At each grade level readings are taken from primary sources and from the great literature of or about the period under study. Higher-order thinking skills are developed throughout the Humanities program as students are asked to synthesize the concepts of history, the facts of history, and their application to current situations. A component of the integrated Humanities program is art history taught in both the 9th and 10th grades and ethics, taught in the 10th grade.

6th Grade - Sustaining Culture
Language Arts and Humanities instruction will focus on human development and natural systems in the Americas and Canada. In this class, students will explore the complex relationships that exist between human and natural systems in these geographic areas. Our objective will be to encourage intellectual and ethical growth through multi-cultural awareness and an understanding of the interelated elements that sustain culture.

7th Grade - Balance or Dominion
Expanding on the sixth grade curriculum, seventh grade students will explore the genetic, cultural, and environmental factors which influence human behavior. Through the study of cultural geography and anthropology, they will question man's responsibility to the whole as well as to self. The Life Science course will investigate environmental systems and discover the balance between living and nonliving forms.

8th Grade -This Is My Place
How did we get here? Who came before us? How do we influence where we live? These questions will launch us on a historic and literary quest for a deeper understanding of this dynamic region. Students will be asked to examine the concept of home, the physical environment of the Pacific Northwest, the forces of change upon traditional cultures, and cultural influences from the Pacific Rim. Change and stability, inherent to all cultural patterns, will also be examined in the studies of physical science and art history.

9th Grade - Prometheus: Bound or Unbound?
Students will explore the rich avenues of Western development from its Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian roots to its modern and post-modern heritage. Questions such as, "Has our humanism resulted in a desire for freedom or for control, democracy or authoritarianism, exploitation or conservancy?" will guide historic and literature investigation. In Biology, students will observe life forms more holistically and, in consequence, understand that life has an intrinsic connection to the environment and that humans have the foresight and intelligence to look beyond the immediate paradigm.

10th Grade - Seeing and Perceiving
The tenth grade curriculum introduces students to the non-Western world, specifically, China, Japan, Indian, Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The unifying theme, Seeing and Perceiving, draws the student into a dialogue about how differently a non-Western person and a Western person might look at and think about the world. In reading classical literature, studying art history and physics, it will become apparent that seeing and perceiving are culturally driven.

11th Grade - Freedom and Responsibility
Students will explore in-depth the dynamics of "Freedom and Responsibility" through United States history and literature. Concepts of independence and interdependence will unite the study of chemistry or physics, while initial planning for a senior project will extend these concepts beyond school walls to the students' interest and the greater community.

12th Grade - Systemic Wisdom
As a culmination of their integrated education at WSA, students will explore the concept of anima mundi - the "soul of the world". The study of contemporary world problems will be the forum in which to look for those things that "hold it all together", be they a product of natural wisdom, or of logical thought. Our goal in this theme is to help students embrace a larger unity that preserves human autonomy while transcending alienation.

6th Grade Humanities
The theme which integrates the sixth grade curriculum is Sustaining Culture. The language arts and history focus on human development and natural systems in the Americas including Canada, the United States, and Latin America. Literature, computer skills, some math and science, composition and research are integrated into the coursework. Students explore primary and secondary sources, write research papers, explore cultural and geographical understandings, and study the five elements of society: political, social, religious, economic and artistic/intellectual. The geography of the land and how it affects the culture, as well as how the culture affects the land, will be an integral part of these societal studies. The primary objective of this integrated course is to encourage intellectual and ethical growth through multicultural awareness thereby helping students relate what they study to their own situations.

7th Grade Humanities
The uniting theme for this study is Balance or Dominion. The sixth and seventh grade humanities course develops the concepts and terminology used in cultural geography and anthropology to further elaborate on the five elements of society. Native American culture in the Pacific Northwest provides an experiential laboratory for anthropological and geographical studies. Readings, scientific understandings, mathematical data and artistic expressions are used to discern the motivations for human behavior. Making critical judgments about literature, engaging in problem-solving activities, and synthesizing information are the processes by which students derive an understanding of how and why humans behave and think the way they do. Language skills are emphasized, including writing in various models, public speaking, spelling, vocabulary building, grammar, and analytical reading. The ultimate goal is to create an understanding of each individual's responsibility to the whole as well as to self.

