stpeterlogobanner

Middle School Social Studies

The primary purpose of Social Studies education is to help students become productive and responsible citizens. The Social Studies curriculum enables students to develop the ability to make informed decisions that balance concern for individual interests and the public good in a culturally diverse and interdependent world.

Knowledge of our history enables us to understand our nation's traditions, its conflicts, and its central ideas and values. Knowledge of world history enables us to understand other cultures.

I hope to encourage children to love history and to enjoy learning about it.

Some people say they find history boring. If that describes you, try one of the following:  write your life story; read The Diary of Anne Frank, or the autobiography of Frederick Douglass; read the Declaration of Independence, or rent a video about the Civil War. I suggest Glory. As you rediscover history, your children’s interest may also increase.

Social Studies is an umbrella term that includes many disciplines besides history. The others are: geography, economics, government and civics, anthropology, sociology, political science, psychology, religion, law, archaeology, philosophy, art, literature, other humanities subjects, and the sciences.

That’s a lot! And while we study those disciplines, we work on our Social Studies skills.

  • Mapping
    Critical Thinking
    Data Gathering
    Historical Thinking
    Political Participation
    Group Interaction

Individual Grades

Sixth Grade:

We take time-traveling trip  round the world.    

Stone Age
Egypt
 Mesopotamia
 Indus River valley
Ancient China
 Ancient Greece
 Ancient Rome
 Middle Ages
Ancient Arabia
 Great African Kingdoms
 Mayas, Incas, Aztecs

Things we do: Many maps, multi-faceted in-class project on Egypt, Egyptian Alphabet Book, timelines, journals, Bubonic Plague reenactment.

Seventh Grade:

Welcome to United States History!  We will learn about the people who shaped the United States into remarkable place we call HOME.

Seventh and Eighth Grade Social Studies is the story of US. It is a two year course that studies the geography, history, culture, political development and economic development of the United States.

  • Physical Regions of America
         The Native Americans
    The European Explorers           
    The First Colonies: Jamestown, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay
    The 13 English Colonies
    Colonial America
         The French and Indian War
    The Revolutionary War
    The Building of the United States and first presidents
    The War of 1812
    Louisiana Purchase – Lewis and Clark
    The Industrial Revolution
    The Gold Rush
    The Oregon Trail
     Cultures of the North and South

Things we do: An in-class group project on the Native American Groups, a report on a European Explorer, a project on one of the first states.

Eighth Grade:

 The 8th grade curriculum is a continuation of the 7th grade curriculum. At the conclusion of the year all students will have to take the Grade 8 NYS Social Studies Assessment which is based on the 7th and 8th grade Social Studies curriculum. We will review 7th grade throughout the year and introduce new topics from the 8th grade units.

  • The Civil War
  • Reconstruction
  • Settling of the West                  
  • Innovations and Inventions
  • The Age of Imperialism
  • Growth of Cities and Immigration
  • WWI
  • Roaring Twenties
  • The Great Depression
  • WWII
  • The Cold War
  • The Fifties
  • The Sixties
  • Korean and Vietnam Wars
  • Recent Past

Student Council

The Middle School has a Student Council. Elections are held in the fall. Each Social Studies class has a representative. The President and Vice President are eighth graders. We meet once a month or so – determined by the council – in the Social Studies classroom.

Mock Trial

This is a new club this year. It was suggested by the eighth grade and only eighth graders participate. They meet once a week, and, using actual court cases and other courtroom skits, reenact cases.  Parts are assigned to be the lawyers, judge, bailiff, defendant, witnesses and jury.