Grade 6 Social Studies Curriculum:

In sixth grade students are introduced to the skills and concepts necessary to understand the social sciences. The skills taught include expository writing, critical thinking, reading for understanding, note taking, and research skills. These skills are taught throughout the year and are reinforced in subsequent years. 

The year itself is divided into three parts:

Part One: Social Studies Foundation Concepts

Students begin the year learning about geography. Concepts such as characteristics of place, region, and human-environment interaction are areas of focus. Building upon the geographic themes, students are introduced to the concepts of political and cultural regions which in turn leads to types of socio-political organizations and then to discussions on government and economics.

Part Two: Using Social Studies Concepts to Understand History

Once students have been introduced to geography, governments, and economics, they are ready to start applying these concepts to the study of history. Students learn about historical sources and how historians go about accessing historical sources. This part of the year culminates with the study of Ancient Mesopotamia.

Part Three: World Geography

Students focus on learning the individual locations of countries of today’s world. This leads to an inquiry into regional similarities based on natural criteria and cultural demographics.