Social Studies

Hand releasing globe toward sea and cliff

Social Studies Department Vision

All social studies classes at Laredo Middle School seek to expand skills and knowledge with regard to critical thinking, literacy, and historical investigation.

In order to achieve this, teachers utilize the following tools and strategies:

Document Based Questions
Hands-on activities
Research projects
Analyzing and deciphering complex texts
Socratic Seminars
Philosophical chairs
Thinking Maps
Debates

Please see below for each grade level's specific information for the period(s) of history being studied and the Colorado Social Studies Academic Standards.

Our Social Studies Department Coordinator is Morgan Thornberry: 720-886-5121, mthornberry@cherrycreekschools.org

Social Studies Units of Study by Grade Level

6th Grade Social Studies Units of Study

The 6th grade year is focused upon building students’ capacities to think and act as “experts” in the Social Sciences. Students will question multiple perspectives of past and present societies while examining change. The curriculum includes:

Introduction to Geography
Ancient civilizations of the Americas: Mayan, Aztec and Inca
Conquest of the Americas
Globalization and the western hemisphere: our place in the world

7th Grade Social Studies Units of Study

Laredo strives to develop global learners. This belief is instilled in 7th graders by allowing them to explore their lives in a global community in hope of recognizing the connections with one another. This ideal will carry through to all units of study. The study will center on ancient history to modern times. Major concepts such as globalization, philosophies, world religions, and current events will be at the forefront of the lessons.

The 7th Grade Curriculum includes:

River civilizations: ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and India
Ancient Greece and Rome
Ancient China
Major religions of the eastern hemisphere

8th Grade Social Studies Units of Study

Monument of soldier at the Battle of Lexington

Students will study the historical foundations of America. Students will focus their attention on understanding the complexity of issues surrounding questions such as, “Why do people need government?” and “How does the past shape the future?” Students will build on the skills learned from sixth and seventh grade to practice historical inquiry using primary and secondary source documents. This course requires students to gain a firm understanding of the first half (1600-1870) of American history so that they will be prepared for the second half (1870-present) of American history in high school.

The 8th Grade Social Studies curriculum will cover:

Introduction to American History
Colonization: The road to revolution
The U.S. Constitution
A New Nation
Westward expansion
Civil War and Reconstruction

Colorado Social Studies Academic Standards

History

Economics

Economics teaches how society manages its scarce resources, how people make decisions, how people interact in the domestic and international markets and how forces and trends affect the economy as a whole. Personal financial literacy applies the economic way of thinking to help individuals understand how to manage their own scarce resources using a logical decision-making process of prioritization based on analysis of the costs and benefits of every choice.

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