The 7th grade Social Studies Course is a Survey Course examining the Seven Social Sciences. The first unit of study is the History Unit where students learn how to examine evidence. Throughout the unit, they will also learn how to evaluate evidence to find the truth of any story. In the second unit, Political Science, students will study power, politics and government while learning about different types of governments as well as different types of leaders. In the Economics Unit, students will learn the Law Scarcity and combine it with the Law Supply and Demand so that they can apply these two basic laws in Consumer Economics. The Geography Unit will continue looking at the 5 themes of Geography (continuation of the 6th grade curriculum), examine key Geographic terms and look at a Weather and Climate Unit to bridge to the 8th grade Science Curriculum.
The next three units focus on the Behavioral Sciences starting with Psychology were students will examine their own behaviors. They will look at needs, defense mechanisms, learning models and finish with conflict resolutions. Building on the Psychology unit, the students will study Sociology where they will look at their needs in groups. At the end of the unit, they will study the five institutions in any society (family, religion, education, government and economics) particulary examining theirown society. In the final unit, Anthropology, they will pull all of their information together as they study Culture ( material and non-material), its development through language and how cultures must stay dynamic through invention, innovation, diffusion and acculturation.
The course is designed to give students an introductory to the Social Sciences so that they may further their studies as they choose electives while taking course work in Social Studies at the High School.
