Home Curriculum History & Social Studies
Park Day students are taught to evaluate different perspectives, exploring and analyzing a range of texts and sources in an effort to better understand history. By studying past and current events, students learn about community and societal structure, and how members of a democratic nation can educate themselves to be part of the conversation and make impactful change.
Voices of Change Biography Project
Students write a researched narrative about the history of a changemaker of their choosing from the 20th century. At the end of the project, we dress as our historical figure and create a video monologue or multi-media presentation to share with our families and class
Gold Rush Newspaper
Students delve into California history by exploring dominant and marginalized narratives of the Gold Rush. To immerse themselves in the mindset of the Gold Rush era, students work in groups to research, write, and create newspaper articles, editorials, cartoons, and advertisements. They highlight issues like immigration, wealth inequality, and environmental impact to produce a newspaper that reflects the diverse perspectives of the time.
Trial of Columbus
7th graders represent centuries-old clients in a mock trial of Columbus. Acting as public defenders for historical figures, whether Columbus, his men, Ferdinand & Isabella, the Taínos, or the System of Empire, students explore diverse perspectives and complex historical contexts, considering motivations, actions, and consequences from multiple angles. Students are challenged to engage deeply with historical narratives through the lenses of power, privilege, and voice.
In Lower School, teachers integrate community values and aspects of belonging into every part of the curriculum. Social Studies content includes an inclusive and honest look at history with a focus on identity, justice and developing future change makers, while being mindful of age appropriate stages of development. Educators teach grade-level skills and concepts including research, organizing written and oral thoughts, persuasive reasoning, critical thinking, presentation, and delivery.
In Middle School, independence, power and influence, critical analysis, interpretation of current events using previous moments in history, personal and structural bias and perspectives, geography and cartography, race as a force in America, and formation of government all come together in a spiraled curriuculum. Students dive even deeper in their understanding of how to select and use appropriate primary and secondary sources to back up opinions, and clarify perspectives and bias.
Because History and Social Studies bring together so many topics, including history, government, economics, civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology, students frequently participate in multi-week layered projects.