MYP Individuals and Societies- Social Studies 9

Ms. McSkimming
mcskimming_s@surreyschools.ca
http://msmcskimming.blogspot.ca
How does the past continue to shape our world?
Social Studies 9 examines Canada, North America, Europe, and the world. We will examine big
ideas of the environment, revolution, imperialism, colonialism, nationalism, and industrialization
and consider how the effects of the past continue to shape our world. This course is about critical
thinking, thoughtful discussion, and exploration of various cultures and societies.

How can I be Successful in Social Studies?

1. BE CURIOUS! Think about why our society is the way it is, think about what shapes
culture, wonder about other people and how they have lived, wonder about the world.

2. BE RESPECTFUL. Everyone has a different story, different beliefs, and different ways of
understanding the world.

3. BE LOGICAL. Back up your ideas with examples, facts, and details. Look for diverse
sources, patterns, and consider how events and ideas connect to big ideas and concepts.

4. BE PREPARED. Come to class will all supplies and an open mind.

IB MYP KEY CONCEPTS and Related Concepts

CHANGE SYSTEMS TIME, PLACE, and SPACE GLOBAL INTERACTIONS

Causality Equity Power Perspective Innovation Revolution Identity

Culture Choice Processes Sustainability Resources Globalization

How will we uncover our Key and Related Concepts this year?

Environment and Geography

 How the physical environment affects settlement and economics
 North America’s geographic regions
 major North American exploration and trade routes
 sustainability in society

Politics and Law

 Colonialism, imperialism and nationalism in North America
 Factors that contribute to revolution and conflict
 The development of democratic systems and nationhood in Canada
 Global Conflicts, including Canada in the First World War

Society and Culture

 Relationships between First Peoples and European colonizers
 Life in Aboriginal communities, New France, British North America
 Historic injustice, including subjugation of First Peoples in Canada
 Roots of present day cultural and societal issues in Canada
Economy and Technology
 Economic systems and globalization
 the effects of colonialism on trade and conflict
 the Industrial Revolution and the changing nature of work

Current Events
 In class discussions about current Canadian and Global issues
 Connections between current events and any of the topics above

Investigation, Communication and Critical Thinking

 Research skills, including primary, secondary sources, creating
bibliographies and citations
 Formal communication including: paragraphs, essays, diagrams, reports,
blogs, oral presentations, group work

How will I Demonstrate My Learning?

 Students will complete all assignments, projects, tests, and homework
 Students will participate in all class presentations, group activities, and discussions
 Students will always receive a rubric so that they know how they will be assessed

How will I be Marked?

 Students will be evaluated based on the MYP/IB program rubric Year 3 and 5 in the MYP
Individuals and Societies programme guide
 Students will demonstrate their Knowing and Understanding (Criterion A), Investigating
(Criterion B), Communicating (Criterion C) and Thinking Critically (Criterion D)
 You must be familiar with the Johnston Heights Academic Honesty Policy on page 15-18 of
your agenda

What are the Classroom Expectations?

 Respect members of the classroom community. Listen respectfully. Feel free to respond,
but raise your hand first, and keep it about the ideas, not about the person. Our class must be a
place where everyone feels welcome to express themselves.

 Respect the classroom space. Keep your desk tidy, stack your chairs, use recycle or garbage.

 Check the website msmcskimming.blogspot.ca for due dates, links, assignment information

 Be on time! At the end of the break, you are ready to learn. This means sitting at your table,
books out, supplies ready, phones away. Repeated tardiness will result in a phone call home or a
referral to administration

 Bring to every class: binder, all previous notes and handouts, agenda, lined paper,
pens/pencils. Constantly forgetting supplies at home (or asking to get it from your locker) will
result in a phone call home

 Mobile Phones may only be used with teacher permission for the purpose of the class. If I see
it being used inappropriately or it goes off during class, it will be taken away. Repeated
inappropriate phone use will result in a call home or a referral to administration
  Food and Drink: Water and healthy snacks only. Nothing sticky. Nothing that makes garbage
or crumbs. Nothing that attracts critters. It is possible for a class to lose their food privileges.

What Happens if I miss a class?

 If you are absent: you must bring a note signed by a parent/guardian the day you return to
school. This means that if your class is on Day1 and you return on Day 2, see me on Day 2 so
that I can help catch you up. Repeated unexcused absences will result in a phone call home or a
referral to administration.
 Have a homework buddy who you can contact:
MY HOMEWORK BUDDY:
NUMBER/EMAIL:

 Missing Assignments/Projects: I will not assign you a final mark until you demonstrate your
learning. This means that I expect you to complete ALL assignments, even if you do not
“need” them to achieve a passing percent. Several missing assignments will result in a referral to
administration to discuss your suitability for the class.

 Holidays during school time: are not encouraged by the school district and require
paperwork to be done with the school office. Students taking holidays are expected to make up
all missed work, but the teacher is not obligated to provide packages of work in advance of the
student’s holiday.

Guidelines for Productive Discussion

 A well informed opinion is better than a poorly informed opinion. A

poorly informed opinion can evolve into a well-informed opinion.
 Opinions and ideas evolve over time, as new information, experience
and values emerge
 Some people are in a better position to discuss certain topics than
others. They might have first-hand experience, a strong educational
background, or a deep independent interest in the topic. In these
situations, listen first, become better informed, then ask questions and debate
 There may be no such thing as a stupid question, but there are questions that are awkward,
ignorant, disrespectful and insensitive. Think before you speak. Have natural conversations
with people and the answers to awkward questions you might have in your mind might come
up naturally when the person trusts you enough to share.
 Be inclusive. Everyone deserves a voice, so take turns and listen. Encourage those who might
not want to speak to write down their thoughts instead.

