In Middle School Social Studies, students engage with rich historical, economic, geographical, and civic content from real-world contexts; framed around concepts essential to the social sciences. Within a student-centered classroom, learners are encouraged to build questions to inquire further into a variety of source materials, allowing for freedom to follow personal interests and exercise choice. To deepen their understanding of the world around them, students engage with a variety of perspectives on each topic, building knowledge and empathy. As students engage with sources, they are challenged to evaluate source credibility and analyze the origin, purpose, value, and limitation of each; promoting literacy and critical thinking.
Learning in Social Studies is reflected upon, encouraged, and assessed through conferences and goal setting. Students and teachers focus on student growth, with the teacher acting as a facilitator of learning. We work to build a reflective classroom environment that is safe for risk-taking, encourages authentic curiosity, and forgives failures.
Units of Study:
- Unit 1: On the Move: Early Humans & the Start of Civilization
- Unit 2: You Are What You Eat: Food Systems in Action
- Unit 3: The Giver of Life: Water in Ancient Civilizations & Today
- Unit 4: Man vs. Wild: How Nature and Geography Shape Us