MTTC SOCIAL STUDIES
REVIEW AT CMU
Fall 2013 – quick1jm@cmich.edu – Jen Quick
How should I prepare for a test that I
spent the last 16 years studying for?
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One question at a time! Don’t rush, carefully read.
Don’t Freeze, Keep Going! Use your time well, and keep
moving. If you are stumped, circle the number and move
to the next question. Go back to what you have circled
once you have what you know, done.
Use the “Process of Elimination.” You are NOT penalized
for guessing on the MTTC. You have a one in four chance
of being correct.
Cross off the answers you know are incorrect and then
choose the most logical answer, this improves your
“odds.”
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When in doubt choose “C.” 
Most EFFECTIVE/ENGAGING Study
Strategies
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Reread notes, or textbook …………………. No
Do practice problems, or questions ………… Yes
Make flashcards for practice ………………. Yes
Study in groups where explanations are being
made about Social Studies information …..….Yes
Mnemonics, any learning technique that aids
information retention ………………………..Yes
Real Life examples …………………………. Yes
jmq.CMU.MTTC Review
What is covered on the Social Studies
MTTC test?
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Geography…………………………………... 27%
United States (U.S.)/Michigan History ………. 18%
Political Science (Government) ……………… 14%
World History ………………………………. 14%
Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Perspective, Public
Discourse ……………………………………. 14%
Economics ………………………………….... 13%
jmq.CMU.MTTC Review
Geographic Topics/Terms
Covered on MTTC
Coral
Reef
Mountains
Human
Interaction
Environmental
Adaptations
Interpretation of Past
Geographic events
Natural
Hazards
Hills
Marsh
Spatial Organization Interpretation of Present
Geographic events
Plains
Foothills
Swamp
Oceans
Geomorphology -
Deserts
Valley
Tundra
Seas
Humid Continental Climate
Delta
Plateau
Taiga
Lakes
Prairie Climate
Basin
Mesa
Canals
Rivers
Subtropical Climate
Maps
Time Zones
Commodities
Natural Resources
Marine Climate
Map Making
Renewable Resource
Physical Geography
Uses of Geography
Cultural Geography
Nonrenewable Resources
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5 Themes of Geography (Mr. Help)
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Landforms and Bodies of Water
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Map Projection
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Latitude and Longitude
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Time Zones
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Biomes of the World
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Climate Zones
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History, Geography and Time
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http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/getting_started.php
This program will help you work through the Geographic
parts of the MTTC test. You are able to test yourself and
what you have learned by completing the Activity PDF
Pages at the end of each section.
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WORLD HISTORY
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World History for US ALL!
Nine Big Eras
At the high end of the scale, World History for Us All introduces eleven primary
categories of study. The first is an introduction titled "History, Geography, and Time."
The next nine are titled Big Eras. The final one is called "Reflecting on the Past,
Thinking about the Future." All nine Big Eras address history on the scale of
humankind. That is, they are not limited to a particular region or civilization.
Each Big Era deals with a chronological period on the global scale. Each successive
period is shorter than the previous one. For example, Big Era One considers the very
long epoch of history up to the emergence of homo sapiens. Big Era Nine is
concerned with second half of the twentieth century and the dawn of the twenty-first.
Study of all nine eras is supported by Big Era teaching units designed for exploring
the past on several scales of time, space, and subject matter.
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Big Era One: Panorama Unit
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http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era1.php
The lessons in this panorama unit highlight three issues that establish the
context in which human history has taken place:
Lesson 1 explores the scales of time in which the evolution of our
universe, the earth within that universe, and humans on that earth has
occurred. Through kinesthetic exercises, students compare the scale of
such changes with scales of time to which they can relate from their own
experiences. The purpose of the lesson is to develop students’
“chronological literacy.”
Lesson Two examines how humans fit into the biological realm by
distinguishing the physical characteristics that make us different from any
other organism.
Lesson Three further establishes our distinctive nature in terms of the
cultural characteristics, notably language, that define us as uniquely
human. This lesson sets the stage for Big Era Two, in which students
explore how humans development of symbolic language led to the
immense cultural changes that make up our history.
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Era’s 2-9 of World History
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http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era2.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era3.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era4.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era5.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era6.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era7.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era8.php
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era9.php
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Six Basic Principles of the U.S. Constitution
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Amending the U.S. Constitution
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Bill of Rights for U.S. Citizens
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U.S. Structure of Government (Federal
Government and Most State Governments)
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Classic Forms of Government
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Forms of Governments around the World
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U.S. HISTORY
U.S. History.org
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American History – Our Nation from beginning to today. From Pre-Columbian to the New Millennium
The word history comes from the Greek word historía which means "to learn or know by inquiry." In the
pieces that follow, we encourage you to probe, dispute, dig deeper — inquire. History is not static. It's fluid.
It changes and grows and becomes richer and more complex when any individual interacts with it.
Knowledge of history is empowering. An event is but the furthest ripple of an ever-expanding wave that
may have started eddying outward hundreds of years ago. One who "sees" history is able to harness the
power of that wave's entire journey.
Finally, the best history has at its foundation a story. A printer challenges a King and so is laid the
foundation of the first amendment; a New Jersey miner finds gold in California and sets off a torrent of
movement westward; a woman going home from work does not relinquish her seat and a Civil Rights
movement explodes.
These stories all help to ask the question, "What is an American?" You'll help to answer that question as you
read through the clear and easy to read sections.
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U.S. History.org
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http://www.ushistory.org/us/index.asp
Like the World History Section, this section is all
found online at the ushistory.org website.
Read the questions prior to reading the section.
Read the section and if necessary, take notes.
Go back to the questions and see what you are
able to answer from having read the section.
Keep up the routine until you have read through the
New Millennium Section.
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INQUIRY, PERSPECTIVE, DISCOURSE
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It is very important that you are able to reason and
logically look at both sides of a debate. You must
teach your students how to build arguments.
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How Teacher’s Foster Great Debate!
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Essential Questions of Inquiry
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Make the story of our world come alive
for your students and yourself!!!
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ECONOMICS
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As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander
Hamilton set the economic course for the U.S.
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Economic Systems
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Market Economy – Supply and Demand
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Free Markets
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Causes of Economic Downturns
High Debt Load –
Personal and
Governmental
Downturn in
World Markets
Unclear
Monetary Policy
Stock Market
Panic and
Collapse
Political Problems
Economic
Collapse
Industry
Overproduction
Industrial Crisis
Problems in
Wealth
Distribution
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Farming –
Overproduction
or
Underproduction
ECON 101
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Additional Materials
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http://www.testprepreview.com/mttc-social-studies.htm
MTTC Social Studies Practice Tests
http://www.cram.com/flashcards/types-of-geographicfeatures-359946 Geography Flash Cards
http://www.teacheroz.com/generalUS.htm - General U.S.
History Information and Websites
http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/statmethods.html Research Methods
Ushistory.org
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