Sixth grade social studies students use their imaginations and enthusiasm to visit fascinating parts of our world! Of course, they also get plenty of help from textbooks, Internet resources, videos, magazines, stories, photographs, maps, and teachers. The regions studied include Europe, Russia, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia. In each of these parts of the world, students focus on politics, geography and economics. Some of the questions they learn to ask include: Does this region have representative government? What is a free enterprise system? And, how do art, ethnic groups, education, climate, geography, and historic events shape the culture of each region? In short, students begin to learn much more about the world in which they live.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills concepts include:

• an understanding that historical events influence contemporary events
• an understanding of the contributions of individuals and groups from various cultures to selected historical and contemporary societies
• use of maps, globes, graphs, charts, models, and databases to answer geographic questions
  communication in written, oral, and visual forms
• an understanding of the relationships that exist among world cultures

SEVENTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

The seventh grade Texas Geography and History course is all about this larger-than-life place we call Texas! Students examine Texas history from the cultures of Native Americans living in Texas to mission-building, colonization, revolution, republic and statehood. The focus in each area is on key individuals, events, and issues and their impact. Students identify regions of Texas, distribution of population, changes from an agrarian to an urban society, functions of municipal, county and state governments, the influence of the U.S. Constitution on the Texas Constitution, and also examine the rights and responsibilities of Texas citizens. Students will use primary and secondary source documents and analyze the impact of scientific discoveries and technology on the development of Texas.

Texas Essential Knowledge and skills concepts include:

• an understanding of traditional historical points of reference in Texas history
• an understanding of how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas
• use of geographic tools to analyze and interpret data
• an understanding of the interdependence of the Texas economy with that of the United States and the world

EIGHTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Our eighth grade social studies course is the story of America. At Bedichek, this story is told in such a way that students can find history to be meaningful, useful and fun! Students are encouraged to study and actually touch original historic artifacts like an official government document handled and signed by President James Madison during the War of 1812. Our study begins with early explorers, and continues through the growth of the English colonies the American Revolution, the founding of the U.S. Constitution, westward expansion, the abolition of slavery, early women's rights movements, and the Civil War. At every step, Bedichek eighth graders are encouraged to relate what they hear about America's past to their lives and their future. Students are tested in 8th grade on the TAKS objectives, which are based upon the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.

TAKS objectives include an understanding of the impact on the historical development of the U.S. in terms of:

• civic values and the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship
• historical concepts and information
• economic influences
• political influences
• geographic influences
• sociological and cultural influences
• interpretation of social studies data
• use of critical thinking skills