History

History 6 begins with two case studies of select World civilizations: the Mali Empire and Mughal India. After comparing these empires, students shift their focus to Europe, where they learn the outlines of medieval European culture and then progress through time to study the Renaissance and the Age of Exploration.

Students are exposed to several assessments that both help them strengthen their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills and provide the sense of individual exploration and ownership that is the essence of the Middle School experience. These assessments also provide opportunities to begin learning formal research skills, including the proper use of in-text citations, electronic note cards, and a Works Cited page.

History 7 explores American history from its beginnings through Reconstruction.  Students begin with an examination of social contracts, seeking to understand the theory behind the societies that formed and interacted in early American history, as well as the causes of the conflict that sparked the American Revolution. Once they learn how independence was won, students focus on the Constitution and the government it established. Students then delve into the rapid changes and conflicts that emerge in the 1800s, from industrialization, to westward expansion, to factionalism. With an understanding of these significant themes in place, the class is able to understand the nation’s path to the Civil War and the successes and failures of Reconstruction.    

Students in History 7 build historical thinking skills by asking questions about the sourcing, contextualization, and corroboration of our materials.  The curriculum also includes instruction in critical reading, annotating, and writing skills.

History 8 focuses on the United States in the 20th century and centers on exploring what the “American Dream” has meant to people in different eras. Students study major events of the 20th century, including the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. Students finishing History 8 ultimately discuss what the United States has stood for in the past, and how that stance has changed over time. 

Students in History 8 focus on building research skills, ultimately completing a major research project and a major research paper. Students also focus on building their historical empathy via the analysis of various perspectives from the past.