Curriculum report: Portsmouth social studies program highlights field trips, grants and civic learning

At the March 26 meeting, the Portsmouth City School Board heard a monthly curriculum report focused on social studies from elementary coordinator Carla Jacabowski and secondary coordinator Chris Chalk.

Jacabowski and Chalk said the division emphasized visible learning, inquiry, literacy and historical thinking skills this year. They described professional development partnerships with the DBQ Project and other providers, grants that enabled field trips to Jamestown for all 13 elementary schools, and a collaboration with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and Colonial Williamsburg to bring primary-source experiences into classrooms.

The coordinators highlighted civic learning activities such as student mock elections, a visit from the city's registrar to teach voting history, Constitution Week classroom work and a planned district history bowl on April 3 at Manor High School. The report stressed hands-on learning strategies (archaeology cookie digs, infographics, station rotations) intended to deepen historical analysis and student engagement.

Board members thanked the coordinators and asked no substantive questions in the portion of the transcript captured; an invitation to the history bowl was extended to board members and the public.