SOCIAL STUDIES
CURRICULUM REVIEW
GARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Board of Education Presentation – June 10, 2014
Committee members
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Jeannette Balantic, Social Studies
Curriculum Coordinator
Teresa Prendergast, Assistant
Superintendent for Curriculum
Margaux Calemmo, HS Librarian
Lois Kuster, HS Librarian
Kevin O’Hagan, HS Social Studies
Katherine Squires, HS Special Education
Cynthia Tanzosh, HS Special Ed
Alison Wallace, HS Social Studies
Nan McLaughlin, HS Principal
Dave Bradshaw, MS Social Studies
Erica Fregosi, MS Social Studies
Sue Shea, MS Social Studies
Susanna Sheehan, MS Social Studies
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Lori Palladino, Kindergarten
Homestead
Donna Welch, Kindergarten
Homestead
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Leigh Dowden, 5th grade Stratford
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Robyn Madden, 3rd grade Stratford
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Barrie Dratch, 5th grade Stewart
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Suzanne Viscovich, Homestead
Principal
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Linda Norton, Stewart Principal
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Christopher Uccellini, AP Stratford
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Eileen Vota, Stratford Principal
Charge to the Committee
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Begin Social Studies
Curriculum Review
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Conduct “spotlight year” activities
 Review student achievement data
 Examine Research
 Identify Best Practices
 Survey Exemplary Schools
 Obtain student/parent feedback
Present findings, conclusions and
recommendations (including budgetary
impact) to administration and the
Board of Education
Integrate with ongoing CCLS
implementation initiatives
Prepare multiyear plan for
implementation beginning 2014-2015
The Curriculum Review Process
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K-12 committee
Identify positive elements of social studies at
each level.
Generate questions to promote meaningful
reflection about curriculum, instruction,
assessment and resources
Prioritize the questions for building each
level (Primary, Elementary, Middle School,
High School and K-12)
Gather data at each level
Meet in subcommittees at each level to
assess the data and set building level goals
Develop an action plan
K-12 Social Studies Curriculum
A Framework that Supports Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Key Ideas and
Conceptual
Understandings
Conceptual content
articulated at each
grade level;
represents the
“what” of teaching
and learning
Common Core
Literacy Skills
Cross-disciplinary
skills in reading,
writing, research,
speaking and
listening that
should be infused
in all aspects of
Social Studies
instruction
Social Studies
Practices
The essential skills
or habits of mind
utilized by social
scientists and
historians that
students should
develop throughout
their Social Studies
education
•Causation
•Comparison
•Contextualization
•Gather, use &
interpret evidence
•Develop
chronological
reasoning
•Source documents
Social Studies in the Primary Schools
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Lay the foundation for citizenship skills
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Interdisciplinary connections – art, social studies,
ELA, character education
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Generate student enthusiasm for social studies
Primary School Recommendations
Goal
Action plan
Dedicate more time for social • Reallocate staff development hours to focus on social studies
studies staff development
every other month
Create a clear scope and
sequence for each grade
level
• Use staff development time to identify essential questions,
agreed upon documents, writing prompts and assessments
• Align CCLS, ELA and social studies skills and content in lessons
and assessments
• Pilot Putnam BOCES social studies curriculum
• Review reading/writing materials from SchoolWide , Inc.
Integrate ELA skills and social
• Link literature with social studies content and skills
studies content
• Integrate character education with study of heroes/heroines
Social Studies in the Elementary Schools
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Opportunities for interdisciplinary studies
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Use of non-fiction and fiction texts enable students
to make connections and enhance their
understanding of historical events
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Skill development
Academic vocabulary
Grade-wide projects
 We the People project
 Cultural studies
We the People
Elementary Recommendations
Goal
Action plan
Dedicate more time for
social studies staff
development
• Reallocate staff development hours to focus on social studies every
other month
Create a clear scope and
sequence for each grade
level
• Use staff development time to identify essential questions, agreed
upon documents, academic vocabulary, writing prompts and
assessments for each grade level
• Align CCLS, ELA and social studies skills and content in lessons and
assessments
• Explore having a lead social studies teacher for each grade
Standardize the 5th grade
research paper
• Use staff development time to identify research topics, questions
and rubrics
Improve articulation
between grades 5 and 6
• Use staff development time to communicate and align expectations
with regard to reading, writing, questioning and vocabulary
Update resources
• Purchase maps, trade books, journals
• Pilot Putnam BOCES curriculum; attend workshops
• Review reading/writing curriculum materials from SchoolWide , Inc.
Social Studies in Grades 6-12
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Instructional Philosophy that Reflects Best
Practices
 Staff
development
 Joint
meetings
 Books and articles
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Focus by Mike Schmoker
Never Work Harder Than Your Students by Robyn
Jackson
Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and
Jay McTighe
Historical Thinking chapters and articles by Sam
Wineburg
 Time
to collaborate and revamp lessons and
assessments
Research Grades 6-12
Grade
6
Content Areas
Science/ELA
7
Social Studies/ELA
Analyze the impact of early leaders in the Republic.
Analyze the significance of the Battle of Golden Hill on the American Revolution.
8
Social Studies/ELA
To what extent did the Great Migration influence the literary voice in the poetry
of the Harlem Renaissance
9
Living Environment Should colleges continue to recommend vaccinations for students?
