Middle School World History

Course Description:

This is a year long course in MS World History.  Somebody discovered the wheel. Somebody discovered written communication. Somebody even figured out how to count to ten. From the ancient river civilizations to China and its ancient dynasties, different civilizations left their mark on history. They also left their mark on how we live today. In this course, students join travel agent Mr. Lightfoot to travel back in time digging out the past of these ancient civilizations. In ancient Egypt students visit the pyramids and find out the secrets of preserving mummies. They see how the Mayans developed astronomy to a precise science. They even investigate the difference between the Athenians and the Spartans. Students will journey through India discovering their contributions to medicine, moving on to Africa to follow the rise and fall of the ancient east African kingdoms of Kush and Axum. Throughout the centuries, and still today, our world is made up of dozens of different cultures. They all are different, and they all have made big contributions to what we know and who we are.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): Middle School World History
Course Title (NCES SCED) : World History—Overview
Course Provider : North Muskegon Public Schools
Content Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Online Instructor Provided By : North Muskegon Public Schools
Standards Addressed : Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations
Alignment Document : https://drive.google.com/file/d/19KWuiz0rfQHPtlSwZwBDufb-Plk6AVcn/view?usp=sharing
Academic Terms : Year Long
NCES SCED Code :
Subject Area : Social Sciences and History
Course Identifier : World History—Overview
Course Level : Elem/Middle School (Prior to Secondary)
Available Credit : 1.0
Sequence : 1 of 1

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PtG51oS73yGdtUhvuFwu43fZqDudxmNSTXX2yUyXfuI/edit?ts=611abb54
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (888) 889-2840

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

Start Registration Request

Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost: $0.0

Additional Cost Description:

None

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...

 

interpret primary and secondary sources

describe the methods and tools historians use

describe how history relates to the other social sciences

describe the roles of historians and recognize how historical interpretations may differ

use timelines to draw conclusions

use maps and relative locations to understand relationships

analyze the relationships between physical geography and the advantages and challenges faced by populations

interpret how geographic boundaries affect migration and interaction with others

use maps to trace significant migrations and their results

explain how the environment and resources affected the development and spread of commodities and ideas

identify the characteristics of civilization

explain how ancient civilizations were influenced by their locations and natural resources

understand the workings of ancient civilizations' governments

compare the economic, political, social, and religious institutions of select civilizations

describe and identify traditional and command economies as they appear in different civilizations

explain why international trading requires a medium of exchange

identify factors that increase economic growth

analyze map projections and explain uses of various types of maps

compare maps of the world in ancient times with current political maps

explain aspects of the democratic process as it was developed in ancient Athens

identify and explain key events, figures, and achievements of ancient civilizations, including the Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Mayans, Aztecs, Phoenicians, Greeks

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Fully Met
The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Fully Met Many interactives and small check quizzes throughout lessons.
The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met
The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Partially Met Course design provides for only one option as to the form of each lesson activity, though instructors may accommodate for student needs by accepting alternatives via the learning management system.
Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met
The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Fully Met Michigan Virtual instructor guidelines ensure such interaction through welcome letters, instructor introductions, and regular progress reporting.
The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Fully Met
Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Fully Met Area of student resources listed on Home page of class. Outside resources included.
Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Fully Met
Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met
Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met
Feedback Rating Comments
Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Fully Met
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met
Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Fully Met
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Fully Met
Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Fully Met
The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Fully Met Lists alignment for Florida, national level, and Common Core.
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Fully Met
Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Fully Met Lots of literacy including evaluating primary and secondary sources, map reading, journaling.
Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met
Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met
Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard learning management system (LMS).
Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met
Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard learning management system (LMS).
Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard learning management system (LMS).
Instructor Resources Rating Comments
Online instructor resources and notes are included. Fully Met
Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Fully Met
Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met
The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Not Met
Course Updates Rating Comments
The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Partially Met Appears to be many versions of this course, not sure when updates are occurring.
Certification Rating Comments
Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met All Michigan Virtual instructors are certified in the state of Michigan, endorsed within their assigned content areas and grade levels, and highly qualified under state and federal guidelines.
Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met Michigan Virtual instructors complete an onboarding course prior to teaching, annual professional development and conference attendance, participate in monthly department meetings, and are provided online resources for various instructional media.
The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met Michigan Virtual instructors have access to the Michigan Virtual Knowledge Base with tutorials to assist them as well as the Course Issue Tracker to request additional support for technical issues in a course. Students also have a Customer Care center that offers technical support and course management assistance.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met
The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met
Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met Students are offered Michigan Virtual-specific orientation lessons and activites within all courses in addition to the Online Learning Orientation Tool (OLOT) located on the learning management system homepage for students with no prior experience in taking an online course.
Course Architecture Rating Comments
The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Partially Met Instructors cannot alter content provided by the course vendor, but Michigan Virtual instructors are permitted to add supplemental materials as needed via the Blackboard learning management system.
The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met The calendar within the learning management system permits adjustments to the pacing guides, though Michigan Virtual has established start and end dates for fall, spring, summer, and trimester enrollment terms.
User Interface Rating Comments
Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met "Next Page" tab is located at top of page.
Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Fully Met The interactives do not work without a mouse. When using the Text Version sometimes graphics are lost. Videos do not have captions. Lesson videos can utilize the dialogue bubbles instead of captions, but that is not an option for all videos. Some only have transcripts.
Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met Communicated in the syllabus, the Michigan Virtual website, and the Blackboard learning management system.
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met
The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met Flash is required. This would require a rework/rewrite in a couple of years. Difficult to use with Chromebooks.
The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met
Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met Communicated within the Michigan Virtual Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) through the website and the learning management system.
Accessibility Rating Comments
Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Partially Met Some videos lack captioning or text-alternatives. Limitations on keyboard navigation detected. This rating is based upon limited testing of WCAG 2.0 standards only. More testing may be required to affirm full accessibility in light of all relevant WCAG 2.0 standards.
Data Security Rating Comments
Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met Course is password protected; the privacy policy is communicated in the Blackboard learning management system.

Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review: 04/06/2018

Module 1: Ancient Origins

Module 2: Ancient River Civilizations

Module 3: Ancient America

Module 4: Ancient Greece

 

Module 5: Ancient Rome

Module 6: Ancient India

Module 7: Ancient China

Module 8: Ancient Asia and Africa

 

Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.

Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/ Students must also have access to YouTube.