CGMS Social Studies Note to Parents
By Myers, Mary
Dear Parents,
I plan to send reminders out through email again this year when students are taking a quiz/test/ or have a large assignment due -- so that parents are well informed of approaching dates. Also, new to my plate this year is teaching 6th grade. I have been teaching only 7th and 8th grade students and am enjoying the new challenge of 6th grade as well. I am the only teacher in the building middle school who sees all the middle school kids in a day and talk about whirlwind -- but what fun I am having!
In all content areas, we have jumped right in with learning. The 6th grade has been working on map skills and will soon dive into the ancient civilizations that will consume our whole year! The 7th grade students have reviewed some map skills and will begin learning about the continent of Europe. 7th grade students will be expected to memorize locations on maps and that will be a substantial part of what we do in our year. It is the expectation that they know where they our in our world. The 8th grade have already been exposed to the Declaration of Independence and we will hurry through the Revolutionary War. It's not content I am expected to teach but it's necessary to know about for what comes next -- THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION! If you have the time, please ask your student about the Declaration of Independence...he or she may just know about it! Make your student give you an explanation!
Lastly, I am challenging kids in a way I have never done before. I have a bulletin board at the front of my classroom that actually states "Mrs. Myers is less helpful..." This has to do with the Common Core standards that we will be expected to be using in a few years that will significantly bump up the learning process for all and put kids more on a college bound track of learning. We are actively doing more thinking, more doing and certainly more writing in social studies! So, if your child says my class is more difficult or that I'm making he/she think/do/write more, then your child is telling the truth!
I always welcome questions and will do my best to challenge your student at the middle school level! Welcome to middle school, folks!
Sincerely,
Mary K. Myers
6th, 7th, 8th Social Studies
