History/Social StudiesHistory/Social StudiesCurriculum UpdateCurriculum Update

Cambrian School DistrictCambrian School District

Goal of History / Social Studies Goal of History / Social Studies UpdateUpdate

Review student performanceReview student performance Provide program informationProvide program information Consider next stepsConsider next steps

K-8 Houghton-Mifflin History / K-8 Houghton-Mifflin History / Social Studies ProgramSocial Studies Program

K – My WorldK – My WorldLearning & Working Now & Long AgoLearning & Working Now & Long Ago 1 – School & Family1 – School & Family

A Child’s Place in Time & SpaceA Child’s Place in Time & Space 2 – Neighborhoods2 – Neighborhoods

People Who Make a DifferencePeople Who Make a Difference 3 – Communities3 – Communities

Continuity & ChangeContinuity & Change 4 – California Studies4 – California Studies

California: A Changing StateCalifornia: A Changing State 5 – United States History: 5 – United States History:

Early YearsEarly YearsUS History & Geography: Making a US History & Geography: Making a New NationNew Nation

6 – World History: 6 – World History: Ancient CivilizationsAncient CivilizationsWorld History & Geography: Ancient World History & Geography: Ancient CivilizationsCivilizations

7 – Across the Centuries7 – Across the CenturiesWorld History & Geography: World History & Geography: Medieval & Early Modern TimesMedieval & Early Modern Times

8 – The More Perfect 8 – The More Perfect UnionUnionUnited States History & Geography: United States History & Geography: Growth & ConflictGrowth & Conflict

An informal survey of elementary An informal survey of elementary teachers reveals:teachers reveals:

Program is more engaging with improved readability Program is more engaging with improved readability Chapters are concise and Practice Books are well Chapters are concise and Practice Books are well

organized organized Practice books are not always usedPractice books are not always used Teacher Edition is well-designed and supports Teacher Edition is well-designed and supports

differentiationdifferentiation Videos are engaging and graphics are of high-quality Videos are engaging and graphics are of high-quality

and well-organizedand well-organized Reviews re-engage students on important ideasReviews re-engage students on important ideas Critical thinking aspects are not always addressed and Critical thinking aspects are not always addressed and

have to be supplementedhave to be supplemented

The survey also suggests: The survey also suggests: Cross-curricular and extension strategies are Cross-curricular and extension strategies are

supported by:supported by: Leveled readers Leveled readers Practice books which provide explicit reading strategies Practice books which provide explicit reading strategies

and skill development and skill development ebooks provide graphics and audio to help students ebooks provide graphics and audio to help students

hear how to pronounce new vocabulary. ebooks also hear how to pronounce new vocabulary. ebooks also are used to make power points to support whole class are used to make power points to support whole class activitiesactivities

The pacing is very ambitious The pacing is very ambitious Chapter tests are very difficultChapter tests are very difficult

How are students doing?How are students doing?

No CST or benchmark tests are administered No CST or benchmark tests are administered to students in the elementary school. to students in the elementary school.

There is no collection of school- or district-There is no collection of school- or district-level data related to student performance.level data related to student performance.

Using informal assessments, there appears to Using informal assessments, there appears to be improved student understanding using the be improved student understanding using the new program. new program.

Initiatives taken….Initiatives taken….

Some District upper elementary teachers are Some District upper elementary teachers are teaching social studies and science in a grade teaching social studies and science in a grade level rotation. This keeps us on track for our level rotation. This keeps us on track for our pacing and allows us to collaborate more pacing and allows us to collaborate more readily.readily.

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

No district-wide professional development has No district-wide professional development has occurred to specifically support History / occurred to specifically support History / Social Studies during the current school yearSocial Studies during the current school year

Step-Up-To-Writing training was provided for Step-Up-To-Writing training was provided for new teachers in August 2007new teachers in August 2007

Middle School UpdateMiddle School Update

Successes: what Successes: what works wellworks well

How are our Grade 8 History / How are our Grade 8 History / Social Studies students doing?Social Studies students doing?

0102030405060708090

100

2007

How are students performing in How are students performing in different content clusters of History?different content clusters of History?

Price Gr 8 History-Social Science Cluster Performance 2005-07

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

World History:Ancient

Civilizations

Late Antiquity& Middle Ages

Renaissance /Reformation

U.S.Constitution &Early Republic

Civil War & ItsAftermath

P04

2006

2007

Future Areas of

focus

• To develop Grade-level assessments

• Effective assessment resources are found in new textbook adoption

Future goals for the Social Studies program

•Exploration of year-long 7th grade course

What did our district survey reveal What did our district survey reveal about history / social studies?about history / social studies?

Parents believe their child is making satisfactory Parents believe their child is making satisfactory progress in social studiesprogress in social studies 78% of elementary parents78% of elementary parents 91% of middle school parents91% of middle school parents

Strong support for Strong support for Good citizenship behaviorsGood citizenship behaviors Teaching critical thinking skills, beyond the standardsTeaching critical thinking skills, beyond the standards

Parents who commented on social studies Parents who commented on social studies emphasized the importance of implementing a emphasized the importance of implementing a social studies program in the early gradessocial studies program in the early grades

What’s next for History / What’s next for History / Social Studies?Social Studies?

Implement year-round history at the middle Implement year-round history at the middle schoolschool

Develop assessment systems useful to teachers Develop assessment systems useful to teachers in planning instructionin planning instruction

Further explore the rotation of upper Further explore the rotation of upper elementary teachers to assist with program elementary teachers to assist with program pacing and goalspacing and goals

Build upon Step-up-to-Writing strategies in Build upon Step-up-to-Writing strategies in connection with the social studies programconnection with the social studies program