HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE The History-Social Science Department believes that a deep understanding of the past provides a sophisticated lens to understand the present and view the future. It seeks to inspire in Castilleja students a love of learning in general and of the humanities in particular. The Department offers students required and elective courses appropriate to their developmental levels. It offers survey and elective courses in world and American history as well as foundational and elective courses in economics, political science, and psychology. It seeks to enrich these courses with such sister disciplines as literature and the arts. The Department believes that Castilleja graduates should be well-versed in these disciplines and also be effective communicators. To that end, students have opportunities to practice their skills in critical thinking, thoughtful reading from a variety of sources including current events, analytical writing, and both formal and extemporaneous speaking.
Middle School Courses History 6: The Ancient World: People, Places, & Ideas From our earliest human ancestors to the fall of Rome, this course explores what it means to be human and how civilizations around the world have developed and declined. We begin by asking, "What is history?" Throughout the year we review and refine our answers to this question as we learn how to analyze primary sources (both archeological and written) and how to provide evidence to defend our claims. Our first semester study of civilizations leads us from Mesopotamia and Egypt to Greece. Second semester we study ancient south and east Asia, Rome, and the Maya. With engaging, activity-based lessons we will explore the various components and structures of ancient societies, with particular emphasis on topics of diversity and inclusion, women's roles and prominent women who shaped ancient history. Students begin to construct their own ideas about current world issues and societies by understanding the cultures of the past and their legacies and impactful influence on the present. History 7: Faith & Human Experience This course is a continuation of the study of civilizations begun in the sixth grade. The course begins with the founding of Islam and moves chronologically to the exploration of the Americas. Through text readings, projects, discussion group activities, and documentary videos, students learn about Western and non-Western people and cultures from the period 500 CE up through modern times. Seventh grade students learn how to take notes, and develop their skills in written and oral expression. Additionally, they learn to translate contemporary news into an infographic about a modern world issue. Lastly, students learn about the role of science in history by investigating Renaissance technology to better understand the technology of the time. Students’ understanding is further enhanced through the integration of history and technology. The course ends with a study of European explorations as a natural segue to the studies of colonial America in 8th grade History 8: Themes in US History Themes in US History continues the middle school history arc for students and prepares them for success in high school history and social science courses. The course covers significant themes including the diversity of people, the structure of the federal and state governments, the work of historians, social activism and change, current events, and how we remember and memorialize history. While students continue to develop as independent researchers and thinkers, they examine core events in US history and the skills they need to understand and make meaning from those events. Students have choices about some of the topics they examine in depth and they connect what they learn to current events. The course also helps prepare them for their trip to DC.
Upper School Courses Global Identities and Institutions: Early Modern World History to the Present This year-long course for 9th graders introduces students to the political, economic, social, and cultural histories of the world from the 15th through the 20th centuries. It emphasizes global interactions and connections—from
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