7th and 8th Grade Humanities

7^th and 8^th grade Humanities

Whose problem is it, anyway?

Instructor: Bethany Hobbs

bethany@compass-school.org

Course Overview:

Unit 1: Problems of Political Pursuit

As a continuation of last semester’s study, we will look at the formations of the U.S. government after the Revolutionary War.  Students will discuss what historical and social circumstances can teach us about the behaviors of today’s society. We will explore themes of competition, what is needed for survival, and how far people are willing to go to get what they need.  Students will read the Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. The culminating project for this unit will be a persuasive essay.

Unit 2: Problems of Production

We will start the second unit by reading some science fiction short stories. Students will consider how humans have worked to meet their needs over time, and how that has impacted us. Students will write an analytic paper during this time. 

Students will end the unit by focusing on the ways New Englanders have used resources to produce commodities that have kept them alive in the past. Students will read Paddy Tyler and the Secret of the Stone, by J.T. Rizzo of Westminster, Vermont. We will study some of New England’s history of production, plant a garden, and go on possible field trips to local farms.

Unit 3: Problems Plaguing the Planet

For the final unit of the semester, we will explore current events and examine approaches to solving them. We will rely heavily on the history studied during the semester to decide if history really does repeat itself. Students will keep a log of newspaper articles related to a social issue of their choice. The culminating project of the unit is an informative paper about the issue, including their suggestions for a solution.

Readings

            -A Young People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn and Rebecca Stefoff

            -The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

            -Science fiction short stories

            -Paddy Tyler and the Secret of the Stones, J.T. Rizzo

Assessment and Learning Outcomes

1. Reading Log Assignment, Due January 13

            Learning Outcome:

                        I can take notes while I read to help with comprehension of the text.

2. Side-by-Side Question and Answer Sheet, Due January 20

            Learning Outcome:

                        I can ask literal, clarifying, inferential, analysis, synthesis, and evaluative questions and answer them while I read.

3. Mapping Assignment, Due January 27

            Learning Outcome:

                        I can use information from written text to create a visual representation of content.

4. Persuasive Writing, Due February 17

            Learning Outcomes:

                        I can state and maintain a clear position on a problem or issue.

                        I can arrange supportive evidence and provide facts and details to address counterarguments.

5. Analytic Writing, Due March 30

            Learning Outcomes:

                        I can connect what has been read to a broader world of ideas.

                        I can summarize key ideas to set context.

                        I can write an organized analysis of a literary text while using specific details and references to support my ideas.

6. Informative Writing (+ weekly log of articles about a global issue), Due May 16

            Learning Outcome:

                        I can keep track of researched information and use it to write an informative essay.

7. Ongoing throughout the semester

            We will continue to strengthen basic literacy skills with vocabulary and spelling quizzes. We will also deepen our understanding of the English language through grammar exercises and journal entries.

            We will keep up with current events with “Noteworthy News,” a time for reading and discussing the happenings in the news. Students will be encouraged to make connections with the history being studied in class. They will also analyze interpretations of events from the perspective of various groups, and evaluate the credibility of differing accounts.

8. The semester will conclude with Presentations of Learning and 8^th grade Round Tables. The preparation for these assessments involves reflective writing.

Weekly Schedule

Please keep in mind that this calendar is not comprehensive, but meant to give a general idea of the flow of the semester.

Homework Policy

All assignments are due at a specific time. Once an assignment has been given in class, students are required to write that assignment in their Compass planner. Homework assignments will also be listed on my website and updated on a weekly basis.

On-time work does not mean something that needs to be printed out or emailed. You must have your homework with you, ready to work with it in class the day it is due. Please see the Compass Handbook for more information.

If you know you will have a problem completing an assignment on time, please meet with me to make arrangements. I am very flexible and want to make the learning in class possible for everyone.

Grading and Class Expectations

As a student in this course, you are expected to take advantage of the assignments and class meetings to investigate, questions, discover, analyze, etc. You must make a commitment in the course. Although you will be expected to complete the tasks assigned to you in order to better grasp the information in this class, it is actually your amount of investment that will ultimately determine its value to you in your future.