7th Grade Social Studies Course Description
Mr. Luttrell, Team Achieve, 2014-2015
Social Studies Rationale
Through teaching acceptance and awareness of other people, now and throughout history,
the social studies department strives to teach students to be responsible citizens. We do this
by giving students choices, which represent all aspects of student learning in the projects
they are required to do.
Social Studies Skills Learning Targets
These are the essential knowledge and skills that all students will be proficient with by the
end of 7th grade Social Studies.
1. I can name and use cardinal directions
2. I can measure distance on a map using scale
3. I can use latitude and longitude coordinates to locate places on a map
4. I can create a map with the four parts of a map
5. I can use basic map reading skills to read a map/globe
6. I can explain various geography terms
7. I can read a table/graph/timeline and apply the information to answer questions
8. I can read and analyze a primary source for meaning
9. I can interpret and analyze a political cartoon for its meaning
10. I can create (write) an effective written response in SS
Calendar of Topics/Areas of Study
This is an overview of the topics that we will study this year in 7th grade Social
Studies. The sequence of these topics is subject to change, as this is just a rough outline.
August:
-Procedures, Teambuilding, Expectations
September/October:
-Social Studies Skills Unit (see above)
October/November:
-Concepts of Social Studies – major concepts we will use to frame our study of each
area of focus in the Eastern Hemisphere
1. Geography (physical and human)
2. Culture
3. History
4. Government
5. Economics
December/January:
-India: Hinduism, Buddhism, Caste System, Democracy, Modern Issues
February/March:
-China: Chinese Philosophies, Dynasties, Communism, Modern Issues
April/May:
-Japan: Geography, Feudalism, Shintoism, Modern Issues
7th Grade Social Studies Course Description
Mr. Luttrell, Team Achieve, 2014-2015
Grading Philosophy – Assessment for Learning
The JCPS District is committed to continually improving teaching, assessment, and learning
practices to better fit the world that we live in today. As you may have already heard,
Assessment for Learning (AFL) is a strategy many teachers are using throughout the district
to assess student learning.
AFL is based on mastery of learning targets (our objectives/curriculum), pushing the
students to be aware of their own learning, progress towards mastery, and self-reflection.
This assessment model will ensure that students focus on mastering the learning targets
rather than completing assignments to “get their points”. AFL focuses less on grades and
more on learning, thus why the summative (final) assessments carry more weight than the
practice that students will do as they are learning.
Standards Based Grading and Learning Outcomes
As discussed at our open house meeting, our team will be piloting Standards Based Grading
in each of the four core subjects your student will be enrolled in. Homework, in-class
assignments, and summative assessments will be scored using a 4-point scale in Social
Studies this year (a more student-friendly 4-point scale will be co-created with the students
over the next few weeks):
4 = Exceeds learning target; student has met the target and can teach it to another student
3 = Mastery of learning target; student has met the target
2 = Progressing towards learning target; student needs more practice to reach the target
1 = Basic knowledge of learning target; student needs support from teacher to understand
the learning target
All class work will fall into the following two categories in Infinite Campus:
100% Summative Assessments (these impact your student’s grade)
-Final unit assessments, weekly target quizzes, & major projects
0% Practice Work (these do not impact your student’s grade)
-In-class work for learning targets, homework, exit cards, etc.
Infinite Campus will be updated at least once a week to ensure that you are always aware of
the progress your student is making with their learning. Students will also be tracking their
progress with the learning standards on their unit tracking sheets that they will keep in their
Social Studies binders. If you would like your student to take their tracking sheets home, I
can make a copy of this sheet and send it home with a student.
If you have any questions about any of the policies or course description
above, please contact me at jeff.luttrell@jcschools.us or 573-659-3200
7th Grade Social Studies Course Description
Mr. Luttrell, Team Achieve, 2014-2015
7th Grade Social Studies Learning Targets (State Objectives)
Listed below you will find the 7th grade Social Studies standards and learning targets as
found in the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education curriculum.
