Social Studies

Social Studies at CSS is a seven-year course sequence that prepares students for civic participation in our globalized, democratic society. Through the development of critical literacy skills, our courses provide students with opportunities to explore issues of human identity by drawing connections between ourselves and our pasts. We examine anthropological, sociological, economic, political, and geographical concepts through the analysis of both modern and historical perspectives. We serve to open dialogue among our students about whose stories are being told throughout history and what implications this has for communities whose experiences have been excluded or underrepresented in traditional narratives. It is through these dialogues that we facilitate the emergence of, and appreciation for, diverse perspectives. By the end of our course sequence, our students will leave CSS with the ability to interpret the ideas, intended audiences, and biases of complex texts as well as the ability to express ideas through fluent writing and verbal expression. This, in turn, provides them the skills and perspectives needed to serve as agents of social action in our pluralistic society.