New Units:

7th Grade: On Wednesday, students begin a new unit that will focus on the Nile River and the people and nations who draw their lives and livelihood from the River. This unit will focus on a broader understanding of human interaction with their environment as well as scientific concepts like the water cycle and use of hydro electricity.

Unit Checklist: Also beginning with this unit, students will be given a unit checklist with each assignment and activity that will be covered during this 2 and 1/2 week period.


6th Grade: Students will begin a brief unit on the history of independence movements in Latin America and will explore the continued impact on those nations today.

We will also be looking at the various cultures of Latin America.



5th Grade: Students will begin a review of the 50 states, learning both the states, their location on a map, as well as their capitals. For many students this will be review of their primary years social studies classes. Students will be given a review map along with other aides to assist in learning each of the states.

This unit will also focus on the influence of geography and how that has influenced some of the differences in each of the states (particularly between North and South). This unit serves as a segway into the next unit which begins our exploration of US history, beginning with the Civil War.


Outline Map of the USA can be downloaded from the link below:
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/us_nl.pdf

Current Events

Approximately every other week, students are asked to complete a current events exercise.

This activity is designed to further our knowledge and understanding of the world around us, particularly of the regions of the world which we are currently studying in class.

5th Grade Students are to complete current events on US Geography, History or Culture of the United States

6th Grade Students are to complete current events on Latin America, Canada, Europe, Australia and Oceania

7th Grade Student are to complete current events on Africa, the Middle East and Asia


Guidelines:

1. Identify news source: Newspapers, News Magazine, Internet News Sites (Enclyclopedias and History sites are NOT news sites)
2. Chose an article that relates to the area we are currently studying: If we are studying Latin America, then your articles should cover that region, etc...
3. Students will summarize their article, making sure to answer the following questions in the process: Who/What (Who or what is the article about, describe the events or subject matter), When (When do the events take place), Where (Where does it take place). (4-5 sentences)
   
4. Your Opinion: Use your understanding of the article to describe your feelings of the subject. (2-3 sentences)
   

Humanities Quizzes

7th Grade:

Today 7th grade students will have a quiz on introduction to Africa. This quiz will cover: Physical and Human Geography (Culture), Climate and Vegetation as well as Population.

We will be reviewing this quiz in class and the corrected quiz will be returned later in the week.

On Friday, students will be working on current events (in-class) we will be reviewing the procedures for identifying articles that meet the current event criteria and how to correctly summarize those articles.


5th Grade (Girls):

Girls in 5th grade will have a quiz today on physical geography of the United States and Culture.

We will be reviewing this quiz in class and the corrected quiz will be returned later in the week.


5th Grade (Boys):

Boys in 5th grade will have a review exercise on Thursday in preparation for their quiz on Monday. Students should review their notes and prepare for their quiz on physical geography of the United States and Culture


6th Grade:

Students in 6th grade will have a review exercise on Thursday in preparation for their quiz on Physical Geography of Latin America and the Early civilizations of Aztec, Inca and Maya.