History & World Cultures

The humanities curriculum takes a thematic approach to language arts and social studies. The program begins with fairy tales in the first grade and fables and legends in the second grade, presented orally by the class teacher. These are followed by stories of the Old Testament in third grade, Norse mythology in fourth grade, and the ancient cultures of India, Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Greece in fifth grade. Students also read excerpts from original texts and literature of or about the period.

By the end of eighth grade, the students have journeyed from the days of the Roman Empire through medieval history, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Age of Discovery, the American, French, and Industrial Revolutions, the World Wars, the economic upheavals of the 20th century, on into the present day. Studies include geography and histories of Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. Special emphasis is placed on the biographies of people who have altered the course of world history.