FIS Curriculum Document

Social Studies

Franconian International School Mission and Philosophy

Mission Statement

The mission of the Franconian International School is to educate students in an international environment according to high academic standards and to create an atmosphere and spirit which respects diverse cultures and promotes responsible citizenship. The FIS primarily serves the international community of Nürnberg, Erlangen, Herzogenaurach, Fürth and Schwabach in northern Bavaria.

Philosophy

The school provides challenging programs in academics, information technology, sports and fine arts. Education at the FIS is viewed as more than just the acquisition of knowledge. It includes inquiry, discovery, application and creativity as core elements of the learning process.

The Franconian International School accomplishes its mission by:

1. Accepting children from all over the world regardless of race, color, sex or religion, and helping them to reach their fullest potential intellectually, socially and physically.

2. Providing well qualified, motivated, caring teachers who support the school’s mission.

3. Offering a structured program based on a curriculum which ensures that the students acquire the skills and techniques necessary to meet the challenges of the future.

4. Providing appropriate resources in a safe, challenging, adaptable and supportive environment in which the student is an active participant.

5. Building a team atmosphere, in which students, teachers, parents and administrators are partners in the learning and growing process.

6. Promoting a positive and reciprocal relationship with the host nation at the local, regional and national levels which maximizes the educational opportunities of living in Germany and Europe.

Development Perspective

The Franconian International School will Grow with its students one year at a time and ultimately becoming a fully accredited school, which prepares students for a graduation with the International Baccalaureate diploma.

Aims

Geography

It is the aim of the Franconian International School Geography program to enable students to:

· Answer questions about the natural and human worlds, using different scales of enquiry to view them from different perspectives

· Develop knowledge of places and environments throughout the world

· Develop an understanding of maps, and a range of investigative and problem-solving skills both inside and outside the classroom

· Understand and resolve issues about the environment and sustainable development

· Encounter different societies and cultures

· Realise how nations rely on each other

· Think about their own place in the world, their values, and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment

History

It is the aim of the Franconian International School History program to:

· Foster in the students a greater curiosity about the past in Germany and the wider world.

· Consider how the past influences the present, what past societies were like, how these societies organised their politics, and what beliefs and cultures influenced people’s actions.

· Develop in the students a chronological framework for their knowledge of significant events and people

· See the diversity of human experience, and understand more about themselves as individuals and members of society

· Enable the students to use the what they have learned to influence their decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values.

· Enable the students to find evidence, weigh it up and reach their own conclusions.

· Enable the students to research, sift through evidence, and argue for their point of view – skills that are prized in adult life.

Teaching Objectives

Geography

Kindergarten Level Descriptors

By the end of Kindergarten children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 1 or above.

· Observe, find out about, and identify features in the place they live and the natural world.

· Begin to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people.

· Find out about their environment, and talk about those features they like and dislike.

Grade 1 Level Descriptors

By the end of Grade 1 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 2 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale.

· They recognise and make observations about physical and human features of localities.

· They express their views on features of the environment of a locality.

· They use resources that are given to them, and their own observations, to ask and respond to questions about places and environments.

Grade 2 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 2 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 3 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale.

· They describe physical and human features of places, and recognise and make observations about those features that give places their character.

· They show an awareness of places beyond their own locality.

· They express views on the environment of a locality and recognise how people affect the environment.

· They carry out simple tasks and select information using resources that are given to them.

· They use this information and their own observations to help them ask and respond to questions about places and environments.

· They begin to use appropriate geographical vocabulary.

Grade 3 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 3 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 4 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale.

· They describe and compare the physical and human features of different localities and offer explanations for the locations of some of those features.

· They are aware that different places may have both similar and different characteristics.

· They offer reasons for some of their observations and for their views and judgements about places and environments.

· They recognise how people seek to improve and sustain environments.

· They use skills and sources of evidence to respond to a range of geographical questions, and begin to use appropriate vocabulary to communicate their findings.

Grade 4 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 4 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 5 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies of a range of places and environments at more than one scale and in different parts of the world.

· They begin to recognise and describe geographical patterns and to appreciate the importance of wider geographical location in understanding places.

· They recognise and describe physical and human processes.

· They begin to understand how these can change the features of places, and how these changes affect the lives and activities of people living there.

· They understand how people can both improve and damage the environment.

· They explain their own views and the views that other people hold about an environmental change.

· Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they suggest suitable geographical questions, and use a range of geographical skills to help them investigate places and environments.

· They use primary and secondary sources of evidence in their investigations and communicate their findings using appropriate vocabulary.

Grade 5 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 5 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 6 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies of a range of places and environments at more than one scale and in different parts of the world.

· They describe and begin to explain geographical patterns and physical and human processes.

