September:

This month, the seventh graders will be learning about study skills, map skills, current events, and political science.  They will learn how to take notes, read a map, use the atlas, and begin analyzing current events and political history.  Students will be given geography questions daily and will be discussing current events at least once a week.  There are many things that can be done at home to compliment the social studies curriculum such as reading the newspaper, watching the news, and working with maps.  Ask your son/daughter to share what they have been learning in class with you.  

October:

The past few weeks, we have been learning about the events leading up to the writing of the Constitution. We will be having a quiz on these events this week. In the upcoming month, we will be looking more closely at the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. We are also lucky to be in the middle of a gubernatorial race this year and will be using that race to discuss elections.

It would be greatly appreciated if you would look over your child's assignment notebook and homework in social studies and other subjects each night. Many students are losing points for turning assignments in late or not even turning them in. Also, students need to put a little more thought and effort into their homework assignments.

November:

Throughout November, we will be continuing and finishing up the political science unit.  Classroom discussions will revolve around the Bill of Rights and a closer look at the various aspects of each branch of government.  Students will be using current events and issues to spark debates about the rights given to us in the Constitution and how they are applied to everyday life.  

January:

Throughout January and into the beginning of February, we will be studying the area of economics.  This unit brings many exciting projects and activities as students learn about the different types of economies, supply and demand, price, the stock market, banking and money, and the effects of advertising in a market economy.  Many of the activities will be done in class.  The main project in this unit will be a stock market game in which the students will be able to "invest" in a stock and chart their stock's progress.  We will start this project during the week of January 13, 2003.  It will be broken up into small steps for the students to follow and will conclude a written report of their success or loss in the market.  Please ask your son or daughter about this project as it is lengthy and worth a good deal of points! 

February:

            In February, we will be finishing up our unit on economics.  The two big projects for this unit are the stock market project and the vocabulary list.  These have been ongoing projects and are both due on February 14.  Please make sure your child is working on these and not falling behind. 

The end of our economics unit brings the beginning of our geography unit.  We will start out mid-February by learning the five themes of geography.  By the end of February and beginning of March, we will be using our knowledge of the five themes of geography to enhance our study of Alaska and the Iditarod. 

March:

            Throughout the month of March, we will continue studying the five themes of geography and incorporating the themes into projects revolving around the Iditarod and Alaska.  Our first project started on March 4^th and involves creating a brochure for Alaska.  The brochure will include a panel for each of the five themes of geography.  Their rough draft will be due on Monday, March 10^th, and the final draft will be due on Friday, March 14^th.  The second project the students will be doing in this unit will involve researching Alaskan tribes.  They will be assigned a tribe and will have to put together a brief presentation with both oral and visual components that shows one or more of the main aspects of their chosen tribe.