|
|
|
|
|
|
The Middle School history program builds on the work done in the Lower School. Emphasis is placed on the development of critical writing and thinking skills. Students are continually encouraged to ask questions regarding the course material. Students are introduced to the concepts of cultural diffusion and cross-cultural development and how they relate to world history as well as to American history. Included in this work is the continued development of the following skills: study skills, note-taking skills (from both reading and lecture), and organizational techniques. Emphasis is also placed on developing and strengthening cooperation, trust and respect as key elements in a free society. Both independence and collaboration are fostered. An important goal of the program is to help students develop an appreciation for history that will continue throughout and beyond Middle School. Class trips to local historical sites and those farther away - such as Washington or Boston - are important parts of the history program.
In the sixth grade course students learn about geography through the study of current events and the countries where the events are occurring. Global awareness is further developed through the study of the history and culture of the people of these countries. Students learn to understand, appreciate and articulate the effects of global interdependence.
The seventh grade course covers American history from its beginnings through the Civil War. The course begins with a study of the geographical diversity of North America and the cultures of its original inhabitants. This work is followed by an in-depth study of the factors in Europe that led to the exploration and colonization of North America during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The continuing settlement and development of the continent is explained, with emphasis placed on the Revolutionary War, the Constitution, the expansion of the new nation, and the events of the 19th century that led to the Civil War.
The eighth grade course continues this study of American history with the analysis of Reconstruction and a chronological survey of major forces and events in U.S. History in the 19th and 20th centuries up until the Cold War. The growth of the nation into a major world power is analyzed by studying economic factors as well as American foreign policy. American culture is also studied.
|
|
|
|