History Through the Classics
History through the Classics teaches students not just to learn history, but to do history.
In History through the Classics, students go beyond names and dates to learn how historians think: analyzing original sources, asking questions, weighing evidence, and forming conclusions. They don’t just absorb and recite historical facts—they learn how history is built. This approach helps students become independent learners who can understand the past, think critically about the present, and apply those lessons to the future.
Our Approach
We believe students learn best when they actively engage with the material. That’s why our classes focus on “doing history,” not just reading about it. Students work directly with original sources—letters, speeches, art, literature, and more—and learn how to interpret them. Through interactive, hands-on activities like discussions, role-playing exercises, simulations, and presentations, our students gain the following:
Knowledge
Students gain a clear understanding of the “big picture” of history, including major events, people, and ideas. They learn to see connections across time, helping them place events into context and make sense of both the past and the world today.
Historical Skills
Students learn how to analyze sources, understand context, compare perspectives, and write clearly about history. These skills train them to think carefully and engage with information, not just memorize it.
Civic Skills
Students develop practical skills like communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and organization—skills they will use in school, work, and real life.
Dispositions & Virtues
Through the study of history, students encounter examples of courage, leadership, and integrity. They are encouraged to reflect on their own choices and grow in responsibility, respect, and sound judgment.
Tier One History
Designed for students in grades 7-9
Tier One history courses introduce students to the full scope of world history, starting with the dawn of civilization and ending in the mid-twentieth century. Each year, students move through the entire historical timeline, building a clear framework of how events connect across time.
In these courses, students develop core historical-thinking skills. Students learn how to analyze original sources, understand context, compare perspectives, and communicate their ideas clearly—skills that prepare them for more advanced coursework, including our Tier 2 thematic history courses.
Tier One has two years of rotating content. Both years are complementary but not sequential, meaning students will have a positive, high-quality experience regardless of the order in which they take the courses. Each course highlights different forces that shape history—either economic and technological change, or culture and ideas—while reinforcing essential knowledge and skills.
World History: Culture & Worldviews (2026-2027)
The Tier One course for the 2026-27 school year is World History: Culture & Worldviews. Among other exciting activities, students this year will:
- Analyze original sources like the Code of Hammurabi, the writings of Machiavelli, and the Mayflower Compact
- Study the works of historical thinkers like Aristotle, Confucius, and Kant
- Participate in hands-on activities like reader's theater performances of Shakespeare and a simulated 1787 Constitutional Convention
Students will need to purchase an illustrated history encyclopedia (information about which specific edition to buy TBA) and the Internet History Sourcebook (a free online resource for accessing original sources).
Tier Two History
Tier Two history courses, designed for students in grades 9-12, will be offered starting in the fall of the 2027-2028 school year.