Middle School Curriculum Guide

The primary goal of fifth-grade Social Studies is to foster a deep curiosity and appreciation for the most chronologically remote periods in human history. Students explore ancient times from the emergence of communities up through the Roman Empire. Students use a number of sources, including primary and secondary texts and archaeology, to understand ancient history from multiple perspectives. Additionally, students engage with the learning in the course interdisciplinarily, reading historical novels in conjunction with English/Language Arts. Ultimately, students learn that the humanities are just as much about the pursuit of knowledge through the asking of questions as the learning of facts. These questions include, but are not limited to the following:

• How do cultures differ and what makes them different from one another?
• How does geography affect where people live and the way people live?
• How do we know what we know about the ancient world?
• How does the ancient world affect the world in which we live today?
• How was the ancient world similar to ours?

The skills that we work on during this exploration of ancient societies, in addition to the stated goals of the department, include:

• understanding and implementing study skills in preparation for in-class assessments
• developing the expository paragraph, including the concepts of a topic sentence, body, and conclusion 
• developing the concept of a thesis and building oneʼs argument using relevant materials
• comprehending chronological sequencing using historical dates and events
• developing the skill of facilitating discussion, as well as participation and listening
• utilizing the tools of the textbook and outside resources for further inquiry and understanding
• comprehending primary sources, such as excerpts from ancient writings, artwork, graphs, charts, and geographical information
• learning geographic terms and how to read and use maps
• developing research skills
• engaging in academic seminars. 

The sixth-grade Social Studies course combines the study of history, geography, current events, and study skills. In the first part of the year, in conjunction with Language Arts classes, students complete a unit on understanding and applying basic geography and map skills, such as time zones, latitude, longitude, land and water forms, the use of scale, and map keys. Students embark on a deeper study of the tenets of civilization including geography, religion, architecture, political structure, economy, and social structure. This study forms the basis of a culminating project at the end of our trimester-long unit.  

Students then examine the medieval period in three geographic areas: the Islamic world, Europe, and Japan. We study Islam both as an empire and as a faith, while also looking at the geography of the Middle East in detail. Often, to conclude the Islam unit, we explore Islamic contributions to and influence on our culture in a three-day study of Islam across the curricular disciplines. The program then turns to an analysis of the environment, people, culture, and economy of medieval Europe. We emphasize the feudal system, the rise of towns, knights, castles, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, the Crusades, and the contributions of the arts and sciences during the Middle Ages. Finally, we look at the similarities as well as the differences in historical patterns between medieval Europe and medieval Japan, particularly feudal political organizations, bonds between warriors, and the role of religion in both societies.

Extensive projects for reinforcement of these concepts may include independent research, organizational charts, oral reports, plays, speeches, videos, podcasts, digital slide shows, and the creation of a newspaper or book. We look for ways to incorporate current events in our discussion of the historical topics in class. 

The skills we work on throughout the year include the following:

• demonstrating accurate comprehension of text content 
• comparing and contrasting information in a single paragraph and in a multi-paragraph essay
• developing and writing clear, multi-paragraph essays 
• taking clear and accurate notes from a text 
• strengthening study skills in preparation for all types of tests and quizzes 
• writing thorough yet concise summaries 
• researching information from several sources 
• mastering geographic terms and maps
• comprehending primary sources, such as legal documents, artwork, and graphs. 

The seventh-grade Social Studies course is titled World History. Its goal is to continue developing the reading, writing, critical thinking, and study skills necessary to thinking historically. Students delve into various cultures and time periods, as well as the geography of several continents, including the Americas, Africa and Asia. Selections of places and times to investigate correspond with larger themes being investigated, which may include but are not limited to: exploration, trade, and revolution. At the end of the year, an in-depth unit on the Holocaust based on Facing History and Ourselves asks students not only to know and understand events leading up to and during the Holocaust but also to question and examine the human behaviors that set those events in motion. Throughout the year, opportunities to explore world current events are integrated into the curriculum. As seventh grade is the first year in which students own and are responsible for their own  laptop, we look at many ways in which technology can assist the study of history and the organization of digital files and assets.

Specific skills that are developed throughout the year include:

• developing critical thinking skills
• learning to construct and support a thesis statement
• developing and articulating increasingly complex and nuanced historical arguments
• learning how to create and deliver a presentation
• developing systems for taking meaningful class and homework notes
• learning how to listen to others
• presenting clearly salient information from primary or secondary sources
• building shared understanding/consensus on what may be considered important from a reading
• engaging in research
• analyzing the importance of events, including relevant current events
• preparing for and taking a cumulative final exam
• mastering geographic terms and maps.

The eighth-grade Social Studies course is titled United States History. Its main goal is to give students an appreciation for and an understanding of the significance of people, places and events that relate to the unique history of the United States and what is considered "American." We investigate selected periods from the colonial era through the Civil Rights Movement, tracing ideas about what is considered American and eras in American history that particularly challenged and/or reshaped the ideals, rights, and citizenry of America. Consequently, the course has a heavy civics component, as students engage with the Constitution and its role in shaping the American experience and the notion of being a citizen of the U.S. Current events are also integrated into class discussions to help students see the relevance of the country's past in today's news and society. Students continue to explore new ways to utilize the laptop as an instrument in their learning, particularly with regard to thoughtful Internet research. Building on the seventh-grade experience, students will continue to read and take notes from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including a core text. They participate in cooperative exercises, research and synthesize information, write descriptively and analytically, and articulate thoughts through formal and informal presentations. Interdisciplinary connections and learning are encouraged and practiced.

By the end of the year, eighth-grade students are expected to be proficient in the following skills developed throughout the MS courses of the Social Studies department: 

• refining and deepening critical thinking skills
• mastering how to construct and support a thesis statement
• developing and articulating increasingly complex and nuanced historical arguments
• writing sound, well-organized essays
• learning how to creating and delivering presentations on independent research, and/or salient information from primary or secondary sources
• determining the system most efficient for one’s own creation of meaningful class and homework notes
• listening to others to build towards consensus, or understand substantive points of difference in someone else’s perspective or understanding of a topic
• building shared understanding/consensus on what may be considered important from a reading
• presenting to peers clearly, informally and formally 
• understanding how to engage in research and properly document sources in MLA format
• becoming literate in finding and assessing information 
• comprehending increasingly complex primary and secondary sources
• preparing for and taking a cumulative exam
• mastering geographic terms and the use of maps.