Sixth Grade                                  Social Studies

Course Description: This course focuses on regions of the Eastern Hemisphere stressing
                                  history, geography, citizenship, and humanities.  Skills will be
                                  developed in areas of graphic aids, study skills, time related skills,
                                  map and globe skills, and thinking skills.

Resources: Glencoe Human Heritage: A World History, textbook software, Glencoe
                    teacher materials, and Glencoe web site.

I. Social Studies-First Nine Weeks

A. To introduce the study of world history and geography which sets the stage for the development of civilization
1. To identify important geographic themes
2. To explain ways in which geography has influenced the course of history
3. To specify how scientists work together to learn about the past

B. To discuss the rise of civilization in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley of Mesopotamia
1. To describe the rise of Sumer and the development of city-states
2. To discuss the effects of conquest on the development of Mesopotamia
3. To name the contributions of Mesopotamia

C. To summarize how civilization developed in the Nile Valley of Egypt
1. To explain the importance of the Nile River to the Egyptian civilization
2. To discuss Egypt’s Old Kingdom
3. To describe Egypt’s Middle Kingdom
4. To trace the New Kingdom
5. To present Egyptian contributions

D. To focus on the development of the Harrappan and Shang civilizations in South Asia and China
1. To describe the Harappan civilization in the Indus River valley
2. To explain the development of the Shang civilization in the Huang Ho Valley

II.  Social Studies-Second Nine Weeks

A.  To focus on the cultures of the Phoenicians and the Hebrews
1. To discuss the Phoenicians and their role in the growth of Mediterranean commerce and the development of the alphabet
2. To summarize the Hebrews and their development of new ideas and the impact of religious beliefs on civilizations

B. To examine the history of the ancient Greeks from the rise of the Aegean civilizations to the conquest of Greece by the Romans
1. To discuss how the Greek culture developed
2. To describe how Greek culture spread
3. To summarize Greek contributions to western civilization

C. To survey the history of Rome from its beginnings as a small city-state to the decline of its powerful empire
1. To explain how the city of Rome became a great empire
2. To summarize what contributions the Romans made to Western civilization
3. To discuss the relationship between the Roman Empire and Christianity

III. Social Studies-Third Nine Weeks

A. To discuss the Eastern Slavic civilization from the founding of their early settlements to the establishment of a powerful state which later developed as modern Russia

B. To discuss the changes that took place in western Europe during the late Middle Ages
1. To describe feudalism
2. To discuss the role of the Roman Catholic Church in medieval life
3. To describe how the growth of trade during the Middle Ages led to the rise of towns in western Europe

C. To describe the changes that took place in western Europe from the 1300s to the 1600s as the Middle Ages came to an end
1. To describe the changes that took place as a result of the Renaissance
2. To summarize the changes that took place in religion as a result of the Reformation

IV. Social Studies-Fourth Nine Weeks

A. To trace the rise of science and industry in Europe during the 1700s and 1800s

B. To discuss the political conflicts that transformed Europe during the 1800s

C. To explain the major developments of the twentieth century
1. To explain how WWI and WWII changed Western Europe
2. To explain how communism came into power in Russia and China
3. To describe world events during the cold war era
4. To discuss the end of  communism in major areas
5. To summarize the problems facing the world in the twenty-first century
 

SEVENTH GRADE    WORLD GEOGRAPHY

Course Description: The primary goal of World Geography is to learn location, land surface. climate, economics, and culture of the seven continents.

RESOURCES: GEOGRAPHY: THE WORLD AND ITS PEOPLE (GLENCOE, McGraw-Hill) Additional Glencoe resources, materials and workbooks. Videos and Library books and materials.

I.  Geography ­ First Nine Weeks
 A. Map Skills (2 1/2 weeks)
  1. Globes and Map Projections
  2. Reading Graphs and Charts
B. Looking at the Earth (2 weeks)
 1. Understand five themes of geography
 2. Describe how the Earth moves in space
  a. Explain the seasons
 3. Types of Landforms
C. Discuss Water Climate and Vegetation (2 weeks)
 1. The Water Cycle
 2. Influence on the climate
 3. Tropical, Mid/High latitude, Dry Climates
D. The World’s People (2 1/2 weeks)
 1. Culture
  a. Culture Regions
 2. Population Patterns and Growth
 3. Resources
  a. Types of resources
  b. Making a Living
  c. Environmental Challenges
II. Geography ­ Second 9 Weeks
 A. United States and Canada (5 1/2weeks)
  1. Learn States and Capitols
2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4. The People
   a. History
   b. Government
   c. Lifestyles
 B. Latin America ­ Mexico/Central America (3 1/2 weeks)
  1. Learn Countries/Locations
2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4.The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
 

