Middle School Social Studies Courses
Civics
Description
Learning about civics gives students the skills and knowledge necessary to be active citizens who have a positive impact on their communities. In this course, students discover the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States. They learn about the structure of the government and how it works at the local, state, and federal levels. This course examines elections, the lawmaking process, and how citizens can impact public policy. Students also discover ways the United States interacts with countries around the world. Geography and economics support the learning of civics in this course. Engaging in this study prepares students to be informed citizens who are ready to participate in American democracy!
Pre-Requisites: This course is recommended for students in 7th grade. There are no prerequisites for the Civics course.
Credits: 1.0
Estimated Completion Time: 2 segments / 32-36 weeks
Major Topics and Concepts
Module 1: Citizenship
- Citizenship Introduction
- How Do We Define the United States?
- What Is Culture?
- What Can Maps Tell Us?
- How Are Citizenship and Ecology Connected?
- What Is a U.S. Citizen?
- What Is Effective Citizenship?
- Who Shows Great Citizenship?
Module 2: Foundations
- Who Influenced the Founding Fathers?
- Which Important Documents Influenced America?
- Why Is the Declaration of Independence Important?
- What Is the Intent of the Constitution?
- How Do the Branches of Government Work?
- How Are the Powers Balanced?
- How Are Rights Protected?
- How Can the Constitution Change?
- What Should Be the Next Amendment?
Module 3: Sharing Power
- What Is Federalism?
- How Are States Governed?
- What Is Rule of Law?
- How Are Laws Made?
- Does Lawmaking Shape Society?
- How Do the Courts Work?
- How Does a Jury Trial Ensure Justice?
- How Can We Solve Local Problems?
Module 4: Active Citizens
- How Do Citizen Perspectives Differ?
- What Is Judicial Review?
- How Can Art Inspire Action?
- What Are the Rights of the Accused?
- What Are the Rights of Speech?
- How Can We Influence Government?
- How Do Elections Impact Society?
- What Are Demographics?
Module 5: American Money
- How Does Scarcity Affect Us?
- What Are Incentives?
- What Is the Role of Competition?
- How Does Banking Work?
- Why Should We Pay Taxes?
- What Are the Priorities?
- How Does Borrowing Money Affect Us?
Module 6: Going Global
- How Do Other Nations Govern?
- How Does Geography Affect Society?
- Why Should Nations Diversify?
- What’s New in the World?
- What Are National Policies?
- How Does Currency Affect Trade?
US History
Description
Learning about history allows people to see how far we have come and what awaits us on our path to the future. In this course, students will explore the history of the United States and analyze the cause and effect in historical events. They will investigate history by using the tools of a historian to examine the historical, geographic, political, economic, and sociological events that influenced the development of the United States. Students will imagine what it was like to live in the past by reading the stories from the people who experienced it. This course begins with the engaging stories of what brought the earliest American colonists to the New World and ends with the struggles to repair the United States following the Civil War. Engaging in this study allows students to recognize the themes of history that span across centuries and leads to a greater appreciation of the development of the United States and the resulting impact on world history.
Pre-Requisites: Recommended for 8th grade
Credits: 1.0
Estimated Completion Time: 2 segments/32-36 weeks
Major Topics and Concepts
Segment I
Module 01: Settlement
- 01.00 Welcome to United States History!
- 01.01 Introduction to Settlement
- 01.02 America’s Geography
- 01.03 Coming to America
- 01.04 Colonial Regions
- 01.04 Colonial Regions Advanced
- 01.05 Economics and Slavery
- 01.06 The Historian’s Clues
- 01.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 01.08 Module One Exam
Module 02: Independence
- 02.00 Introduction to Independence
- 02.01 Impact of Colonization
- 02.02 French and Indian War
- 02.03 Colonial Unity
- 02.03 Colonial Unity Advanced
- 02.04 Give Me Liberty
- 02.05 Revolutionary Celebrities
- 02.06 Supporters of the War
- 02.07 War
- 02.08 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 02.09 Module Two Exam
Module 03: Nationalism
- 03.00 Introduction to Nationalism
- 03.01 Interpreting History
- 03.02 Recipe for America
- 03.03 Who has the Power?
- 03.04 We Can Make a Difference!
- 03.04 We Can Make a Difference! Advanced
- 03.05 For the Common Good
- 03.06 Know Your Rights!
- 03.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 03.08 Module Three Exam
Module 04: Growth
- 04.00 Introduction to Growth
- 04.01 Making a President
- 04.01 Making a President Advanced
- 04.02 A Worthy Successor
- 04.03 American Voices
- 04.04 Jefferson Brings Change!
