Curriculum > Social Studies Department
Social Studies Department
- Instructional Supervisor: Victoria Blockhus
- Social Studies teachers: Ingrid Diether; Ross Helsaple; Joanne Maher; Martin Vetter
6th Grade:
Students study geography and the history of selected major cultures in Africa and Eurasia from Prehistory through the rise of the Roman Empire. They will learn about social, political, and economic systems, and how humankind has developed these systems in order to meet particular needs. Students will learn that ancient cultures were affected by geography and were dependent upon their own human resources. They will learn that earlier civilizations and historical events were interdependent and diverse, that events of the past can influence contemporary cultures, and that some ethical values as well as certain issues have not changed. The social studies curriculum is integrated with literature, art, science, and other relevant subjects. The text for Social Studies is A Message of Ancient Days, published by Houghton Mifflin.
7th Grade: History / Social Science
Students study selected major culture groups in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas from approximately 500 B.C. through 1500 A.D. They will learn about social, political, and economic systems, and how various societies have developed these systems in order to meet their particular needs and wants. Students will learn that contemporary cultures are the descendants of earlier civilizations and are influenced by historical events. They will learn why we should appreciate and value the ethnic and cultural diversity in our own society.
8th Grade: History / Social Science
Students connect their past learnings of Colonial and Revolutionary War America to studies of United States geography, the Constitution and the beginning of the new Republic, and the social, economic, and political growth of the new nation. Students will learn about the conflicting forces which led to events such as the War of 1812, the growth of political parties and sectionalism, the Westward Movement (“Manifest Destiny”), and the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Industrial Revolution, and the Progressive Era. They will learn about the diverse groups that immigrated to America, and how they influenced America’s development. By studying the ethical, social, political, and economic questions which Americans have dealt with historically, they will be more aware of, and sensitive to, the social issues facing Americans today.
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Palo Alto Unified School District
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