History Ruth Marris-Macaulay, Department Head The History Department is committed to helping students develop a set of higher-level skills that are important both in and out of the history classroom. Globalism has fundamentally altered the way we look at history. We are no longer able to study nations in isolation or understand history from a Western perspective. Global history has emerged as a discipline in which the connectedness of the world is its jumping off point. Yearlong courses explore broad themes in American and global history, and four semester-length elective courses are also offered. Students are expected to develop expository writing ability, intellectual curiosity through critical reading and thinking, and discussion and debate skills. Geography, current events, and the responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy are also integrated into history courses.
History 9 — Topics in Early World History Yearlong—Required in Grade 9 This course will look at topics that fall within the period 1500 - 1850. Using the themes of Empire, Exchange and Revolution, students will encounter various cultures and understand how connections and networks develop interaction and change in politics, economics, societies, and belief systems. A strong emphasis on the meaning of global history will be central to the course and it will go hand-in-hand with developing an appreciation for non-Western narratives. Through close collaboration with the library, students will work individually on the Grade 9 research project developing their skills with primary and secondary sources, evaluating and synthesizing information, determining the reliability of sources, and self-reflecting their process. History 10 - The Shaping of the Modern World Yearlong—Open to Grade 10 This course will pick up from where the Grade 9 course ends and cover the period from 1850 to the present. Units will address the themes of Imperialism, War and Resistance and its legacy in the postcolonial world as well as global challenges for the future. As they did in Grade 9 students will work in tandem with the library on reading, writing, and critical thinking while developing skills in analyzing primary sources, researching reliable information, visual literacy, and
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