Dynamic Curriculum




	Checklist for Checks for Understanding

Seventh Grade Social Studies

CULTURE

Culture encompasses similarities and differences among people, including their beliefs, knowledge, changes, values, and tradition. The student will explore these elements of society to develop an appreciation of and respect for the variety of human cultures.

Key
M	Define the basic components of culture.
M	Explain how people living in the same region maintain different ways of life.
M	Identify how communities locally, regionally, and globally reflect the cultural background of their inhabitants.
D	Analyze the role of cultural diffusion and interactions among Earth’s human systems in the ongoing development of Earth’s cultural landscapes.
D	Identify and describe the location of major cultural attributes such as language, religion, political systems, economic systems, and population centers locally, regionally, and globally.
M	Define religion.
D	Describe the beliefs of the world’s major religions. Religion
D	Evaluate the role of religious beliefs on local, regional, nation-state, and global levels.
I	Identify characteristics of a physical environment that contribute to the growth and development of a culture.
M	Compare how cultures differ in their use of similar environments and resources.
D	Evaluate the effect of technology on various cultures.
D	Explain how information and experiences may be interpreted differently from people of diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference.
D	Describe how language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements facilitate global understanding or cause misunderstanding.

ECONOMICS

Globalization of the economy, the explosion of population growth, technological changes and international competition compels the student to understand, both personally and globally, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The student will examine and analyze economic concepts such as basic needs versus wants, using versus saving money, and policy-making versus decision-making.

I	Define various types of economies and their methods of production and consumption (e.g., market economy, free enterprise, capitalism, communism, and socialism).
D	List the major resources and industrial and agricultural products, locally, regionally, and globally.
A	Define renewable and nonrenewable resources. Natural resources: Can we use them forever Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources 7.2 SPI 2 PowerPoint Nonrenewable Resources
D	Apply basic economic concepts in studying the various regions of the world such as export, import, tariffs, and closed and emerging markets. Economic Concepts 7.2 SPI 1 PowerPoint
A	Recognize basic economic concepts (i.e., imports, exports, barter system, tariffs, closed and emerging markets, supply and demand, inflation, recession, and depression). Money Lessons: Supply and Demand and Other Lessons
D	Explain the interactions between domestic and global economic systems.
D	Recognize that resources, goods, and services are exchanged worldwide.
A	Select the major resources, industrial, and agricultural products from the three grand divisions from a map of Tennessee. TN State Information
D	Explain the economic impact of improved communication and transportation.
D	Appraise the relationship among scarcity of resources, economic development, and international conflict.
I	Evaluate the domestic and international impact of various economic agreements.
I	Apply economic concepts to evaluate contemporary developments.
A	Interpret economic issues as expressed with maps, tables, diagrams, and charts. Reading Graphs and Charts
M	Describe the characteristics, location, and use of renewable and nonrenewable resources.
M	Identify ways resources are recycled.
D	Describe patterns of resource distribution and utilization. Types and Numbers of Professions 1800
D	Discover the relationship between the use, availability, and accessibility of resources and a country’s standard of living, including the role of technology in resource acquisition and use.
D	Analyze issues related to the location, availability, use, distribution, and trade of natural resources. Economic Markets

GEOGRAPHY

Geography enables the student to see, understand and appreciate the web of relationships between people, places, and environments. The student will use the knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts within the six essential elements of geography: world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography.

