In contrast to other years, the seventh-grade social-studies curriculum varies widely from state to state. In many states, students focus on world history and geography, beginning with the Roman Empire, and also covering the Byzantine Empire; ancient African empires; Chinese dynasties; the Crusades, the Middle Ages, and the Enlightenment. In other states, classes divide the year between a survey of world-history topics and a unit on state history. In places like Texas, most of the year is devoted to an in-depth study of state history, from the earliest Native American settlements through modern times. Regardless of the content they study in the classroom, though, your grandchildren this year work hard to develop their social-studies skills by writing research papers, making oral presentations, and creating oversize maps. Middle-school teachers also urge students to become independent thinkers, asking and answering challenging questions about the historical episodes they study.
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Don't Know Much About History. Young people get a healthy dose of history throughout their school careers, but studies show that teens, and many adults, retain shockingly little information about the subject. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Education reported that nearly six of 10 high school seniors knew so little about their country's history that they ought to be considered "historically illiterate." A number of similar studies since then have found even worse results. Advocates for history education have pushed schools to devote more class time to the subject, but that has been a struggle since the federal No Child Left Behind program became law in 2002, leading to high-stakes testing of students in English and math, but not history.
• One way to learn about how we are connected to other cultures, and to help your grandchildren boost their vocabulary, is to look at the origins of the words we use. The
Online Etymology Dictionary is a great place to start.
• Many of our own ideas and theories about government have their origins in ancient times. For a little help explaining to your grandchildren how the ideas of Aristotle, Copernicus, or Confucius have influenced the world we live in, refer to Peter Watson’s
Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud (Harper, 2006).
A Long Look Ahead. When your grandchildren learn about ancient history, much of what they are taught is based on discoveries of artifacts and scientific conclusions about the way people lived. Talk with your grandchildren about how people 500 or 1,000 years from now might view the early 21st century. Look at objects around the house together and imagine how they'll be interpreted as artifacts one day. What will future generations conclude about this century based on what we leave behind? Will it be a correct assessment?
Teaming Up. Your grandchildren will very likely work in small groups on major social-studies projects this year. There's a lot to learn from this experience but it can also be stressful if students argue over the division of labor or whether everyone is doing his or her fair share. Share your experiences of working with others, and the lessons you learned, with your grandchildren, and encourage them to make the best of the opportunity to be part of a successful team.
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