Social Studies

6th Grade

Advanced World History

This course begins with a review of Paleo and Neolithic life. By examining the earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, students learn what aspects of life define a civilization. Throughout the rest of the year, we consistently reflect back on these characteristics and use them to compare and contrast societies as humans progress through time. In addition to these early civilizations, the course emphasizes ancient Mediterranean and Asian worlds. Students will learn the history of these peoples while understanding how their contributions to society still live in modern times. Utilizing a mixture of Socratic Method and modern audio-visual teaching techniques, students develop organizational, analytical, and communication skills. Throughout the year our students reflect on these civilizations; highlights include, building Greek Temples, the trial of Julius Caesar, field trip to Medieval Times, and our famous Greco-Roman Festival!!!

7th Grade

Advanced Civics

An exciting shift in the social studies curriculum has given 7th graders the opportunity to learn the origins, structures and functions of their governments. Part history, part present-day, civics begins with a definition of citizenship. What does it mean to be part of a society? What are your rights and responsibilities as citizens of the United States and members of your local communities, and how did we come to be where we are? After building a country through revolution and constitution, the course closely examines each part of the government and how it functions at the local, state and federal levels. Civics allows students to discuss and debate current issues facing our various government organizations while examining precedents. Through this process, students learn not only the function of government but also why government takes certain actions or refrains from doing so. To better understand our place in the world, the course consistently compares and contrasts our government with other forms. At the end of the course, students embark on an introductory journey into economics. We look at the basics of supply, demand, prices, and markets while examining different theories and approaches to economics used at home and abroad.

8th Grade

Advanced United States History

The American History course in eighth grade begins with the study of the prehistoric indigenous peoples of America and continues to the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. We will conclude with a survey of the 1940s through 1960s. The course is designed to help students learn how to read, write and express ideas in an analytical manner and will help them achieve success in their high school level Social Studies classes. Primary sources, (documents, letters, pictures, etc.) as well as secondary sources will be used in our quest to understand what it means to be an American. Our goal is for students to engage in discovering history for themselves and have practice in writing the story of our country.