· They describe how these processes can lead to similarities and differences in the environments of different places and in the lives of people who live there.

· They recognise some of the links and relationships that make places dependent on each other.

· They suggest explanations for the ways in which human activities cause changes to the environment and the different views people hold about them.

· They recognise how people try to manage environments sustainably.

· They explain their own views and begin to suggest relevant geographical questions and issues.

· Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they select and use appropriate skills and ways of presenting information to help them investigate places and environments.

· They select information and sources of evidence, suggest plausible conclusions to their investigations and present their findings both graphically and in writing.

Grade 6 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 6 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 7 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies of a wide range of places and environments at various scales, from local to global, and in different parts of the world.

· They describe and explain a range of physical and human processes and recognise that these processes interact to produce the distinctive characteristics of places.

· They describe ways in which physical and human processes operating at different scales create geographical patterns and lead to changes in places.

· They appreciate the many links and relationships that make places dependent on each other.

· They recognise how conflicting demands on the environment may arise and describe and compare different approaches to managing environments.

· They appreciate that different values and attitudes, including their own, result in different approaches that have different effects on people and places.

· Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they suggest relevant geographical questions and issues and appropriate sequences of investigation.

· They select a range of skills and sources of evidence and use them effectively in their investigations.

· They present their findings in a coherent way and reach conclusions that are consistent with the evidence.

Grade 7 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 7 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 8 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies of a wide range of places and environments at various scales, from local to global, and in different parts of the world.

· They describe interactions within and between physical and human processes, and show how these interactions create geographical patterns and help change places and environments.

· They understand that many factors, including people's values and attitudes, influence the decisions made about places and environments, and use this understanding to explain the resulting changes.

· They appreciate that the environment in a place and the lives of the people who live there are affected by actions and events in other places.

· They recognise that human actions, including their own, may have unintended environmental consequences and that change sometimes leads to conflict.

· They appreciate that considerations of sustainable development affect the planning and management of environments and resources.

· With growing independence, they draw on their knowledge and understanding to identify geographical questions and issues and establish their own sequence of investigation.

· They select and use accurately a wide range of skills.

· They evaluate critically sources of evidence, present well-argued summaries of their investigations and begin to reach substantiated conclusions.

Grade 8 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 6 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 9 or above.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies of a wide range of places and environments at various scales, from local to global, and in different parts of the world.

· They offer explanations for interactions within and between physical and human processes.

· They explain changes in the characteristics of places over time, in terms of location, physical and human processes, and interactions with other places.

· They begin to account for disparities in development and understand the range and complexity of factors that contribute to the quality of life in different places.

· They recognise the causes and consequences of environmental issues and understand a range of views about them and different approaches to tackling them.

· They understand how considerations of sustainable development can affect their own lives as well as the planning and management of environments and resources. They use examples to illustrate this.

· Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they show independence in identifying appropriate geographical questions and issues, and in using an effective sequence of investigation.

· They select a wide range of skills and use them effectively and accurately.

· They evaluate critically sources of evidence before using them in their investigations.

· They present full and coherently argued summaries of their investigations and reach substantiated conclusions.

Grade 9 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 9 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below.

· Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies of a wide range of places and environments at the full range of scales, from local to global, and in different parts of the world.

· They explain complex interactions within and between physical and human processes.

· They refer to a wide range of geographical factors to explain and predict change in the characteristics of places over time.

· They understand alternative approaches to development and the implications of these for the quality of life in different places.

· They assess the relative merits of different ways of tackling environmental issues and justify their views about these different approaches.

· They understand how considerations of sustainable development can affect their own lives as well as the planning and management of environments and resources. They illustrate this with a full range of examples.

· They draw selectively on geographical ideas and theories, and use accurately a wide range of appropriate skills and sources of evidence from the curriculum for Grades 6-9.

· They carry out geographical investigations independently at different scales.

· They evaluate critically sources of evidence and present coherent arguments and effective, accurate and well-substantiated conclusions.

· They evaluate their work by suggesting improvements in approach and further lines of enquiry

History

Kindergarten Level Descriptors

By the end of Kindergarten children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 1 or above.

· Ask questions about why things happen

· Find out about the past and present events in their own lives, and in those of their families and other people they know.

Grade 1 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 1 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 1 or above.

· Pupils recognise the distinction between present and past in their own and other people's lives.

· They show their emerging sense of chronology by placing a few events and objects in order, and by using everyday terms about the passing of time.

· They know and recount episodes from stories about the past.

· They find answers to some simple questions about the past from sources of information.

Grade 2 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 2 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 3 or above.

· Pupils show their developing sense of chronology by using terms concerned with the passing of time, by placing events and objects in order, and by recognising that their own lives are different from the lives of people in the past.

