Social Studies

The Royal Oak Schools K--12 Social Studies Curriculum provides the framework for students to develop social understanding and civic responsibility by building four capacities in learners:

• disciplinary knowledge
• thinking skills
• commitment to democratic values
• citizen participation

While focusing on the geographic regions of Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands), 7^th grade students will explore the following:

·        The location and characteristics of places, human environments, regions and the movement of people, products, and ideas.

·        The interdependence of the areas and their connections with other parts of the world.

·        The influential people and events from the specific country’s past.

·        The economic, geographic, political and cultural factors that influence societies in these regions.

·        The comparison other country’s governments to our American constitutional democracy.

·        The regional problems in Africa, Asia, Middle East, or Oceania, with discussion of possible solutions.

Seventh grade students will be involved in the following activities as they relate to the regions of Africa, Asia, Middle East, or Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands):

·        Locate countries and cities in a specific region.

·        Describe and compare characteristics in a region including language, religion, belief systems, gender roles, and traditions.

·        Explain how humans modify the environment of a region and describe possible consequences of those modifications.

·        Explain how elements of the physical geography, culture, history, and ecosystems of a region may be influencing current events.

·        Select a contemporary condition in a specific world region, trace some of the major historical origins, and evaluate the conditions in terms of the core democratic values.

·        Use historical biographies to explain events from the past in a region, show how it affected the lives of individuals, and how some individuals influenced the course of history.

·        Locate and interpret information about a specific region using a variety of primary and secondary sources and electronic technologies, including computers and telecommunications, where appropriate.

·        Compose an essay that focuses on an issue in a specific region and uses evidence to support a position.

·        Describe the major economic and political connections between the United States and another region and explain their causes and consequences. 

·        Distinguish between representative democracy in the U.S. and another form of
government in one of these regions.