A great fit if they…
Love history, folklore and a good mystery about why people believed what they did.
Society, Culture & Identity · History
History of Witchcraft
for Ages 13 to 18
Your teen follows one of history's most feared and misunderstood figures, from village healers to Salem to the witches of modern film.
- Ages
- 13 to 18
- Class size
- 6–8 max
- Format
- Live online · 21 weeks
- Mentor
- Mr. Rob
Show me available times
From $39.71 /week
Course details
Course Overview
Young Scholars Academy's History of Witchcraft is a live online history class for gifted or 2e teens ages 13 to 18 who love history, folklore and a good mystery about why people believed what they did. With Mr. Rob, students follow the witch from village healers and folk charms, through the witch trials of Europe and Salem, to the witches of fairy tales and pop culture. They read primary sources in the words of the people who lived it, and no history background is needed.
History meets folklore
Mr. Rob loves history and all things folklore, and this class brings the two together. Students follow the witch through folklore from different cultures and see how the story keeps changing.
Real history, real questions
The class looks at real history: how ordinary people came to fear their neighbors, who got accused, and why. Students study the witch trials in Europe and in Salem, and why historians still argue about what happened.
Reading the past in its own words
Students read from the past in the words of the people who lived it, like trial records. They learn to ask what a source shows about the people who wrote it.
A discussion class with visuals
Classes are discussion-based, and every student's question about the past counts. Mr. Rob teaches with visuals. By the end, students can look at a scary story from the past and ask what was really going on.
Ages 13 to 18 · Prerequisites · Who it's for
Is this the right class for my kid?
They should already be able to…
Nothing specific. No background in history is needed, and there is no placement test.
Start here, or take something first?
Teens can start here. Younger students who love myths and legends can start with Mr. Rob's Folklore class.
New students
Everyone starts together with Unit 1: Folk Magic and Village Healers.
Learning outcomes
What will my kid learn this semester?
Trace the witch
Trace how ideas about witches changed from early folk traditions to today.
Read primary sources
Analyze a source, like a trial record, and explain what it shows about the people who wrote it.
Explain the trials
Explain what caused the witch trials in Europe and in Salem, using evidence.
Compare cultures
Compare witch figures from the folklore of different cultures.
What's covered
Unit 1
Folk Magic and Village Healers
Charms, herbal lore and the people communities turned to for help.
Unit 2
The European Witch Trials
How fear, religion and politics turned neighbors into accusers.
Unit 3
Salem, 1692
What happened in one village, and why historians still argue about it.
Unit 4
The Witch in Stories and Pop Culture
From fairy tales to modern books and film.
Growth · Progress reports
You'll see the growth every week
What you'll notice at home
Over dinner, they tell you the real story behind Salem, then explain why the town turned on its own people.
A write-up every week
A short report from Mr. Rob about your child's actual work: what they made, where they shined, what's next.
Materials Needed
- No materials needed.
You'll get this list by email when you enroll, then 1 week, 3 days and 1 day before class starts.
Getting started
What happens after you enroll
1. Your welcome email
Zoom link, Google Classroom link and an add-to-calendar button in one place. Forward it to your child: Young Scholars Academy can't email students directly.
2. Google Classroom
Syllabus, the weekly Zoom link and a way to message Mr. Rob.
3. Every week
A short progress report from Mr. Rob about your child's actual work.
Credit · Transcript · Enrichment
For Credit Option
Young Scholars Academy is a WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center and a UC-registered online publisher, so this course can count toward official credit. Same course, same mentor, same experience in class.
For Enrichment
$39.71 /week up front
Your teen takes the full class with Mr. Rob and gets a write-up every week.
For Credit
$41.80 /week up front
Your teen takes the same class for high school credit, graded and recorded on a Young Scholars Academy transcript.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Spring 2027 · Schedule · Tuition
At a glance
Key facts
- Provider
- Young Scholars Academy (WASC-accredited virtual school for gifted or 2e students, ages 5-18)
- Course
- History of Witchcraft
- Mentor
- Mr. Rob
- Ages
- 13-18
- Format
- Live online small-group class on Zoom, 6 to 8 students max per class (average class: 5 students)
- Class length
- 50 minutes, once a week
- Term
- Spring 2027, January 4 to May 28, 2027 (21 weeks)
- Category
- Society, Culture & Identity
- Credit option
- Yes: Enrichment or Credit with Transcript
Spring 2027 sections
| Section | Ages | Day | Time (PT / ET) | Weeks | First class | Mentor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ages 13-18, Tuesday (new course) | 13-18 | Tuesday | 2:00-2:50 PM PT / 5:00-5:50 PM ET | 21 | January 5, 2027 | Mr. Rob |
All times Pacific, with Eastern alongside.
Tuition (Spring 2027)
- Enrichment Flex Payment Plan $41.80/week ($877.80 total); Enrichment Pay Up Front (save 5%) $39.71/week ($833.91 total); Credit with Transcript Flex Payment Plan $44.00/week ($924.00 total); Credit with Transcript Pay Up Front (save 5%) $41.80/week ($877.80 total).
- Friendship Social Club only: free when a student takes 3 or more classes. Parent Social Club only: free with the All-Access Pass.
- New Year All-Access Pass (covers 21-week spring classes; pay in full): Bronze $2,797 (4 live courses + Friendship Social Club), Silver $3,597 (5 live courses + 1 free bonus course), Gold $5,797 (8 live courses + 2 free bonus courses). Class switches allowed during the first month (January 4 to February 3, 2027).
- Guarantee: Try It From The Inside. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Not in love? Switch courses (equal or lesser value) or take a credit. Payment plans can also stop future payments after 30 days. Attendance required.
How to enroll
- Course page and enrollment: https://youngscholarsacademy.org/courses/history-of-witchcraft
- Free Spring Open House: November 11, 2026, 5 PM PT. RSVP: https://youngscholarsacademy.org/spring-open-house
- Questions: support@youngscholarsacademy.org
Meet Your Mentor
Mr. Rob
Mentor
Professional Videographer & Storyteller
- 10+ years videography
- Film, games & storytelling
- Film
- Creative Writing
History of Witchcraft FAQ
Questions parents ask about History of Witchcraft
Is this a class about practicing witchcraft?
No. History of Witchcraft at Young Scholars Academy is a history class. Students study how people in the past thought about witches, what happened to people accused of witchcraft, and how the witch shows up in folklore and stories.
Does my teen need a history background?
No. No background in history is needed, and there's no placement test.
Is this class a fit for a younger student?
It's built for teens 13 to 18. For younger kids who love myths and legends, Mr. Rob's Folklore class is a great place to start.
What will my teen actually read?
Primary sources from the past in the words of the people who lived it, like trial records, along with folklore from different cultures.
Do we need any materials?
No. Students just need to show up, share their ideas and join the discussion.
Try It From The Inside Satisfaction Guarantee
The Young Scholars Academy Promise
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
Pay In Full Option
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
Payment Plan Option
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Y
About Young Scholars Academy
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSATheir best year starts here.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
