Curriculum Detail

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History

The history program helps our students better understand the relationship of the past to the world in which they live by introducing them to a variety of historical narratives. In our history classes, students consider how the larger social, political, and economic significance of historical events affected the lives of the people about whom they are learning. Our students deepen their skills of analysis, inquiry, and verbal and written expression by reading primary sources and scholarly works, by writing analytical and response papers, and by participating in frequent seminar-style discussions. By connecting the past to the present, our students grasp the commonality of experience between themselves and the history they are studying. The students are therefore better able to strengthen their capacity for understanding the views of others and for fostering greater compassion for each other and those they may encounter.

  • History 5

    The Grade 5 History course introduces students to the methods of historical study through an investigation of ancient world history and geography. Students begin to learn how to read a textbook, how to take class and reading notes, and how to prepare for in-class assessments. Students in Grade 5 History will learn about the civilization of Ancient India and the growth of Hinduism and Buddhism and the civilization of Ancient China, its founding dynasties, and the development of Confucianism and Taoism. Students will also investigate the history and culture of the important trade regions in East and West Africa and will learn the history of South Africa through the twentieth century. In addition to the textbook, students will read primary and secondary sources. Frequent engagement with these sources enables the students to become discerning and thoughtful readers. Students will also use art, architecture, and literature to help them deepen their understanding of the civilizations being studied. Over the course of the year, students will have the opportunity to conduct independent research. Grade 5 History enables students to think about how the past informs the world in which they live. Students will think about how historical actors responded to the events they experienced and consider how those experiences might mirror events in their own lives. Grade 5 History provides students with the tools to think, write, and speak with confidence, accuracy, and compassion.

    5 periods per cycle

  • History 6

    Civics and Democracy
    The 6th grade history course is an exploration of civics and democracy. Students study the direct democracy of the ancient Athenians, as well as the representative democracies of the Roman Republic and the United States. Throughout the year, students consider the meaning of and power of citizenship and compare and contrast what citizenship looked like in different civilizations and in different eras. They examine who held power in each democratic society, how individuals made decisions, and the role that freedom of speech and civic duty played in each government. The course emphasizes skill-building to help students grow as historians, and students learn to read and annotate historical texts, outline and write analytical essays, engage in thoughtful and respectful debate, and conduct and organize research. 


    5 periods per cycle

  • History 7

    Seventh grade history focuses on the history of the Americas from the pre-Columbian era to the Civil War. Students will learn about America’s pre-contact indigenous populations and then learn about the effects
of contact. The course will also focus on the history of the Native Americans before the arrival of the colonists. The course will continue with a study of the colonial period, the American Revolution, the Constitution and the development of the American political system. The course will end with a study of the Civil War. In addition to working with a textbook, students will develop skills in essay writing and analytical thinking through the study and discussion of primary documents, political cartoons, images of America in paintings and photographs, documentary films, and other media. Students will visit sites relevant to the history they are studying during a grade trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Students will be encouraged to draw connections between the past and the present through the examination of current events.

    5 periods per cycle

  • History 8

    This course continues the study of American History that started in the seventh grade course. Students study the history of the United States from Reconstruction to the twentieth century. Students investigate the political, social, and economic developments that took place from the mid-nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. The course also explores the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction on race relations in the United States; students will connect that history to the Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century. Students will conduct independent research on a topic of their choosing. In addition to working with a textbook, students will develop skills in essay writing and analytical thinking through the study and discussion of primary documents, political cartoons, images of America in paintings and photographs, documentary films, and other media. Students will visit sites related to the history they are studying during a grade trip to Washington, D.C.

    5 periods per cycle
139 West 91st Street | New York, NY 10024-1326 | (212) 873-1650
Located on the Upper West Side of New York City, Trinity School is a college preparatory, coeducational independent school for grades K-12. Since 1709, Trinity has provided a world-class education to its students with rigorous academics and outstanding programs in athletics, the arts, peer leadership, and global travel.