History and Citizenship at The Academy

"Study the past if you would define the future." - Confucius

At The Academy, our History and Citizenship curriculum for Years 7 to 10 explores the story of human ingenuity through science and technology. The curriculum focuses on historical inquiry and civic responsibility. Designed for a STEM-focused school, the program helps students understand progress, ethics, and global impact.

Through interdisciplinary units, students act as historians, scientists, and ethical thinkers. They analyze primary sources, build working models of ancient machines, simulate public health crises, and debate the moral implications of wartime innovations. Our curriculum fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and a sense of agency by connecting historical events to contemporary challenges like climate science, digital privacy, and equitable access to technology.

Delivered in a project-based format, our History and Citizenship program integrates with The Academy's STEM focus. Lessons include classroom debates, hands-on reconstructions, coding simulations, and digital reconstructions. Ethical questions are at the heart of every unit. Students examine real-world issues such as the balance between innovation and inequality, or the responsibilities of scientists in society.

"Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition, and myth frame our response." - Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

Our program builds core historical thinking skills (constructing timelines, analyzing cause and effect, evaluating evidence) while integrating STEM competencies like data interpretation, systems thinking, and computational modeling. Projects are multidisciplinary, drawing on geography, science, and literacy. From Year 7's foundations in early tools and Greek science to Year 10's deep dives into nuclear ethics and climate activism, students progress from describing events to synthesizing arguments and leading independent research.

Assessment is authentic and varied, aligning with each unit's focus: research essays on steam engines' societal impact, biographies of pioneers like Marie Curie, debates on nuclear deterrence, visual infographics of navigation tools, models of Roman aqueducts, and coding projects simulating cryptography.

Delivered in a project-based format, our History and Citizenship program integrates with The Academy's STEM focus. Lessons include classroom debates, hands-on reconstructions, coding simulations, and digital reconstructions. Ethical questions are at the heart of every unit. Students examine real-world issues such as the balance between innovation and inequality, or the responsibilities of scientists in society.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead, American anthropologist

Year-by-Year Highlights:


Guiding Principles for Citizenship at The Academy:

"It is in justice that the ordering of society is centered." - Aristotle