Social Studies
In 8th grade social studies, students learn about United States history, starting with the discovery and exploration of the Americas through the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War.
In 8th grade, social studies is taught as a lecture and students are expected to take notes from a power-point presentation. I hope that by using this format, students will develop good note-taking strategies that will help them prepare for high school. Since we are taking notes, it will take us a couple of days to complete a section. Each time we finish a section, students will have comprehension questions to answer for homework. When we finish a chapter, students will complete a chapter review to help them prepare for the test.
When we reach the end of the unit, we play a review game that includes the social studies questions straight from the test. This review game gives the students an opportunity to see what information they will be tested over. During this game, I divide the class into two teams to compete to answer the questions. Whichever team wins the review game earns an extra credit. I offer this extra credit opportunity with the hope that students will want to be prepared for the review game and start studying a couple nights before the test. After the review game, I give the students the short answer questions straight from the test, so they know what to prepare for.
The 8th graders do have a textbook that corresponds with the information that we are covering in class, but their textbook covers the topics much more in-depth. The notes that they take includes information from their textbook, as well as information from other sources. Students' assignments and tests will be over the information in their notes, not from the textbook. At some points during the year, I will have the students use their textbook, and I will let them know ahead of time when they are expected to bring it to class. I will also inform the class if/when they are expected to use the textbook for assignments.
In 8th grade, social studies is taught as a lecture and students are expected to take notes from a power-point presentation. I hope that by using this format, students will develop good note-taking strategies that will help them prepare for high school. Since we are taking notes, it will take us a couple of days to complete a section. Each time we finish a section, students will have comprehension questions to answer for homework. When we finish a chapter, students will complete a chapter review to help them prepare for the test.
When we reach the end of the unit, we play a review game that includes the social studies questions straight from the test. This review game gives the students an opportunity to see what information they will be tested over. During this game, I divide the class into two teams to compete to answer the questions. Whichever team wins the review game earns an extra credit. I offer this extra credit opportunity with the hope that students will want to be prepared for the review game and start studying a couple nights before the test. After the review game, I give the students the short answer questions straight from the test, so they know what to prepare for.
The 8th graders do have a textbook that corresponds with the information that we are covering in class, but their textbook covers the topics much more in-depth. The notes that they take includes information from their textbook, as well as information from other sources. Students' assignments and tests will be over the information in their notes, not from the textbook. At some points during the year, I will have the students use their textbook, and I will let them know ahead of time when they are expected to bring it to class. I will also inform the class if/when they are expected to use the textbook for assignments.