BJHS Social Studies Courses

Social Studies

Sixth Grade

The sixth grade curriculum for social studies follows the Assessment Framework found within the Illinois State Learning Standards. These standards require students to be exposed to ancient world history from Early Humans through the Middle Ages of Europe. Teachers and students use grade level text, maps, and other published material in order to achieve these learning standards. An emphasis is placed on teaching students to successfully read and gather information from expository text. A balanced curriculum is achieved by the judicious use of text, projects, community resources, and teacher creativity.  Students will leave the sixth grade having received a well-rounded social science experience.

Geography (7th Grade)

The seventh grade curriculum for social studies follows the Assessment Framework found within the Illinois State Learning Standards.  These standards require students to understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, including events, trends, individuals and movements that have shaped the history of the United States and other nations.  Teachers and students use grade level texts, maps and other published materials in order to achieve these goals.  An emphasis is placed on the study of the location and distribution of natural and cultural environments on the surface of the earth, including the development of skills such as: orientation to maps, directions, locating places on maps, using scale and computing distance, interpreting map and comparing maps and making inferences.  The curriculum focuses on student literacy, including the ability to read and understand maps, charts and graphs. Students will leave the seventh grade having gained an understanding for the world in which they live.

 American History (8th Grade)

The eighth grade curriculum for social studies follows the Assessment Framework found within the Illinois State Learning Standards and is consistent with historical period divisions developed to coordinate District 87’s fifth, eighth and tenth grade courses.  The majority of the historical content will be drawn from the period following the American Revolution through the closing of the frontier and emergence of urban centers.  One quarter of the year will be devoted to a study of government that meets state requirements for completion of eighth grade.  Courses will feature a grade level text and include activities designed to develop student abilities to read and gather information from an expository text.  Students will leave eighth grade prepared for success in their high school history and government classes.