Social Studies Department Skills

The following is a list of the skills that students in Social Studies classes at Morris Community
High School will be asked to demonstrate. Not every course will emphasize all skills, but as a
department, these goals and actions are our focus.

Map Skills
Students will be able to:
Identify locations and geographical landforms using a map.
Interpret map items to draw inferences about a given area.
Evaluate historical events using primary source documents and descriptions of
geographical content.

Critical Analysis of Historical Writing

Students will be able to:
Evaluate bias and/or point of view of primary and secondary sources
Interpret historical documents for support of a theory or idea

Note Taking Skills

Students will be able to:
Demonstrate a variety of note taking techniques, including but not limited to
Cornell/Power Notes, outlining, charting, & concept mapping.

Graph / Table Interpretation

Students will be able to:
Interpret graphs or tables to discern relevant information provided by the graph, table,
or chart to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments
Infer trends based on data presented

Critical Thinking Skills

Students will be able to:
Recognize problems and explore legitimate avenues to solve those problems
Identify and understand the importance of prioritization and order of precedence in
problem solving
Identify unstated assumptions and values
Comprehend and use language language with accuracy, clarity, and discernment
recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between items or
events
 Test generalizations or conclusions

Following Instructions
Students will be able to:
Follow a given set of instructions to reach a successful conclusion to a problem or
completion of an assignment

Writing for Historical Content

Students will be able to:
Demonstrate writing skills which reveal an understanding of the general principles of the
big picture of a historical event.
Critically analyze a historical event through the collection and sorting of information,
development of a thesis based on evidence procured.
Organize evidence to support a given thesis.
Structure an essay with a proper introduction, body, and conclusion

Website Evaluation
Students will be able to:
Identify creators of websites
Identify validity of websites to use as sources of information
Evaluate point of view of websites and other sources of electronic information
Employ accurate search parameters to discern information for a given event
Apply sources correctly to support the validity of a thesis

MCHS Standards as numbered standards:

Map Skills
 SS.MS.1: Students will be able to identify locations and geographical landforms using a
map.
SS.MS.2: Students will be able to interpret map items to draw inferences about a given
area.
SS.MS.3: Students will be able to evaluate historical events using primary source
documents and descriptions of geographical content.

Critical Analysis of Historical Writing

SS.WA.1: Students will be able to evaluate bias and/or point of view of primary and
secondary sources
SS.WA.2: Students will be able to interpret historical documents for support of a theory
or idea

Note Taking Skills

SS.NT.1: Students will be able to demonstrate a variety of note taking techniques,
including but not limited to Cornell/Power Notes, outlining, charting, & concept
mapping.

Graph / Table Interpretation

SS.GI.1: Students will be able to interpret graphs or tables to discern relevant
information provided by the graph, table, or chart to appraise evidence and evaluate
arguments
SS.GI.2: Students will be able to infer trends based on data presented

Critical Thinking Skills

SS.CT.1: Students will be able to recognize problems and explore legitimate avenues to
solve those problems
SS.CT.2: Students will be able to identify and understand the importance of
prioritization and order of precedence in problem solving
SS.CT.3: Students will be able to identify unstated assumptions and values
SS.CT.4: Students will be able to comprehend and use language language with accuracy,
clarity, and discernment
SS.CT.5: Students will be able to recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical
relationships between items or events
SS.CT.6: Students will be able to test generalizations or conclusions

Following Instructions
 SS.FI.1: Students will be able to follow a given set of instructions to reach a successful
conclusion to a problem or completion of an assignment

Writing for Historical Content

SS.HC.1: Students will be able to demonstrate writing skills which reveal an
understanding of the general principles of the big picture of a historical event.
SS.HC.2: Students will be able to critically analyze a historical event through the
collection and sorting of information, development of a thesis based on evidence
procured.
SS.HC.3: Students will be able to organize evidence to support a given thesis.
Students will be able to structure an essay with a proper introduction, body, and
conclusion

Website Evaluation
SS.WE.1: Students will be able to identify creators of websites
SS.WE.2: Students will be able to identify validity of websites to use as sources of
information
SS.WE.3: Students will be able to evaluate point of view of websites and other sources of
electronic information
SS.WE.4: Students will be able to employ accurate search parameters to discern
information for a given event
SS.WE.5: Students will be able to apply sources correctly to support the validity of a
thesis