During your tenure at University Heights, you will take a variety of Social Studies courses where you will read both American and Global primary/secondary sources. The common goal amongst UHHS Social Studies teachers is to teach you to think critically so that you can analyze and discuss all texts you encounter. The overall objective of the Social Studies Dept. is to sharpen your analytical and argumentative skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) to prepare you for life after high school – college, careers, and beyond.
Performance Based Assessment Task (PBAT)
Like all PBATs, the Social Studies PBAT is comprised of three parts: conducting research, a written component (a sophisticated argumentative research paper/essay) and a comprehensive and organized oral presentation that showcases your ability to prove the thesis you identified in your paper.
This assessment will act as your graduation requirement for the Social Studies Department in lieu of taking the New York States Regents Examination. To successfully pass, you must earn a minimum score of “competent“” on all categories of the Social Studies Consortium rubric.
Scope and Sequence
| Grade | Required Classes | Required Final Assessments and Skills | Expectations (Exams, PBAT and/or Digital Portfolio) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Global I Global II | Developing a thesis Sourcing Analysis (writing) Including evidence to support claims Socratic Seminar Research Presentation Skills Introduce Counter-Claims | Practice PBAT paper |
| 10 | Global III Global IV | Organizing Your Essay Reliability/ Credibility Of Sources More in depth analysis (writing) Orally Presenting Work | -Your papers must also be submitted to Turnitin. -Self Assessment and Peer Analysis on PBATs |
| 11 | American History of Social Justice | Examine historical sources and events from multiple viewpoints Analysis of counterclaims Write and revise multiple drafts of PBAT | -Mock PBAT presentation (Fall) -PBAT paper (Spring) -Social Studies PBAT Presentation |
| 12 | Participation in Government and Economics | Understand multiple ways to cite your work even though we focus on MLA as a school (APA, Chicago etc.) | For those seniors that have not completed the Social Studies PBAT: – PBATs will be written in the Spring – Social Studies PBAT Presentation In addition student will prepare for: – Candy Bar Hearing, Fall – Mock Congressional Hearing, Spring |
| Grade | Required Classes | Required Final Assessments | Expectations (Exams, PBAT and/or Digital Portfolio) |
*All Social Studies courses require the completion of several formal writing assessments