Introduction to Social Studies for Grade 7 Parents and Students
Updated 22 May 2010
Dear Parents and New Seventh Graders,
I would like to welcome you to a new school year! Moving to 7th grade in our school presents certain new challenges to students. It is my hope that this page can help direct you to things you need to know about how to succeed in my Social Studies class and to help minimize the "culture shock" students usually experience moving from a self-contained elementary classroom to seeing 7 or 8 different teachers with different rules and procedures.
This course is taught as a "fully differentaited" course. Here is a current overview of the method.. For students who struggle in this subject, there is a basic proficiency modified curriculum in place for them.
In terms of school supplies, I believe that mimimum is best. For my class, a sturdy folder will be helpful. A notebook and folder is all that's needed. Students need to come to class each session with pen or pencil, and the required notebook.
Unless you specifically request a textbook for home, students will not be assigned a textbook. The course does not rely on any single text and assignments of the typical textbook sort do not exist in this class (worksheets, answering questions at the end of chapters, etc.)
Homework at this age level, subject matter, and local context is not useful and there will be almost none of it. Besides the research supporting this statement, I have experience with four years of a minimal homework policy and 90% of our students on average pass the NYS Social Studies Test in 8th grade (the average of local similar schools is only 68%). The rare occassions that students have homework will be when studying for the monthly examinations or if they need to catch up because they fell somewhat behind.
Students are welcome to record classes, audio or video.
Parents are welcome to sit in on classes.
The school policy manual permits 5 school days to make up work missed due to absence, after which no credit is given for that task.
The standard late fee for assignments is -15 points per school day late.
Directory of Useful Places for 7th Graders and their Parents
What sorts of challenges do new 7th graders face in Social Studies 7?
Homework and worksheets and questionnaires count very little in figuring a student's mark in 7th grade Social Studies. New York State has assigned a very ambitious curriculum and probably the most important policy in my classes is to assure that grades measure that standard all year long. The biggest shocker for new 7th graders is that the grading system is different. Based on a study of two 7th grade classes in recent years, students can expect their marks to be on average 8-10 points lower on a scale of 100 than they earned in grade 6. Grades students earn in Social Studies 7 are annually consistently highly similar to what they score on the 8th grade Social Studies test, meaning the grading system strongly measures the standards (see Statistics).
The quizzes and the tests and essays are the most important tasks. Students will earn good marks who remember plenty of their facts and who can apply higher-level thinking at times. The grading system will be the biggest issue students face. I have resisted changing it because by any standard I can apply I find the system to be fair and accurate. Scores not only match NYS Social Studies exams, but also the NYS English Language Arts exams. Further, where an average of only 68% of 8th graders pass the NYS Social Studies Test in similar local schools, on average 91% of Schroon Lake students pass that test in each of the past four years. (see Statistics)
What sorts of supports are available to help?
Organization System - for this age group, the most simple systems are best. We will work on basic organization, but in general I discourage n=complicated binders and folders and the like.
Academic Intervention Services (AIS) - AIS is an extra Social Studies class (sometimes more than one) each week. Since student scores on the 6th Grade English Language Arts test match their performance in Social Studies most closely, students who show need are enrolled in the AIS class. Here, the course material is re-taught or even pre-taught. Students have specialized training in study skills and writing skills in a small-group environment and earn grades for what they do there.
Extended Tasks - "Extra Credit" has been the traditional term for this. Extended tasks are practically unlimited opportunities to earn credit.
Differentiated Instruction - Differentiation can occur in the content (what I want them to learn), process (how I want them to learn it), product (how they show they know) or environment in the classroom (creating an environment that offers opportunities to different ways of learning). Encouraging multiple ways to learn and show what one has learned is a hallmark of this class. Students have many opportunities to learn in a way that suits them. Information is typically presented at least three times: an oral presentation, a reading selection, and an activity.
Reading Instruction - Students continue their training in how to learn from the written word. Students' ability to read and learn from what they read is extremely important for high school, when independent reading becomes more common. At this level, I provide an oral presentation for almost every topic we address while supporting reading instruction by directly teaching kids how to learn from what they read.
Advanced Warning for Tests and Essays - There is an essay each month and the topic is distributed a week or so in advance (as well as being posted online). There is a database of practice multiple-choice questions at this web site for students to practice in preparation for the monthly exmaination. For short answer examinations, the questions are distributed a week in advance.
Grading System - The lowest two "low order tasks" (quiz-type grades) are dropped each quarter. I take an average of 100 grades each year and the large number of grades protects students from having one or two bad marks spoil a quarter.
Writing Instruction - Students receive direct training introducing them to writing thematic, persausive, and document-based essays.
Study Skills - Students receive direct training in how to study, memorize, and organize.
Class Notes - Class presentations are online in PDF and PowerPoint format.
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