M	Identify, describe, and be able to use the basic elements of maps and mapping.
A	Identify and use the basic elements of maps and mapping. Tutorial on Map Reading Mapping PPT II Scale and Distance Readings PPT Space.com Canadian Geographic Map Maker Map Projections
M	Identify the location of physical and human attributes on maps and globes at local, regional, and global scales.
A	Locate on map specific lines of longitude and latitude. (i.e., Prime Meridian, International Date Line, Equator, North and South Poles, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and Arctic Antarctic Circles). Longitude and Latitude Game Longitude and Latitude Lesson Plan World Atlas.com Reading Latitude and Longitude PPT Latitude and Longitude mapping Quiz Great PPT Lesson Locating Latitude and Longitude 7.3 SPI 2 PowerPoint
A	Locate the earth's major physical characteristics (i.e., 7 continents and 4 oceans).
A	Distinguish between types of maps. (i.e., political, physical, climatic, land-use resource, contour, elevation, and topographic.) Great Map PPT Lesson Description of Each Map Type: PPT Lesson Types of Maps 7.3 SPI 14 PowerPooint
M	Demonstrate an understanding of various types of maps including thematic and topographic maps.
A	Interpret a map indicating scale, distance, and direction. Scale and Distance PPT Direction PPT
A	Read and interpret a time zone map. Time Zones of the USA
M	Discuss applications of current geographic techniques in mapping such as GIS and GPS.
M	Identify the location of the earth’s major physical characteristics such as continents, landforms, bodies of water, climate regions, vegetation, and natural resources.
A	Identify the major river systems of Tennessee. Tennessee
A	Select the natural resources found in the 3 grand divisions of Tennessee (coal, copper, timber, plants, and animals.)
A	Identify the location of the earth's major landforms and bodies of water (i.e., Rockies, Andes, Himalayas, Alps, Urals, Sahara desert, Nile River Valley, Great Plains, Mississippi River, Amazon River, Thames River, Seine River, Rhine River, Danube River, Tigris River, Euphrates River, Ganges River, Volga River, and Yellow River). World Physical Maps by Continent Great Plains Play Geo-net Physical Features Game
A	Identify the six physical regions of Tennessee (i.e., Unaka Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Cumberland Plateau, Highland Rim, Central Basin, and Gulf Coastal Plain). Tennessee Counties Middle Tennessee Geography
M	Identify the location and size of major human features such as cities, political units, and countries.
A	Distinguish the differences among rural, suburban, and urban communities. Rural Campus Life vs Urban Campus Life - differences on campus Urban vs Rural - definition and information about each Urban Vs. Rural Impact on Adolescent Development -
M	Explain why physical, biological, and human processes leave discernable patterns on the earth’s surface locally, regionally, and globally. Earth's Physical Processes
M	Identify the spatial distribution of major ecosystems such as tropical rainforest, desert, and grassland.
A	Identify the characteristics that define a region geographically. Defining A Region
M	Identify concepts and geographic tools used to define and describe spatial organization such as absolute and relative location, distance, direction, scale, movement, and region.
M	Explain patterns of spatial organization including why some areas are more densely settled than others and the differences between rural, urban, and suburban patterns.
A	Define demographic concepts. (i.e., population, population distribution, population density, and growth rate).
A	Compare the five largest cities of Tennessee using a bar graph. Tennessee's Five Largest Cities 7.3 SPI 7 PowerPoint Total Population, Tennessee Places, Census 2000 - document with raw data Total Population by City, Census 2000 - an alphabetical listing How to use Excel to create a Chart or Graph - a step-by-step module from Internet4Classrooms Tennessee - City Population - Cities, Towns & Provinces Tennessee Population and Demographics Resources Tennessee Population and Demographics Resources Chattanooga
M	Describe factors that affect spatial organization of the earth’s surface such as transportation, migration, and communication technology.
M	Identify which features on the earth’s surface are physical and which are human. Earth's Physical Processes
A	Recognize specific physical processes that operate on the earth’s surface (i.e., erosion, volcanoes, earthquakes, wind and water currents, plate tectonics, and weathering). Erosion
M	Describe how physical, biological, and human characteristics and processes define and shape a place.
M	Describe how human movement and migration influence the character of a place.
M	Appraise the symbiotic relationship between the physical and human environments as they are reflected on the earth’s surface.
M	Identify the criteria used to define a region, including physical traits and formal, functional, and vernacular cultural regions.
M	Describe types of regions at the local, regional, and global level.
M	Describe how cultures influence the characteristics of regions and how human characteristics make specific regions of the world distinctive.
M	Explain factors that contribute to changing regional characteristics and boundaries.
M	Identify types of the earth’s physical processes such as tectonic activity, and changing landforms.
M	Consider the effect of weathering and erosion, the hydrologic cycle and climate change. Introduction to Erosin
M	Analyze physical patterns and ecosystems found locally, regionally, and globally.
M	Examine the consequences of a specific physical process operating on the earth’s surface.
M	Describe how the characteristics of different physical environments affect human activities including ways in which people adapt to living in different physical environments.
M	Describe the impact and interaction of natural hazards and disasters on human settlements and systems.
M	Evaluate the limits and opportunities of physical environments for human activities.
M	Describe effects of human modification on the physical environment including global warming, deforestation, desertification, and urbanization.
M	Explain the ways in which human induced changes in the physical environment in one place can cause changes in other places.
M	Analyze the environmental consequences of humans changing the physical environment.
A	Recognize the definitions of modifications on the physical environment (i.e., global warming, deforestation, desert, and urbanization). Deforestation - Why Trees Matter Deforestation - National Geographic; Deforestation and Desertification Global Warming - Habitats and cultures everywhere react to climate's rapid changes
A	Analyze the environmental consequences of humans changing their physical environment (i.e., air and water pollution, mining, deforestation, and global warming). Global Warming news Effects of Humans on the Physical Environment
M	Identify the characteristics of populations at a variety of scales including ethnicity, age distribution, number of males and females, and life expectancy.
A	Interpret a population pyramid. International Data Base (IDB) - Pyramids
M	Define demographic concepts including population, population distribution, population density, growth rate, family size, and infant mortality.

