US Constitution: Government and Civics Full Homeschool Curriculum Course ESA
What's included
20 live meetings
15 in-class hoursAssignments
1-2 hours per week. Assignments are available throughout the course. They may be submitted upon completion for feedback.Assessment
Students may receive feedback on essays and evaluation of quizzes throughout the course.Certificate of Completion
Certificate of completion with hours completed and topics covered available upon request.Class Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Beginner Level
Your student deserves to understand the US Constitution. And we'll do that, right here, by taking a look back at the historical context, analyzing the document itself, the debates surrounding its creation, and its continuing relevance today. ESA note: This class is structured to accept ESA funds for participating states and families. The U.S. Constitution is a foundational document that has shaped how the U.S. government operates and protects the rights of its citizens. However, it’s also at the center of many complex and ongoing debates about governance and individual freedoms. This course is designed for homeschool students and independent learners who are curious about the history, principles, and modern significance of the Constitution. Whether you're preparing for exams or simply want to better understand how the government functions, this course will equip you with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to engage thoughtfully with the Constitution and its impact on society. 🎓📝 Throughout the course, you'll explore the historical context surrounding the Constitution, the intense debates that led to its creation, and how it continues to shape U.S. law and politics today. You'll dive into essential concepts like popular sovereignty, separation of powers, and federalism, and consider how they remain relevant in modern governance. 🏛️📚 Through studying historical documents, primary sources, and current issues, you’ll gain insight into the continuing importance of the Constitution in addressing some of today’s most pressing challenges. 💬🔍 This course is designed with flexibility in mind, offering opportunities for self-guided research, reflective writing, and independent analysis. It will help you build a solid foundation in civics and prepare you for future academic pursuits and informed citizenship. 🌟 Let's get started on this journey to understand one of the most influential documents in U.S. history and beyond! 📜🌍 The course also contains a final project as well as comprehension quizzes throughout. Students are welcomed and encouraged to submit assignments for feedback each lesson, as well as to ask questions throughout. 👩🏫 How will class be taught? Class will be taught through lecture, discussion, question and answer, as well as practice and demonstration exercises. Students have indicated Mr. Scott's teaching style is "intense and engaging". I'm all about putting learners at the heart of the experience, empowering them with actionable takeaways and inspiration. Class will include viewing of a few very short YouTube clips for context and to reach different learning styles. Also, class is taught to push student understanding. We build and unpack complex ideas from start to finish every session. 🎓 Student Expectations: We expect our students to embody our core values of teamwork, integrity, accountability, and problem-solving skills. Active participation and positivity are key! Late Arrivals: They will be admitted at the discretion of Mr. Scott. Historical Approach: The content presented in this course is grounded in rigorous historical analysis, emphasizing both primary and secondary sources. We strive to understand historical events, ideas, and figures within their own time, acknowledging the context in which they lived and operated. Our approach explicitly rejects presentism—the application of contemporary values or standards to past events or individuals. Instead, we focus on the complexities and nuances of historical contexts as the primary lens for understanding and interpretation. Additionally, we focus on a wide variety of factors impacting historical development, not materialistic determinism. In addition to class, we emphasize ideas, philosophies, and individual agency as critical forces in shaping historical events. This approach encourages students to explore the rich, multi-faceted nature of historical analysis.
Learning Goals
Understand the historical context and foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution, including key concepts like popular sovereignty, federalism, and separation of powers.
Analyze how the Constitution continues to shape modern American government and society, focusing on its application in contemporary political issues such as voting rights, federal vs. state power, and civil liberties.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS)20 Lessons
over 20 WeeksLesson 1:
The American Revolution and the Articles of Confederation
Objective: Understand the historical background leading to the Constitutional Convention.
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Enlightenment Ideas and Influences
Objective: Explore the Enlightenment philosophers (Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau) and their impact on American political thought.
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
The Constitutional Convention of 1787
Objective: Analyze the key figures, debates, and compromises of the Constitutional Convention.
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
The Preamble and Popular Sovereignty
Objective: Break down the Preamble to explore the purpose of the Constitution and the principle of popular sovereignty.
45 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This course covers important historical events and discussions surrounding the U.S. Constitution, including topics such as slavery, civil rights, and significant political conflicts. Some of these events may be disturbing or difficult for students to process. We encourage students to have open conversations with their parents or guardians about these sensitive subjects and to check in with them regularly throughout the course.
Parents are advised to review course materials ahead of time to ensure they align with their family’s values and to provide support for any challenging discussions that may arise. This course is designed to foster critical thinking, but it is important that students feel comfortable and supported while learning about the complexities of U.S. history.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Handouts will be uploaded to the classroom and may need to be printed out. It is recommended to have access to a printer.
Sources include selections of the following primary documents (which are available in the public domain):
Declaration of Independence
The US Constitution and Amendments
Articles of Confederation
The Federalist Papers
The Antifederalist Papers
James Madison's Note's on the Constitutional Convention
Washington's Farewell Address
We will spend time with the following Supreme Court rulings as well:
Marbury v. Madison
McCulloch v. Maryland
Gibbons v Ogden
Dred Scott v Sanford
Plessy v. Ferguson
Brown v. Board of Education
Gideon v. Wainwright
Miranda v. Arizona
Roe v. Wade
United States v. Nixon
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Obergefell v. Hodges
Secondary Sources:
"The US Constitution, a Very Short Introduction" by David Bodenhamer (optional)
"The Radicalism of the American Revolution" by Gordon Wood (optional)
"The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution" - Bernard Bailyn
"Novus Ordo Seclorum" - by Forrest McDonald (optional)
Note on sources:
Wood's and Bailyn's works are considered ideological poles in regards to the Constitutional Period. Wood asserts the period is revolutionary while Bailyn asserts that it is highly conservative. These two perspectives form the key point of historical analysis for this period. Wood's text presents the intellectual developments (ie: philosophical perspectives) that informed the Framers. The Very Short Introduction presents a very balanced perspective on the historical developments of the Constitution, from its origins to the modern day.
These secondary sources form the basis of lecture and presentation material.
Teacher expertise and credentials
5 teachers have teaching certificates
Arizona Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Georgia Teaching Certificate in Science
Georgia Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Ohio Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Illinois Teaching Certificate
3 teachers have a Graduate degree
Master's Degree in Education from University of Phoenix
Master's Degree in Education from Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education
Master's Degree in Social Work from Loyola University
2 teachers have a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's Degree from Oregon State University
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Binghamton University
Mr. Scott taught AP Government, AP Economics, and US History for 15+ years at elite private schools around the United States. His students consistently scored in the top 1% of scores nationally. He holds an active teaching license and his MAT is in Social Studies Education and Curriculum design.
He currently runs an education and entertainment company, and has taught over 10,000 students.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$20
weekly or $399 for 20 classes1x per week, 20 weeks
45 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-17
5-15 learners per class