7th Grade Social Studies

Wendy Ewbank ()

Overview

Students learn from multiple perspectives, including those marginalized in more traditional accounts. They often participate in role-plays and controversial issue discussions and engage withcommunity experts. This fosters some specific habits of mind: tolerance, curiosity, empathy and independence. Students will formtheir own conclusions about historical events and apply law related concepts to present day issues.

CONTENT

U.S. History highlighting:

  • The Revolutionary era through the beginning of Progressive Era (1765 through late 1800s)
  • United States policies concerning slavery, Native American removal, westward expansion, women’s suffrage, labor and civil rights

U.S. Constitution

  • Structure, essential principles and interpretation over time
  • Bill of Rights in real life
  • Mock Trialculminating event at the King County Courthouse

WA STATE focus:

  • Exploration,Immigration and settlement
  • Human/environment interactions over time
  • Civil rights in Washington State

Essential Questions

How has U.S. society both lived up to and fallen short of the ideas set forth in our founding documents?

What are the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens?

How is the Constitution a living document?

What events and policies caused Indian tribes in the west to be deprived of their territory and cultures, and what issues concern Native Americans today?

How has slavery – and its lasting legacies – contradicted the nation’s values?

How did industrialization, immigration and expansion affect the United States, and specifically Washington State?

What impact did various social movements (ie: women, labor and civil rights) have?

Assessments

Scored Discussions: town meetings, Socratic seminars, and “Structured Academic Controversies”

Poems for Two Voices representing differing perspectives on past and present events

Persuasive Essay on a constitutional issue (students’ choices)

Mock trial (all students will play attorneys or witnesses)

In-class Test on the U.S. Constitutionand Bill of Rights

Group Presentations (skit, game, powerpoint, document based play) on various topics

Pay it Forward Action Plan addressing an issue of choice in Washington State

SKILLS

Students will be able to:

  • Distinguish between primary and secondary sources, corroborate evidence and place events in their historical context
  • Clarify personal values by taking a stand on a given issue; demonstrate a willingness to challenge pre-conceived notions
  • Understand the key ideas in founding documents and apply them to real-life scenarios
  • Identify root causes of past and present issues and propose possible solutions
  • Develop and implement an action plan that addresses a genuine community need
  • Understand that sources of evidence and research sites aren’t equal; detect bias and weigh evidence from multiple perspectives to form a well-reasoned conclusion
  • Interpret and use data (demographic, geographic) to see patterns about people/places