MIDDLE SCHOOL HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSES

HUMANITIES 6: ANCIENT CULTURES

Grade 6

Credit: 1

The theme for 6th grade is “Laying Foundations,” and there is no better way for students to grapple with this theme than by learning about the foundations of humankind. Humanities 6 is an investigation into ancient civilizations through the lenses of history, geography, literature, the arts, belief systems, technology, architecture, and customs and traditions. Cultural sensitivity and ethical exploration are core principles of this hands-on, project-based class. Among other activities, students participate in an archaeological dig; create a mini-museum; design a 21st-century version of Babylon’s legendary hanging gardens; and prepare a Greek feast fit for the gods of Mount Olympus. Field trips to local historical societies and museums, coupled with outdoor excursions for native materials for projects, bring the research aspect of this class to life. Reading global mythologies and identifying the stories around which they have shaped their own lives helps students to connect with children of long ago and with those who live throughout the world today — including their own classmates.

HISTORY 7: WORLD GEOGRAPHY

Grade 7

Credit: 1

This course focuses on allowing our students to see how our world looks today. With the purpose of allowing our students to understand the way that geography impacts our lives, students will undertake a unit on reading and understanding maps as well as a unit on important geography terms, including the study of geography itself, climate, and vegetation. They will then study various regions, focusing on themes of geography, including themes of place, location, and the movement of people and ideas.

HISTORY 8: AMERICAN IDENTITY

Grade 8

Credit: 1

This course takes as its basic question, “What does it mean to be American?” Students explore the foundation of American democracy, examining the ways in which the American government functions, and how citizens engage in that process. Students dig deeper into the experiences of three groups who have been influential in the development of this country: Indigenous Peoples, Black Americans, and the Latinx community. Students also have the opportunity to explore groups that resonate with their own American experience. Students use a variety of sources ranging from primary documents to academic articles to help them improve their ability to think like historians.

Upper School History And Social Science Courses

Global History

Grade 9

Credit: 1

This course is designed to challenge students to assess the modern globalized world through the study of systems and processes that have shaped the countries and cultures that exist within it. Students will learn to work collaboratively in researching topics such as exploration, colonization, revolution, industrialization, and globalization. Global History provides students with an intensive introduction to, and ongoing instruction in, the research and writing process. Students will also develop historical thinking skills such as evidence evaluation, corroboration, and interpretation, deploying these skills not only to study the past, but to grow as critical consumers of information in the digital world.

U.S. HISTORY

Grade 10

Credit: 1

This course takes a thematic approach to the study of the history of the United States from early European and Native American encounters to the start of the 20th century. Rich content and intentional skill instruction work simultaneously throughout the year, as students engage with a variety of written, visual, and primary and secondary sources, hone their historical thinking skills through developing evidencebased arguments, and communicate their ideas through clear and compelling speaking and writing.

HONORS U.S. HISTORY

Grade 10

Credit: 1

This course requires the ability to read a wide variety of texts closely, write incisively, and argue persuasively. Political and economic forces are viewed through the lens of social movements. Students explore extensive primary and secondary sources, consider the conflict and unity underlying these movements, and draw conclusions. Instead of interpreting issues and evaluating people solely through their 21st-century lens, students are encouraged to consider two questions: what did the people they are studying know and what could they have known? Assessments will largely center around documentbased writing, and students will use scholarly sources to complete a final research paper. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

Government And Politics

Grade 11

Credit: 0.5

By learning about the structure and functions of government, students can become more informed and engaged citizens, better able to take part in the change-making processes of our society. Students will begin this course by exploring the framework of the government as outlined in the Constitution and understanding the dialogue and compromises that landed the Supreme Court, Congress, and the Executive Branch. Students will learn about the electoral system, both in local and federal government, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the system in modern day. Examining primary and secondary sources from multiple perspectives, students will unpack the debates that shape our current political landscape, and, importantly, practice navigating these discussions themselves. This course is designed for students to further develop their research and analytical writing skills.

