I love history, I love teaching, and I love students. I put a great deal of thought and time into constructing courses that are engaging, challenging, and well-organized. I also care a great deal about humanizing the online experience, and you will see that priority woven into many aspects of my course. I majored in history at Swarthmore College, where I also earned my high-school teaching certification. I also did graduate work at Widener University with a focus on English and education. For several years, I have also worked as an AP grading leader with the College Board, training and supervising other graders of AP history exams. This experience, along with participating in College Board and ETS seminars, working through thousands of AP essays, and interacting with talented history teachers and professors from around the country on an annual basis, all serve to strengthen my passion for and skills in history teaching. Contact: lhawkins[at]aimacademy.online
Instructor Category: Lisa Hawkins
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World History I: Ancient to Early Modern Times
This live, graded world history class traces the social, economic, and political development of world civilizations and the growth of important ideas from ancient times through the Early Modern Period. Live class sessions will cover both Western and non-Western cultures, with particular attention devoted to the history of China and surrounding regions, India, the Mediterranean World, and Europe.
Outside of class time, students complete lessons focused on particular topics in Modern World History (either audio-visual or text-based, depending on learning style), deepen their understanding of world geography, learn how to interpret primary documents, and delve deeper into related topics of their choosing. Monthly quizzes based on live class sessions and weekly history lessons encourage students to synthesize the historical content they encounter. Students are given two chances on every monthly quiz.
Students will master a lot of historical content. They also have plenty of opportunities to think critically about what they are learning. Our time together is built around questions that I pepper throughout our live sessions. For example:
- When we discuss the ancient Greeks, I ask students, “What options does a society have when it doesn’t have enough resources to feed its people?”
- When we’re talking about the Middle Ages, I ask, “Why would people who are living in oppressed conditions continue to go along with the status quo?”
- When we’re talking about worldviews in medieval Europe, I ask, “Why do you think this time period was not famous for many rebellions against the status quo?”
Student contributions are woven into the class material in meaningful ways. I aim to make the course as interactive and thought-provoking as possible. For example, some of our live class sessions are “history workshops.” In small groups, students learn about topics by working through the same sort of decision-making processes that leaders of the time had to make and exploring the consequences of these decisions through discussion. For World History I, examples of these workshops include learning how the ancient Greeks grappled with the choice between ethics and power, and how medieval England laid the foundations for limits on power. I’m also interested in all of us having a good time together while we learn history. Based on the feedback I’ve received over the years from parents and students, I am confident I’ve created a class environment where we have a lot of fun while exploring the past and improving critical thinking skills.
Course Structure
The course is built on a pattern of eight Units, each containing four weeks: Weeks A, B, C, and D. Certain assignment types fall consistently on particular weeks, so students and parents can rely on a regular, repeated schedule of work throughout the year.
Live class sessions are designed to engage students at different levels. Homework assignments are designed to meet the needs of the average student. However, families who wish a more challenging, honors-level course can sign their students up for the Honors level. For students working at the regular level, weekly workloads should average about 4-5 hours.
For families interested in a more detailed example of how our live sessions typically operate, please click this link to watch a 20-minute compilation of four short excerpts from a Modern European History class on World War I.
Second Semester
Second-semester World History I focuses on the Mediterranean World after the fall of the Roman Empire, ancient African civilizations, and ancient China.
Honors Level
Students at the honors level in World History I complete a significant project each semester, with detailed instructions provided. For the first semester, students design their own ancient civilization, addressing several topics (geography, leadership structure, religion), demonstrating their understanding of how ancient civilizations were affected by the landscape, resources, and other people groups near them. They create a presentation (preferably audio-visual) to introduce their civilization. In the second semester, students create a “class” on ancient and medieval Japan, using my own question-driven classes as a model. In addition, students at the honors level also read about 4 extra lessons each month. They need to take notes on those lessons. The notes should be detailed enough to act as a study aid if a test were given. They also need to generate at least one good historical research question for each lesson. There will not be additional quizzes or exams for the honors level, unless a parent opts into a midterm and final for the student to take. If a student signs up for honors level at the beginning of the year through Aim Academy but later in the year needs to drop to the regular level, that can be done with no grade penalty.
