Welcome to Middle School Geography of the World-Have Fun With That!**Semester 2
Join experienced geography teacher for 2nd of 2 semesters: humor, custom Kahoots, interactive maps, analysis, small group chat. Pay up front/pay weekly. Enroll at start date or enroll later. Spiral curriculum- frequently revisiting skills.
What's included
18 live meetings
15 in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Homework assignments will be made available for students interested in extending their learning. Some examples include map practice, research projects, art projects or short writing assignments where students establish a claim and defend it with evidence from sources. Teacher comments on student projects are provided.Assessment
Various assessment methods are used: such as: Evaluate discussion Evaluate homework assignments Score on Kahoot game quizProgress Report
Students receive a report at the end of each unit showing attendance, completed projects and teacher comments. Students complete a Kahoot concept game at the end of each unit which serve two goals: review and formative assessment. Grades can be provided upon request.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Intermediate Level
Come by weekly to learn Middle School Geography of the World, Semester 2. This class will open minds to the way various people live and how they solve problems, as well as where they live around the world. Beginning in the Fall, Semester 1 is offered in a separate class listing, meeting goals for middle school geography. Semester 2, this listing, is available for enrollment on Outschool, scheduled to begin at the end of Semester 1. The topic for each weekly class is listed below, with more detail in the section "Syllabus". Students can join at any time and fully participate in class, as long as there is an open spot. There is no prerequisite for Semester 2. The curriculum follows a spiraling study plan, where key skill and vocabulary concepts introduced, then reviewed periodically. NOTE: See reviews of this class in the 'ongoing' or Enrichment/Club OS format, an older OS format, titled: " Welcome to Middle School Geography of the World - Have Fun With That! " Beginning in Fall of 2024, the class is converted to the new OS format for "Full Course". This allows parents to pay for the semester 'up front' at the time of enrollment, which automatically offers a discount. Or, parents may pay on a week to week basis, join the class at any time and pause participation as their schedule may require. Students at this level don't just master specific locations when studying Geography. They dig deeper to figure out deeper meaning. This is the fun part of learning. It helps us reflect on why we are learning and how we can use this learning to enrich our own life experience. In addition to building skills to determine meaning, students have fun mastering 'geography trivia' which we definitely will dive into. The way people live and their various perspectives is interesting to our middle schoolers. Actually, that is probably interesting to most of us! So, we will look into social systems people use, including political, economic and cultural features. Often our Outschool students come to us from all around North American and as far away as Australia, bringing first hand knowledge of World Geography to share. Our class is organized to introduce ideas, discuss and share reactions. We will have some fun with geography jokes and games designed to apply new ideas in a comfortable, non-stress space. Our brain researchers tell us that students are better able to process information if they are comfortable. Humor can help open that higher level thinking that we find most rewarding. Each unit wraps up with a rousing Kahoot game quiz. A handout is provided for this review game. The syllabus for our upcoming classes in Semester 2 is shown below, totalling 18 classes. Our focus topics for each week are listed below, including both Semester 1 and Semester 2. In Semester 1, we begin with maps, then look at the continents and regions throughout the year, as follows: Europe, Russia and its neighbors, Middle East, South Asia, East and SE Asia. In Semester 2, the Syllabus includes: Australia, Africa, South America, North America. For more detail on each topic, search Outschool for for classes offered by Miss Mollie - Outschool Classes titled: Middle School Geography of the World Part 1 through 10. Semester 1 Syllabus (See class lising at https://outschool.com/search?q=world+geography+have+fun+with+that&refuid=IShr82YK ) Week 1 Mapping Skills 1 Week 2 Mapping Skills 2 Week 3 Mapping Skills 3 Week 4 Mapping Skills 4 & Kahoot Week 5 Europe 1 Week 6 Euroope - focus UK - 2 Week 7 Europe - focus Germany - 3 Week 8 Europe - focus student choice & Kahoot - 4 Week 9 Russia & Neighbors 1 Week 10 Russia & Neighbors 2 Week 11 Russia & Neighbors 3 Week 12 Russia & Neighbors 4 -Current Event Student Choice & Kahoot Week 13 Middle East 1 Week 14 Middle East 2 Week 15 Middle East 3 Week 16 Middle East 4 Week 17 South Asia 1 Week 18 South Asia 2 Week 19 South Asia 3 Week 20 South Asia 4 End Semester 1 Semester 2: See Syllabus in this class posting for Units and Lessons Classes offer regular homework assignments for students interested in practicing and extending their learning. Some examples include map practice, research projects, art projects. Homework may include writing assignments where students establish a claim and defend it with evidence from sources. I believe in providing opportunities to share and discuss assignments. I also provide written feedback, emphasizing strengths and opportunities for improvement. At the end of each 4 class unit parents are provided with a progress report that tallies attendance and completed projects.
