Social Studies / History Curriculum
In kindergarten through second grade at HLA, students study social studies, which is a broad high-level study of geography, history, civics, economics, and government. The BJU Heritage Studies program is used in grade K-2. Beginning in third grade, students take a deep dive into history with a 4-year chronological view of world history. The Notgrass History program From Adam to Us, covers history from the beginning of the world until modern times.
BJU Press’s elementary heritage studies product line guides students in analyzing and evaluating historical events, world cultures, and primary sources from a biblical worldview. Engaging lessons and activities develop and strengthen 21st century skills through a variety of features, including graphic organizers, reinforcement pages, biographies, map skills, and study guides. Students relate social studies to other academic disciplines through cross-curricular links, background information, and interactive visuals in ways that help them learn how to make wise decisions about their world.
From Adam to Us by Ray and Charlene Notgrass is a world history course steeped in a strong Biblical worldview. The daily lessons are written in a narrative style and richly illustrated with color photographs and maps. Primary sources, literature, and hands-on activities help the student connect with the history in a personal way.
Learner-centered
The study of social studies and history is a fantastic way to build background knowledge in our students, thus bolstering overall reading comprehension. To that end, we love to make history come alive for our students, engaging them in hands-on experiences as they learn about the past and the modern era. It is not unusual to see our students building history pockets, learning how to buy/sell/barter, or engaging with their living history timeline as they participate in class. The Notgrass curriculum includes dynamic family unit projects so the families at home can also participate in the interactive fun!
Social Studies / History and Biblical Worldview Shaping
When studying history, it is miraculous to see the hand of God moving throughout the entire world, amongst all people groups, during all periods of time. As students study the omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence of God, conversations about who He is and who they are in Him abound in the classroom. While each grade level has a series of academic Anchor Standards for social studies and history, they also have Anchor Standards for Biblical Worldview Shaping which guide conversations and learning within these subjects.