Who should enroll?
This course is designed for 9th-12th graders, although parents of mature 8th graders can contact me about the possibility of their son/daughter joining. I have had 8th graders enjoy and succeed in the course in the past.
Technology Requirements
- High-speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
The course is designed to improve critical thinking and historical reasoning skills particularly during our live class sessions. Regular homework assignments promote mastery of content.
Communication
Parents and students are encouraged to contact me through the Canvas messaging system. Generally speaking, I respond within one business day. -
World History II: Early Modern to Recent Times
This live, graded world history class traces the social, economic, and political development of empires and nation-states, as well as the growth of important ideas and technology from the 1600s through recent times. Live class sessions will cover both non-Western societies (such as China, Korea, Japan, India, and sub-Saharan Africa) and Western societies (including international affairs involving Europe and the United States). The roles of technology and scientific discoveries are significantly featured.
Outside of class time, students complete lessons focused on particular topics in Modern World History (either audio-visual or text-based, depending on learning style), deepen their understanding of world geography, learn how to interpret primary documents, and delve deeper into related topics of their choosing. Monthly quizzes based on live class sessions and weekly history lessons encourage students to synthesize the historical content they encounter. Students are given two chances on every monthly quiz.
Each student will master a lot of historical content. They also have plenty of opportunities to think critically about what they are learning. Our time together is built around questions that I pepper throughout our live sessions. For example:
- When we discuss the development of independent Central and South American countries, I ask, “If a society decides it wants to have a revolution, do the rich, the middle class, or the poor tend to lead the revolution, and why do you think this is?”
- When we’re talking about World War II from Japan’s Point of View, I ask: “What can a military do to increase its chances of success if it knows that war with another country is inevitable?”
- When we’re talking about the Cold War, I ask: “Why would the US and other winners of WWII decide to treat their conquered enemies, Germany and Japan, well once the war was over?”
Student contributions are woven into the class material in meaningful ways. My aim is to make the course as interactive and thought-provoking as possible. For example, some of our live class sessions are “history workshops.” In small groups, students learn about topics by working through the same kinds of decision-making processes that leaders of the time faced and by exploring the consequences of these decisions through discussion. For World History II, examples of these workshops include learning how Communist China tried to jump-start its economy in the 1950s and 1960s, and how the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1980s. I’m also interested in all of us having a good time together while we learn history. Based on the feedback I’ve received over the years from parents and students, I am confident I’ve created a class environment where we have a lot of fun while exploring the past and improving critical thinking skills.
Course Structure
The course is built on a pattern of eight Units, each containing four weeks: Week A, B, C, and D. Certain assignment types fall consistently on particular weeks, so students and parents can rely on a regular, repeated schedule of work throughout the year.
Live class sessions are designed to engage students at different levels. Homework assignments are designed to meet the needs of the average student. However, families who want a more challenging, honors-level course can enroll their students in the Honors level. For students working at the regular level, weekly workloads should average about 4-5 hours.
For families interested in a more detailed example of how our live sessions typically operate, please click this link to watch a 20-minute compilation of four short excerpts from a Modern European History class on World War I.
Second Semester
Second-semester World History II focuses on developments in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in the 20th century.
Honors Level
Students at the honors level in World History II complete a significant project each semester, with detailed instructions provided. For each semester, students choose from a list of pre-approved books that focus on a particular issue or event in Modern World History. They will write a paper based on their chosen book, demonstrating the ability to write a thesis and support it with textual evidence from the book. Students may opt to write a first draft and receive feedback before submitting their final draft near the end of each semester. In addition, students at the honors level also read about 4 extra lessons each month. They need to take notes on those lessons. The notes should be detailed enough to act as a study aid if a test were given. They also need to generate at least one good historical research question for each lesson. There will not be additional quizzes or exams for the honors level, unless a parent opts into a midterm and final for the student to take. If a student signs up for honors level at the beginning of the year through Aim Academy but later in the year needs to drop to the regular level, that can be done with no grade penalty.
Who should enroll?
This course is geared toward 9th-12th graders.
Technology Requirements
- High-speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
The course is designed to improve critical thinking and historical reasoning skills, particularly during our live class sessions. Regular homework assignments promote mastery of content.
