Course Foundations - World Studies
What is History?
Many come to history classes with the idea that history is a relatively static discipline, populated by names, dates, places, and events. The conception is that if a student "learns" all of these things, he or she can become competent in the discipline of history. This conception of history is often reinforced by history being taught as an established story.
While it's true that having a handle on details such as names and dates is an important part of the study of history, they only serve as a foundation for the work of the discipline of history. In this class we will use what we learn to think critically and analyze what we know and how we know what we know (whew!).
While it's true that having a handle on details such as names and dates is an important part of the study of history, they only serve as a foundation for the work of the discipline of history. In this class we will use what we learn to think critically and analyze what we know and how we know what we know (whew!).
How do we make sense of the past?
The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework, published by the National Council for the Social Studies, contains four dimensions to ensure that students are not only able to acquire knowledge, but apply what they have learned as well. The skills that we develop and use in this class are designed to prepare students for more rigorous study here at Mountain View and beyond.