BELLE VERNON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

GENERAL SYLLABUS OUTLINE

**This syllabus is subject to change**

Course Name:

Social Studies

Grade:

6

1.)

Course Description:

The World past and present, focuses on the regions of the world, stressing history, geography,

citizenship, and the humanities.

2.)

Learning Standards:

5.1

Principles and Documents of Government

5.2

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

5.3

How Government Works

5.4

How International Relationships Function

6.1

Economic Systems

6.2

Markets and the Functions of Government

6.3

Scarcity and Choice

6.4

Economic Interdependence

6.5

Work and Earnings

7.1

Basic Geographic Literacy

7.2

The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions

7.3

The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions

7.4

The Interactions Between People and Places

8.1

Historical Analysis and Skills Development

8.2

Pennsylvania History

8.3

United States History

8.4

Word History

3.)

Student Objectives:

5.1.6     Principles and Documents of Government

v

Explain the purpose of government.

v

Explain the importance of the rule of law for the protection of individual rights and the

common good in the community, state, nation, and world.

v

Describe the principles and ideas shaping government.

v

Explain the basic principles and ideals within documents of Pennsylvania government.

v

Explain the basic principles and ideals within documents of United States government.

v

Explain the meaning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania and compare it to the Preamble of the Constitution of United States.

v

Describe the proper use, display and respect for the United States Flag and explain the

significance of patriotic activities.

v

Describe the roles played by the framers of the basic documents of governments of

Pennsylvania and the United States.

v

Describe and compare the making of rules by direct democracy and by a republican form

of government.

v

Describe how the government protects individual property rights and promotes the common

good.

v

Describe the purpose of symbols and holidays.

v

Explain the role of courts in resolving conflicts involving the principles and ideals of

government.

v

Explain the basic principles and ideals found in famous speeches and writings (e.g.,

"Governments, like clocks, go from the motion people give them," William Penn; "A date

that will live in infamy," Franklin D. Roosevelt).

5.2.6     Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

v

Compare rights and responsibilities of citizenship

v

Explain the relationship between rights and responsibilities.

v

Explain ways citizens resolve conflicts in society and government.

v

Describe the importance of political leadership and public service.

v

Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

v

Describe the impact of the consequences of violating rules and laws in a civil society.

v

Explain the importance of participating in government and civic life.

5.3.6     How Government Works

v

Compare the structure, organization and operation of local, state, and national

governments.

v

Describe the responsibilities and power of the three branches of government.

v

Explain how governments actions affect citizens' daily lives.

v

Describe how local, state, and national governments implement their services.

v

Identify major leaders of local, state, and national governments, their primary duties and

their political party affiliation.

v

Describe the voting process.

v

Describe how governments protects individual rights.

v

Identify individual interests and how they impact government.

v

Describe why and how government raises money to pay for its operations and services.

v

Describe the influence of media in reporting issues.

v

Describe forms of government.

5.4.6     How International Relationships Function

v

Explain the concept of nation-states.

v

Describe how nation-states coexist in the world community.

v

Describe the governments of the countries bordering the United States and their

relationships with the United States.

v

Describe the processes that resulted in a treaty or agreement between the United

States and another nation state.

v

Explain how nations work together on common environmental problems, natural disasters

and trade.

6.1.6     Economic Systems

v

Describe and identify the characteristics of traditional, command, and market systems.

v

Explain the three basic questions that all economic systems attempt to answer.

v

Define measures of economic activity and relate them to the health of the economy.

v

Explain the importance of expansion and contraction on individual businesses (e.g.,

gourmet food shops, auto repair shops, ski resorts).

6.2.6      Markets and the Functions of Government

v

Describe market transactions in terms of goods, services, consumers, and producers.

v

Describe the costs and benefits of competition to consumers in markets.

v

Explain the function of money and its use in society.

v

Define economic institutions (e.g., banks, labor unions).

v

Explain how the interaction of buyers and sellers determines prices and quantities

exchanged.

v

Describe how prices influence both buyers and sellers explain why prices may vary for

similar products.

v

Explain how taxes affect the price of goods and services.

v

Describe the Pennsylvania and United States governments' roles in monitoring economic

activities.

v

Identify and describe public goods.

v

Explain the cost and benefits of taxation.

v

Explain how advertisements influence perceptions of the costs and benefits of

economic decisions.

v

Explain what an exchange rate is.

