Social Studies

Social Studies Department

We prepare students to live in our global world by developing their understanding of the past and its relationship to the issues we face today, and the demands of a rapidly evolving future. Boys explore how and why cultures flourish, especially when confronted with great adversity. In each grade, they embark on immersive experiential learning trips to practice the concepts, problem-solving opportunities, and interpersonal dispositions for them to be informed citizens and effective agents of change.

Mr. McCarter, Middle School Teacher

Global Citizenship creates an opportunity for students to explore the different dynamics that influence the modern world and also share their developing understandings of how they see our society.

Fifth Grade

Fifth grade Ancient Civilizations offers a rich, integrated curriculum that builds on earlier learning. The study of ancient civilizations begins with early humans and Mesopotamia and moves through Greece, Rome, India, China, northern Africa, and ancient Mexico. Using the GRAPES framework (Geography, Religion, Achievements, Politics, Economics, and Society), students explore and compare how civilizations developed and interacted with their environments. With an emphasis on storytelling, inquiry, and personal connection, students examine topics such as mythology, daily life, and leadership. They also build essential academic skills by developing their own research questions and presenting their findings to the class.

Sixth Grade

Sixth grade Social Studies introduces students to U.S. history from the colonial era through World War I. Major topics include the American Revolution, the Constitution, westward expansion, the Civil War, Reconstruction, immigration, and industrialization. Along the way, students build essential skills in historical thinking, critical reading, analytical writing, and civic understanding. The course emphasizes cause and effect, multiple perspectives, and how the events of the past continue to shape American identity and society today.

Seventh Grade

In World Geography, students develop an understanding of the world in which we live by exploring the physical and human characteristics of peoples, places, and environments. The design of this course focuses on themes such as geographical regions, resources, political and economic systems, population, and migration. Each theme begins with addressing basic concepts and skills, progressively advances to more complex topics within the theme, and culminates with age-appropriate case studies. Students examine the themes through a geographic lens and how this impacts daily lives and influences certain types of systems. Students are exposed to the geographer’s tool box, including geographic information systems, maps and data through graphs and charts, and the identification of countries, capitals, and major physical features of six continents.

Eighth Grade

Eighth grade Social Studies challenges students to explore the complex forces shaping the modern world. Through case studies and inquiry-driven units, students examine global conflicts, government systems, civil rights, and foreign policy. Key historical topics include: the Holocaust, the formation of the United Nations and NATO, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement. Students build research, writing, collaboration, and presentation skills through National History Day and a culminating Capstone Project. This course emphasizes critical thinking and helps students draw meaningful connections between past events and today’s global challenges.