Welcome 2014 - 2015 school year!

Welcome Parents and students to the 2014-2015 school year.  Social Studies is a subject that challenges students to explore the world from many different angles.  In order for students to meet the expectations of the course they need to be present and attentive in class.  This class requires students to take notes, read, participate in class discussion, complete homework and in class work, and demonstrate their mastery of concepts on both formative and informative assessments. my blog is used to update parents and students on events, post homework assignments, and to post quiz and test preparation questions. In addition this year, I will use, "Remind," which is a program that allows parents and students to receive important information through text.


8th Grade:  Eighth grade students will begin this year with a review of primary and secondary sources and the importance of each as they relate to education.  Furthermore, students will receive documents to read over, analyze, state any bias by author, and demonstrate the reliability of the source given. This will be followed by an in depth review of World War I.  As we move forward this year, parents will be updated on new material covered, and are encouraged to check Family Link on a regular basis to see your individual student's progress.

7th Grade:  Seventh grade students being this year with a study of Geography.  This Unit focuses on the 5 Themes of Geography: Location, Place, Region, Movement, and Human / Enviornment interaction.  These themes will be used to study the earth from where things are located to why they are there.  Moreover, students will be able to describe the earth as it relates to climate, people, plants, animals, etc.  This Unit will also include map tests to go along with their study of the earth as well as both formative and informative assessments to check for mastery of content.  More to come as the year progresses. Parents are encourage to check Family Link on a regular basis to check your student's progress.

Looking forward to a Great Year,

Ms. Van

7th and 8th grade update!

7th and 8th Grade Update!

7th Grade: As a class we are finishing up our Unit on Imperialism. This Unit has been a little more challenging in terms of material and the grasping of concepts. As always I am pleased with the majority of the students and their determination to master the information. The goal is to finish up any last notes by Monday or Tuesday March 6th at the latest. Following the completion of the Unit, the students will take a test on Thursday March 8th to demonstrate their mastery of the material covered. Our journey will continue with an in depth study of WWI. This Unit will include many different aspects one of which will be a multi-modal project. I will post the necessary information for the project including due dates for each piece in plenty of time for students and parents to prepare.

8th Grade: The 8th grade students are in the midst of our World War II Unit. So far, we have revisited material from last year so students understand what led to WWII. This review included a brief discussion of the ending of WWI, the resulting Treaty of Versailles, and a look at the role of the Great Depression. All of these previous mentioned events were causes of the next major World War. In addition, we have studied the rise of dictators in Europe such as Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler and how these men and their type of leadership played a major role in the outbreak of the War. This Unit has many more exciting turns to take including a multi-modal project which will show the creativity and individuality of each student. I will post details of the project as we get closer to the forth quarter.

7th and 8th grade update!

7th Grade:  The students completed the Unit on Reconstruction, which ended with a test on Tuesday January 21st.  Currently, we have finished a chapter on the Western Frontier and the students and I are discussing the changes in the United States from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.  The focus of this upcoming Unit is the Industrial Revolution.  Throughout this Unit the students will explore the impact of Industrialization on the United States as well as the rest of the world.  This will lead us to Imperialism and an in depth look at the competition between 1st World Countries to create the largest and most powerful Empires.  Imperialism was one of the main causes of World War I, and our studies will lead us into the trenches on the Western Front of The Great War!

8th Grade:  The students are in the midst of their Government Unit.  This Unit is intense!  We cover Early Government to the present.  There will be two test for this material so the students are not overwhelmed with all the information.  Although, they are suppose to be studying their notes on a nightly basis so they don't get confused on the different topics we discuss.  A big portion of our studies covers the set up of the United States Government.  Students gain an understanding of the Constitution, and the 7 principles that are the foundation of this document.  In addition, the students will develop an understanding of the 3 branches of government and their roles in running our great country.  *The importance of reviewing their notes on a nightly basis is imperative for success!