HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES OVERVIEW

The Carroll School History and Social Studies Department addresses geography, economics, civics / government, world culture and current events. History is taught at Carroll with an emphasis on teaching students to become active learners developing analytical skills and learning specific content. Within the history class, students also learn about geography, economics, civics/government, and culture. Comprehension, study, and critical thinking skills are directly taught. In history classes and on all assignments, students are expected to use the systems, processes, and skills that they have learned and are learning in English / Language. As a skills-based, content-rich program, students learn skills for acquiring, processing, and expressing information and ideas. From hands-on projects and inquiry-based lessons to writing analytical essays, comprehension skills are emphasized.

The enhancement of the school's technology resources is ongoing. In history and social studies, students are taught how to use the Internet for research and to create slideshow presentations of history and social studies projects.

GOALS OF THE HISTORY & SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

• To help students to appreciate the richness of the human past and to make informed choices
• To teach comprehension strategies, critical thinking skills, and study skills
• To provide hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences and simulations that develop skills and reasoning abilities
• To provide curriculum experiences and content at an age-appropriate level, and to teach strategies and skills to achieve at that level
• To integrate with other subject areas where possible
• To teach technology as a tool to help students gather information and ideas, and to communicate
• To follow the Massachusetts Department of Education History & Social Sciences Curriculum Framework

William McNeill, an eminent world historian, has written that "the study of history... can make us both wise in our public choices and more richly human in our private lives." Studying history and social studies, students learn not only important stories of the human past, but also crucial comprehension and thinking skills that help them make informed choices in their lives.