Social Studies

Upper Elementary social studies include geography, culture, history, and civics. Topics are integrated with language arts, science, math, and art, and connected to our local environment and community. Students study the history of our place with a critical eye, seeking out different perspectives and looking for patterns in cultural themes, past and present. Collaborative projects allow students to immerse themselves in different historical time periods and geographic regions. Student interests drive the creation of projects which have included crafting indigenous tools from natural resources procured from our campus, tapping sugar maples, and log cabin quilt making.

Students study current events by reading and interacting with a weekly Scholastic News magazine and exploring local issues and topics. Throughout the year students take on the role of active citizens as they participate in community decision making, including consensus building and democratic voting, creating classroom expectations, committing to classroom jobs, and taking part in community meetings to address concerns and issues, and celebrating successes.  

Social studies themes and topics follow a three-year cycle. This year upper elementary students are exploring New England and New Hampshire history from the recession of the last glaciers 10,000 years ago up through the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. Students study the early cultural and geographic history of our region focusing on indigenous peoples, the early European settlers and colonial culture, the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. With this historical foundation, students then study present-day New Hampshire, focusing on its geography, culture, economy, and government systems.