“We most enjoyed the projects and assignments that went beyond workbooks and worksheets. The kids look forward to their class time on zoom with Ms. Tracy and their classmates, and take the effort to complete their assignments and even some extra credit assignments because they were fun and interested them. For a parent who didn’t want to take on California History, Carrier Shell offered this beautiful class that allowed me to support their learning and discuss with them (outside of class time) what they enjoyed and facilitate field trips. As a family, we went to visit the Chumash cave paintings, several national parks in California, Santa Barbara Mission, and other state parks and beaches that connected to so much of what the kids learned in class. The six books read in class were eye opening, engaging, and the kids were always reading ahead of the class. As a parent, I deeply appreciated all the positive encouragement Ms. Tracy had for her students, her feedback on their assignments, her class activities and discussions, and her consistency and leadership of the class. She is accessible and responsive, and her teaching this class have also helped grown my kids in personal responsibility (completing their assignments on time and turning them in), excellence (doing things assigned to them well) and diligence (working w great effort) in their own work.”
Jen T.
Parent in Ms. Tracy’s California Out of the BoxSpring: Gold Rush to the 1930s (15 weeks; January 9 – April 25)
- Do you have a 4th grader?
- Are you looking for a California history class?
- Have you visited California state or national parks, or the California missions?
- Are you looking for a positive community for your child to grow with as they explore California history?
- If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions, this class is just for your student!
Ages: Grades 4-5
Semester Tuition: $390 ($50 discount for private pay*)
- *Private Pay: payable in 3 installments of $113.33
- Fall semester is 14 weeks
- Spring semester is 15 weeks (1 bonus week!)
- Both semesters are the SAME price
Class length: 75 minutes (55 minutes of content, 20 minutes games/activities)
Spring Semester: Register Now!
Instructor: Tracy Yeoh
Spring openings
- Tuesdays: 1
- Thursdays: 2
A NOTE ON THE WAIT LIST: If a wait listed class is the only time that will work for you, we encourage you to email us for instructions on joining the wait list! Occasionally spaces open up; sometimes we have a family that decides they will need to switch sections or drop the class.
“Thank you so much, Ms. Tracy, for your hard work and help with teaching the kids more about their own home state. We look forward to more classes in the future with you and Carrier Shell!”
Jen T., California Out of the Box parent
Registration notes
- Students who sign up for this class are committing to two semesters, fall and spring.
- To hold a space in the class, families paying with charter school funds must leave a $25 deposit. The deposit is refundable subject to our refund policy.
Questions? Registration issues or questions for Tracy. Learn more about Ms. Tracy.
“I just wanted to drop a note of thanks and let you know how much I appreciate your class! It’s been a really excellent experience for my son – exactly the kind of history class we were looking for!”
Rania, Mom of a 4th grade boy in Ms. Tracy’s class
Course Description
Join us for a year-long, two-semester course beginning with the Native American experience before European exploration began in the 16th century, to New Spain and the missions period, CA statehood and the Gold Rush, through the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. Throughout our study, we will explore several habitats, animals and plants that help us appreciate the flora and fauna of California.
Using the California Out of the Box curriculum authored by Christine Echeverri, students will employ a cross-disciplinary, multi-sensory approach that is sure to engage young students.
In class we will discuss the five literature books that we will read throughout the year and engage with topics of study through slides, videos, and hands-on projects with lots of opportunities for creativity.
Using Google Classroom, reading and assignments involving research, writing, illustrations, slide presentations, and hands-on activities will be posted.
See this blog article for more project samples!
Class FAQs
Can we use California charter funds for this class?
- Yes! See our Service Vendorship list for an up-to-date list of charters.
- Purchase Order (PO) instructions can be found at the bottom of this page.
- A $25 deposit is required to a hold space in the class. The deposit will be refunded when the PO arrives, subject to our refund policy.
- If your charter is not on our list, please fill out this form!
What are the required books and materials?
Enrolled families will receive a Promo Coupon for savings in our store when purchasing the literature books and the Student Folder book.
- Both semesters: California Out of the Box Student Folder book
- First Semester (Sept.-Dec.): Island of the Blue Dolphins, Valley of the Moon: Diary of Maria Rosalia de Milagros by Sherry Garland, By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman, and Audubon Field Guide to California
- Second Semester (Jan.-April): By the Great Horn Spoon!, Earth Dragon Awakes by Laurence Yep, & Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan,
- Audubon Field Guide to California is recommended, but not required for spring
- All books are available for purchase using private pay and charter school funds. See this link to purchase and to get PO pricing.
- Other materials: Supply lists for hands-on labs and activities will be sent the week prior to class. Most materials are easily found around the home.
How will students learn the material?
Sample Project Video
Using online platforms, we will utilize the following modes of learning:
- In-class discussions
- Hands-on Project Videos: Use common materials in the home to explore and interact with the material
- Games! For reading comprehension and learning other fun facts
- Short stories and Student Folder work (from California Out of the Box)
- Video links to deepen learning
What type of parental support will be needed?
- Setting up Google login and email account for student (parents may share their account with student)
- Assisting student in checking email daily and monitor work summaries sent during semester
- Helping student as needed to upload photos of work to Google Classroom
Can you describe what the estimated weekly work looks like?
Each week there are approximately 40 pages of reading in a historical fiction book, a drawing assignment, and sometimes a writing assignment composed of 3-5 sentences that may include independent research using resources provided.
What tech platforms are required and used?
- Online platform such as Zoom
- Google Classroom
- Google login or Gmail for each enrolled student and parent Google account
What is the semester schedule?
- Fall semester: September 5 – December 14
- Spring semester: January 9 – April 25 [Spring break off — March 25-29]
What are your registration and cancellation policies?
See this page for policies.
For more answers to your questions, see our Class FAQ page.
Spring Semester PO Instructions – 2024
For billing purposes, please request purchase orders using monthly interval price below (instead of the whole semester length).
- Vendor: Christine Echeverri DBA Carrier Shell Curriculum
- Instructor name
- Tracy Yeoh (Tuesday 10AM, Thursday 10AM)
- Class: Group tutoring – California Out of the Box online history class
- Start date: January 9, 2024
- Semester end date: April 25, 2024
- Duration of each lesson: 75 minutes
- Frequency: once per week for 4 months (see schedule above)
- Cost per month – Spring semester: $97.50 x 4 mos. (January-April)
- Semester tuition: $390
- Class link: https://carriershellcurriculum.com/classes/history-classes/california-out-of-the-box-2023/