History
Reflective and responsible citizens who can make rational and informed decisions are vital to the functioning of our democratic society. A knowledge of the past and an awareness and appreciation of cultural differences provide a valuable touchstone and perspective for making such choices in a pluralistic world community.
The History curriculum stresses content and processes that are designed to provide these points of reference. Students examine human social relationships in time and in their particularity, concreteness, and uniqueness. They study the history of the United States, the roots of American culture in European history, and the Non–Western world. They learn physical and cultural geography and apply economic principles and models to the study of developed and developing nations. Through the use of social science concepts that have universal application, they explore man’s achievements, problems, and potential.
In the Lower School, children learn about their relationship to the environment and an ever-expanding concept of community. First graders learn about the school community, neighborhood, and city. Second graders expand their geographical understanding through a comprehensive study of the 50 United States. Third graders explore both historical and modern immigration. In the fourth grade, students focus on US history; they become the people they study on “Tavern Day,” a Revolutionary-era reenactment, and “Caddie Woodlawn Day,” a celebration of America’s pioneer spirit.
Critical thinking skills are nurtured in the Middle School program and refined and further developed in Upper School courses. Students learn to distinguish fact from opinion, to recognize causal relationships, to draw logical inferences from data, and to evaluate the reliability of sources. They are encouraged to identify problems and to formulate and test their own hypotheses.
Writing is an integral part of the curriculum at all levels. Students progress from composing simple descriptive paragraphs to writing comprehensive analytical essays that synthesize and evaluate a variety of sources. Term papers and projects give them opportunities to study selected topics in depth, to learn research techniques, and to refine writing skills.
