The Social Studies Department at Saint Thomas Academy designs its courses to provide a learning environment that promotes academic excellence and recognizes the uniqueness of each individual student. It is the objective of the Social Studies Department that the students will:

•   Acquire geographical skills and be able to identify geographically major areas of the world.
•   Acquire the ability to connect the past and the present by applying methods of historical research;
      use a variety of sources to demonstrate cause and effect relationships in history.
•   Acquire basic economic literacy of U.S. economic institutions in order to effectively pursue
      citizenship responsibilities and to enhance personal economic decision making.
•   Acquire basic political literacy to enable students to effectively participate in the U.S. democratic
      process.
•   Understand controversial issues and develop thinking skills through the use of position papers and
      position statement analysis on tests and in debates.
•   Develop a multicultural awareness and sensitivity, recognizing that our judgments about people of
      different cultures are usually shaped and influenced by the standards and values of the culture in
      which we live.
•   Develop the competency to acquire, organize, evaluate, and report information for the purposes of
      solving problems and clarifying issues.
•   Emphasize study skills throughout the year in 7th and 8th grades.

Geography
Geography tries to make sense of the world around us. It helps us understand how people, places, and environments came to be and how they affect each other. In this class, we ask where is something? Why is it there? How did it get there? How does it affect the natural environment in this area? Every world region is examined, including Canada and the USA, Latin America, Europe and Russia, Africa, Southwest and Central Asia, South and East Asia, and Oceania. Each unit seeks to answer an essential question that tackles a challenging social issue. There is a strong emphasis on working with maps and other related social studies skills. In December, all 7th and 8th graders participate in the National Geographic Bee.
Grade Level: 7

United States History 8
This course is designed to show the students the growth of the U.S. in economic, political, and social areas. The students analyze the great changes in American life since the birth of the nation, as well as elements that have endured to build American's heritage. Students also study political and military conflict and evaluate the role of America in the world. Students continue to build and use skills in geography and learn historical writing and data analysis skills. All 8th grade students participate in the History Day competition, based on the topic of their choice.
Grade Level: 8

Updated August 3, 2009