SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM REVIEWGARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Board of Education Presentation – June 10, 2014

Committee members

Jeannette Balantic, Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator

Teresa Prendergast, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum

Margaux Calemmo, HS Librarian Lois Kuster, HS Librarian Kevin O’Hagan, HS Social Studies Katherine Squires, HS Special

Education Cynthia Tanzosh, HS Special Ed Alison Wallace, HS Social Studies Nan McLaughlin, HS Principal Dave Bradshaw, MS Social Studies Erica Fregosi, MS Social Studies Sue Shea, MS Social Studies Susanna Sheehan, MS Social Studies

Lori Palladino, Kindergarten Homestead

Donna Welch, Kindergarten Homestead

Leigh Dowden, 5th grade Stratford Robyn Madden, 3rd grade

Stratford Barrie Dratch, 5th grade Stewart Suzanne Viscovich, Homestead

Principal Linda Norton, Stewart Principal Christopher Uccellini, AP Stratford Eileen Vota, Stratford Principal

Charge to the Committee

Conduct “spotlight year” activities Review student achievement

data Examine Research Identify Best Practices Survey Exemplary Schools Obtain student/parent feedback

Present findings, conclusions and recommendations (including budgetary impact) to administration and the Board of Education

Integrate with ongoing CCLS implementation initiatives

Prepare multiyear plan for implementation beginning 2014-2015

Begin Social StudiesCurriculum Review

The Curriculum Review Process

K-12 committee Identify positive elements of social

studies at each level. Generate questions to promote

meaningful reflection about curriculum, instruction, assessment and resources

Prioritize the questions for building each level (Primary, Elementary, Middle School, High School and K-12)

Gather data at each level Meet in subcommittees at each level to

assess the data and set building level goals

Develop an action plan

K-12 Social Studies Curriculum

A Framework that Supports Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Key Ideas and

Conceptual Understandi

ngs

Conceptual content

articulated at each grade

level; represents the

“what” of teaching and

learning

Common Core

Literacy Skills

Cross-disciplinary

skills in reading, writing,

research, speaking and listening that

should be infused in all

aspects of Social Studies

instruction

Social Studies

Practices

The essential skills or habits of mind utilized

by social scientists and historians that

students should develop

throughout their Social

Studies education

•Causation•Comparison•Contextualization•Gather, use & interpret evidence•Develop chronological reasoning•Source documents

Social Studies in the Primary Schools

Lay the foundation for citizenship skills

Interdisciplinary connections – art, social studies, ELA, character education

Generate student enthusiasm for social studies

Primary School RecommendationsGoal Action plan

Dedicate more time for social studies staff

development

•Reallocate staff development hours to focus on social studies every other month

Create a clear scope and sequence for each

grade level

•Use staff development time to identify essential questions, agreed upon documents, writing prompts and assessments•Align CCLS, ELA and social studies skills and content in lessons and assessments•Pilot Putnam BOCES social studies curriculum •Review reading/writing materials from SchoolWide , Inc.

Integrate ELA skills and social studies content

•Link literature with social studies content and skills• Integrate character education with study of heroes/heroines

Social Studies in the Elementary Schools

Opportunities for interdisciplinary studies Skill development

Use of non-fiction and fiction texts enable students to make connections and enhance their understanding of historical events

Academic vocabulary

Grade-wide projects We the People project Cultural studies

We the People

Elementary RecommendationsGoal Action plan

Dedicate more time for social studies

staff development

•Reallocate staff development hours to focus on social studies every other month

Create a clear scope and sequence for each grade level

•Use staff development time to identify essential questions, agreed upon documents, academic vocabulary, writing prompts and assessments for each grade level•Align CCLS, ELA and social studies skills and content in lessons and assessments•Explore having a lead social studies teacher for each grade

Standardize the 5th grade research paper

• Use staff development time to identify research topics, questions and rubrics

Improve articulation between grades 5

and 6

• Use staff development time to communicate and align expectations with regard to reading, writing, questioning and vocabulary

Update resources

•Purchase maps, trade books, journals•Pilot Putnam BOCES curriculum; attend workshops•Review reading/writing curriculum materials from SchoolWide , Inc.

Social Studies in Grades 6-12

Instructional Philosophy that Reflects Best Practices Staff development

Joint meetings Books and articles

Focus by Mike Schmoker Never Work Harder Than Your

Students by Robyn Jackson Understanding by Design by Grant

Wiggins and Jay McTighe Historical Thinking chapters and

articles by Sam Wineburg Time to collaborate and revamp

lessons and assessments

Research Grades 6-12

Grade

Content Areas

Research Assignments

6 Science/ELA Analyze alternative energy sources

7 Social Studies/ELA

Analyze the impact of early leaders in the Republic.Analyze the significance of the Battle of Golden Hill on the American Revolution.