A	Define demographic concepts (i.e., population, population distribution, population density, growth rate, family size, and infant mortality). 1 Lesson Plans - A Look at the Population Density of the United States Summary Demographic Data - This page allows you to obtain summary demographic data and population pyramids for one country. (Data updated 9/30/2004) Where People Live on Planet Earth - a color-coded map produced from populations estimates made for 1994. (click the map for a larger version) Infant Mortality Infant Deaths/Mortality from the National Center for Health Statistics (Data are for U.S. in 2001) - links to several sets of data Infant Mortality Rates - a listing of countries from the lowest rate (Japan 3.3/1000) to the highest rate (Mozambique 199/1000) Population Growth Rate Human Population: Fundamentals of Growth
A	Recognize cultural definitions (i.e., language, religion, customs, political system, and economic system. Culture Quest World Tour - Join Parsifal Penguin and Ophelia Owl as they learn about many of the world's cultures Various Definitions of the Word "Religion" - None Are Totally Satisfying What Is "Religion"?
A	Locate cultural information on a thematic map (i.e., languages, political systems, economic systems, and religions). A Fundamental of Culture—Cultural Context - Lesson Plan Building Bridges - a Peace Corps Classroom Guide to Cross-Cultural Understanding Cultures of the World]
M	Describe the causes and effects of human migration such as "push and pull" factors.
M	Analyze contemporary population issues.
A	Predict the consequences of population changes on the Earth’s physical and cultural environments (I.e., air and water pollution, mining, deforestation, and global). Population’s Effect on Global Warming
A	View and discuss a show which shows a diverse global culture.

GOVERNANCE AND CIVICS

Governance establishes structures of power and authority in order to provide order and stability. Civic efficacy requires understanding rights and responsibilities, ethical behavior, and the role of citizens within their community, nation, and world.

M	Recognize world political regions locally, regionally, and globally.
A	Using a map key, locate various governance systems. Government in the 1950s - map Government in the 1970s - map Government in the 1980s
A	Identify political leaders from selected contemporary settings (i.e., United States, India, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Russia, and China). Political Leaders 7.4 SPI 4 Powerpoint Chiefs of State - The Central Intelligence Agency publishes and updates the online directory of Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments weekly. Past and Current World Leaders - Click on the country of the map to see a list of past and current leaders, or rulers, in the chosen country. Rulers - This site contains lists of heads of state and heads of government (and, in certain cases, de facto leaders not occupying either of those formal positions) of all countries and territories, going back to about 1700 in most cases. World Political Leaders from 1945-2005 - Select a country, or international organization, to see a list of its leaders. World Statesmen - an online encyclopedia of nations, colonies, international organizations and religious groups Official web sites for countries United States Canada India World Leaders
M	Explain the purposes and structure of various systems of governance.
A	Define the different types of governments (i.e., democracy, autocracy, oligarchy, monarchy, and dictatorship). Three types of governments - explanations in outline format of autocracy, oligarchy and democracy Types of Government 7.4.1 PowerPoint
M	Compare different political systems with that of the United States and identify political leaders from selected contemporary settings. World Leaders
A	Recognize how the boundaries of congressional districts change in the state of Tennessee (i.e., statutory requirements, population shifts, and political power shifts). Census Scope Demographic Maps National Redistricting News - reprints of Tennessee newspaper articles from 2002 and 2004 Redistricting Cases from the 2000's - Cases from many states, this link is just to the Tennessee case. The Redistricting Game - (select Redistricting in Chapter 7) This simulation allows you to influence the outcome of a redistricting battle. Tennessee Redistricting News - reprints of Tennessee newspaper articles from 2002 and 2003 Tennessee Redistricting News
A	Differentiate between the rights, roles, and state of the individual in relation to the general welfare in various regions of the world. What Responsibilities Accompany Our Rights? Cooperation, Community and the Common Good Public Good vs Individual Rights
M	Explain the relationship between a place’s physical, political, and cultural characteristics and the type of government that arises in that place.
D	Identify international and multinational organizations of cooperation.
D	Describe the current struggles over energy resources and how different governments resolve these problems.
D	Describe conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups, societies, and nations.
A	Recognize the causes, consequences, and possible solutions applied by governing bodies to persistent global issue using a narrative (i.e., health, security, resource allocation, economic development, and environmental quality).
D	Explore governmental responses to environmental issues such as air pollution, watershed management, water pollution and solid waste, including hazardous and toxic waste.
D	Describe ideas and mechanisms governments develop to meet needs and wants of citizens, regulate territory, manage conflict, and establish order and security.

HISTORY

History involves people, events, and issues. The student will evaluate evidence to develop comparative and causal analyses, and to interpret primary sources. He/she will construct sound historical arguments and perspectives on which informed decisions in contemporary life can be based.

