History - Grades 9-12
The goal of our Social Studies program is to:
- To help students on their path to becoming informed and engaged national and global citizens
- To hone analytical tools, thinking habits, communication and collaboration skills to make sense of the world and our roles in it.
- To inspire, mentor, support, and encourage young people to pursue their interests with purpose and confidence.
Our program:
- PROVIDES a curricular framework that is global and interdisciplinary in focus and committed to place-based learning opportunities both near and far.
- CENTERS student choices, voices, and experiences within our courses.
- EMPLOYS a rich array of hands-on, multimodal learning activities.
- HONES students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, research and communication skills.
- PERSONALIZES instruction and feedback to ensure all students are both challenged and supported academically.
- FOSTERS collaboration with peers and partnerships with teachers.
- CONNECTS what we do and learn in the classroom to how we experience, perceive, and interact with our communities and the world more broadly.
- ENCOURAGES self-discovery and civic engagement.
Classroom shapshots:
Court arguments, ACLU reports on criminal justice reform, the status of the Equality Act, attempts to address privacy concerns with the metaverse – these are just a few of the contemporary issues 10th and 11th graders chose to connect to the themes and rights enshrined (and/or debated) in the US Constitution. Their final research projects included analytical essays, web pages, research posters, and screencasts – all of which require enhanced independent research skills, demonstrated understanding of important themes in the US Constitution through current events, and MLA citation.
"They aren’t handing out roses, but this painting has serious "The Bachelor" overtones," says high school social studies teacher KNA. What’s actually happening here? Bachelor settlers in New France are selecting potential wives among the Filles du Roi (daughters of the king) recruited by King Louis XIV to promote marriage, families, and the settlement of New France. High school students in History 300 analyzed this painting by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale to understand the demographics of different colonial settlements. Students also examined other original patterns of American settlement to appreciate the historical roots of economic developments, demographics and political foundations that still shape our country today.
Classes