· They show knowledge and understanding of aspects of the past beyond living memory, and of some of the main events and people they have studied.

· They are beginning to recognise that there are reasons why people in the past acted as they did.

· They are beginning to identify some of the different ways in which the past is represented.

· They observe or handle sources of information to answer questions about the past on the basis of simple observations.

Grade 3 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 3 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 4 or above.

· Pupils show their developing understanding of chronology by their realisation that the past can be divided into different periods of time, their recognition of some of the similarities and differences between these periods, and their use of dates and terms.

· They show knowledge and understanding of some of the main events, people and changes studied.

· They are beginning to give a few reasons for, and results of, the main events and changes.

· They identify some of the different ways in which the past is represented.

· They use sources of information in ways that go beyond simple observations to answer questions about the past.

Grade 4 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 4 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 5 or above.

· Pupils show factual knowledge and understanding of aspects of the history of Europe and the wider world.

· They use this to describe characteristic features of past societies and periods, and to identify changes within and across different periods.

· They describe some of the main events, people and changes.

· They give some reasons for, and results of, the main events and changes.

· They show some understanding that aspects of the past have been represented and interpreted in different ways.

· They are beginning to select and combine information from different sources.

· They are beginning to produce structured work, making appropriate use of dates and terms.

Grade 5 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 5 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 6 or above.

· Pupils show increasing depth of factual knowledge and understanding of aspects of the history of Europe and the wider world.

· They use this to describe features of past societies and periods and to begin to make links between them.

· They describe events, people and changes.

· They describe and make links between events and changes and give reasons for, and results of, these events and changes.

· They know that some events, people and changes have been interpreted in different ways and suggest possible reasons for this.

· Using their knowledge and understanding, pupils are beginning to evaluate sources of information and identify those that are useful for particular tasks.

· They select and organise information to produce structured work, making appropriate use of dates and terms.

Grade 6 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 6 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 7 or above.

· Pupils use their factual knowledge and understanding of the history of Europe and the wider world to describe past societies and periods, and to make links between features within and across different periods.

· They examine and explain the reasons for, and results of, events and changes.

· Pupils describe, and begin to analyse, why there are different historical interpretations of events, people and changes.

· Using their knowledge and understanding, they identify and evaluate sources of information, which they use critically to reach and support conclusions.

· They select, organise and deploy relevant information to produce structured work, making appropriate use of dates and terms.

Grade 7 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 7 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 8 or above.

· Pupils make links between their factual knowledge and understanding of the history of Germany and the wider world.

· They use these links to analyse relationships between features of a particular period or society, and to analyse reasons for, and results of, events and changes.

· They explain how and why different historical interpretations have been produced.

· Pupils show some independence in following lines of enquiry, using their knowledge and understanding to identify, evaluate and use sources of information critically.

· They sometimes reach substantiated conclusions independently.

· They select, organise and use relevant information to produce well-structured narratives, descriptions and explanations, making appropriate use of dates and terms.

Grade 8 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 8 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below. If they are achieving above standard then they should be able to complete all or some of the level descriptors for Grade 9 or above.

· Pupils use their factual knowledge and understanding of the history of Germany and the wider world to analyse the relationships between events, people and changes, and between the features of different past societies and cultures.

· Their explanations of reasons for, and results of, events and changes are set in a wider historical context.

· They analyse and explain different historical interpretations and are beginning to evaluate them.

· Drawing on their historical knowledge and understanding, they use sources of information critically, carry out historical enquiries, and reach substantiated conclusions independently.

· They select, organise and deploy relevant information to produce consistently well-structured narratives, descriptions and explanations, making appropriate use of dates and terms.

Grade 9 Level descriptors

By the end of Grade 6 Children should be able to achieve the descriptions below.

· Pupils use their extensive and detailed factual knowledge and understanding of the history of Germany and the wider world to analyse relationships between a wide range of events, people, ideas and changes and between the features of different past societies and cultures.

· Their explanations and analyses of reasons for, and results of, events and changes, are well substantiated and set in their wider historical context.

· They analyse links between events and developments that took place in different countries and in different periods.

· They make balanced judgements based on their understanding of the historical context about the value of different interpretations of historical events and developments.

· Drawing on their historical knowledge and understanding, they use sources of information critically, carry out historical enquiries, develop, maintain and support an argument and reach and sustain substantiated and balanced conclusions independently.

· They select, organise and deploy a wide range of relevant information to produce consistently well-structured narratives, descriptions and explanations, making appropriate use of dates and terms.

Instructional Approaches

Geography

Teaching should ensure that geographical enquiry and skills are used when developing knowledge and understanding of places, patterns and processes, and environmental change and sustainable development.

Knowledge, skills and understanding for Pre Kindergarten to Grade 2

Geographical enquiry