Curriculum
Exploring Multicultural Perspectives
A Snapshot of Mounds Park Academy's Curriculum
The academic program at Mounds Park Academy incorporates multicultural and multiethnic teaching and learning throughout grades PreK-12. We believe that in order to provide our students with continuous opportunities to develop a better sense of self, the curriculum should reflect the cultural learning styles and characteristics of the students within and beyond the school community. In an effort to help students view and interpret events, situations, and conflict from diverse ethnic and cultural perspectives and points of view, the MPA faculty engages in a curriculum that promotes values, attitudes, and behaviors that support ethnic pluralism and cultural diversity.
Here is just a sample of our diverse exploration:
Lower School
- Different types of homes and families
- Holiday traditions from around the world
- Native American culture
- Hispanic American experience
- Asian Americans experience
- Foods from various cultures
- Jewish experience during WWII
- Civil Rights Movement
- Contributions of ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece
Middle School
- Differences between Europeans' and Native Americans' views on land and resources during Colonial times
- Religious differences in Old and New World and how these affected America's development
- 19th century America - emphasizing effects on various groups (Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Euro Americans)
- Geographic regions in Africa and those who live there
- Middle East Peace Conference dealing with modern-day issues
- Ancient and modern China
- Literature related to and research about learning disorders and socio-economic diversity
Upper School
- Issues of immigration (historical and modern) during the Progressive Era
- Women during the World War I era and the Twenties
- African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance of the Twenties
- Women emerging in World War II, retiring in the 50s, and reemerging in the 60s and 70s.
- Civil Rights Movement - African Americans' struggle for freedom and others who benefited from it (including Latinos, gays, Native Americans, women and the physically and mentally disabled)
- Constitutional law - issues of discrimination and the legal remedies that have emerged
- The effects of the word "black" as pejorative terminology in Macbeth
- In Men's Studies, African-American, Latino and gay masculine identities - Effects of socio-economics and privilege on masculine identity
- Euripedes' The Bacchae - looking at the relationships of Ancient Greek gynophobia, homophobia and xenophobia and their impact on modern Western culture
- Examining the world and its future from a variety of perspectives with topics including peace and war, international organizations, the developing world, poverty and hunger, terrorism, etc.
This is just a glimpse of the breadth of cultural inquiry at MPA. For more detailed information, please contact our Office of Admission, 651-748-5577. Our full scope and sequence are available for your review.