- 04.05 Heroes of the Wild
- 04.06 We Will Not Fall!
- 04.07 Practice and Review Exam
- 04.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 04.08 Segment One Exam Part One
- 04.08 Segment One Exam Part Two
- 04.09 Advanced Segment One Exam Part One
- 04.09 Advanced Segment One Exam Part Two
Segment II
Module 05: Movement
- 05.00 Introduction to Movement
- 05.01 It’s Manifest Destiny!
- 05.01 It’s Manifest Destiny! Advanced
- 05.02 A Native Dilemma
- 05.03 Keep the Peace
- 05.04 New Land!
- 05.05 Train’s Leavin’!
- 05.06 Friend or Foe, Mexico?
- 05.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 05.08 Module Five Exam
Module 06: Advances
- 06.00 Introduction to Advances
- 06.01 Innovations
- 06.01 Innovations Advanced
- 06.02 Factory Workers
- 06.03 Growing Cities!
- 06.04 A Southern View
- 06.05 Jacksonian Democracy
- 06.06 War on the Bank!
- 06.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 06.08 Module Six Exam
Module 07: Ideas
- 07.00 Introduction to Ideas
- 07.01 Are You Awake?
- 07.02 Inside Slavery
- 07.03 Join the Resistance!
- 07.04 Her Rights
- 07.05 The Mighty Pen
- 07.05 The Mighty Pen Advanced
- 07.06 Bring on the Reform!
- 07.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 07.08 Module Seven Exam
Module 08: Conflict
- 08.00 Introduction to Conflict
- 08.01 A Nation Divided
- 08.02 Taking Sides
- 08.03 Shots Fired!
- 08.03 Shots Fired! Advanced
- 08.04 The Cost of Conflict
- 08.05 Emancipation?
- 08.06 Reconstruction
- 08.07 Practice and Review Exam
- 08.07 Set Sail Discussion-Based Assessment
- 08.08 Segment Two Exam Part One
- 08.08 Segment Two Exam Part Two
- 08.09 Advanced Segment Two Exam Part One
World History I
Description
Somebody discovered the wheel. Somebody discovered written communication. Somebody even figured out how to count to ten. From the ancient river civilizations to China and its ancient dynasties, different civilizations left their mark on history. They also left their mark on how we live today. In this course, students join travel agent Mr. Lightfoot to travel back in time digging out the past of these ancient civilizations. In ancient Egypt, students visit the pyramids and find out the secrets of preserving mummies. They see how the Mayans developed astronomy to a precise science. They even investigate the difference between the Athenians and the Spartans. Students will journey through India discovering their contributions to medicine, moving on to Africa to follow the rise and fall of the ancient east African kingdoms of Kush and Axum. Throughout the centuries, and still today, our world is made up of dozens of different cultures. They all are different, and they all have made big contributions to what we know and who we are.
Pre-Requisites: Recommended for 6th grade
Credits: 1.0
Estimated Completion Time: 2 segments/32-36 weeks
Major Topics and Concepts
Module 01: Ancient Origins
- Time and Place in History
- Discovering History
- A Nomad’s Life
- Settling Down
- Building Cities
Module 02: Ancient River Civilizations
- Mesopotamia
- Ancient Egypt River Civilizations
- Ancient Indus Valley Civilizations
- Near Eastern River Civilizations
Module 03: Ancient America
- The Maya
- The Aztecs
- The Incas
- Native Americans
Module 04: Ancient Greece
- Rise of Greece
- Democratic Government in Athens
- Sparta and Athens
- War in Greece
- Empire of Alexander
- Greek Gods and Culture
Module 05: Ancient Rome
- Origins of Rome
- The Roman Republic
- Beginnings of Roman Culture
- The Roman Empire
- The Fall of the West
- The Contributions of Rome
Module 06: Ancient India
- India’s Vedic Age
- Hinduism
- Buddhism
- The Maurya Empire
- The Gupta Empire
Module 07: Ancient China
- Huang River
- Chinese Dynasties
- Beliefs of Ancient China
- Shi Huangdi China
- Silk Road
Module 08: Ancient Asia & Africa
- Tang and Song
- Mongol Empire
- Ming China
- East Africa
- West Africa
World History II
Description
Studying history helps students connect events from the past to the world around them. In this course, students examine civilizations that have left their mark on history. They join travel agent Mr. Lightfoot in a journey back in time digging through the past and examining its impact on our world today.
Major Topics and Concepts
See State Specific Syllabus