wonders of United States history with me. Following is the topics we will cover each class: Week of January 30: Indigenous Tribes of North America - Culture and lifestyle of the Pueblo and Iroquois tribes Week of February 6: The Columbian Exchange - How disease, plants, and animals were spread across the world Week of February 13: The Lost Colony of Roanoke - Can you solve this history mystery? Week of February 20: The Salem Witch Trials Week of February 27: The Boston Massacre - Primary source analysis from the soldiers and the colonists Week of March 6: Tax Acts and Boston Tea Party Week of March 13: The Declaration of Independence - Analysis of the 4 parts of the Declaration Week of March 20: The Articles of Confederation Week of March 27: The Constitution - Analysis of the Constitution Week of April 3: The Louisiana Purchase Week of April 10: Westward Expansion and The Trail of Tears - Motivations for westward expansion and impact on Indigenous peoples - Analysis of primary source documents Week of April 17: Slavery in the United States - What was it like to be an enslaved person in the United States? Week of April 24: The Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation - Causes of the Civil War - Motivation for and reach of the Emancipation Proclamation Week of May 1: Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and Reconstruction Era This class is meant to be an overview of United States History for young learners. If you are interested in an in depth study of United States History send me a message and I can direct you to my year-long US History class.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to recount events from United States History.
Students will be able to express how the past has affected our lives for good.
Students will be able to express mistakes that people of the past have made, and how we can learn from them to create a better world.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Some sensitive topics that will be covered include: Disease (in the Americas and in Europe), genocide of Native American Tribes, Christopher Columbus, slavery and violence in war.
Some of the sources that we study contain inaccurate content (for example: A Young People's History of the United States uses the term "Indians" instead of Indigenous Peoples). I will always point out these inaccuracies in class as part of our discussions. If you have concerns about a specific source, please contact me.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Lessons are taught on Nearpod, an interactive learning platform that allows students to engage with the content through games, art, discussions, short answer questions and more. I believe students retain information best when they are active participants in the learning process, so I incorporate student participation as much as possible. Nearpod is free for students and does NOT require you to create an account. I provide more information on Nearpod once students enroll.
My approach to US History is based on my belief that students should be taught history from multiple perspectives. Course information and reading assignments primarily come from three history textbooks: 1) ‘A Young People’s History of the United States’ by Howard Zinn which takes a more critical look at the United States leaders and decisions and 2) 'An Outline of US History' by the United States Department of State, which takes a more supportive look at the Unites States leaders and decisions. And 'Everything You Need to Ace American History In One Big Fat Notebook' by Philip Bigler, a teenage friendly US History textbook.
Other sources include:
‘Give Me Liberty! An American History’ Volume 1 by Eric Foner
‘Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History’ Volume 1 by Eric Foner
Joined February, 2021
5.0
169reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Over the course of this class, this class will cover several sensitive topics including: the genocide of Indigenous Nations including the Aztec, Inca, Maya, and North American tribes from the Northeast Woodland, Southeast, Southwest, Plateau, California, and Northwest Coast regions by European explorers, the immoral Atlantic Slave Trade and conditions that enslaved people experienced, violent events that led to the American Revolution, and the battles of the American Revolution.
I am a certified Social Studies teacher in both Utah and North Carolina. In my training and 5+ years experience teaching I have found that the best way to approach these sensitive topics is to address them explicitly and have an open conversation with my students. We discuss the mindset of historical societies, the moral implications of their actions, how it affects us to today, and why it can be difficult to talk about these subjects at times.
I make it clear to my students that they are always welcome to meet with me individually if they are bothered by any of these discussions. I also ask them, and the parents to contact me if they are concerned with my class content or delivery. These topics can be difficult to navigate and I am always trying to improve!Reviews
Live Group Class
$15
weekly1x per week
45 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-10
3-6 learners per class