Poet Study Assignment (9R) Short Stories (9H)
English
10
AP/Global History
11
English and
AP Language
12
Research Assignments
Analyze alternative energy sources
Analysis of human rights violations around the world
Analysis of global issues around the world
Literary Research Paper – Two Literacy Criticisms and Primary Documents
SS – Government Research a contemporary issue/policy
English/AP Lit
Research Project & Oral Presentation/Literary Research Paper
Social Studies in the Middle School
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Curriculum Work and Revision
 Essential
questions
 Integrating skills and content
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6-8 Writing Initiative
 Writing
benchmarks at each grade level
 Cohesive approach with graduated expectations
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6-8 Reading Initiative
 Reading
benchmarks at each grade level
 Targets certain skills at each grade level
Middle School Recommendations
Goal
Revise Units of Study
in 6th, 7th, 8th grade
Strengthen Academic
Vocabulary
8-9 alignment with regard
to reading and writing
expectations
Investigate new 7th/8th
grade textbooks
Action plan
• Use summer curriculum and staff development time to revamp
curriculum to develop deeper content knowledge and stronger
skills. ($1,920)
• 6th-8th grade, interdisciplinary (ELA, science, social studies) PLC
formed to identify Tier 2 vocabulary terms
• Designate words for certain grades
• Share instructional strategies to teach academic vocabulary
• Use staff development time for articulation between 8R and
9R/9H teachers to facilitate a smoother transition for students
• Attend conferences and contact publishers to review texts (that also
have an ebook) for future adoption ($72,000)
Social Studies in the High School
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Diversity of Course Offerings
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Curriculum Work
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Essential Questions
Cognitive Engagement
Best Practices
Writing Benchmarks
Reading Benchmarks
Global History & Geography 9R/H
Global History & Geography 10R
AP World History
United States History & Government
AP U.S. History
Participation in Government
Economics
AP Macroeconomics
AP United States Gov’t & Politics
AP European History
AP Psychology
AP Human Geography
Criminal Justice
Introduction to Psychology
Long Island History
Greece and Rome Rediscovered
Social Science Research H
Garden City
Cold Spring Harbor
East Williston
Great Neck
Herricks
Jericho
Locust Valley
Manhasset
North Shore
Port Washington
Rockville Centre
Roslyn
Syosset
Regents Mastery Level Comparisons 2013
Global
History
71%
57%
69%
70%
58%
75%
58%
77%
66%
71%
57%
68%
70%
US
History
87%
77%
64%
84%
76%
84%
78%
86%
73%
86%
74%
81%
84%
Advanced Placement Results 2013
Exam
# of GC
students
GC Avg
Score
Nassau County
Avg Enrollment
Nassau County
Avg Score
World History
86
4.13
61
3.03
US History
112
3.64
78
3.33
European History
14
2.64
40
3.16
Macroeconomics
81
3.43
51
3.10
Government &
Politics
85
2.64
57
2.87
Human
Geography
16
3.25
<15
N/A
Psychology
158
4.07
62
3.47
High School Student Engagement Survey
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When asked about classroom activities that interest or
engage them…
73% of kids ranked discussion and debate highly
 60-70% of kids were less enthralled with reading, writing and
research projects
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When asked how much their experience in social studies
contributed to their development in certain areas…
66% of kids felt they were becoming better writers
 69% of kids felt they were developing the ability to think more
critically
 73% of kids felt they were becoming better readers
 52% of kids felt that their ability to speak effectively was not
greatly improved by social studies.
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HS – Extracurricular Activities
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We currently offer:
 HOPE
 Quiz
Bowl
 Participation in two competitions
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Euro Challenge
Fed Challenge
Responses to the Student Engagement Survey
indicated a strong interest on the part of students
for more social studies oriented clubs (History Club,
Debate, Mock Trial, Model UN).
Social Studies Support at the High School
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Integrated Class Support
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Offered during a variety of periods
Offered to special education and general education
students
Fulfills AIS requirement
Multi-grade assignment (9/10; 11/12)
Reinforce study skills
Support in English, social studies and science
Revamp the scheduling of integrated support
High School Recommendations
Goal
Create common planning
time in specific courses
each year
Action plan
• Work with high school administration to identify priority areas to
allocate common prep time and build it into the master schedule
• Identify a course and collaborate with English colleagues to create
interdisciplinary units of study
Interdisciplinary Connections
• Work with high school administration to schedule students in Global
History 9CT and English 9CT back to back
Revise AP Courses
• AP curricula to align with College Board changes
($2,400/year) (US, European, World)
Revise Senior Year Research
paper
• Use staff development time and collaborate with librarians to
further revise the senior research paper to reflect increased level
of expectations and rigor
Reexamine elective course
offerings
• Use data from the student engagement survey to revise/rotate
elective course offerings
• Explore creative ways to give students opportunities to enroll in a
variety of courses
High School Recommendations
Goal
Institute a Social Science
Research Program
Provide subject specific
support for students
Offer social studies
oriented clubs
Prioritize textbook needs
and ebook subscriptions
Action plan
• Research and visit schools that have competitive social science
research programs
• Work with Steve Gordon to start a program at GCHS
• Work with high school administration to maximize integrated class
support
• Use data from the student engagement survey to propose club
offerings (i.e. History Club, Model UN, Debate Club)
• Attend conferences and contact publishers to review texts (that also
have an ebook) for future adoption
• Psychology ($20,000); Government ($10,000)
In Summary…
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Opportunity for Reflection
 What
works
 Where we want to improve
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Commonality in Goals
Carve out time for articulation (1-2, 5-6, 8-9); staff
development and common planning.
 Develop a clear scope and sequence for each grade
at the primary and elementary level
 Refine the scope and sequence for each course at the
middle school and high school level
 Refine social studies lessons, instruction and
assessments to advance CCLS in reading, writing,
thinking, listening and speaking
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Thank you for your support of the Social Studies program!
Questions?