Social Studies Curriculum

Curriculum Progression (Expanding Horizons Model)

The curriculum design follows child psychological development, beginning with the student's immediate surroundings and expanding progressively outward to the global sphere year by year.

1. Grade 1: Family, School, and Community
2. Core Concepts: Understanding individual roles within family and school communities, establishing basic rules, and grasping foundational civic responsibilities (e.g., "Why do we need to line up?").
3. CCSS Integration: Learning to identify basic facts and details within texts through the reading of picture books and Informational Texts.
4. Grade 2: Local Community and Geography
5. Core Concepts: Recognizing diverse occupations and the value of labor within the community (e.g., firefighters, shopkeepers, mayors), basic map reading (cardinal directions, legends), and understanding the community's past and present.
6. CCSS Integration: Learning to ask and answer "who, what, where, when, and why" questions based on informational texts.
7. Grade 3: Diverse Communities and Cities
8. Core Concepts: Comparing culturally diverse communities, recognizing basic economic concepts (supply and demand, producers and consumers), and understanding the foundational operations of local government.
9. CCSS Integration: Beginning to conduct preliminary thematic research utilizing digital tools and library resources, and drafting simple paragraphs to document research findings.
10. Grade 4: State History and Regions
11. Core Concepts: Delving into the history of a specific state or region (e.g., Indigenous history, early pioneers) and exploring how geographic features influence local economies and population distribution.
12. CCSS Integration: Learning to differentiate between primary sources (e.g., historical photographs, diaries) and secondary sources, while practicing drafting short, evidence-supported informative essays.
13. Grade 5: U.S. History: Foundations to the Constitution
14. Core Concepts: Exploring the eras from Indigenous North American cultures and European colonization to the Revolutionary War, culminating in the establishment of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This is a critical period for instilling an understanding of democratic rule of law and classical political foundations (Boya philosophy).
15. CCSS Integration: Analyzing documents from multiple sources, understanding the differing perspectives and stances of historical figures, and writing fully structured argumentative essays to defend specific historical viewpoints.
16. Grade 6: World History and Global Connections
17. Core Concepts: Exploring the profound impact of ancient civilizations (e.g., Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, Rome) on modern society, and understanding trade, cultural exchange, and civic responsibility in an era of contemporary globalization.
18. Practical Application: The depth of disciplinary knowledge at this stage serves as the optimal cornerstone, perfectly bridging into the students' upcoming 10-week overseas field explorations and cross-national study projects.

Curriculum Core Competency Indicators (Aligned with CCSS ELA/Literacy for History/Social Studies)

Across all the aforementioned themes, students will continuously hone the following three competencies:

1. Document Reading and Critical Thinking: Going beyond textbooks to read historical letters, news reports, and data charts. Students learn to critically evaluate the author's purpose and the reliability of the source material.
2. Evidence-Based Writing: Whether narrating historical events or commenting on contemporary social issues, students are required to extract concrete evidence from their research materials to substantiate their arguments.
3. Digital and AI Media Literacy: In the upper grades, students learn to seamlessly collaborate with digital tools and AI for data curation and synthesis, while concurrently developing the critical thinking skills necessary to identify and dismantle online misinformation.