High School Cultural Studies Homeschool Curriculum
Most high school cultural studies is superficial diversity. Ours develops anthropological thinking: the ability to understand cultural systems, see your own culture clearly, and navigate a multicultural world.
About high school learners
High school cultural studies develops sophisticated analytical abilities. Students learn to analyze cultural systems, understand power and representation, and navigate increasingly complex cultural landscapes. Essential preparation for our multicultural, interconnected world.
- Ready for sophisticated analysis
- Encountering cultural complexity directly
- Forming adult identity
- Preparing for diverse environments
Learning objectives
- Apply cultural analysis frameworks
- Understand cultural theory basics
- Analyze representation and power
- Navigate intercultural situations skillfully
- Prepare for cultural studies or anthropology
Before and after high school cultural studies
Before starting:
- Cultural curiosity
- Reading and writing skills
- Analytical thinking
- Perspective-taking ability
Previous grade in this subject: 9th grade cultural studies
Sample high school cultural studies assignment
Student interest: cultural analysis
Analyze an aspect of your own culture as an anthropologist would. List behaviors you engage in without thinking, note what an outsider would find strange, and explain what this reveals about underlying values.
What good work shows: Student sees their own culture clearly, often for the first time. Develops anthropological thinking that applies to any cultural analysis.
Sample projects and deliverables
Ethnographic Research
Good fit for: anthropology and fieldwork
Conduct ethnographic research on a cultural group or practice. Systematic observation, interviewing, and analysis. Real anthropological method.
Skills used: Ethnography, Participant observation, Cultural analysis, Research ethics
Deliverable: Ethnographic report + field notes + analysis + ethical reflection
Media Analysis
Good fit for: media and representation
Analyze cultural representation in media systematically. Identify who is represented and how, name the messages being conveyed, and apply cultural theory.
Skills used: Media analysis, Representation, Cultural theory, Critical analysis
Deliverable: Media analysis + theoretical framework + presentation
Cross-Cultural Navigation
Good fit for: travel and cross-cultural experience
Document and analyze real cross-cultural experiences. Develop practical intercultural skills through reflection on actual encounters.
Skills used: Intercultural competence, Cross-cultural communication, Reflexivity, Skill development
Deliverable: Experience documentation + analysis + skill development reflection
Same skills, different topics
Advanced cultural analysis.
- Media Representation: Media and culture → representation analysis → identity in media → analyzing how specific groups are represented over time
- Globalization: Global cultural flows → cultural exchange → hybridization → tracing cultural fusion in specific global phenomena
- Subcultures: Subcultural formation → youth subcultures → online communities → ethnography of specific online communities
- Cultural Change: Cultural transformation → tradition and modernity → Indigenous modernities → how specific communities navigate cultural continuity and change
Where high school students get stuck
- Handling cultural theory complexity
- Maintaining analytical distance
- Navigating sensitive topics
- Applying theory to practice
Teaching Approach for High School
Advanced cultural analysis including theory. Examine power, representation, and cultural change. Apply analysis to current issues. Prepare for anthropology, cultural studies, and related fields while developing universally valuable cultural competence.