Spotlight: High School Social Studies

US History (8th grade - High School) - Compass Classroom American History

World Cultures (Grades 9-12) - Window on the World

Sure Foundation has two Social Studies classes suitable for high school students in the 2020-2021 school year. Need more information to decide which one is right? Here's our spotlight on these classes and what to expect:

US History (8th grade - High School)

This is a full year, one-credit course for high school students. The class time is 1-1/2 hours each week, and students will have homework and quarterly projects to do at home. We will use the Compass Classroom U.S. History online curriculum, which applies a Christian worldview to the characters, events, theology, literature, art, and religious beliefs of the nation. (Please be aware of some brief artistic nudity in some of the historical artwork that is presented in the online video course.)

Are there required books or extra fees? The class requires an online co-op subscription to CompassClassroom.com. We will need to purchase the co-op online subscription together to receive the discount, so the $75 subscription fee will be collected by the instructor to place the group order.

How much homework can we expect? How is the class structured? Homework will consist of short daily videos, readings from original historical materials (provided as pdf files), and quarterly projects. The hour and a half class time each week will include topic discussions, project presentations, quizzes, and tests.

How will students be graded? Class participation, homework, quizzes, tests, and projects will contribute to the final grade.

World Cultures (Grades 9-12)

This is a full year, one credit social studies or elective high school course. The class time is 1-1/2 hours each week. This course will venture around the world surveying each region and delving into the specific culture groups located in that particular region. In order to locate the ethnic groups and discover how the physical environment has influenced the people, geography and mapping skills will be included. The class will study a few of the well-known cultures, but also explore many cultures that are not so familiar. Students will examine aspects of cultures including: art, music, clothing, homes, family structures, language, food, and economic life. Students will compare and contrast the many unique traditions and festivals important to particular cultures. Because religion plays a significant role in many cultures, students will learn about various world religions. Students may also analyze current events involving particular cultures.

Students will need the following resources: Geography III: Exploring and Mapping the World textbook, 2nd edition; Geography III: Exploring and Mapping the World student workbook, 2nd edition; and the book Window on the World by Jason Mandryk and Molly Wall. Students will also need a 3-ringed binder to organize the supplemental handouts that will be utilized.
Are there pre-requisites for the class? There are no pre-requisites, but students should attend with an open mind. The goal of the course is to widen the students' exposure to and perspective of many interesting cultures around the world. The students will gain a godly cultural awareness of the views, traditions, values, and beliefs of various people around the world.
How much homework will there be? How is the class structured? Class time will be spent exploring a specific culture group by lecture and multimedia. Class time will be an interactive style, with helpful geography aids, time spent working on group projects, experiencing art or food or festivals, and more. Homework will include readings in the textbook and book and completing the comprehension questions with each unit. There will be mapping homework, so access to the internet or an atlas for research will be beneficial. Cultural literature will round out the course, and the literature aspect will be short novels from the instructor's library.
How will students be graded? Grading will be based on completion of homework, projects, and the take-home exams. The exams will cover material from the textbook, class notes, and supplemental worksheets. Grading will also include participation in class activities.

Questions? Contact us at SureFoundationTutorial@gmail.com