Your child will receive a proficiency score (grade) on the standards (the pieces bolded
below). I have also included the learning targets (bulleted under the standards) so that you
are aware of some of the learning activities associated with each standard.
Areas of Focus/History:
Standard: Examine river civilizations including:
 India (religions and culture)
 China (technological advancements)
Standard: Japanese institutions and culture
 Investigate Feudal Japan including rise or warlords and art
Government:
Standard: Principles of constitutional democracy in the United States
 Analyze responsibilities governments and citizens need to accept to become effective
in a constitutional democracy
 Compare and contrast the following:
 limited government
 rule of law
 majority rule
 minority rights
Economics:
Standard: Knowledge of basic economic concepts, being able to explain and use them
to interpret historical and current events
 Apply the following economic concepts
 investment
 productivity
 Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
 inflation
 profit and profit motive
Standard: Understanding the consequences of personal and public economic
decisions
 Explain the consequences of personal and public economic decisions
Standard: Interpreting the past, explaining the present and predicting the future of
economic decisions
 Interpret the past, explain the present and predict future consequences of economic
decisions
7th Grade Social Studies Course Description
Mr. Luttrell, Team Achieve, 2014-2015
Physical and Human Geography:
Standard: Reading and constructing maps
 Use geographic research sources to process and report information to solve problems
 Construct maps
Standard: Understanding the concept of location to make predictions and solve
problems
 Locate major cities and nations of the world in historical context
 Locate the world’s continents, oceans and major topographic features as civilizations
spread
 Locate and describe geographic places, using absolute and relative location, especially
as people were able to define them more accurately
Standard: Understanding the concept of place
 Explain physical characteristics, such as climate, topography, relationship to water
and ecosystems
 Explain human characteristics, such as people’s education, language, diversity,
economies, religions, settlement patterns, ethnic background and political system
Standard: Relationships within places (Human-Environment Interactions)
(Movement)
 Describe how physical processes shape the physical environment
 Describe a variety of ecosystems, and explain where they may be found and how
physical processes and human activities may change them
Standard: Understanding relationships between and among places
 Explain causes and effects of migration streams, movements of people to job markets,
barriers to human movement and how people overcome such barriers
Standard: Understanding relationships between and among regions
 Explain how regions of the world relate to one another and change over time
Standard: Human-environment interactions
 Identify and describe world-wide patterns of resource distribution
 Identify how technology and culture have influenced resource use in the past
 Identify and explain environmental consequences of how people use resources from
historical examples
 Identify and explain the effect of natural forces upon human activities from historical
experiences
Standard: Using geography to interpret, explain and plan for the future
 Use geography to interpret the past, explain the present and plan for the future
Social Structure/Sociology:
Standard: Knowledge of how needs of individuals are met
 Analyze how the needs of individuals are met by families, friends, groups and
organizations, such as governments, businesses, schools, religious institutions and
charities in the United States and other nations
Standard: Effects of actions, cultural, traditions and institutions
 Analyze how cultural traditions, human actions and institutions affect people’s
behavior
Standard: Effect of laws and events on relationships
7th Grade Social Studies Course Description
Mr. Luttrell, Team Achieve, 2014-2015
 Identify how laws and events affect members of groups and relationships among
groups
Standard: Methods of resolving conflicts
 Evaluate constructive processes or methods for resolving conflicts
Social Studies/Writing Skills:
Standard: Identify, select, use, analyze and create appropriate resources, primary
and secondary, for social science inquiry
 Select, investigate, and present a topic using primary and secondary resources, such
as oral interviews, artifacts, journals, documents, photos and letters
Standard: Knowledge to create and use various social studies graphics and maps
 Use maps, graphs, statistical data, timelines, charts and diagrams to interpret, draw
conclusions and make predictions
 Create maps, graphs, timelines, charts and diagrams to communicate information
Standard: Understanding fact, opinion, bias and points of view in sources
 Distinguish between fact and opinion and recognize bias and points of view
Standard: Using technological tools
 Use technological tools for research and presentation
Standard: Supporting a point of view
 Identify, research and defend a point of view/position
Standard: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience