Context For Learning:

This course will be designed as a multimodal class which combines

asynchronous and synchronous online learning. The teacher will provide a fixed set of
deadlines for students to complete assignments. Students will need to meet at
designated times so that they may collaborate with each other on a variety of
assignments. The teacher will be present to facilitate discussions and to clarify any
questions. Standards from this course are based on the North Carolina Grade 8 History
Standards. Particular standards of focus for this course will be: The 8.H Standards and
the 8.C. 1 Culture Standard.

Purpose:
The purpose of this course is to help 8th grade students understand the role in
which North Carolina had in United States history. As based off the North Carolina State
Standards, students will study events on a national scale including: African Slavery, Trail
of Tears, the American Civil War. Furthermore, students will study local events including:
the Wilmington Race Riots and other events to show how state events support an
evolving historical narrative of the United states. To accomplish this, students will look at
primary and secondary resources in order to gain an understanding of the diverse point
of views that existed here and how students must think critically in order to evaluate the
ways in which we interpret the past.

Assumptions:

Course Structure:
This course is designed to cover the first half of the Grade 8 History Standards
and would be taught over a period of 16 weeks.

Communication:
Communication will exist through a variety of contexts including: Email, personal
messages via the Learning Management System,

Technology:
It assumed students in this course have access to the internet. Students will have
access to a Learning Management System such as: Canvas or Moodle. Further,
students will have access to online video conference software such as: Skype or Webex.

Learners:
Learners in this course should be in 8th grade. Students should be highly
motivated by personal growth and are able to read on grade level.

Interaction:
Student interaction with each other will occur both synchronously through a
designated meeting time. Students will interact with each other and the teacher to help
enhance understandings of the previous readings. Interaction will also asynchronously in
order to complete group projects. Students will have a message board to post any
questions which will facilitate learning from each other.
The instructor will post one video at the end of each week to highlight important
topics covered in readings and will also clarify areas of confusion. This will enable a
more learner based instruction approach.
Learning:
Throughout this course students will learn how to identify similarities and
differences between primary and secondary resources. Through using these resources,
students will discover the role in which culture affected the ways in which North Carolina
evolved as a state and the role it played on a national scale.

Sequence:

Week 1- 2:

This course will begin by looking at a variety of secondary resources which focus on
different time periods. Students will use the secondary sources to understand the idea of
primary sources are used to develop secondary sources. Students will need to have a
firm foundation knowing the differences between these resources and the perspectives
they bring in order to excel in this course.

Week 3- 4:

Students will focus on major historical events which occurred in the United States.
Students will learn about the causes and impacts the events had on the country and
state of North Carolina.

Week 5- 7:

Students will study the impact of global events including: Slavery and the Columbian
Exchange. Students will also use secondary and primary resources to learn about
different cultures which lived throughout North Carolina. There will be a strong focus on
individual: religious beliefs, traditions and mentalities in this part of the course.

Week 8- 10:

A focus on state wide events occurring throughout North Carolina’s history will be had.
Students will connect demographic knowledge learned to local events.

Week 11- 13:

Students will focus on different local communities and how those impacts had on
technological advancements.

Week 14- 15:

Students will analyze how local beliefs and decisions affected the nation as a whole.
Furthermore, students will learn about the importance of historical context and how it
affected decision making.

Week 16:

Summative Course Essay

*Note* Through looking at the standards in focus of this course: a scaffolded approach is
required to help students at this age fully understand the context of a primary source
was written in the way it was. Therefore the standards are not taught in a linear order.

Activities:

Identification of Primary and Secondary Resources

Group Discussions
Class Debates
Research Assignments

Resources:

Online Textbook
Online Primary and Secondary Resource Materials
Google Classroom
Google Suite
Audio and Visual Platform

Application:

Students will be required to think like a historian. Students will be expected to

understand how to identify different perspectives within Primary and Secondary
Resources. Students must justify why individuals had a point of view regarding an issue
given a context. Students will be expected to apply these skills through: online
collaboration, research topics and class activities.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed through class activities. Activities in this course will culminate
in one final project in which students must identify one local event such as: the
Wilmington Riots, and explain how it occurred, the perspectives on the event and why it
happened in the time period for which it occurred.

Reflection:

Students will be provided rubrics to self- assess themselves on individual and group
assignments. The instructor will also complete the same rubric given to the students.
The instructor will allot for conference times to discuss activities and go through
individual ratings based on the rubric. The instructor is able to provide feedback and
differentiate activities to enhance learning. This while the student becomes and active in
taking ownership for his or her learning.

Independent Learning:

Students in this course will spend a time independently: completing readings, watching
videos and doing research for activities. Students will also be required to work in groups
to complete assignments.

Evaluation:
Because the instructor will create weekly videos, the instructor must be actively engaged
to see class trends in terms of strengths and weaknesses. The teacher will evaluate
students on class assignments and also in the final summative assessment.