Students in the 7th grade study the social, political, economic, cultural, and religious changes that occurred throughout the world during the period between 27 B.C.E. and 1789 C.E.. After reviewing the ancient world, students study the history and geography of the great civilizations of Rome, China, Japan, Africa, The Middle East, Medieval /Early Modern Europe, as well as the American empires of the Maya, Aztec and Inca.

• Students will develop basic geographic literacy, reading, and writing skills, with an emphasis on understanding cause and effect relationships, trends, and repetitive themes in history.

• In addition to studying how to respond to essay questions and to write creatively, students experience hands-on learning as they analyze artifacts, examine primary source materials, role play, engage in simulation activities, and work cooperatively.

• Students analyze primary and secondary sources to learn the history of peoples from around the world as well as understanding the authors’ points of view.

• Students complete writing assignments including multi-paragraph essays, arguments focused on discipline-specific content, informational / explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, personal reflections, summaries, and short research projects to answer a question, using several sources to generate more specific questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

• Students engage in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on each others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

• Technology is integrated into the curriculum with online, interactive assignments and assessments, multimedia presentations, and online research including analyzing the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explaining how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue.

This course prepares students for college-preparatory, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and SBCC Dual Enrollment coursework in high school to meet college entrance requirements.

The units of study and content for 7th grade are based on to main documents: California Social Studies Content Standards (1998) and the California History Social Science Framework (2016).

Note: links will take you to our shared Google Drive of resources.

Unit 1--The World in 300 CE

Unit 2--Rome and Christendom (300 to 1200)

Unit 3--Southwestern Asia (300 to 1200); World of Islam

Unit 4--South Asia (300 to 1200)

Unit 5--East Asia (300 to 1300)

Unit 6--Americas (300 to 1490)

Unit 7--West Africa (900 to 1600)

Unit 8--Sites of Encounter in the Medieval World (1200 to 1490)

Unit 9--Global Convergence (1450 to 1750)

Unit 10--Impact of Ideas (1500 to 1750)

We are still refining our common assessments

• Semester 1: Islam

• Semester 2: Middle Ages in Europe English / Spanish

Reading

1. Cite textual evidence to support primary and secondary source analysis.

2. Provide central idea with accurate summary.

3. Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process.

4. Determine the meaning of vocabulary in the texts.

5. Describe how a text presents information.

6. Identify text that shows the author’s point of view.

7. Incorporate visual information (charts, maps, etc) with text.

8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment.

9. Analyze relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

Writing

1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

2. Write informational / explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events.

3. NA

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

5. With some guidance and support, develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, and rewriting.

6. Use technology to produce and publish individual writing and present relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, using several sources to generate more specific questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

8. Gather relevant information from multiple sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of sources, quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Speaking/Listening

1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on each others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

2. Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue.

3. Delineate a speaker’s argument, claims, and attitude toward a subject based on evidence.

4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner, with descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, volume, and clear pronunciation.

5. Include multimedia and visual components in presentation to clarify claims.

6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.