Arizona History Studies at Maricopa Christian Academy

Arizona historian Jim Turner once wrote:

“Almost everyone in the world knows something about Arizona, and some of it is true.”

This year, we are excited to introduce a course in Arizona history for our sixth-grade students. The course will be based on the textbook The Arizona Story, published by the Arizona Historical Society.

While a history textbook may not sound especially exciting, there is much more to this course.

First, our elementary students will begin visiting Casa Grande Ruins National Monument this year and every four years thereafter. During this field trip, students will see firsthand the artifacts and layout of the ancient people who once lived in this area. They will also enjoy a guided tour that adds valuable insight to the information presented in the monument’s introductory 30-minute film.

Students will also use resources from our school library to learn about Arizona’s native birds, mammals, and plants. They will identify important facts about each and reinforce their learning through illustrations and an Arizona-themed coloring book.

In addition, students will develop practical geography skills by learning to read maps and use map information to solve problems.

Our study of Arizona history will focus on the state’s earliest inhabitants, the Spanish explorers, the periods of Mexican and United States control, Arizona’s road to becoming a territory, and its eventual journey to statehood.

Arizona is a beautiful land with a rich and colorful history that is well worth studying. We believe this course will provide our students with an excellent introduction to the people, places, and events that have shaped our great state