Social Studies Curriculum Overview

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Social Studies Curriculum Overview

• Curriculum Open House Night
• February 11, 2009

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Graduation Requirements

• All Staples Students must complete a minimum of
  3.5 credits in Social Studies
• 1 Western Humanities
• 1 United States History
• ½ American Government
• ½ Area Studies
• ½ Elective

Our Program
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Core Skills

• Comprehensive grade 9 and 10 writing program
• Coordination with Writing Consultant
• Common assessments, rubrics
• Graduation standards in effective writing,
  speaking, historical understanding
• Consistency in skills and content through common
  assessments, exams, course-alike planning time

Our Program
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Course Levels

• Honors/AP courses promote
• Greater student independence, interpretation,
  higher-order thinking skills, self-reflection and
  regulation
• Not more work, deeper understanding
• More focused on research, using evidence,
  knowledge of course content to create arguments
• Honors classes in 9th and 10th grades
• AP Courses for juniors/seniors only

Our Program
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Western Humanities

• Essential Question How does the role of the
  individual change over time?
• Thematic history of the development of Western
  Civilization
• Ideals, Individuals in society, Changes in social
  structure, Rise of nation-states
• More historical content than middle school
  courses
• Coverage of Ancient Greece through World Wars
• Offered at Honors, A and B levels

9th Grade
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Which level is right for me?

• A level is appropriate for vast majority of
  students
• Continue the development of skills mastered in
  middle school
• Persuasive writing using supportive information
• Individual and collaborative experiences
• Using technology for research, demonstration of
  learning
• Typically, 1/2 hour of homework to be prepared
  for next days class

9th Grade
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Guidelines for B and Honors

• B level
• Designed to support struggling learners
• Below grade-level readers
• Students who struggle to work without constant
  adult help
• Content is cut down to concentrate on building
  basic skills
• Personal organization
• Note-taking, summarizing, identifying main point
• Goal is to prepare students for A-level in 10th
  grade

• Honors
• More historical content, research
• Longer primary documents
• Textbook is written at a high reading level
• Designed for students looking for an extra
  challenge
• Must be able to handle larger, long-term
  assignments
• Must be willing to be accountable to/collaborate
  with classmates

9th Grade
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Summary of Levels
9th Grade
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Parallel Program w/English

• Skill Connections
• Critical Reading
• Three-step reading process
• Making notes/annotating text
• Critical Writing
• Development of a thesis
• Use of relevant evidence
• Critical Thinking
• Three levels of questions
• Periodic self-reflection

9th Grade
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Parallel Program w/English

• Shared study of art throughout the year
• How does art reflect the society in which it
  originated?
• Learning how to read art critically

• Some opportunities to match historical content
  with literature
• Greece w/ Odyssey in 9H
• Renaissance w/ Chaucer, Shakespeare and Girl with
  the Pearl Earring or Girl in Hyacinth Blue
• Scientific Revolution w/ Frankenstein
• Rise of Dictators w/ Animal Farm, Maus

9th Grade
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United States History

• Offered as A level, Honors, and Honors
  Collaborative
• All courses are thematic
• Students must meet department writing standard in
  order to pass the course
• Honors
• Open to all 10th grade students
• History from the perspective of traditionally
  underrepresented groups
• Honors Collaborative
• Concentration on one theme throughout the year
• No division between what is English class and
  what is Social Studies class

10th Grade
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American Government

• Students can take two courses to fulfill
  government requirement
• American Government
• Semester-long
• Simulation-based study of three branches of
  government
• Requires public speaking
• AP United States Government Politics
• Full-year
• Comprehensive college-level study of institutions
  of government and the political process
• If a student does not meet goal on 10th grade
  CAPT Interdisciplinary Writing section, must do
  so through writing in their government class

11th 12th Grades
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Area Studies

• Semester courses
• Open to juniors and seniors
• Focus on
• Impact of geography
• Foundations of traditional society religion
• Political and economic trends
• Contemporary issues

• Areas
• Africa
• East Asia
• Latin America
• Middle East
• May also be taken for elective credit

11th 12th Grades
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Electives

• Open to all juniors and seniors
• Electives
• Current Issues
• Introduction to Economics
• Psychology
• Women in American History
• Anthropology
• Environmental Studies (w/Science Department)

• Advanced Placement courses
• AP Economics
• AP World History
• AP United States History
• AP United States Government and Politics

11th 12th Grades
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Still Have Questions?

• If you have any questions, you can call
• Staples High School Guidance office at 341-1225
• James DAmico, Social Studies Department Chair at
  341-1399