In CAS overall, we pursue a series of Guiding Questions or Essential Questions (EQ's) throughout the four years. That is, certain open-ended, exploratory questions guide the curriculum planning, class discussions, and writing through the four years. There are big EQ's for a year, then sub EQ's for different units, sections, etc. This is a way for us to also plan thematic reading and discussion across the curriculum, i.e. in collaboration with other teachers. The Essential Questions suggest the articulation, the spiral of insights and understandings a student follows in the four years in CAS. The EQ's should define a growing understanding and insight that builds on previous years. So here they are, roughly, for our program:

Freshmen: Who am I and how do I fit into our diverse society?

Sophomore: What is the nature of a just society?

Junior: What does it mean to be an American? What principles, hopes and ideals are included in "the American dream?" What does this dream promise, and to what extent have these promises been fulfilled? Has American history been a history of progress? How successful have marginalized groups been in their struggles to gain full membership in our society?

Senior: How is social change accomplished, what can I do to bring about social change for a more just society?

The 9^th grade is mostly about self and identity, though we also do work on diversity and our society. 10^th grade students are doing World Literature and World History - so they explore issues of society and approach a definition of just society. Both 9^th and 10^th graders have media integrated with their core classes. In 11^th grade they are doing US Literature and American History as well as advanced video. Here they look more closely at our own society. The class as a whole takes up a project or more than one project of community service/action. And in 12^th grade we do a social justice seminar, partly modeled on curriculum from Facing History and Ourselves but going more into theories of social change. They also choose an area they are interested in and do research on it, then enter a community service project second semester that allows them to work on this area. Volunteer projects are all focused on social service or social action.