7th Grade Social Studies - St. Gerard Catholic School
Welcome to 7th Grade Social Studies! In this class we cover ancient civilizations - beginning with the earliest humans, and continuing with Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, India, China, Rome, and wrapping up with a short unit on the major world religions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Additionally, we focus on the geography of each region of the world throughout the year, which culminates in a final passport project. We focus on the rise and fall of some of the world's most influential empires and try to determine how they both became powerful and lost that power.
Keep reading to get an idea of what you can expect in this class throughout the coming year!
Keep reading to get an idea of what you can expect in this class throughout the coming year!
Egypt Skit Project
One of the highlights of our first semester is the Egypt skit project that allows you to write, star in, and perform a skit using the knowledge you are learning about Ancient Egypt. The Egypt unit always generates a lot of interest and this is a fun way to take that interest and see where it goes. You will be assigned into groups of 4 people and with your group you will brainstorm your ideas, write your script, make and bring in props or sets, rehearse, and present your mini-play to the class. In addition to being fun and funny, the skit is primarily informative and should teach your classmates about the history and culture of Ancient Egypt. Click on the links below to get an idea for the project and see some past skits performed by watching the youtube videos!
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Write-Your-Own-Myth
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Since the Ancient Greeks had a profound impact on the world, this unit is an in depth look at not just the history, but the culture of the Greeks. In conjunction with this, we also do a comparison between the original myth of Hercules (actually, Heracles was the Greek name) and the Disney animated film. You will also write your own myth, following the components of all Greek myths and then using your own imagination to create the story. This is a fun way to show your creativity in writing and also your grasp of Greek myths and the stories they told. Check out the links below to get an idea of the assignment and to see examples of excellent myths written by former students!
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Eightfold Path Pillar
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In studying Ancient India, we spend a lot of time talking about the two major religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. As we learn about Buddhism, we study the Eightfold Path and the way that it was written as words of wisdom and guidance on stupas (similar to pillars) on roads throughout the Mauryan Empire. We compare the words in the Eightfold Path to the guidance we see in the Ten Commandments. Then, you will create your own Eightfold Path by coming up with steps that are meant to guide us to live our best lives possible. You then take these steps and display them on a decorative 'pillar' that you create that hangs in the hall for all to see and learn from. Click on the links below to get an idea for the assignment and check out the slideshow of past work!
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Julius Caesar Debate
The classic question of whether or not history should view Caesar as a good guy or a bad guy is hotly debated in the 2nd semester of this class. Was he a power-hungry dictator that destroyed the republic? Or was he a radical reformer who took power in the face of a corrupt government that was not helping the people? Two teams will face off to try and answer this question as the audience looks on with questions prepared and open minds to vote for the winner. Every year, depending on the class and the teams, classes have come to different conclusions. What will yours be? Click on some of the links below to get an idea for the assignment.
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Is this everything?
Absolutely not! We do not use our 180 school days wastefully and you can expect to do many things throughout the year! We will use google classroom often for many things such as learning content, completing assignments and assessments, collaborating with classmates, communication, and much more. One thing you can always count on? Something different every day!
Additional ResourcesClick below for helpful class resources!
General: These resources in this section relate to daily classroom needs. Google Classroom Google classroom is used almost daily for homework and classwork and students join my class with the above code. Parents and guardians can be signed up as well - simply e-mail me through the contact page! Textbook Resources Our textbook, Discovering Our Past: A History of the World (2018), is online and a login through McGraw-Hill has been given to access needed resources such as the text and needed assignments. Quizlet This is an excellent (and free) resource for students looking to create online flashcards. You can create quizzes and share them with classmates as well - an excellent study tool that I highly recommend. Geography: Because we start every class period with two geography questions related to a certain area of the world, geography resources are important for helping with those questions and periodic geography quizzes we will take over the course of the year. Interactive Maps (Your Child Learns) These interactive maps are used often in class to show location of answers to questions. But, they are also a helpful tool for studying as they can be good for self-quizzing, since the answer does not appear until hovered over. World Geography Games This library of geography games are fun to play and helpful for studying placement of countries and physical features. Geography Practice Quizzes Similar to the link above, this is just another resource that can aid in studying world geography in any region. Instead of making a practice quiz on your own, check here first. National Geographic As we study different regions, national geographic can be a helpful resource in understanding culture and way of life, in addition to simple geography. Their stories on various regions and cultures are tried and true. They also are the creators of the Geography Bee that the junior high participates in every year! Ancient Egypt Skit: In this section, you can gain more information about Ancient Egypt as you work on your skit project with your group. It gives you information on Ancient Egypt as well as tips and tricks for writing and presenting an effective skit. Check them out and use what you can! Egypt Overview - Britannica Ancient Egypt Info - Khan Academy Writing a Skit How-To Write Your Own Myth: The two links below give an overview of Greek Mythology. If you enjoyed reading Heracles in class, perhaps you may enjoy reading other myths as well. This can also be helpful as you begin to create your own myth as you could have more examples to pull from. Also, the workshop on myth writing can give tips and tricks that are helpful. Greek Mythology Overview - Britannica Scholastic Workshop on Myth Writing Eightfold Path Pillar: This overview of Buddhism helps fill in some of the gaps left by your textbook and can give you some helpful information pertaining to the Eightfold Path and how it is viewed by Buddhists. This can, in turn, give you ideas as you create your own eight steps. Buddhism Overview - Britannica Julius Caesar Debate: In this section, you can gain more information about Julius Caesar prepare for your debate. It gives you information on who Caesar was as a person and leader. Finally, the how-to link has a ton of information on effective debate practices. Debate How-To Julius Caesar Bio Image Attribution: |
Click below for helpful school resources!
School & Church: The links below are meant to orient you to the websites that will helpful regardless of the class. School Website The school website can give you up to date information about the school's happenings and also has helpful links to other information you may need. PowerSchool Login PowerSchool is how we manage and update grades as well as distribute information. It is an essential part of communication for each teacher and the school in general. School Calendar The school calendar lets you know what important dates might be coming up and when expected breaks are. Junior High Staff Info Meet the five teachers you will learn from over the course of your 7th and 8th grade years. We are excited to know you! Junior High Handbook The junior high handbook has important information about school policy, such as the dress code. We will often refer to it and you are give your own hard copy at the open house. But you can always access it online through this link or the school website. Parent Handbook The parent handbook, similar to the JH handbook is a great source for parents. Parish Website The Parish website can keep you informed as to the goings on of St. Gerard Church. Since the church is intimately connected to the school, it is helpful to know this information as well, especially if you are not a member. Consider joining us for mass on Sunday if you don't already. We would be happy to have you! Citation Help: Proper citation and careful use of information are cornerstones of St. Gerard, especially in the junior high. As we prepare you for high school and beyond, an essential part of that preparation is giving you the knowledge and tools to credit others for their work. MLA Style Center The MLA Style Center is an online resource meant to help you with MLA formatting (which you will use in every class at this level and high school). It shows you how to do in-text citation as well as a works cited. Purdue OWL This website is a helpful because it gives you man examples for citation as well as step-by-step instructions for proper citation. It is also easy to navigate. EasyBib (*This is an OK place to start, but always double check format*) EasyBib can be a helpful place to start if you are not well-versed in citation and formatting. However, it can sometimes be inaccurate and unable to find all the information you need to do a proper citation. You should always double check what you find here. |
- Julius Caesar 1: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_of_the_Eburones_-_Marble_Julius_Caesar.jpg
- Julius Caesar 2: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Iulius_Caesar
- All other images on this page are my own.
- Julius Caesar 2: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Iulius_Caesar
- All other images on this page are my own.