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The Straus Social Studies Department will research and study several topics throughout time and place. The most crucial part of our content at each level is processing skills, where students will learn to apply critical-thinking skills from a variety of sources. These include the skills to: differentiate, analyze, organize, interpret, identify, evaluate, summarize, generalize, and compare and contrast.
6th Grade Social Studies (World Cultures)
Students will focus on people, places, and societies of the contemporary world. This includes geography, economics, history, government, citizenship, religion, culture, technology, science, and society.
7th Grade Social Studies (Texas History)
Students will study from early times to the present. This includes a full scope of Texas History. The focus in each era is on key individuals, events, and issues and their impact. Students will use primary and secondary sources to examine the rich and diverse cultural background of Texas as they identify the different racial and ethnic groups that settled in Texas to build a republic and then a state.
8th Grade Social Studies (U.S History of the United States)
Students will study from the early Colonial period through Reconstruction. This includes learning about people, places, and events from the 1600's to the late 1800's. This is a state tested subject and will cover the following units: Colonization, American Revolution, Constitution, Early Republic, Jackson, Industrial Revolution, Reform, Westward Expansion, Civil War and Reconstruction.
Students in all grade levels will also improve processing skills through continued reading, writing, inquiry, and collaboration. We incorporate technology, hands-on activities and interactive notebooks for enhanced learning. Project based learning will be promoted for Advanced Courses.
Ms. White is our Social Studies Coordinator at Straus Middle School, she also teaches 8th grade Social Studies
Ms. Campos is one of our 8th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Mr. Cantu is one of our 7th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Mr. Gaitan is one of our 6th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Ms. Harlan is one of our 6th grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Mr. Juchemich is one of our 7th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Ms. Montes is one of our 7th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Ms. Thomspon is one of our 6th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Ms. Rose is one of our 8th Grade Social Studies teachers at Straus MS.
Please follow us on X @NISDMSSS to see all the amazing things happening in social studies in middle school!
Academic Social Studies Grades 6 - 8
In 6th grade World Cultures, students will study people, places, and societies of the contemporary world. In addition they will study the influence of individuals and groups on historical and contemporary events in those societies and identify the locations and geographic characteristics of various societies. Students will learn the different ways of organizing economic and governmental systems. They will study the concepts of limited and unlimited government and describe the nature of citizenship in various societies. Students will compare institutions common to all societies such as government, education, and religious institutions. Students will also learn how the level of technology affects the development of various societies.
In 7th grade Texas History, students study the history of Texas from early times to the present. Students will learn about the regions of Texas and the distribution of population within and among the regions. They will also study the factors that caused Texas to change from an agrarian to an urban society. Students will learn about the structure and functions of municipal, county, and state governments, explain the influence of the U.S. Constitution on the Texas Constitution, and examine the rights and responsibilities of Texas citizens.
The 8th grade course studies U.S. History from the early colonial period through Reconstruction. Students will learn about the physical characteristics of the U.S. and their impact on population distribution and settlement patterns in the past and present, analyze economic factors that influenced the development of colonial America and the early years of the republic, examine American beliefs and principles, including limited government, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights, and evaluate the impact of Supreme Court cases and major reform movements of the 19th century.
Advanced Social Studies Grades 7 and 8
Students in advanced social studies classes will cover the same content as an academic social studies class, however, they should expect a more rigorous class, faster pace, more in-depth classroom discussions, intensified vocabulary, an increased amount of reading and writing assignments and the need for effective time management. Advanced social studies students will not earn high school credit, but they will be exposed to practices such as FRQs (Free Response Questions) and research and project opportunities that they will experience in Advanced Placement Courses in high school.
Grading Policy
Teachers offer multiple opportunities, including reteach and retest, for students to demonstrate mastery of the TEKS. The following is the district grading policy for MS Social Studies:
50% Formative
50% Summative
Grade 8 Social Studies STAAR
Middle school students participate in a Social Studies STAAR test at the end of their 8th grade year. Students prepare all three years for this test focusing on the mastery of TEKS considered to be foundational as well as TEKS directly assessed on STAAR. The STAAR Blueprint identifies those areas directly assessed on the 8th grade STAAR test.
Parents and students can access the Texas Assessment Family Portal at texasassessment.gov to view and print released STAAR tests as well as login to access the online practice tests.
Middle School Social Studies District Calendars
The suggested pacing for all grades can be found below and outlines the suggested pacing for the units in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade social studies by the approximate number of weeks:
6th Grade Social Studies
7th Grade TX History
8th Grade US History
All 6th, 7th, and 8th grade middle school social studies students also participate in two science Curriculum Diagnostic Benchmarks (CDB) each year. Please contact your child’s teacher for information as to when those exams will be administered.
