The Old Town Program is an integrated, weeklong, off-campus learning experience for all fourth graders who attend San Diego Unified School District.
The program extends the regular fourth grade course of instruction in social studies and is aligned with the History-Social Science Framework for California Public Schools.
Students participate in integration activities that support race/human relations. They experience field studies on location at the Old Town Historical State Park, Heritage Park and Presidio Park. The Old Town Program operates on an extended school year and serves more than 9,000 fourth grade students. This fully inclusive program allows all students to take part in the outdoor learning experience.
Approximately 250 students representing two or more schools participate each week. Students are organized into groups and are instructed by specially trained staff. The groups express the diversity of the city of San Diego.
Our specially designed curriculum and activities are written to reflect the Old Town Program's Mission Statement and Key Concepts.
Mission Statement
The Old Town Program believes that diverse people made San Diego. We believe their choices and actions changed San Diego’s History. We believe the choices and actions of all our students make a difference in our world today and tomorrow.
Key Concepts
- Culture: The way people live
- Identity: Everything that makes you who you are
- Diveristy: Variety; differences among people
- Conflict & Resolution: A problem and a solution
- Prejudice: An opinion about people without knowing them
- Discrimination: Unfair treatment of others based on one's personal opinion or beliefs.
