TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY

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TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY

• Curriculum and Professional Development Division
• Student Assessment Division
• Social Studies Update
• TEKS and TAAS II
• Summer 2001

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Grades 1-5

• Grade 1 home, school, and community
• Grade 2 community, state, and nation
• Grade 3 communities (past/present, here/there)
• Grade 4 Texas in the Western Hemisphere
• Grade 5 United States Studies

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Grades 6-8

• Grade 6 Contemporary World Societies
• Grade 7 Texas Studies
• Grade 8 United States (Early Colonial Period
  Through Reconstruction)

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Grades 9-12

• U.S. History Since Reconstruction (1877 to the
  present)
• World History Studies history of mankind
• World Geography Studies local, regional,
  national, and international focus
• U.S. Government founding principles
• Economics free enterprise system and its
  benefits

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STRUCTURE of the TEKS

• Eight Strands integrated for instructional
  purposes
• History
• Geography
• Economics
• Government
• Citizenship
• Culture
• Science/technology/society
• Skills

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Present and Future

• Current TAAS Social Studies Assessments
• Grade 8
• U.S. History End-of-Course (last administration,
  Spring 2002)
• Future TAAS II Social Studies Assessments
• Grade 8
• Grade 10
• Grade 11 Exit Level

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SENATE BILL 103SOCIAL STUDIES ASSESSMENTS

• Requires assessments at Grades 8, 10, and 11
• Grade 8 exam
• Includes TEKS pertaining to Colonial Period
  through Reconstruction
• Grade 10 exam
• Includes TEKS from early American History, World
  Geography, and World History
• Grade 11 exam for graduation (Exit Level)
• Includes TEKS from early American and US History,
  World Geography, and World History

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Of Special Interest!

• Grade 8 early American history TEKS are included
  on Grade 8, 10, and 11 exams
• Grade 8 Civil War TEKS are included on Grade 8,
  10, and 11 assessments
• Correlated TEKS from World Geography Studies and
  World History Studies are included on Grade 10
  and 11 exams

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TAAS II OBJECTIVES ARE CONSISTENT
(GRADES 8, 10, 11)

• Objective 1- The student will demonstrate an
  understanding of issues and events in U. S.
  History.
• Objective 2- The student will demonstrate an
  understanding of geographic influences on
  historical issues and events.
• Objective 3- The student will demonstrate an
  understanding of economic and social influences
  on historical issues and events.
• Objective 4- The student will demonstrate an
  understanding of political influences on
  historical issues and events.
• Objective 5- The student will use
  critical-thinking skills to analyze social
  studies information.

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Examples of Critical-Thinking Skills in Social
Studies

• Use Primary and Secondary Sources ?
• Identify Points of View from Historical Context ?
• Identify Bias in Written and Visual Materials
• ? Skills-in-common with English Language Arts

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Examples of Critical-Thinking Skills in Social
Studies(continued)

• Finding the Main Idea ?
• Summarizing ?
• Making Generalizations ?
• Drawing Inferences and Conclusions ?
• ? Skills-in-common with English Language Arts

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THE BRACELETBYYoshiko Uchida

• The following is an excerpt from the spring
  2000 released English II EOC test
• It was almost time to leave home, but we
  werent moving to a nicer house or to a new town.
  It was April 21, 1942. The United States and
  Japan were at war, and every Japanese person on
  the West Coast was being evacuated by the
  government to a concentration camp. Mama, my
  sister Keiko and I were being sent from our home,
  and out of Berkeley, and eventually, out of
  California.
• How could teachers integrate two disciplines,
  using this selection?
• What higher-order thinking skills are used?

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Timeline School Year 2001-2002

• Current Grade 8 TAAS Social Studies Assessment
  included in Campus and District Accountability
  (Spring 2002)
• U.S. History End-of-Course Exam (Spring 2002,
  last administration)
• Field Test Social Studies TAAS II Assessments for
  Grade 8, 10, and 11 (Spring 2002 )

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Timeline School Year 2001-2002 (continued)

• Textbook Publishers Submit Samples of New
  Instructional Materials under Proclamation
  2000--Materials Available for Public Review at
  Education Service Centers (Spring 2002)
• State Textbook Review Panels Study Submitted
  Instructional Materials (Summer 2002)

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Timeline School Year 2002-2003

• Benchmark of New TAAS II Social Studies
  Assessments Grades 8, 10, and 11 Exit Level
  (Spring 2003)
• Districts Conduct Textbook Adoption Reviews

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Timeline School Year 2003-2004

• Grade 11 Exit-Level Exam Required for Graduation
• All TAAS II Social Studies Exams Included in
  Campus and District Accountability
• Social Studies Textbooks Implemented in Districts
  (Fall 2003)

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AS YOU PREPARE..

• Consider how the TEKS build and connect through
  grade levels and courses
• Is there a link between what is taught in high
  school, middle school, and elementary schools?
• Are social studies teachers communicating across
  grade levels?
• Trace the development of a concept from grade
• to grade
• Are teachers teaching broad concepts and higher
  order thinking skills?
• Consider the sequence of high school courses that
  will be most effective in preparing students

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AS YOU PREPARE

• Consider interdisciplinary instruction
• Is there a link between the skills taught in
  English language arts and social studies?
• How can teachers from both disciplines
  collaborate?
• Consider how to expose social studies teachers to
  new ideas
• What professional development opportunities are
  available?
• What instructional resources are available?

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Resources for Educators

• Texas Education Agency
• Curriculum Division/Social Studies Staff
• Student Assessment Division/Social
• Studies Staff
• Web Site http//www.tea.state.tx.us

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Resources for Educators

• Regional Education Service Centers
• Social Studies Specialists
• Assist in TEKS-Tools Training in Preparation for
  TAAS II Social Studies Assessments

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Resources for Educators

• SOCIAL STUDIES CENTER
• TEKS-Tools TAAS II Training
• www.socialstudies.tea.state.tx.us
• Data Driven Decision-Making
• Elementary Social Studies Building a Foundation
• World History and World Geography Connecting
  Concepts
• United States History Developing a Sense of
  Time and Place
• Economics, Government, and Culture 21st Century
  Citizenship
• Integrating Content and Skills Instruction

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Resources for Educators

• Social Studies Center Products
• Texas Social Studies Framework
• TEKS Glossaries and Biographies
• Annotated Bibliographies of Literature
• TEKS Wall Charts
• TEKS Small Charts
• Social Studies Toolkit 2000
• TEKS Tools Training and Materials in Preparation
• for TAAS II
• Web Site http//socialstudies.tea.state.tx.us

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Resources for Educators

• Professional Social Studies Organizations
• Texas Council for the Social Studies (TCSS)
• Texas Social Studies Supervisors Association
  (TSSSA)
• Texas Alliance for Geographic Education
• State Bar of Texas Law-Related Education
• Texas Council on Economic Education
• Texas State Historical Association
• Institute of Texan Cultures
• Texas Association of Museums

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Contact Information

• Cheryl Wright, Director of Social Studies
• Dean Brumley, Asst. Dir. of Social Studies
• Division of Curriculum Professional Devp.
• [phone]
• Brenda Tingle, Social Studies Specialist
• Student Assessment Division
• [phone]