World Geography and Cultures in Grades 6 and 7

The purposes of the grades 6 and 7 standards are to:

extend students’ knowledge of the physical and political geography of the world

expand their capacity for geographical reasoning

strengthen their ability to develop research questions and conduct inquiries

introduce the cultural achievements of ancient and classical civilizations worldwide

establish foundational knowledge about types of societies and governments in preparation for Civics in grade 8 and World History and United States History in high school

The Massachusetts State Frameworks organizes the content standards for grades 6 and 7 into seven regions:

6th grade covers:

North Africa, the Middle East, and Western Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

Central America, the Caribbean, South America

7th grade covers:

South and Central Asia

East Asia

Southeast Asia and Oceania

Europe

You may have noticed that North America was not included in either list. This is because North America was covered in elementary school during grades K-5.

The topics within this two-year sequence offer rich opportunities for students to inquire about their world and humanity’s very long history of achievements. The topics also lend themselves to exploration of what it means to be human and part of a human community, and the concepts that have arisen in societies to guide ethical interactions among individuals, communities, and nations.

If you would like to further explore the state frameworks, please click here.