Mr. Rowan, Social Studies B

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Social Studies Update Week of 3/17/2025

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
This week students will finish up their preparation for the United Nations Socratic Seminar where they have taken on the role of an Israeli or Palestinian and will discuss the 5 unresolved issues based on the details of their given biography. On Tuesday, Fairouz Abu-Ghazaleh will be a guest speaker in our class. Her bio is as follows: “ I'm of Palestinian origin but grew up in Jordan because my father's family were forced out of their home in Jerusalem after the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. I still have family in the West Bank and some in Jerusalem, but most are scattered around the world because of the diaspora.” We are looking forward to hearing the history of her family as it directly ties into what we have been studying. On Wednesday and Thursday, students will participate in the UN Socratic Seminar.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 3/10/2025

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
Last week students learned about the 5 unresolved issues to peace between Israel and Palestine: Jerusalem, Borders, Security, Refugees Right to Return, and Israeli Settlements in the West Bank. They worked in groups to summarize the issue, outline the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, and then create solutions for this issue. This week students will look at primary sources concerning these issues and determine if it is being said from a Pro-Israeli, Pro-Palestinian, or Neutral perspective. Students will then move between the groups, read their summaries on each issue, and have a chance to add other solutions to these issues. Finally, students will be given a mini-biography of either an Israeli or Palestinian and they will need to read that biography and then create talking points around each of the 5 unresolved issues to prepare for a round table discussion. 
Please email with any questions or comments.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 2/24/25

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
This week students will be wrapping up learning about the history of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Students will review for a quiz on this history on Tuesday and take the quiz on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday, students will be looking at the 5 main barriers to peace: Jerusalem, Borders, Right of Refugees to Return, Terrorism/Security, and Israeli Settlements in the West Bank. Students will work on solutions to these barriers and share ideas in a gallery walk.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan 

Social Studies Update Week of 2/17/25

Greetings 7th grade families!
This week students will continue deepening their knowledge of the history of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Students will practice taking the vocabulary quizzes they created last week to give them the basis for understanding the conflict. They will then watch two videos and take answer questions relating to the historical events of this conflict. At the end of the week students will take a quiz on this information.
Please email with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 2/3/2025

Greetings 7th grade families!
Monday students will watch two videos on public speaking and the "Do's and Don'ts" and giving a presentation. They will have the rest of the class period to practice giving their Middle East country presentation in small groups. The rest of the week students will be presenting, and if they aren't presenting will be taking notes on their classmate's presentations to learn about these countries that will be popping up over the rest of the quarter.
Always email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 1/27/25

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
This week students will be working on their Middle East country research project by asking and answering questions about their country's history, government, economy, religion and culture. Students will spend Monday - Wednesday researching and Thursday and Friday turning that research into a presentation they will then present in front of the class. Please ask your student which country they are researching and what they are learning about their country.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 1/21/25

Greetings 7th grade families!
This week students will finish and present their "Create Your Own Country" projects. At the end of last quarter, students were finalizing their projects. This week students will have Monday and Tuesday to put the finishing touches on their projects and practice their presentations. The rest of the week will be spent presenting their projects. 
When this is done, the rest of quarter 3 will be spent on our in-depth look at the Middle East. Students will each research a country from the Middle East and then we will look at the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the causes and effects of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 1/13/25

Greetings 7th grade families!
This week students will finish and present their "Create Your Own Country" projects. At the end of last quarter, students were finalizing their projects. This week students will have Monday and Tuesday to put the finishing touches on their projects and practice their presentations. The rest of the week will be spent presenting their projects. 
When this is done, the rest of quarter 3 will be spent on our in-depth look at the Middle East. Students will each research a country from the Middle East and then we will look at the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the causes and effects of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 12/16/24

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
This week students will spend the first two days finishing of their guiding questions for the Create Your Own Country Project and adding that information to their presentation. They will then use the checklists provided to create a physical and political map for their country as well as a flag and description of what the colors and symbols mean. These are both due on Friday. We will finish and give the presentation at the beginning of Quarter 3.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 12/9/24

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
 
Students have been completing various assignments to learn about the four main types of economic systems: traditional, command, market, and mixed. We will review for a quiz on Monday and B Class will take their quiz on Wednesday while D Class will take their quiz on Tuesday. 
 
Students will be taking MAPS tests on Tuesday and Wednesday. B class will not meet on Tuesday. D class will not meet on Wednesday.
 
Students will begin their "Create your own Country" project on Thursday. Students will create their own country with it's unique geography, religion, achievements, government, and economy. This will be a way for students to creatively use what they have learned during Quarters 1 and 2.
 
All late and missing work is due this Wednesday, and final grades will be posted Friday. 
 
Students will work on their final project the last week and a half of school and that grade will be posted in Quarter 3.
 
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 12/2/24

Greetings 7th grade families!
This week students will begin a mini-unit on the four different types of economic systems: traditional, command, market and mixed. Students will begin with a pre-assessment. Once that is completed students will take notes, watch videos, and read passages to learn about the various types of economic systems. Student will then be presented with different country scenarios where they will need to determine which economic system the scenario is describing. Students will be taking a post-assessment at the end of this week or on Monday of next week.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 11/18/2024

Greetings 7th Grade Families!
This week students will learn about the different types of governments and the purpose of governments. They will read, watch videos, and discuss these types of governments, the role of governments, and the ways governments balance the common good with protecting its citizens.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 11/11/24

Greeting 7th Grade Families,

The 7th grade students have been hard at work putting the finishing touches on their artifacts, posters and displays for the World Religion Museum project. Students will present their artifacts and work on Thursday, November 14th. This will be in Room 203 in the 7/8 POD. I would like to invite everyone who can to attend our World Religion Museum on Thursday, November 14th. Each class will be creating a museum during their regularly scheduled class time.

7B Museum: 11-11:35.

7D Museum: 2:30 - 3:05. 

Please email with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 11/4/2024

Greeting 7th Grade Families,

The 7th grade students have been hard at work creating their artifacts for the World Religion Museum project. In my weekly Edlio post I stated that the Museum Invite was for Wednesday, November 13th. However, after realizing that students don’t have class on Monday for Veterans Day, I have pushed that back one day to Thursday, November 14th. Students will finish creating their artifacts and planning their museum display this week and next week on Tuesday and Wednesday. I would like to invite everyone who can to attend our World Religion Museum on Thursday, November 14th. Each class will be creating a museum during their regularly scheduled class time.

7B Museum: 11-11:30.

7D Museum: 2:30 - 3:00. 

Please email with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mr. Rowan

Social Studies Update Week of 10/28/24

Greeting 7th Grade Families,
 
We are gearing up for our World Religion Museum project. Students will be choosing a religion, and then researching and creating an artifact used in that religion. Last week students started choosing the religion and creating an artifact planning sheet where they researched two artifacts from the religion of their choice. This week students will complete that planning sheet. They will then choose one of those artifacts to create for the museum. Students will complete a materials list where they list the materials they need to create their artifact. I am asking them to see if there are any materials they have at home which can be used and what materials they will need my help sourcing. They will create an artifact proposal form they will place next to their artifact at the museum. Look for an invitation to come visit the museum later this week. 
On Wednesday, students will take a World Religion Quiz. There will be a study guide posted to Teams and we will review on Tuesday.
Please email with any questions or concerns.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Rowan