Course Syllabus

Mrs. Mayfield

7^th Grade Social Studies

Rehoboth Road Middle School

2015-2016

 

 

Course Description:

In this course, 7th grade social studies students are being introduced to fundamental geographical knowledge that will be required to understand and synthesize the deeper body of knowledge about the environmental issues and concerns of the regions that will be studied in the next course. Within this course, the students will locate selected features and countries of Southern and Eastern Asia (SS7G9). Along with the basic knowledge of where these selected features and countries are located, the students will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Southern and Eastern Asia (SS7G11). All knowledge will then be applied to better understanding the environmental issues and concerns of the region in the next course (SS7G10).

 

Standards:

SS7G9 - The student will locate selected features in Southern and Eastern Asia.

a. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: Ganges River, Huang He (Yellow River), Indus River, Mekong River, Yangtze (Chang Jiang) River, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, Sea of Japan, South China Sea, Yellow Sea, Gobi Desert , Taklimakan Desert, Himalayan Mountains, and Korean Peninsula.

b.Locate on a world and regional political-physical map the countries of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Vietnam.  

SS7G11 - The student will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Southern and Eastern Asia.

a. Describe the impact climate and location has on population distribution in Southern and Eastern Asia.

b. Describe how the mountain, desert, and water features of Southern and Eastern Asia have affected the population in terms of where people live, the types of work they do, and how they travel.

 

Map and Globe Skills:

4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps.

8. Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information from maps.

 

Information Processing Skills:

1. Compare similarities and differences.

11. Draw conclusions and make generalizations.

 

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

ELACC6-8RH7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Production and Distribution of Writing

ELACC6-8WHST4: Produce clear and coherent writing where the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

ELACC6-8WHST5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

ELACC6-8WHST6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

 

 

Approaches to Instruction

This course will be delivered online and will have no face-to-face meetings. The course consists of a series of activities, online practice, discussion postings and assessments.  Since this is an online course, the following are minimum requirements for successfully completing this course:

• personal computer with internet access and speakers or headphones
• printer (you can print from the public library)
• colored pencils and a printed copy of the map provided in the course
• camera, scanner or cell phone camera

 

Communication

When questions arise, you can contact me at my email address. I will respond same day to all emails received prior to 7 p.m. All emails received after that will be returned the next day. 

Email: heather.mayfield@gscs.org

 

Lesson Activities/Assessments

1. Activating Activities: located at:  http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Asian_Geography.htm

• Complete Countries: Level L: locate these countries: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Vietnam.
• Complete Landscapes: Georegions L: locate these features: Gobi Desert, Taklimakan Desert, Himalayan Mountains, and Korean Peninsula.
• Complete Landscapes: Rivers L: locate these rivers: Ganges River, Huang He (Yellow River), Indus River, Mekong River, Yangtze (Chang Jiang) River.
• Complete Landscapes: Oceans L: locate these features: Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, Sea of Japan, South China Sea, and Yellow Sea.

Assessment: There is no formal assessment of this activity; it is for practice purpose only.

2. Activity: Print and complete the map activity that goes with PowerPoint presentations and submit either a picture of the map or a scanned image of the map to the assignment folder.

Assessment: Students will get credit for each feature labeled and colored (14 points) as well as each description created (14 points) for a total of 28 points for the assignment. All locations must be labeled correctly and descriptions must mostly match descriptions from the presentation that accompanies the activity.

3. Activity: Complete 7 unique text messages detailing a trip through Southern and Eastern Asia in the form of 140 characters for each of the seven (7) locations identified in the discussion post. That means the students will complete 7 different 140 character texts within the one discussion post that will detail that location’s climate, a description of the relative location, a description of the physical features and other meaningful information about the location. Each student will create a single response to the discussion post and then will respond to two (2) of their classmates’ postings in a meaningful manner.

Assessment: Post will be graded by a rubric

4. Formal Assessment: students will complete a quiz on the countries and features of the region. Quiz will be on Google form or embedded quiz within Canvas.

5. Activity: Using information from additional sources provided, students will create a Population Distribution Concept Map that will be completed using Spider Scribe, and a link will be posted in a discussion post. There will be no response to this posting.

Assessment: Students will receive a completion grade of 15 points for submitted concept maps that contain no fewer than 10 facts. If there are fewer facts, students will get a point for each fact provided on concept map.

6. Activity: Using information from additional sources provided, students will complete their assigned portion of a table about location, climate and population distribution that will be created in Google Docs. 

Assessment: Students will get 10 points for collaborating on the table with their classmates.

7. Activity: Students will respond to the final discussion post answering the following prompts:

• What is the impact of climate and location on population distribution in Southern and Eastern Asia?
• How do the mountain, desert, and water features of Southern and Eastern Asia affect the population in terms of where people live, the types of work they do, and how they travel?

Assessment: Post will be graded by a rubric

 

Grading Policies

All assignments are due at 10 p.m. the day they are due. Late assignments will assessed a 10% deduction for each day they are late. Please allow plenty of time for any questions that may arise about each assignment and communicate any concerns about assignments to me so that you can earn all of your points. All assessments are final and redoing of assignments/assessment will not be allowed. As always, do your best work and ask questions if you have concerns before you submit your work/assessment.