D	Identify reasons why people choose to settle in different places.
A	Identify the causes and consequences of urbanization (i.e., industrial development, education, health care, cultural opportunities, poverty, overcrowding, disease, pollution, and crime). Urbanization 7.5 SPI 1PowerPoint Cities of Today, Cities of Tomorrow - Unit plan;a systematic and interactive study of cities Consequences of Urbanization - Lesson plan The Urbanization of the World - statistics and graphics Impacts of Urbanization on the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem - a paper addresses how urbanization impacts the land The drivers of change - Environmental change and its attendant health impacts are driven by many factors Rapid Urbanization Catching Experts' Attention - article about China Fear Of A Slum Planet
D	Explain how and why the location of settlements changes over space and time locally, regionally, and globally.
A	Identify reasons why people choose to settle in different places (i.e., occupation, family, climate, and natural resources). America on the Move The Impact of European Religious Societies on Immigration and Settlement Patterns in America - Where Did The Swedes Go? - The Causes of Swedish Immigration Introduction to Immigration - Lesson plan Immigration to the United States - Lesosn plan An Immigrant's Journey - Thinkquest Migration and Urbanization
D	Explain factors leading to areas of dense human settlement.
A	Map large civilizations to discover the impact of water as a main reason behind a society's founding. Planning a site for a city - The Engineering Magazine 8 (January 1895): 626637. Map of Egypt
D	Describe factors involved in the growth and development of cities.
D	Evaluate the causes and consequences of urbanization.
D	Identify the physical and human factors that influence a place.
A	Identify ways family, groups, and community influence daily life and personal choices What is Peer Pressure? Personal Choices 7.6 SPI 1 PowerPooint
D	Analyze the causes and effects of changes in a place over time.
A	Analyze, from a written passage, the causes and effects of change in a place over time. Cause and Effect of Change in a Place 7.5 SPI 4 PowerPoint
A	Compare and contrast the tenets of the five major world religions (i.e., Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism). Major Religions of the World - Ranked by Number of Adherents Major World Religions - short descriptions to give a general impression of the diversity of spiritual paths humanity takes Understanding Others Religions
A	Examine reasons and patterns of human migration through the use of maps, charts, and diagrams (i.e., famine, natural disasters, political and religious oppression, and wars). America on the Move

INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INTERACTIONS

Personal development and identity are shaped by factors including culture, groups, and institutions. Central to this development are exploration, identification, and analysis of how individuals and groups work independently and cooperatively.

M	Recognize that individuals can belong to groups but still retain their own identity.
M	Know how to share and give opinions in a group.
M	Describe personal connections to a place.
D	Identify and describe ways regional, ethnic, and national cultures influence individuals’ daily lives.
D	Examine issues involving the rights, roles, and status of the individual in relation to the general welfare in various regions of the world.
D	Identify ways family, groups, and community influence daily life and personal choices.
D	Demonstrate an understanding of concepts such as role, status, and social class when describing the interactions of individuals and social groups in various regions of the world.
D	Explore the causes, consequences, and possible solutions applied by governing bodies to persistent global issues such as health, security, resource allocation, economic development, and environmental quality.
D	Identify the effects of physical and human geographic factors on current policies and issues such as land use, urban planning, and conservation issues.
D	Describe the impact of contemporary patterns of consumption, production, and population growth on the future spatial organization of the earth.
D	Integrate multiple points of view to analyze and evaluate contemporary geographic issues.

SOCIAL STUDIES PROCESS STANDARDS

The student will use social studies process standards to acquire information, analyze, problem solve, communicate, and develop a historical awareness.

D	Detect cause and effect relationships to acquire information.
D	Distinguish between fact and opinion to recognize propaganda to acquire information.
D	Use maps, graphs, globes, media, and technology sources to acquire information.
D	Discover resources available from museums, historical sites, presidential libraries, and local and state preservation societies to acquire information.
D	Identify relevant factual material to problem solve and analyze data.
D	Classify information by source, chronology, and importance to problem solve and analyze data.
D	Critically examine data from a variety of sources to problem solve and analyze data.
D	Detect bias in data presented in a variety of forms to problem solve and analyze data.
D	Note cause/effect relationship and draw inferences from a variety of data to problem solve and analyze data.
D	Read critically a variety of materials including textbooks, historical documents, newspapers, magazines, and other reference sources for historical awareness.
D	Construct and analyze timelines for historical awareness.
D	Utilize community resources such as field trips, guest speakers, and museums for historical awareness.
D	Incorporate the use of technological resources for historical awareness.
D	Utilize primary and secondary source material such as biographies and autobiographies; novels; speeches and letters; and poetry, songs, and artwork for historical awareness.

Key