History

The History curriculum at Rock Point School offers students the opportunity not just to study important historical periods and events but to contemplate broader questions, such as “What is history? How can we learn to think about the past and present from multiple perspectives?  What is the purpose of being a student of history?” Students develop an increased appreciation and understanding of the importance of how developments in the past contribute to our current world and world views.

The study of history at Rock Point School is designed to further develop and deepen students’ educational and learning skills, with a focus on the transferable skills of planning, communication, Critical Thinking, and ethical behavior.  Within the curriculum, we explicitly teach skills, including reading, note-taking, writing, test-taking, and critical-thinking skills. We also help students learn how to identify questions that interest them and to become quality researchers.

Specific Skills that students learn in our four-year history curriculum include:

• Reading comprehension, including strategies for close reading and analysis
• Thinking critically
• Paragraph-level writing, Essay-Writing, and Research-based writing
• Effective note-taking and summarizing skills
• Analysis of historical events
• Recognizing and understanding various points of view on subjects
• Communicating ideas orally and participating in group discussions
• Creating, planning, and completing individual and group projects
• Identifying multiple themes in history and how they interact
• Basic research skills, including using and understanding online databases, and analyzing the reliability of information sources
• Effective test-preparation and test-taking skills

Our history courses include: World History 1 & 2, U.S. History 1, and U.S. History 2.