Advanced Government And Politics

Grade 11

Credit: 0.5

This advanced level course is designed for students who are interested in diving deeper into the complexities of government and politics in the United States. In addition to learning about the structure of government, students will also engage with contemporary debates and controversies in American politics, such as campaign finance, gerrymandering, and civil liberties protections. In this advanced course, students are expected to engage extensively with challenging source material, including primary sources and academic articles. Students will develop in-depth analysis of complex topics. Students will also consistently demonstrate independence and preparedness with their work. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

Semester Electives For Juniors And Seniors

All 11th grade students are required to take Government and Politics (or Advanced) in the fall and an additional United States History (USH) designated elective course in the spring.

FEMINISM AND WOMEN’S HISTORY IN AMERICA (USH)

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

In this course, students will examine the profound contributions of women throughout American history. Students will identify systemic challenges for women and cultivate an understanding of the individual and collective efforts to create change in the 20th century. Students will examine historical events and ideologies to better contextualize contemporary issues. Students will read a variety of primary and secondary sources, engage in deep personal reflections, and participate in collaborative dialogue to explore the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality.

ADVANCED FEMINISM AND WOMEN’S HISTORY IN AMERICA (USH)

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

This Advanced Feminist and Women’s History course challenges students to delve deeply into the powerful and often overlooked stories of women in United States history. Through close examination of a wide variety of primary sources and intersectional social theory, students will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes of women's rights and activism throughout the years. This course is designed to challenge and inspire students to think critically about traditional historical narratives and highlight the centrality of women in American history. In this advanced course, students are expected to engage extensively with challenging source material, including primary sources and academic articles. Students will develop in-depth analysis of complex topics. Students will also consistently demonstrate independence and preparedness with their work. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

QUEERING AMERICAN HISTORY (USH)

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided by the New York Police Department. This was hardly the first time that police had raided the popular gay bar, and yet the riots that ensued were both historic and unprecedented. While extremely significant, the Stonewall Riots are just one moment in the much longer history of LGBTQIA+ activism that came both before and after 1969. In this course, students will explore the broader presence of queer activism with the goal of charting a more equitable narrative of American history — one that highlights the often understudied, yet vital roles of people who were marginalized both within and outside of the queer community. Students will finish this course by completing a research paper on a topic of their choosing that clearly centers and restores agency to the lived experiences of the people and communities that it studies.

CONTEMPORARY UNITED STATES HISTORY (USH)

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

Continuing from the 10th grade U.S. History class, this course will focus on the United States since World War II, examining the ways in which both the United States and its role in the world changed. The onceisolationist United States had emerged from World War II as a global superpower with a military and economic presence across the globe and a sense of responsibility for leading and assisting countries committed to democracy and capitalism. While taking on this global role, the United States experienced tremendous change and significant turmoil as citizens struggled to realize their competing visions of American society, politics, economy, and culture. Potential topics include the Cold War; civil rights movements; the Vietnam War; the Reagan Revolution; interventionist foreign policy; 9/11 and the War on Terror; the polarization of U.S. politics, society, and culture; and demographic shifts in American society. Through examining primary sources and secondary sources in various media, students will better understand the shifts that occurred during this tumultuous period in U.S. history and be better prepared to navigate the world in which they live.

Media And Society

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

In this course, students will explore the role of media in shaping contemporary society. Students will learn to evaluate the credibility of news content and consider how the media can counter or reinforce social biases and political actions. Students will investigate topics such as media theory, the ethics of journalism, and free speech in an age of disinformation. This course is designed for students to explore complex topics within the media landscape, and also for students to create their own media content.

Advanced Macroeconomics

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

Macroeconomics examines a country’s economy as a whole and seeks to discover how an economy can maintain high growth, keep unemployment rates and inflation low, and improve the circumstances of the poor in society. The topics in this course may include historical debates between capitalism’s proponents and its critics; competing proposals for how best to measure whether an economy is doing well; the nature of money and how government can affect the money supply; the role of interest rates in determining growth, inflation, and unemployment rates; how the government can best avoid the boom and bust cycles of capitalism; and an examination of recent economic crises in the United States. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

