The goal of the Westfield Social Studies program in sixth grade is to introduce students to the origins of the ancient world through the study of ancient civilizations. Participating in today’s global society requires an understanding of the complex nature of human society in addition to an appreciation for the diverse cultures and societies in the world. By exploring ancient civilizations, students learn how and why cultures have developed differently from each other, while developing an appreciation for the universal traits human societies share.

The sixth grade curriculum integrates history, geography, archaeology and anthropology to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of ancient civilizations. The study of these various disciplines also helps students to understand how we construct knowledge of the past as well as how our ideas about the past inform our understanding of the modern world. Because ancient civilizations were less complex than modern society, they offer younger students an opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of how and why diverse cultures developed. Through the exploration of essential questions, students learn to apply their understanding of the ancient world to evaluate the problems faced by contemporary global societies. The study of the ancient world in the sixth grade, with an emphasis on geography and social studies skills prepares students for the study of European Transformations and the exploration of the New World, in the seventh grade.