Communication
Parents and students are encouraged to contact me via Canvas messaging. Generally speaking, I respond within one business day.
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U.S. History Survey
This live, graded, online U.S. history class, offered for high school credit, traces the social, economic, political, cultural, and intellectual development of American society from its roots through recent times. Students will master historical content and learn to question, think critically, and argue like historians. I incorporate a lot of question-asking and student input into the courses in meaningful ways. Students will engage in a variety of learning methods.
Students will master a lot of historical content. They will also have plenty of opportunities to think critically about what they are learning as well. Our time together is built around questions that I pepper throughout our live sessions. For example:
- When we discuss early English immigration to the colonies, I ask them, “What reasons would people have to leave their homes and travel to an entirely new place?”
- When we’re talking about the economy of the Southern colonies, I ask students, “What would cause only a few Southern individuals to gain a lot of wealth, leaving the majority of Southerners as poor?”
- When we’re talking about the Civil Rights Movement, I ask them, “Why do you think the Civil Rights Movement coalesced in the 1950s, rather than before or after?”
Student contributions are woven into the class material in meaningful ways. I aim to make the course as interactive and thought-provoking as possible. For example, some of our live class sessions are “history workshops.” In small groups, students learn about topics by working through the same sort of decision-making processes that leaders of the time had to make and exploring the consequences of these decisions through discussion. But I’m also interested in all of us having a good time together while we learn history. Based on the feedback I’ve received over the years from parents and students, I am confident I’ve created a class environment where we have a lot of fun while exploring the past and improving critical thinking skills.
Course Structure
The course is built on a pattern of eight Units, each containing four weeks: Week A, B, C, and D. Certain assignment types fall consistently on particular weeks, so students and parents can rely on a regular, repeated schedule of work throughout the year.
Live class sessions are designed to engage students at different levels. Homework assignments are designed to meet the needs of the average student. However, families who wish a more challenging, honors-level course can sign their students up for the Honors level. For students working at the regular level, weekly workloads should average about 4-5 hours.
For families interested in a more detailed example of how our live sessions typically operate, please click this link to watch a 20-minute compilation of four short excerpts from a Modern European History class on World War I.
Second Semester
Second-semester US History focuses on developments in the United States after the Civil War.
Honors Level
Students at the honors level in US History do significant projects twice each semester. These projects involve analyzing primary documents and historical arguments on various topics in American history. We use an extensive website called Digital Resources, maintained by Virginia Tech, designed to help students learn the skills of understanding, interpreting, and making arguments about historical sources. In addition, students at the honors level also read about 4 extra lessons each month. They need to take notes on those lessons. The notes should be detailed enough to act as a study aid if a test were given. They also need to generate at least one good historical research question based on the information in each lesson. There will not be additional quizzes or exams for the honors level, unless a parent opts into a midterm and final for the student to take. If a student signs up for honors level at the beginning of the year through Aim Academy but later in the year needs to drop to the regular level, that can be done with no grade penalty.
Who should enroll?
This course is primarily for students in grades 9-12, although parents of advanced 8th graders can contact me about the possibility of their son/daughter joining.
Technology Requirements
- High-speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
The course is designed to improve critical thinking and historical reasoning skills, particularly during our live class sessions. Regular homework assignments promote mastery of content.
Communication
Parents and students are encouraged to contact me via Canvas messaging. Generally speaking, I respond within one business day. -
AP U.S. History
AP US History Application – Please apply before registering for the course.
This course will cover the development of American history from its pre-colonial roots through recent developments. It will prepare students to take the AP US History exam in May. As an experienced APUSH grader trainer, I can effectively equip students to approach the test with confidence. As a certified teacher with a Master’s in history, I can effectively equip students to understand the historical narrative and interpret historical texts. My goals for this course are broader than preparing students to take the formal exam. I also hope to inspire and increase students’ love and appreciation for history, expand students’ capacity to think creatively and flexibly about critical issues, and communicate powerfully and compellingly.
This course is approved by the College Board, so a student who successfully completes it can report it as official AP-level credit.
Course Structure
Live sessions will focus on practicing higher-level historical skills and test-taking techniques.
