One year, our Social Studies curriculum focuses on understanding historical research, Early Settlers and Explorers of the Americas, Colonial Life in North America, and The American Revolution. Throughout this year we take advantage of the wealth of resources and historical sites in the greater Boston area. Our goal is to bring to life the history of the 17th and 18th centuries and to give students a clearer understanding of how historians learn about the past. Developing an awareness of current events and their connection to our lives also plays an important role in our history curriculum.

Throughout our study of history, we ask the students to look at history from multiple perspectives, to gather evidence to support their ideas, and to engage in diverse types of reading and writing.

Historians
An integral part of our history curriculum is learning about diverse methods of historical research, including the study of archaeology and the collection of physical evidence, the use of primary and secondary sources, and the documentation of oral histories. Throughout the year, the fifth and sixth graders have opportunities to gather historical evidence utilizing each of these methods, and we discuss the advantages and shortcomings of each method. The students’ understanding of these tools is enhanced by field trips/classroom visits in which they participate in mock archaeological digs and an examination of primary source documents.

Colonial America
Our study of early colonial life includes learning about the first peoples of North America and understanding the diverse reasons that people came to the colonies, both voluntarily and involuntarily. We study about the first settlements, encounters between Europeans and Native Americans, the colonial economy, triangular trade and slavery, and daily life for different segments of colonial society. We focus in detail on life in the Jamestown Colony. As a part of this unit, students participate in many hands-on activities, from examining artifacts from the colonial period, to practicing some of the work that early colonists did. In December, the 5/6 classes host a Colonial Faire.

The American Revolution
As part of our study of Colonial America, we look closely at the relationship between the Colonists and the British Government. This leads into a study of the causes of the American Revolution. The class participates in a taxation simulation and holds a debate between Patriots and Loyalists. Through these activities, the fifth and sixth graders gain a broader understanding of different forms of political organizing in which the colonists engaged and the importance of building alliances to gain strength. The roles that African-Americans, Native Americans, and women played in the Revolutionary War are key elements of this unit.

Current Events
During the year, students are asked to look for articles in the news to bring in to share with the class. The focus is on understanding the details of the events and articulating these to the class, as well as explaining the connection between events in the news and the students’ own lives.

On alternate years, our Social Studies Curriculum focuses on topics within the study of Africa. We emphasize to students that Africa is an enormous – and enormously diverse - continent, and that we only have time to study selected topics of the vast history, literature and politics of the continent. Throughout the year, students engage in activities that invite them to examine the lenses that they bring when studying another culture, so that they can better understand how their own background shapes their understanding of other cultures. The performing and visual arts are very important elements of this Social Studies Curriculum. It is our hope this year to connect the fifth and sixth graders with classrooms in South Africa so that students will experience a deeper connection with the curriculum.

Geography
To give the students an understanding of the scope of this continent, we begin by studying its political and physical geography. Throughout the curriculum, they use this knowledge of geography as a reference point. Students learn about the enormous diversity of the continent and study how the climate has affected lives of people in diverse regions. At the end of this unit the students work together to create three-dimensional maps of Africa.

Folktales
Our second unit of this year focuses on elements of folktales and the purpose that traditional storytelling serves in different cultures. Students gather and perform oral histories from their own lives. This unit culminates in a theater project sharing folktales from Western and Southern Africa.

Ancient West Africa
Next we study the Ancient Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhay. We focus on the culture, the economic systems and natural resources that allowed these kingdoms to thrive, along with theories as to the reasons for their demise.

Human Rights at Home/ Human Rights in South Africa
To prepare the students to learn about Human Rights in South Africa, we first study about Human Rights at home. Our work in this unit centers on the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as students become familiar with the articles of the document. They participate in a very lively mock trial focused on the Right to Education in the United States. They then study Human Rights issues in the Boston area, focusing on topics of interest to them.

Our final unit will focus on South Africa. We will study Apartheid and the anti-Apartheid movement as seen through the eyes of young South Africans from many different walks of life. The fifth and sixth graders will engage in simulations to help them understand the human cost of Apartheid. They will make comparisons between the history of the United States and that of South Africa. This study will include an integrated literature unit with books focusing on South Africa, a study of films about South Africa, and art projects based on art work from this country. For our final writing project of the year, students will select a topic within the broad study on Africa for in-depth research and will write a feature article.