6.3.6     Scarcity and Choice

v

Explain how scarcity influences choices and behaviors.

v

Explain how limited resources and unlimited wants cause scarcity.

v

Describe the natural, human, and capital resources used to produce a specific good or

service.

v

Explain the costs and benefits of an economic decision.

v

Define opportunity cost and describe the opportunity cost of a personal choice.

v

Explain how negative and positive incentives affect choices.

6.4.6      Economic Interdependence

v

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of specialization and division of labor.

v

Explain how specialization leads to more trade between people and nations.

v

Identify and define imports, exports, inter-regional trade and international trade.

v

Explain how the location of resources, transportation, and communication networks

and technology have affected Pennsylvania economic patterns.

v

Explain how specialization and trade lead to interdependence.

v

Explain how opportunity costs influence where goods and services are produced locally

and regionally.

v

Describe geographic patterns of economic activities in Pennsylvania.

6.5.6      Work and Earnings

v

Recognize that the availability of goods and services is the result of work by members of

the society.

v

Explain the concept of labor productivity.

v

Compare the number of employees at different businesses.

v

Explain how profits and losses serve as incentives.

v

Describe how people accumulate tangible and financial assets through income, saving

and financial investment.

v

Identify entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania

v

Identify the costs and benefits of savings.

v

Describe why there is a difference between interest rates for saving and borrowing.

7.1.6     Basic Geographic Literacy

v

Describe geographic tools and their uses.

v

Describe and locate places and regions.

7.2.6     The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions

v

Describe the physical characteristics of places and regions.

v

Describe the physical processes that shape patterns on Earth's surface.

7.3.6      The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions

v

Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their population

characteristics.

v

Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics.

v

Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics.

v

Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their economic

characteristics.

v

Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their political activities.

7.4.6      The Interaction Between People and Places

v

Describe the impacts of physical systems on people.

v

Describe the impacts of people on physical systems.

8.1.6      Historical Analysis and Skills Development

v

Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present, and future time.

v

Explain and analyze historical sources.

v

Explain the fundamentals of historical interpretation.

v

Describe and explain historical research.

8.2.6      Pennsylvania History

v

Identify and explain the political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups to

Pennsylvania history from beginnings to 1824.

v

Identify and explain primary documents, material artifacts, and historic sites important to

Pennsylvania history from beginnings to 1824.

v

Identify and explain how continuity and change have influenced Pennsylvania history from

the beginnings to 1824.

v

Identify and explain conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in

Pennsylvania history from beginnings to 1824.

8.3.6      United States History

v

Identify and explain the political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups in

United States history from beginnings to 1824.

v

Identify and explain primary documents, material artifacts, and historic sites important in

United States history from beginnings to 1824.

v

Explain how continuity and change has have influenced United States history from

beginnings to 1824.

v

Identify and explain conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in

United States history from beginnings to 1824.

8.4.6      World History

v

Identify and explain how individuals and groups made significant political and cultural

contributions to world history.

v

Identify and explain important documents, material artifacts, and historic sites in world

history.

v

Identify and explain how continuity and change has affected belief systems, commerce

and industry, innovations, settlement patterns, social organizations, transportation, and

women's roles in world history.

v

Explain how conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations affected

world history.

4.)

Course Text:

v  The World Past and Present, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company

5.)

Major Units or Themes:  (Include the following)

v     Ancient Egypt

v     Mesopotamia

v     Ancient Greece

v     Ancient Rome

v     Middle Ages

v     The Renaissance

v     The Age of Exploration

v     Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution

v     From Russia to the Commonwealth of Independent states

v     South Asia

v     China

v     Japan & Korea

6.)

Teaching Methods:

v     Guided Practice

v     Lecture/Discussion

v     Facilitated Inquiry

v     Simulation

v     Role Play

v     Computer Programs

v     Demonstration

v     Cooperative Learning

7.)

Assessment:

v     Teacher made tests

v     Map completions (historical, political, physical)

v     Making of a cartouche

v     Homework Packets

v     Vocabulary

v     Timelines

v     Movies with take-home tests

v     Projects (Faberge Eggs, Greek Banners, etc.)

v     Oral Presentations

v     Journals/Notebooks