M/J World Geography, Advanced and Career Planning   (#2103026)

General Notes

M/J World Geography - The social studies curriculum for this course consists of the following content area strands: World History, Geography, and Economics. The primary content for this course pertains to the usage of geographic concepts, tools, and skills to draw conclusions about physical and human patterns. Content should include, but not be limited to understanding world political regions in terms of location, physical characteristics, population and culture, historical change, economic activity, and land use. Students will be exposed to the multiple dynamics of geography including economics and world history. Students will study methods of historical inquiry and primary and secondary historical documents.

Honors/Advanced courses offer scaffolded learning opportunities for students to develop the critical skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in a more rigorous and reflective academic setting. Students are empowered to perform at higher levels as they engage in the following: analyzing historical documents and supplementary readings, working in the context of thematically categorized information, becoming proficient in note-taking, participating in Socratic seminars/discussions, emphasizing free-response and document-based writing, contrasting opposing viewpoints, solving problems, etc. Students will develop and demonstrate their skills through participation in a capstone and/or extended research-based paper/project (e.g., history fair, participatory citizenship project, mock congressional hearing, projects for competitive evaluation, investment portfolio contests, or other teacher-directed projects).

Mathematics Benchmark Guidance - Social Studies instruction should include opportunities for students to interpret and create representations of historical events and concepts using mathematical tables, charts, and graphs.

Career and Education Planning - Per section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes, the Career and Education Planning course must result in a completed personalized academic and career plan for the student; must emphasize technology or the application of technology in career fields; and, beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year, must provide information from the Department of Economic Opportunity's economic security report as described in section 445.07, Florida Statutes. For additional information on the Middle School Career and Education Planning course, go to https://www.fldoe.org/workforce/ced/.

Listed below are the competencies that must be met to satisfy the requirements of (Section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes):

1.0 Describe the influences that societal, economic, and technological changes have on employment trends and future training.
2.0 Develop skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.
3.0 Identify and demonstrate processes for making short and long term goals.
4.0 Demonstrate employability skills such as working in a group, problem-solving and organizational skills.
5.0 Understand the relationship between educational achievement and career choices/postsecondary options.
6.0 Identify a career cluster and related pathways that match career and education goals.
7.0 Develop a career and education plan that includes short and long-term goals, high school program of study, and postsecondary/career goals.
8.0 Demonstrate knowledge of technology and its application in career fields/clusters.

Special Notes:

Additional content that may be contained in the NAEP Grade 8 Geography assessment includes:

• regional patterns of function
• geographic factors contributing to conflict and cooperation in a variety of settings

The NAEP frameworks for Geography may be accessed at http://www.nagb.org/content/nagb/assets/documents/publications/frameworks/gframework2010.pdf

Instructional Practices

Teaching from well-written, grade-level instructional materials enhances students' content area knowledge and also strengthens their ability to comprehend longer, complex reading passages on any topic for any reason. Using the following instructional practices also helps student learning:

1. Reading assignments from longer text passages as well as shorter ones when text is extremely complex.

2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.

3. Asking high-level, text-specific questions and requiring high-level, complex tasks and assignments.

4. Requiring students to support answers with evidence from the text.

5. Providing extensive text-based research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).