Social Studies

Social Studies has been locally designed within the solid, meaningful conceptual framework endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies. Factual content is studied as it illuminates the following key social studies concepts:

•  Global Interdependence
•  Conflict
•  Technological Development: Industrialization and Urbanization
•  Human Dignity and Human Rights
•  Culture
•  Societal Change
•  Power Relationships and Governments
•  Morality and Choice
•  World Economic Systems Principles
•  The Interaction of People and Geographic Environment

Sixth Grade
Teachers: Ernie Kalina & Claudia Zwirner

The sixth grade course will provide understanding about the Western World so that students cam analyze relationships between Canada, Middle America (Mexico and Central America), the Caribbean Basin, South America, and Western Europe. Units expand the students’ knowledge of the Western World geographically by examining regions, place, location, movement, and human/environmental interactions. Students will discover the role of the United States in a global society, and understand the significant stages in the development of money and international commerce. Students will apply American democratic values and examine them in relation to world issues and western political systems.

Seventh Grade
Teachers: Ernie Kalina, Bill McWhirter & Sandy Shellnut

The seventh grade course centers on the study of the Eastern World. The following areas will be included: Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Units expand the students’ knowledge of the Eastern World geographically by examining regions, place, location, movement, and human/environment interactions. Students will analyze the role of the United States in the global society and understand different types of economic systems and how they interact. Students will examine a variety of governmental structures and analyze their relationships to American democratic values and constitutional principles. Students will examine significant people and events that have affected life in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Eighth Grade
Teachers: Brian Benz & Sandy Shellnut

The eighth grade course emphasizes selected studies in United States History and includes highlights in the development of American democratic ideals through the conflict of the Civil War. Students examine interdependent relationships between communication, innovations, and transportation as meaningful events both in America and beyond national boundaries. The influence of values and issues upon the Constitution and evolution of the federal republic are analyzed in depth. The American market economy is studied in relationship to the role of government with regards to taxation, public services, regulation and productivity. Students learn to examine events and people from multiple perspectives and viewpoints, discovering that history is tentative and subject to change as new data comes to light.

The above units, topics and concepts are an outgrowth of the elementary school social studies curriculum, and student mastery of this material should provide a sound background for the social studies courses of the high school.