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 Academic Program > Curriculum Guide > Social & Historical Studies
Students of social and historical studies will gain an appreciation of both the scope of human history and the variety of cultures that make up the peoples of the world. Throughout Middle School, they will develop and refine their research and writing skills. The use of primary sources and interdisciplinary work in literature make the study of history and world cultures richer and more immediate. In sixth grade, the importance of geography in the development of current world cultures is the curricular focus along with an appreciation and study of how the population of the United States was created through 300 years of immigration. The seventh and eighth grade study American history from the Revolution through the 20th Century with special focus in eighth grade on the workings of the American government. Sixth Grade Sixth GradeThe objectives of sixth grade social studies are two-fold. The academic focus in sixth grade is on cultural and physical geography. Through reading, research, and map projects, students will learn about both the land and the people of planet Earth. Physical geography skills will be complimented by exposure to the daily life, arts, and religion of the world's people. In addition, basic research and writing skills will be further developed to prepare students for more advanced work as they progress through middle and upper school. The year culminates in the study of immigration to the United States and a trip to Ellis Island and the Lower Eastside Tenement Museum in New York. Texts: Special Topic: Seventh GradeSeventh grade social studies focuses on American history through 1865. Topics covered include: the original Native American societies, European exploration and colonization of the Americas, the original thirteen English colonies, the American Revolution, the creation of the U.S. Constitution, the New Republic, manifest destiny and westward expansion, slavery, abolition, states rights, and the Civil War. Long-term projects, in-class debates, and role-playing are among the varied activities in which students engage. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking and oral and written expression. Cross-curricular connections with English class are incorporated at various points in the year. Our extensive year-end unit on the Civil War is anchored by the Seventh Grade Signature Field Trip to Gettysburg. In addition, throughout the year we discuss and analyze local, national, and international current events. Text: Eighth GradeEighth grade social studies begins with a unit on Civics and the U.S. Constitution in which the three branches of government, the Bill of Rights, and citizenship are explored in depth. Thereafter, we focus on post-Civil War U.S. history. Topics covered include: Reconstruction, the Progressive Era, Imperialism, WWI, the Great Depression and the New Deal, WWII and the Holocaust, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War. Long-term projects, in-class debates, and role-playing are among the varied activities in which students engage. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking and oral and written expression. Cross-curricular connections with English class are incorporated at various points in the year. In addition, throughout the year we discuss and analyze local, national, and international current events. Text:
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