U.S. History: Revolution Through Reconstruction for Ages 10-13 (Semester-Long)

This class is taught in English.

-Learners will improve their understanding of U.S. geography and history and develop a stronger sense of analysis and discussion.  
-Learners will explore the motivations for Manifest Destiny by the United States. 
-Learners will develop more understanding of the motivations of Americans to move west. 
-Learners will evaluate the causes and effects of important events such as the Louisiana Purchase, Indian Removal Act, gold found in California, and the Dred Scott decision. 
-Learners will critique the effectiveness of Reconstruction efforts.

I am a certified social studies teacher with over a decade of experience working with learners.  I am certified in Missouri and Indiana to teach grades 5-12 social science/social studies subjects, including: American History, Geography, Government/Civics, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, and World History. 
I focus on individualizing lessons to meet the needs of learners, including those who are struggling and/or students who need more challenge.  I have a BA in Political Science, a MA in Secondary Education, and an Ed Spec degree in Educational Technology.  I use technologies in effective and creative ways to enhance the learning process and increase motivation of learners.  
*If a parent has any questions about my education and/or qualifications, I encourage them to message me. 
I'm happy to provide verification of my credentials for any parent who requests them.

Multiple optional activities will be provided for learners to explore and review the topics outside of the "live" classes.  

Formative assessment will be ongoing.
An end-of-class review guide, final exam (and answer key) is available upon request.

50 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 0 - 1 hours per week outside of class.

Given the sheer breadth of this course, it would be unreasonable to list all sources.  Please know that I am a qualified social studies teacher, with 10+ years of experience, and all of the sources I've consulted and any that I would recommend to learners will be reputable and based on historical research.  A large variety of sources will be included in this course, for in-class meetings and asynchronous activities- I will provide the curriculum material for the learners.  

I will use multiple resources, including (but not limited to) the Zinn Education Project, the National Social Studies Project, National Geographic, Smithsonian Society, www.tolerance.org, www.pbslearningmedia.org, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Newsela, Readworks, iCivics etc...  I want multiple viewpoints and perspectives to be included in this class.