Social Studies Department
In flight, location is everything. To understand your place in the world you first need to understand the forces that have shaped your world.
Farnsworth students realize how small our blue planet actually is and learn how we rely on each other to thrive on it. An ability to think historically and geographically is critical for any student planning on a rigorous academic career. Our Social Studies department explores the issues of culture and place in both present and past.
Our Social Studies Department implements a strong standards based curriculum including:
- American History
- Minnesota History
- World Geography
- Additional instruction
- History Day Competition
- Youth in Government
Course Descriptions
Minnesota Studies
MN Studies features history as the lead discipline but the focus includes geographic, economic and civic understandings. Students study Minnesota history and its government, placing the state and its people within the context of the national story. They engage in historical inquiry and study events, issues and individuals significant to Minnesota history, beginning with the early indigenous people of the upper Mississippi River region to the present day. They examine the relationship between levels of government, and how the concept of sovereignty affects the exercise of treaty rights. They analyze how the state’s physical features and location of resources affected settlement patterns and the growth of cities. Drawing on their knowledge of economics, students analyze the influence of a market-based economy at the local and national levels. They learn about the unique role Minnesota played, and continues to play, in regional, national and global politics.
Standards Addressed
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (2010), Minnesota K-12 Revised Academic Standards for Social Studies (2011)
Adopted Text
- Northern Lights
Download the MNHS app from School Service to access the text.
Student username: 625 Student password: loon
7th Grade American Studies
Grade seven features history as the lead discipline with a strong secondary emphasis on citizenship and government. Students learn about people, issues and events of significance to this nation’s history from 1800 to the current era of globalization. They examine the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court decisions for their lasting impact on the American people, economy and governance structure. They focus on what democracy means under the Constitution.They examine United States history through the lens of systems of power, democracy and the constant advocacy for those outside the systems of power to enjoy democracy. All students participate in History Day for their research project.
Standards Addressed
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (2010), Minnesota K-12 Revised Academic Standards for Social Studies (2011)
Adopted Texts
- America: History of our Nation
- A Different Mirror for Young People by Ronald Takaki
- A Young People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
- Race in America Series (Abdo)