Kosciuszko Middle School Social Studies Grade 7/8

Syllabus
Ms. Troxtel
Eastern Heis!here Studies "Grade 7# Students will review the tools and mental
constructs used by historians and geographers. They will develop an understanding of
Ancient World History, Eras !, of the Eastern Hemisphere and will study contemporary
geography of the Eastern Hemisphere. "ontemporary civics#government and economics
content is integrated throughout the year.

H$ The %orld in Te!oral Ters& Historical Habits o' Mind. Evaluate evidence, compare and contrast information,
interpret the historical record, and develop sound historical arguments and perspectives on which informed decisions in
contemporary life can be based.
%HG Era $ The (e)innin)s o' Huan Society& (e)innin)s to *+++ (.,.E./(.,. Explain the basic features and
diferences between hunter-gatherer societies and pastoral nomads. Analyze and explain the geographic, environmental,
biological, and cultural processes that infuenced the rise of the earliest human communities, the migration and spread of
people throughout the world, and the causes and conseuences of the growth of agriculture.
%HG Era - Early ,i.ilizations and ,ultures and the Eer)ence o' /astoral /eo!les0 *+++ to $+++ (.,.E./(.,.
!escribe and diferentiate de"ning characteristics of early civilization and pastoral societies, where they emerged, and how
they spread.
%HG Era 1 ,lassical Traditions0 %orld 2eli)ions0 and Ma3or E!ires0 $+++ (.,.E./(.,. to 1++ ,.E./4.5. Analyze
classical civilizations and empires and the emergence of ma#or world religions and large-scale empires.
G$ The %orld in S!atial Ters& Geo)ra!hical Habits o' Mind. $tudy the relationships between people, places, and
environments by using information that is in a geographic %spatial& context. Engage in mapping and analyzing the
information to explain the patterns and relationships they reveal both between and among people, their cultures, and the
natural environment. 'dentify and access information, evaluate it using criteria based on concepts and themes, and use
geography in problem solving and decision ma(ing. Explain and use (ey conceptual devices %places and regions, spatial
patterns and processes& that geographers use to organize information and inform their study of the world.
G- /laces and 2e)ions !escribe the cultural groups and diversities among people that are rooted in particular places and
in human constructs called regions. Analyze the physical and human characteristics of places and regions.
G1 /hysical Systes $escribe the physical processes that shape the Earth%s surface which, along with plants and animals,
are the basis for both sustaining and modifying ecosystems. &dentify and analy'e the patterns and characteristics of the
ma(or ecosystems on Earth.
G* Huan Systes Explain that human activities may be seen on Earth)s surface. *uman systems include the way people
divide the land, decide where to live, develop communities that are part of the larger cultural mosaic, and engage in the
cultural difusion of ideas and products within groups.
Key 6deas and 5etails
+ite speci"c textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary resources.
!etermine the central ideas of information of a primary or secondary source, provide an accurate summary of the
source district from prior (nowledge or opinions.
'dentify (ey steps in a text)s description of a process related to history-social studies %i.e. how a bill becomes a law&.
,ra't and Structure
!etermine the meaning of words or phrases as they are used in text, including vocabulary speci"c to domains
related to history-social studies.
Describe how a text presents information (i.e. sequentially, comparatively, causally)
6nte)ration o' Kno7led)e and 6deas
'ntegrate visual information %i.e. charts, maps, photographs, graphs, videos& with other information in printed and
digital texts.
!istinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned #udgment in a text.
"ontent Area )nowledge
*eading Standards for +iteracy in History # Social Studies
Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.
2an)e o' 2eadin) and 8e.el o' Text ,o!lexity
.y the end of grade /, read and comprehend history-social studies texts in the grades 0-/ text complexity band
independently and pro"ciently.
2e'erences,
-ichigan $epartment of Education, www.michigan.gov#mde
"ommon "ore State Standards &nitiative, www.corestandards.org

