American History

The online course, "American History in Film," is a full-year high school-level program designed for students in grades 9 through 12. Taught by Angela Ferrell and held on Mondays at 2:00 PM CST, the course uses films as primary teaching tools to engage students in learning about United States history. Topics covered include politics, economics, wars, religion, culture, sports, and technology, presented through a blend of feature films, documentaries, and online educational shorts. Students will watch, analyze, and discuss these films to gain a deep understanding of historical events and their impact on American culture. The course, while challenging, aims to be more engaging than a textbook-based approach.

Enrolled students are expected to keep a timeline notebook to record key historical events, participate in written discussions, complete periodic quizzes, and submit a year-end film analysis project and presentation. Semester exams will focus on key themes and big ideas from the studied eras. All films shown will be rated G, PG, or PG-13 and can be viewed online, with many being free.