Assignment+1

**Grade Level and Subject** Grade 7 Social Studies (B.C. Curriculum) ** The B.C. Social Studies curriculum document can be found at: ** ** [] ** ** The Grade 7 Prescribed Learning Outcomes for British Columbia are organized as follows in the curriculum document: **

** Skills and Processes of Socia l Studies ** A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining, verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to a range of problems and issues A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate information A3 compile a body of information from a range of sources A4 deliver a formal presentation on a selected issue or inquiry using two or more forms of representation A5 defend a position on a contemporary or historical issue ** Identity, Society, and Culture ** B1 analyse the concept of //civilization// as it applies to selected ancient cultures B2 analyse social roles within one or more ancient civilizations B3 identify influences and contributions of ancient societies to present-day cultures ** Governance ** C1 describe the evolution and purpose of rules, laws, and government in ancient civilizations C2 assess how ancient systems of laws and government have contributed to current Canadian political and legal systems ** Economy and Technology ** D1 describe various ways ancient peoples exchanged goods and services D2 assess ways technological innovations enabled ancient peoples to adapt to and modify their environments satisfy their needs increase exploration and trade develop their cultures D3 compare ancient and modern communications media –––– ** Human and Physical Environment ** E1 assess how physical environments affected ancient civilizations E2 identify the impact of human activity on physical environments in ancient civilizations

** I have organized the Prescribed Learning Outcomes as follows for implementation in my classroom: **

**Mesopotamia** A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining, verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to a range of problems and issues

A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate information

A4 deliver a formal presentation on a selected issue or inquiry using two or more forms of representation

B1 analyse the concept of //civilization// as it applies to selected ancient cultures

C1 describe the evolution and purpose of rules, laws, and government in ancient civilizations

C2 assess how ancient systems of laws and government have contributed to current Canadian political and legal systems

D1 describe various ways ancient peoples exchanged goods and services

D2 assess ways technological innovations enabled ancient peoples to adapt to and modify their environments satisfy their needs increase exploration and trade develop their cultures

D3 compare ancient and modern communications media

**Ancient Egypt** A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining, verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to a range of problems and issues

A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate information

A3 compile a body of information from a range of sources

B1 analyse the concept of //civilization// as it applies to selected ancient cultures

B2 analyse social roles within one or more ancient civilizations

B3 identify influences and contributions of ancient societies to present-day cultures

D1 describe various ways ancient peoples exchanged goods and services

D2 assess ways technological innovations enabled ancient peoples to adapt to and modify their environments satisfy their needs increase exploration and trade develop their cultures

D3 compare ancient and modern communications media

**Ancient Rome** A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining, verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to a range of problems and issues

A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate information

A4 deliver a formal presentation on a selected issue or inquiry using two or more forms of representation

B1 analyse the concept of //civilization// as it applies to selected ancient cultures

C1 describe the evolution and purpose of rules, laws, and government in ancient civilizations

C2 assess how ancient systems of laws and government have contributed to current Canadian political and legal systems

D1 describe various ways ancient peoples exchanged goods and services

D2 assess ways technological innovations enabled ancient peoples to adapt to and modify their environments satisfy their needs increase exploration and trade develop their cultures

D3 compare ancient and modern communications media

E1 assess how physical environments affected ancient civilizations

E2 identify the impact of human activity on physical environments in ancient civilizations

**Ancient Greece** A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining, verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to a range of problems and issues

A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate information

A3 compile a body of information from a range of sources

A5 defend a position on a contemporary or historical issue

B1 analyse the concept of //civilization// as it applies to selected ancient cultures

B2 analyse social roles within one or more ancient civilizations

B3 identify influences and contributions of ancient societies to present-day cultures

**Ancient China** A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining, verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to a range of problems and issues

A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate information

A4 deliver a formal presentation on a selected issue or inquiry using two or more forms of representation

A5 defend a position on a contemporary or historical issue

B1 analyse the concept of //civilization// as it applies to selected ancient cultures

E1 assess how physical environments affected ancient civilizations

E2 identify the impact of human activity on physical environments in ancient civilizations

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 My decision to focus on grade seven learning outcomes stems from my experience teaching grade seven in the classroom. Outside of the library, grade seven is the only grade level with which I have long term experience. I chose to focus on Social Studies outcomes for a variety of reasons. Social Study outcomes are not organized into thematic groups, but rather by overall topic headings. When trying to enable students to learn about many different ancient civilizations, it is hard to organize units around those topic headings. As a teacher, I only had a limited amount of time to cover the curriculum. I did not have the time to address all learning outcome within the context of each individual civilization to which I wanted to expose my learners. When I picked and chose from the learning outcomes for each civilization, I always felt I was short changing my students and not giving them a comprehensive enough experience with each civilization. I still, however, do not see a better, but still realistic, way to cover the curriculum under the time constraints that are present. My learning outcomes are organized under different civilizations based on how I most recently covered them, but I would regularly mix up what I covered under each civilization to keep projects fresh and related to the needs of that particular group of learners. ======

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 My library has a very dated collection of curriculum related materials. The books are old, ugly, and underutilized because staff and students alike gravitate towards prettier, newer material. Students find the images in the older books to look too dated to be applicable to their lives. Since such a large part of the grade seven Social Studies curriculum requires students to relate their lives to those of people living in ancient civilizations, my students need to be able to relate to what they are reading, Even more importantly, students are less likely to comprehend information when they are unable to make connections with it. While grade seven Social Studies is one small area of the K-7 B.C. curriculum, it gives me a practical starting place for weeding and replenishing my library collection. All the schools I have worked in have Social Studies textbooks available for all the grades, but I firmly believe that best practice involves uses a variety of resources to create a rich learning experience for the students. Focusing on this area for LIBE 463 will allow me to identify new and additional resources for my future practice and my library now. ======