Who am I? Who are we? Who do we want to become? In this class, we will learn about the elements of culture by studying societies within the United States, across the globe, and in the fictional future. We will first look at ourselves and our own identities and then explore the perspectives and experiences of others. How are people’s identities influenced and challenged by societal norms, friendship, religion, war, and government? How can we be upstanders and agents of change? 

Students examine the craft of writers and the habits of readers as they continue to grow their own writing and reading lives. They practice applying research skills in search of answers to their own guiding questions. They experience a wide variety of innovative projects that encourage creative problem solving and often use cutting edge applications that allow them to demonstrate understanding in new and exciting ways. Humanities provides a collaborative, challenging, and dynamic introduction to a Beaver education.

Course Texts: The Insiders  Mark Oshiro; A Thousand Questions  Saadia Faruqi; Pashmina  Nidhi Chanani; Refugee  Alan Gratz; March: Book One; John Lewis and The Boy at the End of the World  Greg Van Eekhout