November Social Studies Department Meeting

Each grade level will meet separately:

6^th Grade = Paula Mercurio’s Room (157) – Ann Printer will facilitate/take notes.

7^th Grade = Ted Mitchell’s Room (202) – Ted Mitchell will facilitate/take notes.

8^th Grade = Justin Howman’s Room (336) – Louis Martella will facilitate/take notes.

Agenda:

I.                   Review Materials Provided:

a.       District curriculum graphic organizers

b.      Proposed/Discussed overarching essential question sheet

c.       Curriculum Cross-Walk (by Mike Bettez)

d.      TCI History Alive Table of Contents for each grade

e.       Textbooks (Refer to Table of Contents)

II.                Brainstorming Session on Board or Chart Paper.*

III.               Test each Proposed Questions
a. Does the question’s theme/concept apply to all grade levels?
b. Is it a concept/theme that is critical for students to understand?
c. Is it written in its simplest form?

IV.              Record your groups’s Overarching Essential Questions on a piece of paper or type them and email Ted Mitchell.

*This is a work-in-progress. It is important that ALL of us have input into the formation of these guiding essential questions. The overall goal is to use these questions to simplify our dauntingly huge curriculum and its content. Most importantly, these questions should be re-addressed in the future and possibly amended with Department consensus.