Advanced Microeconomics

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

Modern microeconomics studies how society’s needs can be met when consumption and production decisions are made by individuals seeking their own benefit. This course will teach foundational concepts in microeconomics including incentives, supply and demand, the law of diminishing returns, marginal analysis, and equilibrium prices. We will also examine behavioral economics which criticizes the dominant microeconomic school of neoclassical economics. Finally, students will examine and debate the proper role of government in regulating the economy by considering how governments should shape markets in order to lessen such problems as affordable housing shortages, pollution, global warming, and widespread obesity. Modern economics has a foundation in mathematical analysis and, while this course will not involve any Calculus or advanced mathematics, students will need to create and interpret graphs of economic situations. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

ADVANCED HUMAN GEOGRAPHY: LAND USE

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

This course is an advanced social studies course that introduces students to the patterns and processes that have shaped our understanding and use of Earth. With a focus on agricultural and urban land use and global economic development, students will gain an understanding of how people adjust to the land around them. The class will investigate how geopolitical policies are formed and how they affect our world today. Students will be expected to understand and analyze maps and spatial data, recognize the different regions of the world, and understand how events and processes influence one another. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

ADVANCED HUMAN GEOGRAPHY: POPULATION AND MIGRATION

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

This course is an advanced social studies course that focuses on the movement of people and broad geopolitical changes. This course will rely heavily on current events to help students understand modern day migration patterns, the reasons for movement, and the challenges that arise when people move from one place to another. Students will use case studies to investigate the ways in which migration has political, economic, and social effects on countries, and will learn both the positives and negatives associated with global migration. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

Ethics And Social Justice Courses

All students are required to take at least 0.5 credits in Ethics and Social Justice.

World Religions

Open to Grades 10-12

Credit: 0.5

In order to be a culturally competent global citizen, one must understand the motivations, traditions, and cultural forces that influence the globe, including religion. Though the United States is an increasingly secular state, other parts of the world are strongly influenced by their religious traditions, informing international relations, social values, and the global marketplace. This class will address the religious practices of the major world religions and the vast spectrum of beliefs within each that makes it difficult to generalize about them. To honor the living traditions that we are studying, we will not only examine but will also find ways to experience the Hindu Traditions and various Yogas, Buddhism and Meditation (or the interpretation of a Koan), Taoism and Tai Chi, Islam and Prayer, Christianity and Worship, Judaism and the study of the Torah, and native Aboriginal and American relationships to the Earth. In the midst of this quest, we will consider the way astrology, cults, New Age practices, and mindfulness function as derivatives of religious intent.

Introduction To Ethical Reasoning

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

Human society has always looked for answers to big questions: why am I here? What is my place in society? How should I behave toward others? What is the nature of good and evil? This course introduces students to tracts of moral and political philosophy from Aristotle to Nussbaum. Ethical reasoning is applied to an examination of contemporary issues such as bioengineering, human rights, social justice, our relationship to the natural world, and the obligations of citizenship. Students will be encouraged to use what they are learning as a framework to develop and support their own opinions on these topics.

Inequality In The United States

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

This course will introduce students to systems of social inequality in the United States. We will investigate the structural, interpersonal, and social dimensions of oppression. Course materials will explore the ways that sexism, heterosexism, and racism have developed over time as well as the ways they impact each of us every day. Students will develop language, tools, and skills to create positive social change.

Colonialism And The Caribbean

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

This course will explore the legacies of colonialism using Albert Memmi's framework from the book The Colonizer and the Colonized. Students will investigate the social, cultural, and economic impact of Colonialism on the present day with a specific focus on Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Students will develop an understanding of colonialism and its lasting impact on a nation politically and economically.

The Good Life

Open to Grades 11-12

Credit: 0.5

Aristotle called it eudaimonia, which is usually translated as well-being, flourishing, happiness, or fulfillment. What does it mean to live a good life? Do we all agree on what the good life is or should be? Do we need to? Philosophers, priests, economists, and sages in every generation have tried to answer the question, but overwhelmingly it has been answered by men. Do women have a different answer? We will draw upon several religious, philosophical, and folk traditions as we ask the question: what is a life worth living — today — for you? We will examine different models of the good life as we practice habits of reflection and action. We will combine personal reflection with group conversation as we will grapple with consequential thinkers and engage in a deep learning experience that prepares you for a concluding exercise in articulating your own vision of the good life.