Building on the social studies skills developed in the elementary grades, students in the middle school years begin with a study of people, cultures, and ideas in the Western Hemisphere and move from there to explorations of the Eastern Hemisphere, ending with the early history of the United States. In each grade, students investigate historical events, examine geographic features and resources, consider economic decision-making processes, and understand types of governments and civic responsibility.
History: Examine and interpret a variety of primary and secondary sources, from different perspectives, to formulate a hypothesis and construct a written historical argument about a topic in American history (origins of the American Revolution through Reconstruction).
Geography: Use different geographic tools and data such as maps, globes, diagrams, charts such as population pyramids and climate graphs, geospatial technologies (geographic information systems, Google Earth, global positioning systems) to analyze human and physical systems; explain both conflict and cooperation over space and resources in the United States from the origins of the American Revolution through Reconstruction.
Economics: Provide examples of how economic freedom and free trade are important for economic growth; explain why it is important to manage personal credit and debt. Personal Financial Literacy: Examine the role of consumer decisions and taxes within the marker economies of early American history.
Civics: Analyze the elements of continuity and change in the United States’ constitutional system; summarize the role of law and the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.
These are the sites we use frequently as part of class.
Primary online classroom used by students on a daily basis.
https://historyslate.us
Username: Login using Google Password: PSD Computer Password
Used to study vocabulary, games and competitions.
https://quizlet.com
Username: Login using Google Password: PSD Computer Password
Used for Current Events Reading
https://junior.scholastic.com/
Username: Check with teacher Password: Check with teacher
Used to communicate and demonstrate understanding by creating videos.
https://info.flipgrid.com/
Username: Login using Google Password: PSD Computer Password
Used to read articles and short writing responses.
https://newsela.com
Username: Student ID Number (example 12345) Password: PSD Computer Password