8 Social Studies/ELA

To what extent did the Great Migration influence the literary voice in the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance

9Living

Environment English

Should colleges continue to recommend vaccinations for students? Poet Study Assignment (9R) Short Stories (9H)

10 AP/Global History

Analysis of human rights violations around the worldAnalysis of global issues around the world

11English and

AP LanguageLiterary Research Paper – Two Literacy Criticisms and Primary Documents

12SS –

Government English/AP Lit

Research a contemporary issue/policyResearch Project & Oral Presentation/Literary Research Paper

Social Studies in the Middle School

Curriculum Work and Revision Essential questions Integrating skills and content

6-8 Writing Initiative Writing benchmarks at each grade level Cohesive approach with graduated expectations

6-8 Reading Initiative Reading benchmarks at each grade level Targets certain skills at each grade level

Middle School Recommendations

Goal Action plan

Revise Units of Study in 6th, 7th, 8th grade

•Use summer curriculum and staff development time to revamp curriculum to develop deeper content knowledge and stronger skills. ($1,920)

Strengthen Academic Vocabulary

•6th-8th grade, interdisciplinary (ELA, science, social studies) PLC formed to identify Tier 2 vocabulary terms•Designate words for certain grades•Share instructional strategies to teach academic vocabulary

8-9 alignment with regard to reading and writing expectations

•Use staff development time for articulation between 8R and 9R/9H teachers to facilitate a smoother transition for students

Investigate new 7th/8th grade textbooks

•Attend conferences and contact publishers to review texts (that also have an ebook) for future adoption ($72,000)

Social Studies in the High School

Diversity of Course Offerings

Curriculum Work Essential Questions Cognitive Engagement Best Practices

Writing Benchmarks Reading Benchmarks

Global History & Geography 9R/HGlobal History & Geography 10RAP World History United States History & Government AP U.S. History Participation in Government Economics AP Macroeconomics AP United States Gov’t & Politics AP European History AP Psychology AP Human Geography Criminal Justice Introduction to Psychology Long Island History Greece and Rome Rediscovered Social Science Research H

Regents Mastery Level Comparisons 2013

Garden City

Cold

Spring

Harbor

East Williston

Great Neck

Herricks

Jericho

Locust Valley

Manhasset

North Shore

Port

Washington

Rockville

Centre

Roslyn

Syosset

Global

History

71%

57%

69%

70%

58%

75%

58%

77%

66%

71%

57%

68%

70%

US Histor

y

87%

77%

64%

84%

76%

84%

78%

86%

73%

86%

74%

81%

84%

Advanced Placement Results 2013

Exam

# of GC

students

GC Avg Score

Nassau County Avg Enrollment

Nassau County

Avg Score

World History 86 4.13 61 3.03

US History 112 3.64 78 3.33

European History 14 2.64 40 3.16

Macroeconomics 81 3.43 51 3.10

Government & Politics 85 2.64 57 2.87

Human Geography 16 3.25 <15 N/A

Psychology 158 4.07 62 3.47

High School Student Engagement Survey

When asked about classroom activities that interest or engage them…

73% of kids ranked discussion and debate highly 60-70% of kids were less enthralled with reading, writing

and research projects When asked how much their experience in social

studies contributed to their development in certain areas…

66% of kids felt they were becoming better writers 69% of kids felt they were developing the ability to

think more critically 73% of kids felt they were becoming better readers 52% of kids felt that their ability to speak effectively

was not greatly improved by social studies.

HS – Extracurricular Activities

We currently offer: HOPE Quiz Bowl Participation in two competitions

Euro Challenge Fed Challenge

Responses to the Student Engagement Survey indicated a strong interest on the part of students for more social studies oriented clubs (History Club, Debate, Mock Trial, Model UN).

Social Studies Support at the High School

Integrated Class Support Offered during a variety of periods Offered to special education and general

education students Fulfills AIS requirement Multi-grade assignment (9/10; 11/12) Reinforce study skills Support in English, social studies and science Revamp the scheduling of integrated support

High School RecommendationsGoal Action plan

Create common planning time in

specific courses each year

•Work with high school administration to identify priority areas to allocate common prep time and build it into the master schedule

Interdisciplinary Connections

• Identify a course and collaborate with English colleagues to create interdisciplinary units of study•Work with high school administration to schedule students in Global History 9CT and English 9CT back to back

Revise AP Courses •AP curricula to align with College Board changes ($2,400/year) (US, European, World)

Revise Senior Year Research paper

•Use staff development time and collaborate with librarians to further revise the senior research paper to reflect increased level of expectations and rigor

Reexamine elective course offerings

•Use data from the student engagement survey to revise/rotate elective course offerings•Explore creative ways to give students opportunities to enroll in a variety of courses

High School RecommendationsGoal Action plan

Institute a Social Science Research

Program

•Research and visit schools that have competitive social science research programs•Work with Steve Gordon to start a program at GCHS

Provide subject specific support for

students

•Work with high school administration to maximize integrated class support

Offer social studies oriented clubs

•Use data from the student engagement survey to propose club offerings (i.e. History Club, Model UN, Debate Club)

Prioritize textbook needs and ebook

subscriptions

•Attend conferences and contact publishers to review texts (that also have an ebook) for future adoption•Psychology ($20,000); Government ($10,000)

In Summary…

Opportunity for Reflection What works Where we want to improve

Commonality in Goals Carve out time for articulation (1-2, 5-6, 8-9); staff

development and common planning. Develop a clear scope and sequence for each

grade at the primary and elementary level Refine the scope and sequence for each course at

the middle school and high school level Refine social studies lessons, instruction and

assessments to advance CCLS in reading, writing, thinking, listening and speaking

Thank you for your support of the Social Studies program!

Questions?