III. Geography ­ Third Nine Weeks
 A. Latin America ­ South America (3 weeks)
  1. Learn Countries/Locations
2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4. The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
 B. Europe (4 1/2 weeks)
  1. Learn Countries/Locations
  2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4. The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
 C.  Russia (1 1/2 weeks)
  1. Landforms/Climate
  2. The Economy
  3. The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
IV. Geography ­ Fourth Nine Weeks
 A. Russia’s Independent Republics (1 1/2 weeks)
  1. Learn Countries/Locations
2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4. The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
 B. Southwest Asia and North Africa  (2 weeks)
  1. Learn Countries/Locations
2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4. The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
 C. Africa South of the Sahara (2 weeks)
  1. Learn Countries/Locations
  2. Landforms/Climate
  3. The Economy
  4. The People
   a. History
   b. Lifestyles
 
D. Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica (1 week)
 1. Landforms/Climate
 2. The Economy
 3. The People
  a. History
  b. Lifestyles
E. Asia (2 weeks)
 1. Learn Countries/Locations
 2. Landforms/Climate
 3. The Economy
 4. The People
  a. History
  b. Lifestyles
 

 Eighth Grade                             American History/Civics
 

Course Description:  The American History course is the study of the people, events,
                                   and ideas that shaped our nation.  Knowing the past will help
                                   us to make better decisions and not repeat the same mistakes.
                                   Our successes and failures are determined on what we have learned
                                   from the people before us.
                                   The Civics portion of the course will provide the students with roles
                                   of a responsible citizen in a community. The steps to becoming
                                   a citizen and the right to vote.  The constitution will be discussed
                                   and how our government was established. Amendments will be
                                   examined and what steps are taken to get a new law passed.
                               
Resources: Creating America: McDougal Littell Textbook, textbook software, Class
                   Zone internet web site, and McDougal Littell teacher materials.

I. American History- First Nine Weeks  (1585-1783)
 
           A.  To identify how the first English colonies survived and began to
                grow, while colonies both learned from and experienced conflict with Native
                Americans.
           B.   To identify the political, social, and economic values shared by
                 British colonists and learn how these values and historical events led to the
                 growth of a representative government and a new “American” identity.

           C.  To understand the events that pushed Great Britain and the American
                colonies apart and ultimately led to the signing of the Declaration of
                Independence.

           D. To organize events of the American Revolution in chronological
                 sequence and analyze the causes that led to an American victory.

II.  American History-Second Nine Weeks (1776-1791)

          A.  To analyze the Articles of Confederation, major issues faced by delegates
                 to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the debate over ratifying
                 the Constitution.

           B.  To understand the seven principles of government that helped to
                 shape the Constitution.

           C. To be able to identify the basic plan for the structure of the
                 United States government as set forth in the Constitution.

          D.  To identify the three branches of government and their importance to
                 the American citizens.
 

III. American History-Third Nine Weeks (1787-1816)

          A. To study the changes made in the original Constitution.
                    1. Identify rights protected in the Bill of Rights
                    2. To trace the expansion of rights for all citizens as evidenced in the
                          Constitution.

           B. To be able to define citizenship and to explain a citizen’s rights
                 and responsibilities.

           C.  To explain how the leaders of the new nation met the challenges
                  of establishing a sound economy and a stable, democratic government.

           D.  To understand how the election and presidency of Thomas Jefferson shaped
                  the American system of government and how the Louisiana
                  Purchase and the War of 1812 affected the nation.

IV.  American History-Fourth Nine Weeks ( 1800 -1861 )

           A.  To analyze the ways in which, new machines changed American society,
                 encouraged the expansion of slavery, and contributed to both national-
                 ism and sectionalism in the first half of the 1800s.

           B. To understand westward expansion and its political, economic. and social
                effects on the development of the nation.

           C. To describe the development of the abolitionist movement, explain the
                 significance of the Underground Railroad, and evaluate the importance
                 of the women’s rights movement.

           D. To understand the conflicts that pulled the North and South apart and the
                 attempts to resolve the issues dividing the country.
 
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