Social Studies
Lower School
Social studies at AVS integrates multiple fields of social science–including history, government, economics, sociology, geography, and anthropology–into a cohesive learning experience. Through integrated thematic lessons, students are exposed to all aspects of human society, highlighting the interconnectedness of social relationships. The curriculum encourages students to explore the geographic and historical connections between past and modern times, from the Big Bang Theory to envisioning future societies based on current developments. Starting in first grade, students engage in debates, research, analysis, perspective-taking, understanding cause and effect, and practicing citizenship. These skills are developed within the following domains, which become progressively more complex as students advance through the grades:
Experiential learning, including field trips and service learning projects, is an integral part of our social studies curriculum. Students visit culturally significant sites in San Francisco, such as Angel Island, to deepen their understanding of history and culture. Service learning opportunities foster civic responsibility and empower students to create positive change aligned with their learning goals. For instance, second graders support a local dog shelter as part of a multidisciplinary unit. Additionally, students participate in neighborhood cleanups and collection drives, taking initiative and persevering to bring their visions to life during these projects. Partnerships with local, national, and even global organizations provide meaningful opportunities for students to recognize their potential to contribute and make a difference in the world.
Middle School
At Alta Vista, our middle school social studies courses take an integrated, thematic approach, guided by the C3 standards, which emphasize the development of critical thinking, inquiry, and analytical skills. Each course is designed not only to build the essential skills students need to become successful learners but also to offer diverse perspectives on human history through student-centered, project-based strategies.
Our curriculum explores the many aspects of our society, ranging from ancient civilizations to contemporary American and world history. In sixth grade, students focus on world cultures, the origins and development of civilization, and current events, making connections between the past and present. Seventh-grade students delve into American history through various lenses, deepening their existing knowledge and broadening their understanding of our country's complex history. By eighth grade, students explore specific conceptual dynamics, including the functioning and formation of cities, major earth and civilization changes, and the intersection of human and natural forces that have shaped history.
Courses Include
- Creative History
-Our focus on cultures from the dawn of humanity to the medieval world will guide our understanding of the different ways that people have forged meaning in their lives. We will learn to analyze our ancestors’ cultural and societal structures and interpret the artifacts and traces they left behind. Students will apply these analytical skills to understanding current events, and learning how to be engaged global citizens. Throughout the course, students will practice persuasive writing, create engineering projects, and interpret the content through art.
- American History Through Film
- In this course, we will examine American history through the lens of movies. Students will learn to identify historical accuracies and inaccuracies, understanding how filmmakers balance creative expression with factual representation. We will analyze how films have been used as tools of propaganda and how they reflect the cultural and social attitudes of their time. Join us as we delve into the past, uncovering the powerful role of media in shaping our understanding of history and current events!
- This Is Fine: A Study in Catastrophe - How do you learn to love a life that breaks your heart? To honor a country that shames you? To admire someone who did horrible things? This class will examine how we face the painful aspects of the world we live in; not to fix them, change them, or erase them, but to sit with and take in the complicated, messy truth, and consider what that truth asks of us.
Exploring the Cave - Art is an expression, not a message; an invitation to understanding, not a transmission to be decoded. To understand requires connection, context, and immersion, which is always rooted in personal, concrete experience. This class will take students through human history, from the artifacts of our earliest ancestors to the cultures and counter-cultures of modernity, by involving them in a personal process of creating in the spirit and methods of their ancestors.
- Life Matters
-Social Studies and Science are teaming up for the Life Matters course, which focuses on making a difference in our community. The Social Studies portion of the course is structured around the concept of the city in American history. We will focus on the city as both the site of significant human challenges and the place where these problems can most fruitfully be addressed. We will learn about how the Industrial Revolution changed cities, and how the 21st century has seen the rise of sustainable cities. Throughout, we will be coordinating with Mr. Stricklin’s science section to be solutions-focused, to volunteer with nonprofits throughout SF, and to design and implement our own service projects.