Name of Program:  High School Social Studies

Grade Level: 9-12

Population: All Students

Materials (Specific Titles & Publisher Here):

v    Software:  Glencoe Interactive Student Edition, Glencoe Skillbuilder Interactive Workbook

v    Online:  TAKS 10^TH Social Studies Practice, Study Island

v    Unitedstreaming Video

v    Glencoe:  World Geography, The American Republic since 1877, World History,

v    Department Reading List (partial): 

Ø     The Prince

Ø     Huckleberry Finn

Ø     Brunelleschi’s Dome

Ø     Survival in Auschwitz

v    Library selections/videos

v    ClassServer lessons

General Description:

Social studies courses combine history, geography, economics, culture, and citizenship. These courses are designed to teach students about significant people, events, and issues historically, globally, and locally. Students analyze important events and issues.  Students evaluate the causes and effects of political and economic policy. Students examine the impact of geographic factors on major historic events and identify the historic origins of contemporary economic systems. Students analyze the process by which democratic-republican governments evolved as well as the ideas from historic documents that influenced that process. Students trace the historical development of important legal and political concepts. Students examine the history and impact of major religious and philosophical traditions. Students analyze the connections between major developments in science and technology and the growth of industrial economies, and they use the process of historical inquiry to research, interpret, and use multiple sources of evidence.

Working Theories:

v    Balanced Literary

Balanced Literacy includes: Questioning, Reading, Writing, Discussion, Questioning  Learning Cycle.

v    Content-Based Reading

v    Multiple Intelligences

v    Brain-Based Research

v    Whole-Part-Whole

http://www.arp.sprnet.org/curric/Dept_Chairs/whole.htm

Working Models:

v    Whole-Part-Whole (Dorothy Strickland) http://www.arp.sprnet.org/curric/Dept_Chairs/whole.htm

v    Chicago Public Schools:  High School Standardized Test Preparation   http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Preparation/HS_Standardized_Test_Prep/hs_standardized_test_prep.html

v    Multi-Paragraph Writing (Jane Schaffer)

v    http://www.janeschaffer.com/

v    National Standards

http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/

Pedagogical Resources:   

How to Teach:  http://www.ncss.org/ 

Policies: 

v    SCANS

http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/LivingSkills/SixSkills.htm

v    Character Counts

http://www.goodcharacter.com/

http://www.arp.sprnet.org/curric/CC!/Ethics.htm

v    Reading Improvement

http://www.arp.sprnet.org/curric/READ/Initiatives.htm

v    Staff Development

http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/district/inservice/inserv1.htm

v    NCLB- Three Tiers

http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/district/inservice/inserv1.htm

Time Allotments: 

v    Content-based reading (throughout the year)

v    Explicit instruction (10-15 minutes daily)

v    Guided reading/writing(15-25minutes daily)

v    Guided practice (15-20 minutes daily)

v    Share/Reflection time (5-10 minutes daily)

Mentorship Component for New Teachers:

• Mentor Observation Form

• Mentor Check List

Classroom Engagement:

v    Visual Cues/Posted Objectives

v    Curriculum-based reading

v    Four classroom components

1.     Concrete (manipulatives, models, hands-on)

2.     Discussion/Mental model

3.     Symbolic/Pictorial

4.     Abstract (written on the board, formulations)

Goals:

v    All learners will be successful on the two lowest Social Studies objectives at 70% on the 1^st benchmark.

v    All learners will be successful at 70% or above on the 1^st benchmark test.

v    Students will be successful on exiting Tiers before the end of 1^st semester. .

v    In 2006, at least 75% of all Social Studies students in grades 10 and 11 will be successful on TAKS.

Major Concepts:

Concept Weaknesses:

Social Studies Lowest Two Objectives:[p1] 

Objective 1 -- Demonstrate an understanding of issues and events in U.S. history.  

Objective 3 – Demonstrate an understanding of economic and social influences on historical issues and events.

Examples of BEST PRACTICES:[p2] 

Resources:

Accountability:

v    YEA (pre-assessment at the beginning of the school year)

v    Benchmark tests (at the end of each six weeks)

v    Final Exam

v    TAKS test (administered during the spring semester)

Tier 1:  students that failed to meet minimum requirements on the Yearly Expectations Assessment given the third week of school.  These assessments were based on objectives the student needed to master from the previous grade level.  The assessments were given in English, Math, Science and Social Studies.  Parents of the students qualifying for Tier I will be notified by letter.

Tier 2: students that have failed to master objectives taught during the 1^st-3^rd six weeks of school or failed TAKS from the previous school year.  This will be measured on a benchmark test given the sixth week of school.  The parents of the students qualifying for Tier II and /or III will be notified by letter.

Tier 3: students that have failed to master objectives taught for the 1^st semester of school or any combination of Tier I and/or II.  This will be measured on a benchmark test given at the end of the 1^st semester.  The parents of the students qualifying for Tier II and/or III will be notified by letter.

Tutorial Options:

v    After school tutorials

v    Before school tutorials

v    Peer tutoring (Mu Alpha Theta and National Honor Society)

v    TAKS Class

Materials:

v    TAKS Buckle Down Booklets

v    TAKS Coach Booklets

v    Computer Tutorials (ie. TRACKS, Study Island)

v    Accelerated Reader Program

v    Credit Recovery Software

v    L&M Software

v    TEA online assessment

Allotted Time/Days:

v    Before school tutorials (7:30AM-8:00AM) arrangements made with individual teachers)

v    After school tutorials (3:30PM-4:00PM) Wednesday for high school.

v    TAKS classes are offered at the high school campus throughout the school day.

Assessments:

v    ClassServer/teacher constructed tests

v    Benchmarks

v    TAKS