Learning Goals
Students will demonstrate thinking skills: chronology, statistical analysis, map interpretation, source analysis. and constructing effective arguments using evidence.
National Geography Standards addressed in this class:
4 The physical and human characteristics of places Places and Regions
5 That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity Places and Regions
9 The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface Human Systems
11 The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface Human Systems
13 How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface Human Systems
15 How physical systems affect human systems Environment and Society
18 How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future. The Uses of Geography
Syllabus
5 Units
18 Lessons
over 18 WeeksUnit 1: China and Southeast Asia
Lesson 1:
China & SE Asia: Physical Geography
Physical Features & their relationship to political boundaries over time, point of view map skill, population patterns
50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Location & Regions
Major Regions - The Power of Place - Hot Spots
50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Political, Economic and Social Topics
History, Traditions and Economics
50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Current Issues & Kahoot Review
China in Today’s World : Trade & Economy (with source analysis), Student Projects & Kahoot Challenge
50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
Each unit offers handouts on major concepts & vocabulary, a pre-teaching tool. Students build familiarity with topics & skills before, during and after class; use practice links with interactive maps; choices for differentiated homework.
Parental Guidance
Homework assignments are provided and encouraged but are not required for participation. For source material, students may access one or more of the following sites. These sites offer useful resources and give our students an opportunity to practice map skills, gather research information and extend their learning. For on-line best practice, students should use the link to a resource provided in our classroom. No membership or sign up is required to access the links provided in class.
Seterrra https://online.seterra.com/en/vgp/3007 (an online map practice & quiz game)
Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/ (a prominent and well respected research tool )
Britannica For Kids
Ducksters https://www.ducksters.com/ (a social studies resource for elementary and middle school students. Ducksters.com is certified by
the kidSAFE Seal Program.) Read more at: https://www.ducksters.com/about.php
Mr. Donn https://www.mrdonn.org/ A site for teachers and students, this site is recognized by the BBC Educational Guide: ""This is an
excellent resource for students and teachers of ancient history."
Smithsonian Science Education https://ssec.si.edu/ This US Government institution describes the site as "the website of the Smithsonian
Science Education Center (SSEC), the only organization at the Smithsonian Institution that
is solely dedicated to formal K-12
Education."
Quizlet https://quizlet.com/ (This is a quiz site that allows us to offer practice quizzes tailored to our topic).
History For Kids https://www.historyforkids.net/about-us.html This site is designed to serve K-8 age range. Privacy statement asserts that no personal information is collected unless user voluntarily provides it to secure a service.
World Atlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/ (This is fact based atlas of maps and other geographical information. The material is presented in a format suitable to middle school. The Privacy Policy states that no personal data is collected.)
.
Pre-Requisites
No prerequisites for the class. Students are introduced to a range of skills and concepts. Instruction follows a 'spiralling' curriculum plan, where the teacher reviews concepts & skills as they appear and reappear in later meetings.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Maryland Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
2 Degrees
Master's Degree from George Washington University
Bachelor's Degree in History from Trinity University of Washington D.C.
Certified as a Social Studies Teacher in my state, I have taught Social Studies (including World Geography) for over 18 years, primarily at the Middle School level. My classes have had lots of fun and engagement with World Geography, delving into the wonders of 'oh so slightly' familiar cultures, as well as cultures that are dramatically different from the West. Students sparkle when engaging in special projects, conversations, Kahoot Challenges, interactive games and other teaching practices designed to help our students enjoy becoming a master of their own learning. Master's Degree (Public Policy), Bachelor's Degree (History), Teaching Certificate (State of Maryland) : Social Studies, History, Middle School Language Arts, 30 credits beyond Master's Degree.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$15
weekly or $270 for 18 classes1x per week, 18 weeks
50 min
Completed by 33 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-14
2-6 learners per class
Financial Assistance
Tutoring
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