Acknowledgments:

Ms. McSkimming, your teacher, promises to adhere to the course outline set above and keep you
and your parents informed about your learning in this class. Please contact me anytime if you or
your parents/guardians have questions or concerns.

Student: I have read the course outline above:

Parent/Guardian: I have read the course outline above:

 MYP Indivduals and Societies Criterion: At the end of SS9, students should be able to:
Criterion A: Knowing and Understanding
At the end of SS9, students should be able to:
i. use a range of terminology in context
ii. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of subject-specific content and concepts, through
descriptions, explanations and examples.

Achievement Level descriptor

level
0 The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
i. makes limited use of terminology
ii. demonstrates basic knowledge and understanding of content and concepts through limited
descriptions and/or examples.
3-4 The student:
i. uses some terminology accurately
ii. demonstrates satisfactory knowledge and understanding of content and concepts through
simple descriptions, explanations and examples.
5-6 The student:
i. uses considerable and relevant terminology accurately
ii. demonstrates substantial knowledge and understanding of content and concepts through
descriptions, explanations and examples.
7-8 The student:
i: consistently uses a range of terminology accurately
ii. demonstrates detailed knowledge and understanding of content
and concepts through developed and accurate descriptions, explanations and examples.

Criterion B: Investigating
i. formulate/choose a clear and focused research question, explaining its relevance
ii. formulate and follow an action plan to investigate a research question
iii. use methods to collect and record relevant information
iv. evaluate the process and results of the investigation, with guidance.

Achievement Level descriptor

level
0 The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
1-2 The student:
i. identifies a research question that is clear, focused and relevant
ii. formulates a limited action plan or does not follow a plan
iii. collects and records limited or sometimes irrelevant information
iv. with guidance, reflects on the research process and results in a limited way.
3-4 The student:
i. formulates/chooses a research question that is clear and focused and describes its relevance
ii. formulates and occasionally follows a partial action plan to investigate a research question
iii. uses a method(s) to collect and record some relevant information
iv. with guidance, reflects on the research process and results.
5-6 The student:
i. formulates/chooses a clear and focused research question and describes its relevance in detail
ii. formulates and mostly follows a sufficiently developed action plan to investigate a research
question
iii. uses methods to collect and record appropriate relevant information
iv. with guidance, evaluates on the research process and results.
7-8 The student:
i. formulates/chooses a clear and focused research question and explains its relevance
ii. formulates and effectively follows a consistent action plan to investigate a research question
iii. uses methods to collect and record appropriate and varied relevant information
iv. with guidance, provides a detailed evaluation of the research process and results.
Criterion C: Communicating
i. communicate information and ideas in a way that is appropriate for the audience and purpose
ii. structure information and ideas according to the task instructions
iii. create a reference list and cite sources of information.

Achievement Level descriptor

level
0 The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
1-2 i. communicates information and ideas in a style that is not always clear
ii. organizes information and ideas in a limited way
iii. lists sources of information inconsistently.
3-4 i. communicates information and ideas in a way that is somewhat clear
ii. somewhat organizes information and ideas
iii. creates an adequate reference list and sometimes cites sources..
5-6 i. communicates information and ideas in a style that is mostly
appropriate to the audience and purpose
ii. mostly structures information and ideas according to the task instructions
iii. creates an adequate reference list and usually cites sources.
7-8 i. communicates information and ideas in a style that is completely
appropriate to the audience and purpose
ii. structures information and ideas completely according to the task instructions
iii. creates a complete reference list and always cites sources.

Criterion D: Thinking critically

i. analyse concepts, issues, models, visual representation and/or theories
ii. summarize information to make valid, well-supported arguments
iii. analyse a range of sources/data in terms of origin and purpose, recognizing values and limitations
iv. recognize different perspectives and explain their implications.

Achievement Level descriptor

level
0 The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
1-2 The student:
i. begins to analyse concepts, issues, models, visual representation and/or theories in a limited
way
ii. begins to identify connections between information to make simple arguments
iii. recognizes the origin and purpose of few sources/data as well as
few values and limitations of sources/data
iv. identifies different perspectives.
3-4 The student:
i. completes a simple analysis of concepts, issues, models, visual representation and/or theories
ii. summarizes information to make some adequate arguments
iii. analyses sources/data in terms of origin and purpose, recognizing
some values and limitations
iv. recognizes different perspectives and suggests some of their implications.
5-6 The student:
i. completes a substantial analysis of concepts, issues, models, visual
representation and/or theories
ii. summarizes information in order to make usually valid arguments
iii. analyses sources/data in terms of origin and purpose, usually
recognizing values and limitations
iv. clearly recognizes different perspectives and describes most of their implications.
7-8 The student:
i. completes a detailed analysis of concepts, issues, models, visual representation and/or
theories
ii. summarizes information to make consistent, well-supported arguments
iii. effectively analyses a range of sources/data in terms of origin and
purpose, consistently recognizing values and limitations
iv. clearly recognizes different perspectives and consistently explains their implications.