8th Grade Humanities
History isn’t just someone else’s story, it’s ours. In the study of the Pacific Northwest, students explore this place we each call home. When we understand that we are a part of this region’s history, our stories become woven into the fabric that textures our sense of place in colorful and diverse ways. The history of Washington State and the Northwest in relationship to the Pacific Rim is a dynamic force that affects who we are today. By hearing, reading, and experiencing the stories of those who came before us, we can understand ourselves and our place more completely. Balanced with the larger historic events of the Northwest, we will uncover some of the lesser known stories to help us gain a more holistic perspective, thus providing a compelling picture of this diverse and beautiful place. Research techniques, Internet access, writing in various modes, vocabulary building, grammatical usage, spelling, and analytical reading are built into the frame of individual research topics. Literature and activities are selected to give students an experiential exposure to the area in which they live.

9th Grade Humanities
The ninth grade curriculum explores the roots of Western culture. Focusing on a theme of Prometheus- Bound? Or Unbound?, students explore the rich avenues of Western development. Thought provoking questions direct students' work, such as: Have science and technology freed Western culture from the chains of ignorance and superstition and, if so, at what cost? Is mathematics the foundation upon which Western Civilization has revolutionized the world and with what consequence? Has our humanism resulted in a desire for freedom or for control, democracy or authoritarianism, exploitation or conservation? Emphasis is placed upon experiential learning and philosophical musing.

The Humanities course leans heavily toward art history in a framework of chronological units. Emphasis is placed upon reading great works of literature from classical times to present. Students hone their abilities to read, speak, listen and write, while completing individual projects. Composition, creative writing, poetry, and research writing are exercises that prepare students for mechanical and conceptual fluency in writing. Meaningful connections throughout the broad scope of Western history are maintained by a constant focus on the theme, Prometheus - Bound? Or Unbound?, enabling the students to make critical judgments about the human experience. Throughout this study students are exposed to the unceasing dynamic interplay between order and change, authority and rebellion, control and freedom, tradition and innovation, and structure and revolution.

Western Art History
Ninth grade students take a one semester course in Western Art History to compliment their Humanities studies in western civilization, while tenth graders investigate the history of eastern art as they study the cultures of the nonwestern world.

We study the history of art because it gives us a mirror of humanity. The aspirations, accomplishments and agonies of man through time are documented in his artistic products. These products speak of culture and the significant perspective of the day, they document religion and politics, they offer a window into the collective psyche of a people and in the end, provide a more complete context for the investigation of man and his developing relationship with his world.

10th Grade Humanities
The tenth grade curriculum introduces students to the nonwestern world, specifically, China, Japan, India, Russia, Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The unifying theme, Seeing and Perceiving, draws the student into a dialogue about how differently a nonwestern person and a Western person might look at and think about the world. Central to understanding how nonwestern people see and perceive the world as an examination of religious expressions of reality, for example, in Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zen, and Animism. Also, by integrating art history and physics into the history and language arts studies of nonwestern cultures, it becomes apparent that seeing and perceiving is culturally driven. In condensed units of study students read classical literature from Japan, China, India, Middle East and Africa, research selected topics. Research techniques, Internet access, writing in various modes, vocabulary building, grammatical usage, spelling, and analytical reading are skills that are re-enforced through individual research topics and hands-on activities.

10th Grade Ethics
Ethics is the study of the relationship of values and behaviors to the agreements of belonging intersecting our lives, e.g. constitutions, codes, contracts, promises. They construct their own agreement of belonging to the class. They develop their own rules for argument. We explore critical questions: Who am I? What does it mean? What is truth? What is love? How do I make decisions? How can conflict be creative? What constitutes an excellent life. How can we honor the right of the individual and the demands of society? Students debate current ethical issues in light of philosophy, religion, social policy, and ethical theory. Students interview professional people regarding their theory of practice in light of the their professional code of ethics. The techniques of interviewing, debating, academic research, designing art projects, and making formal presentations deepen the quality of ethical reflection.

11th/12th Grade Humanities
The course description for 11th/12th grade Humanities will be available in September, 2002.