Students will read primary and secondary source material, watch videos, listen to audio, and participate in discussions. They will have access to dozens of my audiovisual presentations, which cover both improving thinking, reading, and writing skills and American history from its pre-colonial roots to recent times. They will learn to write historical essays like those required for the AP exam, not only by writing their own, but also by critiquing actual former AP exam submissions for their strengths and weaknesses. They will learn how to notice ongoing themes in American history. They will engage in threaded discussions with one another, considering questions like “What is the purpose of government?” and “What is the best way to try to improve society?” and collaborate on the best approaches to AP-like questions. In addition, I have created several instructional presentations on how to approach different elements of the AP exam, as well as assignments to help students practice their test-taking skills.
Second Semester
Second-semester AP US History can only be taken by students who have completed the first semester of an official College Board-audited APUSH course elsewhere.
Who should enroll?
This course requires a strong ability to synthesize a great deal of material and to interpret and analyze challenging historical texts. 11th and 12th graders have had the most success, although I have had several 10th graders enjoy and complete the course successfully. Former instruction and practice in interpreting texts and making text-based arguments (such as in an English literature class) will significantly help an APUSH student.
An application is required before registration, including completing a brief historical analysis assignment and submitting a writing sample that demonstrates the ability to make an extended, evidence-based argument. (An English paper on a piece of literature often serves this purpose well.)
Technology Requirements
- High-speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
Students receive detailed written feedback on assignments where such feedback would be helpful to them, and on assignments we are not covering in a live class. Sometimes I provide written feedback; at other times, I provide video feedback.
Communication
Parents and students are encouraged to contact me through the Canvas messaging system. Generally speaking, I respond within one business day.
Course Application – Please apply before registering
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Modern European History
Modern European History Syllabus
Note: The live class includes AP European History students. However, the common class time will cover only European history, not topics related to the AP exam.
This live, graded history class traces the social, economic, and political development of European society, economy, and culture, as well as the growth of important ideas and technology from the Renaissance Era to recent times. Live class sessions will focus on events that affected broad areas of Europe (such as the Reformation, Imperialism, and the World Wars) and on particular countries (with a focus on Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Ireland). Scientific, artistic, and philosophical movements will be covered extensively.
Outside of class time, students complete lessons focused on particular topics in Modern European History (either audio-visual or text-based, depending on learning style), deepen their understanding of world geography, learn how to interpret primary documents, and delve deeper into related topics of their choosing. Monthly quizzes based on live class sessions and weekly history lessons encourage students to synthesize the historical content they encounter. Students are given two chances on every monthly quiz.
Each student will master a lot of historical content. They also have plenty of opportunities to think critically about what they are learning. Our time together is built around questions that I pepper throughout our live sessions. For example:
- When we discuss the Reformation, I ask, “If you were a member of a corrupt but important institution (like a business, religious institution, or school), what do you think is the best way to bring about change for the people affected by that institution?”
- When we’re talking about the French Revolution, I ask, “If people were suffering for a long period of time before the end of the 1700s, why didn’t they rise up in protest before 1789?”
- When we’re talking about the aftermath of the Cold War, I ask: “If you were in charge of trying to maximize the chances of peace and stability in a region after a devastating war, what policies would you encourage towards the people of that region?”
Student contributions are woven into the class material in meaningful ways. My aim is to make the course as interactive and thought-provoking as possible. For example, some of our live class sessions are “history workshops.” In small groups, students learn about topics by working through the same sort of decision-making processes that leaders of the time had to make and exploring the consequences of these decisions through discussion. For Modern European History, examples of these workshops include learning about the unique position of Russia’s Catherine the Great in the 1800s and Margaret Thatcher’s attempt to transform the British economy in the 1980s. I’m also interested in all of us having a good time together while we learn history. Based on the feedback I’ve received over the years from parents and students, I am confident I’ve created a class environment where we have a lot of fun while exploring the past and improving critical thinking skills.Course Structure
The course is built on a pattern of eight Units, each containing four weeks: Week A, B, C, and D. Certain assignment types fall consistently on particular weeks, so students and parents can rely on a regular, repeated schedule of work throughout the year.
