Dear Cooper 7,

            Welcome back!  I hope that you had a fun and relaxing summer and that you are ready to get to work and have some fun.  I am very excited about the year ahead and hope that you are as well.  Given that this is an election year, we have an even more exciting year ahead than usual. The 7^th grade curriculum focuses on early American History through the Civil War.  We will be looking at American history through a global lens, making connections to modern day and international events. Learning history is more than just memorizing facts.  It involves understanding concepts that will help you become a better citizen in the world today.  We will focus on recognizing bias in everything that we read, see, and hear. Many of the activities we do this year will reinforce these important concepts.  The following units of study will be explored this year:

• Identity
• Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities
• The Constitution
• Presidential Election
• Colonization & Slavery
• Human Rights
• Revolution
• Beginnings of Government
• Presidential Powers
• Civil War

Throughout the school year, you will be working on the creation of an online e-portfolio to showcase your learning.  This e-portfolio will replace your final exam at the end of the year.  There is NO final exam for 7^th grade social studies students.  We will use Google Sites as the platform for this portfolio. A portfolio is a purposeful collection of a student’s work that showcases his/her growth over the course of the school year.   You will select artifacts that best represent your learning of specific social studies skills. Quizzes will also be given on a regular basis to better assess your understanding and skills.  After most units, you will take a test to better assess your understanding of the material.

            Homework is assigned each week.  The educational social networking site, Edmodo, will be used to hand in all assignments and review for various assessments.  This will help protect the environment and will add valuable class time. It will also help to ensure that homework is handed in on time and is not lost along the way.  During each marking period, individual and group projects will also be assigned.  These projects will work on your research and writing skills.

            All homework assignments will be shared through Edmodo on a daily basis.  However, you should also write the assignment down in class in case technology fails.  Notes, permission slips, and various other documents will be posted on my School Wires and Edmodo pages.   There is a one-day grace period for late homework assignments.  Points will be deducted for homework that is turned in later than that. 

I am very excited about the year ahead and look forward to getting to know each and every one of you!  

Sincerely,

Mrs. Meghan Troy

Cooper 7 social studies

mtroy@scarsdaleschools.org