The Pioneer Press

6th Grade Social Studies

In 6th grade Social Studies students are busy learning about the ancient Egyptians. We’ve completed several assignments that require different types of skills. Students have read about the Nile River, pharaohs, and the groups of people who lived in ancient Egypt. Students have created posters, filled in maps, and completed slide shows reflecting what they learned. We’ve seen some great creativity from our students throughout the beginning of our semester. It’s been a great start of the year! Below you will find two pictures of an assignment we called, “Pharaoh’s Tomb Wall.” This assignment required students to pick a famous pharaoh, read about them, and then create a tomb wall representing interesting facts about their chosen pharaoh.

7th Grade Social Studies

7th grade is learning about Europe in the Middle Ages. Students should be able to explain how the feudal system worked and how chivalry impacted a knight's relationship with his adversaries. We will also be studying the Crusades and the Magna Carta's impact. Students will continue to integrate technology but we are also making an active effort to include traditional resources into their learning. They will have some opportunities to demonstrate their creativity, participate in an M&M feudal system activity, and put their knowledge into action on a Magna Carta escape room simulation.

8th Grade Social Studies

8th-grade Social Studies classes have been studying the colonization of North America. Students are learning about the realities of the early colonies in the colonization of North America. One of our culminating activities is the Discovery simulation. This simulation recreates some of the hardships and everyday life experiences of early American colonists and indigenous people. Students will be learning why colonists came to North America from Europe and learn why geography, natural resources, and nature are so important to colonizing settlers.

Next week is Digital Citizenship Week--a week set aside for students to reflect on their media habits and build digital citizenship skills. For many kids, digital spaces are where they build friendships, take a stand on issues, and learn more about their interests. For others, technology can pose challenges. Schools and families can work together to prepare kids to think critically and use technology in positive, creative, and powerful ways.

Next week, our school will be engaging students in digital citizenship activities, focused on the responsible use of technology to learn, create, and participate.

Topics will be specific to each grade level to ensure they are age appropriate and will include things like:

• Finding balance in our digital lives

• Caring about everyone's privacy

• How our digital footprint defines who we are

• Understanding the power of words and actions in the digital environment

• Understanding news and media literacy in the digital world

• Preventing and addressing cyberbullying, digital drama, and hate speech

This work is part of state and district standards already - but Digital Citizenship Week offers us an opportunity to be more intentional about partnering with families. We know we will only have a community of good digital citizens if we work on this as an entire community.

Please reach out to your teacher if you have questions about this effort and click on the attachment to this message for a resource that may help you and your student plan for responsible technology use.

Tech planner, Ages 2-8

Tech planner, Ages 9-12

Tech planner, Ages 13+