Live class sessions are designed to engage students at different levels. Homework assignments are designed to meet the needs of the average student. However, families who want a more challenging, honors-level course can enroll their students in the Honors level. For students working at the regular level, weekly workloads should average about 4-5 hours.
For families interested in a more detailed example of how our live sessions typically operate, please click this link to watch a 20-minute compilation of four short excerpts from a Modern European History class on World War I.
Second Semester
Second-semester World History II focuses on developments in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in the 20th century.
Honors Level
Students at the honors level in Modern European History complete a significant project each semester, with detailed instructions provided. In the first semester, students read Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist and either answer several questions about the text or write an analytical paper on one of the book’s themes. In the second semester, students write a thesis-driven history paper. In addition, students at the honors level also read about 4 extra lessons each month. They need to take notes on those lessons. The notes should be detailed enough to act as a study aid if a test were given. They also need to generate at least one good historical research question for each lesson. There will not be additional quizzes or exams for the honors level. If a student signs up for honors level at the beginning of the year through Aim Academy but later in the year needs to drop to the regular level, that can be done with no grade penalty.
Who should enroll?
This course is geared toward 9th-12th graders.
Technology Requirements
- High-speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
The course is designed to improve critical thinking and historical reasoning skills, particularly during our live class sessions. Regular homework assignments promote mastery of content.
Communication
Parents and students are encouraged to contact me via Canvas messaging. Generally speaking, I respond within one business day.
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AP European History
AP European History Application
Note: The live class includes students from Modern European History. However, additional live class time will be scheduled for AP Euro students only to work specifically on AP test skills at a time convenient for as many as possible. These live sessions will be recorded.
This course will cover the development of European history from the Renaissance Era through recent developments. It will prepare students to take the AP European History exam in May. As an experienced trainer for AP History graders with the College Board, I can effectively equip students to approach the test with confidence. As a certified teacher with a Master’s in history, I can also effectively equip students to understand the historical narrative and interpret historical texts. My goals for this course are broader than just getting students ready to take the formal exam. I also hope to inspire and increase students’ love and appreciation for history, expand students’ capacity to think creatively and flexibly about critical issues, and communicate powerfully and compellingly.
This course is approved by the College Board, meaning a student who successfully completes it can report it as official AP-level credit.
Course Structure
The course is built on a pattern of eight Units, each containing four weeks: Week A, B, C, and D. Certain assignment types fall consistently on particular weeks, so students and parents can rely on a regular, repeated schedule of work throughout the year.
Scheduled weekly classes focus on historical topics such as The Reformation, The Rise of Absolute Monarchy, The Causes of World War I, etc, although additional sessions will be scheduled to focus on historical thinking skills and test preparation as needed during the year.
Students will read primary and secondary source material, watch videos, listen to audio, and participate in discussions. They will learn to write historical essays like those required for the AP exam, not only by writing their own, but also by critiquing former AP exam submissions for their strengths and weaknesses. They will learn to identify recurring themes in European history. They will engage in threaded discussions with one another, considering questions like “What is the purpose of government?” and “What is the best way to try to improve society?” and collaborate on the best approaches to AP-like questions. In addition, I have created several instructional presentations on how to approach different elements of the AP exam, along with assignments to help students practice their test-taking skills.Second Semester
Second-semester AP European History can only be taken by students who have completed the first semester of an official College Board-audited AP European History course elsewhere.
Who should enroll?
This course requires a strong ability to synthesize a great deal of material and to interpret and argue about challenging historical texts. 11th- and 12th-graders have had the most success, though I have had several 10th-graders successfully complete an AP History course. Former instruction and practice in interpreting texts and making text-based arguments (such as in an English literature class) will significantly help an AP European student.
An application is required, including responding to a brief historical analysis assignment and submitting a writing sample demonstrating the ability to make an extended, evidence-based argument. (An English paper on a piece of literature often serves this purpose well.)
Technology Requirements
- High-speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
Students receive detailed written feedback on assignments where such feedback would be helpful to them, and on assignments we are not covering in a live class. Sometimes I provide written feedback; at other times, I provide video feedback.
Communication
Parents and students are encouraged to contact me via Canvas messaging. Generally speaking, I respond within one business day.