U.S. History thru the Eyes of the American Girl Dolls: Meet Josefina
This is a 8 week course which will take students on a journey thru U.S. History thru the eyes of Josefina. The focus will be on Southwest 1824.
Monica Kelly
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(201)
What's included
8 live meetings
7 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. We will have weekly assignments (mostly vocabulary or finishing up in class activities). Students will be responsible for reading the next book of the series as well. There is an ongoing project due at the end of the 2 months.Class Experience
US Grade 1 - 2
I offer two classes with Josefina. This particular class is designed for the younger learner (6-8). I keep the class small which makes learning and teaching more flexible. During our live session, once a week, students will engage in a discussion of Josefina as well as doing activities to support learning of the historical time period. Students will be exposed to different reading strategies and will learn thru creative activities such as games, poems, experiments, and crafts (I will have a material list posted for each week’s activities). Students can expect to read each American Girl doll book in the 6 series beginning with Meet Josefina, in addition to completing writing assignments and/or projects at home. This class is a great supplement to your regular study of U.S. history.
Vocabulary exploration, discussion, map work, video clips, journal writes, crafts, writing, games, etc.
Week 1 Introduce Josefina
-Set up binder
-Words of the week: Hispanic, Native, culture, Indian people, customs, beliefs, Indigenous
-history focus: Southwest 1824
-geography focus: mapping of New Mexico
-discuss projects
Week 2 Discussion of Meet Josefina
-compare relationships: early settlers & relationships with Pueblo Indians
-history focus: Southwest 1824
-activity: create poster of positives, negatives, and things you would change
Week 3 Discussion of Josefina Learns a Lesson
-writing focus: Pictograph activity
-history focus: Southwest 1824
- activity: Math stories
Week 4 Discussion of Josefina's Surprise
-Words of the week: adobe, pueblo, rancho, village, viga, horno, casa
-reading/writing focus: compare and contrast cultures
-history focus: Southwest 1824
Week 5 Discussion of Happy Birthday Josefina
-history focus: Southwest 1824
-word list: mesa, desert, cavern, mountain, forest, canyon
-geography focus: compare and contrast U.S. states that might be similar to New Mexico
Week 6 Discussion of Josefina Saves the Day
-history focus: Southwest 1824
-writing focus: postcard from New Mexico
-creative activity: creating a headline
Week 7 Discussion Changes for Josefina
Week 8 Last class with Josefina
-discussion and re-cap of books
-”Have a Ball” We will have a time to celebrate in honor of Josefina. We will share projects and students can share something they have cooked from Josefina’s cookbook. Parents are invited.
My teaching style is very student-centered. I also like to get to know my students by sharing weekly "what is going on in our world."Other Details
Parental Guidance
Parental guidance may be needed in assisting the student in homework. There will be two in class activities that might require parent assistance depending on your child's skill level. There is a 4 student minimum in this class. Please share the class with others. If the minimum number is not met within 72 hours of the class, the class will either a) pushed back to start at a later date or b) canceled.
Supply List
Complete set of Josephina books. They can be purchased via Amazon or checked out at your local library. If a handout is required, it will be posted prior to the class that it is needed. There will be three in class activities that will require extra materials: Tornado in a bottle (week 2): -water bottle or mason jar -water -dish soap Weaving (week 4) -various colors of yarn -string -scissors -tape -8x11 piece of cardboard God's Eye Huichol people yarn craft (week 6): "God's eye (in Spanish, Ojo de Dios) is a spiritual and votive object made by weaving a design out of yarn upon a wooden cross. Often several colors are used. They are commonly found in Mexican and Mexican American communities, among both Indigenous and Catholic peoples. Ojos de Dios are common in the Pueblos of New Mexico. Often they reflect a confidence in all-seeing Providence. The spiritual eye of the Ojos de Dios is thought by some believers to have the power to see and understand things unknown to the physical eye.[1] During Spanish colonial times in New Mexico, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, Ojos de Dios (God's Eye) were placed where people worked, or where they walked along a trail (Major, 2012)" -two sticks (popsicle or any other stick like objects such as chopsticks) -yarn -hot glue gun or strong tape
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined January, 2019
4.9
201reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
California Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
I have been teaching 20 plus years in various capacities. I have taught k-12 here in the U.S. as well as in Central America. I homeschool my own children with experiential learning including extensive travel to different countries, immersing in different cultures, as an integral part of our curriculum. I also have taught for National University's Education department for the past 15 years. I teach in the teaching credential program. Among the many classes that I have taught, The Diverse Classroom and Multicultural Education are among them.
In my background as an educator and in developing social studies curriculum, I have collaborated with many educators on how to cover these history topics. I have also attended workshops and trainings in the experiences of marginalized groups that have provided me with an understanding of these groups experiences and the historical context for American discriminatory action and thoughts. I am here to provide a historical outlook and provide insight into what was happening in history, but am not here to provide an in depth look at discrimination or the experiences of marginalized groups.
The books may seem to portray generalizations about a certain people. We must remember each family and even each individual person in a certain place or of a certain culture are different. These books are a representation of a certain part of a culture and time period. We will learn that it is often beneficial to put forth an effort to understand one another and show mercy toward others. Whether people are of a different age, race, or shape, we can exercise to be kind.Reviews
Live Group Class
$80
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Completed by 14 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 6-8
3-6 learners per class
