Emphasis in the social studies curriculum is on helping children discover and explore systems with which they are familiar, such as the family, classroom, friendship, the school community, and the community in which they live. Citizen participation skills are nurtured and guided as students learn to make decisions as individuals and as members of a group. They learn how to make rules and why it is important to follow school and community rules.

We believe it is essential for our social studies curriculum to incorporate a global perspective and provide multicultural experiences in an authentic and culturally sensitive manner. We help children learn to appreciate their own and other cultures through literature, music, art, holiday celebrations, guest speakers, role-playing and other similar activities.

In addition to social studies in the classroom, we also emphasize hands-on service learning projects that expand our children's world view. Such projects demonstrate the meaningful power of one person's action to improve the world, and they broaden the definition of community at OES. A service learning committee coordinates these activities across the grade levels. Often projects are initiated by the students themselves. Some examples of past projects include Meals on Wheels delivery, Salvation Army bell ringing, 5th Grade students doing chores to earn money for refugee organizations, environmental clean-up projects, knitting squares for blankets for homeless agencies, and making placemats for holiday dinners at various shelters.