Social Studies

We use an arts-integrated approach to social studies. This means that the students not only hear (and often reinact) stories from a certain time period, but they also replicate some style of artwork uniqe to that period. Some projects have students studying the “major” arts of painting, sculpture, and architecture, while others might incorporate the “minor” arts of ceramics, furniture, and other decorative objects. Classroom art projects are experiential, cultural, and historical.

Students keep social studies notebooks in which they practice sketching, taking notes, and organizing information. The K-4 utilizes the Story of the World series, while The History of Mankind is used as the spine for the 5/8 classes.

Sample projects

Illuminated Manuscripts
In the Middle Ages, monks served as scribes. They would hand write all their books, usually from the Bible. One of the most famous is The Book of Hours. In the classroom, the students created their own stories using feather quills, bottles of ink, and parchment for paper.

Carving a Greek temple
Students learned the three different types of columns used in Greek Architecture, then carved temples into pieces of dry wall.

DaVinci Ornithopters 
Students built DiVinci ornithopters based on sketches from DaVinci’s notebooks.

Bas Relief
Students carved bas relief out of clay based on Ghiberti’s Baptismal Doors in Florence.

Greek Theater Masks
Students learned about Greek theater, then created masks similar to those that would have been used in Greek comedies and tragedies.