6nteracti.e Student 9otebooks . !/0 of grade
"ompletion of daily notes and 1nowledge 2right side3 and own thin1ings 2left side3
Each page is worth / points, unless otherwise stated.
$4 54W 2included on right side learning page3
o -ust include 6& can7 learning target of the day written completely.
o -ust include date.
o -ust include response to (ournal topic of the day, no less than 8 page
written.
&S5s will be turned in every 9 wee1s 2see course calendar3
54TE, &f absent, the students is still re:uired to write the 6& can statement7 and
(ournal response in his or her noteboo1. 2They may copy from a classmate or use
the class &S5 as a reference.3
6n'oral 4ssessents ":orati.e# ; !/0 of grade
"hec1points
-ap -asters
"hec1 ;our <rogress 2"hapter *eviews3
"ommon "ore Standard "hec1s
<rimary # Secondary Source "hec1s
E=it "ards
:oral 4ssessents "Suati.e# . !/0 of grade
Wee1ly#>iwee1ly :ui''es will assess vocabulary and content 1nowledge progress.
4b(ective tests and#or a performance indicators
54TE, &f student is absent on :ui' or test date, it is his or her responsibility to ma1e
up the test before or after school within three 2!3 school days.
<apers will include responses to reading, persuasive, cause#e?ect, and informative
essays.
<ro(ects are a creative e=tension that will include performances, art, and speeches.
+ate pro(ects, <artial credit 2/0 deduction3 will be given
Hoe7ork . /0 of grade
<articipation during class discussions and in group pro(ects is mandatory during
class.
Wee1ly "urrent Events Article
Seester Grade
@rade >rea1down and <olicy
,ate)ory /ercenta)e o' Seester Grade
Auarter B/0
Auarter 9 B/0
-idCTerm#Dinal E=am 9/0
:inal Exas . 9/0 of Dinal Semester @*A$E
At the end of each :uarter, students will ta1e a cumulative e=amination including all
the materials covered that :uarter. Students -EST be present for the e=am in order
to be assessed. Students missing an e=am will receive a 'ero grade for the e=am.
Students with conFicting appointments or travel dates -EST ma1e alternate
arrangements with me before e=am day.
Gradin) Scale
8etter Grade /ercenta)e
A <1=$++>
AC <+=<->
>G 8<=87>
> 81=8?>
>C 8+=8->
"G 77=7<>
" 71=7?>
"C 7+=7->
$G ?7=?<>
$ ?@=?7>
E +=?*>
. Students will be mar1ed tardy for entering class or being out of their seat after
class is scheduled to begin. Any students later than / minutes to class after the
scheduled start time will be mar1ed absent. All students who are tardy must sign
the TA*$; >44) located in the classroom.
9. Students absent or tardy to class are responsibly for Hnding out wor1 missed by
chec1ing the course calendar 2located in the classroom3 and chec1ing the absent
wor1 folder. Any :ui''es or tests missed are the responsibility of the students to
schedule for a ma1eCup. Students have two days for each day missed to ma1eCup
missed wor1 from days absent.
. Students should enter the classroom :uietly and sit in assigned seat prepared with
the re:uired materials 2writer%s noteboo1, class folder, literature boo1, assignment
noteboo1, and pen3.
Attendance, Absences, and Tardies
"lassroom E=pectations and <rocedures
9. Students are to use the restroom between classes for they will not be allowed to
leave once class has started unless in an emergency. Students are permitted one
emergency bathroom per wee1.
!. As soon as the bell rings to begin class, students should immediately begin copying
the date, the A&-, and their (ournal response into their writer%s noteboo1 for the Hrst
/ minutes of class.
B. Students are to remain in their seats at A++ times unless receiving permission from
the teacher by raising their hand.
I. $uring instruction, students are to remain :uiet and respectful of the instructor and
peers.
J. Students are to wait for the teacher to dismiss the class before e=iting the
classroom.
K. &f the student does not follow the e=pectations of )-S as stated in the student
handboo1, the following discipline plan will be followed and logged,
a. A verbal reminder will be given and logged in the discipline log.
b. A parent will be contacted.
c. A detention will be given.
d. An oLce referral will occur.