Birchwood
School
World Class Education
in a Globally Diverse Environment
A private
elementary school serving grades K through 8
| 4400 West 140th
Street Cleveland, OH 44135 Office: 216.251.2321 Fax: 216.251.2787 |
Core Curriculum
> Social Studies Curriculum
Our social studies curriculum has four objectives. First, we help our
students develop a strong knowledge base in history, geography, and
cultural studies. This knowledge base helps create a love for the subject
and interest in continuing studies. We believe it is necessary for children
to memorize and comprehend important facts in order that they can use
this foundational information to think analytically and critically about
history and culture. In view of this objective, students are taught a wide
array of study skills they can utilize to master the content.
Second, we guide our students to learn how to think like a real historian.
They learn how to first determine the basic facts of an historical
happening by asking questions about where and when the event occurred
as well as the details of what happened. Then they must consider why the
event happened and what factors contributed to it, therefore analyzing its
cause and effect. We teach them to think about the context in which the
historical event unfolded. Students then learn to analyze the impact and
significance of the historical event, both in the short term and the long
term.
Third, we provide our students with extensive experience in research.
They learn how to collect data from general and specialized libraries and
use the various reference tools available. The students become adept at
using some of the excellent reference sites on the Internet. In addition,
they learn how to seek out primary sources from various archives.
Students are taught how to take notes, how to organize their notes, and
how to set up an outline from their notes. They learn how to think about
the data they have collected – organizing, analyzing, synthesizing, and
evaluating.
Finally, students learn how to display their research in a variety of forms –
papers, speeches, re-enactments, audio-visual productions. All seventh
and eighth grade students participate in the National History Day competition that gives in-depth experience in our social studies objectives.
At all grade levels, we try to make history come alive through debates,
simulations, field trips, or visiting speakers. Furthermore, our classes also
reach out to the world through service projects such as sending school
supplies to Uganda or writing letters to soldiers overseas.
Link to grade level syllabi:
Kindergarten
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
> Social Studies Curriculum
Our social studies curriculum has four objectives. First, we help our
students develop a strong knowledge base in history, geography, and
cultural studies. This knowledge base helps create a love for the subject
and interest in continuing studies. We believe it is necessary for children
to memorize and comprehend important facts in order that they can use
this foundational information to think analytically and critically about
history and culture. In view of this objective, students are taught a wide
array of study skills they can utilize to master the content.
Second, we guide our students to learn how to think like a real historian.
They learn how to first determine the basic facts of an historical
happening by asking questions about where and when the event occurred
as well as the details of what happened. Then they must consider why the
event happened and what factors contributed to it, therefore analyzing its
cause and effect. We teach them to think about the context in which the
historical event unfolded. Students then learn to analyze the impact and
significance of the historical event, both in the short term and the long
term.
Third, we provide our students with extensive experience in research.
They learn how to collect data from general and specialized libraries and
use the various reference tools available. The students become adept at
using some of the excellent reference sites on the Internet. In addition,
they learn how to seek out primary sources from various archives.
Students are taught how to take notes, how to organize their notes, and
how to set up an outline from their notes. They learn how to think about
the data they have collected – organizing, analyzing, synthesizing, and
evaluating.
Finally, students learn how to display their research in a variety of forms –
papers, speeches, re-enactments, audio-visual productions. All seventh
and eighth grade students participate in the National History Day competition that gives in-depth experience in our social studies objectives.
At all grade levels, we try to make history come alive through debates,
simulations, field trips, or visiting speakers. Furthermore, our classes also
reach out to the world through service projects such as sending school
supplies to Uganda or writing letters to soldiers overseas.
Link to grade level syllabi:
Kindergarten
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
| About Us
CCIS (Cleveland
Council of Independent Schools)
OAIS (Ohio
Association of Independent Schools) |
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2006-2012 Birchwood
School, All Rights Reserved |