"We prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be."

Curriculum Detail

Faculty

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History

  • History 5

    Ancient History: Fifth Grade Ancient History asks why river valleys were important in creating the first complex societies. Students examine what ancient people believed about their relationship with the natural world, how people organized themselves, who held power, and who did not. Case studies may include Sumer, Egypt, China, India, and Greece. Students gather, categorize, and analyze information about these societies’ trade, government, social classes, shared beliefs, and monumental architecture. They make maps and practice reading, research, and note-taking skills, and write paragraphs. Students also think imaginatively about the past as they create storyboards, perform skits, and turn their classroom into an Egyptian tomb. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to develop analytical thinking skills by making inferences from written sources, artifacts, and art.

  • History 6

    Ancient and Medieval History: History 6 focuses on the great developments in ancient and medieval world history including the rise and fall of empires; the development of major religions and philosophies; and the impact of trade and interactions across different regions of the world in the development of sophisticated societies and cultures. Through class discussion and written assignments, students become adept at learning history with the aid of a textbook. They practice interpreting questions, locating relevant information, and making connections between indirectly related ideas.Critical skill development in researching, note-taking, reading carefully and closely, and selecting appropriate evidence to support an argument culminates in the Medieval research project.

  • History 7

    U.S. History: Grade 7 U.S. History examines the foundations of our country from the colonial era through the the post-Civil War period. The course focuses on political, social, and economic history. Students are asked to think critically and imaginatively about the past as they develop analytical and interpretative skills through examination of primary and secondary sources. They write historical fiction, engage in debates, continue to hone their analytical reading skills, and create maps relevant to the time period. Students conduct their research using a variety of print and online primary and secondary sources, develop their note-taking skills, and create citations to produce an analytical research paper. Throughout the course, students evaluate how well first generation Americans upheld their ideals of freedom, equality, representation, opportunity, and faithfulness to their founding documents.

  • History 8

    The United States in the 20th Century: A Global Perspective: Eighth graders will examine the role of the United States on the global stage from the start of the 20th century until the present day. Students will explore what challenges the U.S. has faced and how successful it has been in achieving its founders’ goals of democracy, liberty, equality, rights, and opportunity. The course will take a thematic approach to understanding the forces that have shaped U.S. history in the 20th century. Topics may include immigration and social reform, the emergence and role of the U.S. as a global power, African-Americans’ struggle for civil rights, and the opportunities and challenges of globalization. Within these larger themes, students will examine selected historical events in detail and from multiple perspectives, including those of both leaders and ordinary citizens. Case studies will be an integral aspect of the course, and are designed to give students ample opportunities to compare and contrast the U.S. experience with other areas of the world. Throughout the course, geography of both the U.S. and the world will be emphasized, so that students see the importance of location, resources, and the interaction of people. Students will be asked to analyze primary sources, read and make maps, use both written and visual primary sources, write analytical essays and historical fiction, do a service learning activity, and complete a research project. Students should see their roles as future citizens in shaping their country’s future.
Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer.
FRIENDS SEMINARY
222 East 16th Street
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-979-5030
F: 212.979.5034
Friends Seminary — the oldest continuously operated, coeducational school in NYC — serves college-bound day students in Kindergarten-Grade 12.