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Thematic U.S. History: Exploring History by Asking Big Questions, Part 1 Of 2

In this 15 week homeschool-friendly course, learners explore US history using broad themes and questions to understand patterns and forces that shape the nation.
Darby Kennedy, MA
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(163)
Popular
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Class
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What's included

30 live meetings
27 hrs 30 mins in-class hours
Homework
2-4 hours per week. Each week, students will prepare for class meetings though reading, watching assigned videos, and responding to a journal prompt. Homework will take 1-3 hours weekly, and serves to prepare students for class discussion and activities.
Projects
Students taking the class for a grade will be required to complete a final project. Students will be given several options to choose from for the project, and will have the opportunity to present their project to the class on the last day.
Assessment
included
Letter Grade
Students choosing to take the class for a grade will be assessed based on class participation (35%), journal responses (35%), and final project (30%).
Certificate of Completion
All students will receive a summary of topics covered and skills introduced at the end of the course.
Grading
Students will receive a response to journal entries each week.

Class Experience

US Grade 9 - 12
Intermediate Level
Studying history thematically means considering patterns and forces that shape history over time. It is different than studying traditional chronological history, and it provides students with the connections and relevance needed to make history meaningful.

Truthfully, anyone can google a timeline or a definition. But making those connections between past and present, between time periods, or between ideas is where the meaning comes in. Rather than seeing history as a series of events connected by arbitrarily selected time periods, students who study history thematically leave the class with a more holistic understanding of America as a country, and of Americans as a complex group of people. Thematic history also allows current events to be part of the conversation, which helps students apply their historic knowledge to what is going on around them.

Thematic history starts with a set of questions or statements. Investigating each question starts with something modern, which allows students to place themselves in the historical timeline. Then, we look back at times that the big question has been answered in the past. Was the big question always answered in the same way? If not, why not? Did different groups of people ask or answer the question differently? Why? 

Along the way, we will use primary and secondary sources including letters, speeches, political cartoons, artifacts,  essays, and videos to try and better understand the questions, and the answers.

Themes for Part 1 of this class:
 - Power: who has it, when, and why? From the beginning, Americans have struggled with the question of state versus federal power. 
 - America's role in the world: from George Washington to Joe Biden, American foreign policy has been shaped by factors both inside and outside the country. How and why it has changed holds clues to our development as a country.
 - American citizenship: the original Constitution did not define what "citizen" meant. While the 14th Amendment designates birthright citizenship, we still grapple with what is expected of citizens, and what priviledges comes with it.

How This Class Works:  
 - Students will be provided with weekly assignments (reading, watching, listening, writing) to do in advance of class meetings. This work will inform class discussions and projects and is necessary for a student to get the most out of the experience. In class, students will take part in lectures, discussions, and projects intended to apply the information they took in before class. Students will receive feedback on their work regularly, and can be provided with grades if desired.
 - Students looking for additional reading or watching material to augment homework and class discussion will be provided with optional "Digging Deeper" assignments that complement the regular homework. In the past, students have used these assignments to designate the class as an advanced or honors class. This is at the discretion of the homeschooling adult.

**Homeschool Parents** If you are concerned about how to work this class into your student's transcript, or if you need assistance matching up what will be covered with charter school or state requirements, please message me. I may be able to help.

Part 2 of this class covers these themes/big questions:
 - What is the relationship between government, industry, and citizens? 
 - What role do immigrants have in the US? 
 - How have Americans tried to create political and social change?

As in all of my social studies classes, I strive to help students find the answer to the "so what" question. Why does all of this matter? How does this puzzle piece fit with all of the other pieces I can already see and understand? I work to help students develop critical thinking skills including how to find the links between ideas and events, and how to identify errors or inconsistencies in thinking. I encourage learners to apply what we are learning to what they already know.

As a mom to two "twice exceptional" kids, I'm also well-versed in accommodating learning differences and guiding students to develop their passions. Because I appreciate that all learners are coming to a classroom with personal strengths and preferences, I work hard to make all students feel comfortable. While I ask that all students follow Outschool policy and have their camera on long enough for me to verify they are a student, I do not require that cameras stay on for the complete class. Additionally, I do not call on students without notice, though I encourage students to contribute in any way possible.
Learning Goals
Students will establish an awareness of the timeline of US history, from the Revolution to the present day.
Students will write analytically about major questions and themes in US history.
learning goal

Syllabus

Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
30 Lessons
over 15 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Welcome & Introductions; Modern issues that involve federal vs state power
 Overview of the creation of the federal system of power in the US, and a look at modern political issues involving state versus federal power 
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
The Articles of Confederation: not enough federal power
 Overview of the timeline of the creation of the Articles of Confederation, how they worked (and didn't) and the realization that they needed to be fixed 
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
The Whiskey Rebellion: what do you mean the federal government can tax whiskey?!
 Does the federal government have the power to create a national bank? What about the right to tax whiskey, or to put down a rebellion amongst its people? Hamilton and Jefferson disagree! 
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Federal Power, State Power, and Native Tribes: who is in charge here?
 The history of the relationship between Native Tribes and the US government in the early republic; disagreement between the state of Georgia and the Supreme Court in the case of Worcester v Georgia. 
55 mins online live lesson

Other Details

Learning Needs
Reading assignments may be accessed using traditional eye-reading, or using a text-to-voice reader. Whenever possible, transcripts are provided for video-based assignments. Most reading assignments include guiding questions.
Parental Guidance
The study of human history is full of potential controversy. In my classes, I welcome civil, informed discussion. This class will cover the reality of the history of the United States, including topics that some students and their families may find uncomfortable. As most historians will tell you, studying history should make you uncomfortable.
Pre-Requisites
It is helpful, though not necessary for students to have a basic understanding of the timeline of US history.
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Some Of The Sources That Will Be Used To Inform This Class: “History Lessons.” Stanford History Education Group, sheg.stanford.edu/history-lessons. JSTOR Daily. JSTOR Daily. daily.jstor.org. Lepore, Jill. These Truths: A History of the United States. United States of America, Norton, 2019. Metro, Rosalie. Teaching U.S. History Thematically: Document-Based Lessons for the Secondary Classroom. Kindle ed., Teachers College Press, 2017. Meyer, Raoul, and John Green. “Crash Course - USHistory.” YouTube, uploaded by The Crash Course, https://thecrashcourse.com/topic/ushistory/. “The American Yawp.” Stanford University Press, www.americanyawp.com. The Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History, www.gilderlehrman.org.
Joined April, 2020
4.9
163reviews
Popular
Rising Star
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in American Studies from The University of Alabama
Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Government from Birmingham-Southern College
Bachelor's Degree in History from Birmingham-Southern College
I have a BA in Political Science, History, and Secondary Education and a MA in American Studies. I have over 10 years of experience teaching high school and college students social studies and critical thinking skills, and have been developing curriculum for homeschooled students for the last 7 years. I am currently serving as a Teacher Ambassador for Retro Report and was honored to serve as an Education Ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations for 3 years. I am in the process of writing much of the social studies curriculum for an online high school for students who communicate best through non-speaking means. My expertise in teaching is in helping students see the many ways that history, geography, politics, and economics intersect. 

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Live Group Course
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$35

weekly or $525 for 30 classes
2x per week, 15 weeks
55 min

Completed by 52 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
3-12 learners per class

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