Sioux City Community Schools -

This webpage provides an overview of what your child will learn by the end of each grade in middle school by the Iowa Core, our statewide academic standards. The Social Studies Iowa Core standards focus on key concepts in civic responsibility, contemporary global issues, geography, history, and culture in global regions.

In sixth grade, students will learn about geography, history, and culture in global regions. Students will analyze regional, physical, and cultural characteristics of places to determine how those factors influenced, and continue to influence, people who live there.

Examples of Your Child’s Work at School:

• Research disciplinary questions using primary and secondary sources that are credible and draw from multiple perspectives.

• Develop claims and arguments based on research and support those claims using evidence.

• Create geographical representations to illustrate how cultural and environmental characteristics of a region impact history.

• Explain multiple causes and effects of events and developments in the past.

• Identify what makes up the culture and examine how people acquire their cultural beliefs and value systems.

• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of various financial tools.

Read the Iowa Core Parent Guide (English) and Iowa Core Parent Guide (Spanish).

In seventh grade, students will learn various perspectives on contemporary global issues. As a global and interconnected world, students need to be well-educated about worldwide issues to cultivate democracy, effective citizenship, and global competitiveness. These topics could include issues such as world hunger, population, poverty, conflict, human rights, global trade, etc.

Examples of Your Child’s Work at School:

• Communicate research conclusions to an audience using appropriate and effective modes of communication and technology.

• Take informed action based on research.

• Discuss and identify the responsibilities of global citizens.

• Explain how economic decisions impact individuals, businesses, and society.

• Discuss how financial goals and achievement after high school are related.

• Identify social, political, and economic factors that can influence thoughts and behavior.

• Analyze the role Iowa plays in contemporary global issues.

Read the Iowa Core Parent Guide (English) and Iowa Core Parent Guide (Spanish).

In eighth grade, students will focus on the history of the United States, especially early American history. Students will analyze the powers and civic responsibilities of citizens and examine the origins, functions, and structures of the U.S. government.

Examples of Your Child’s Work at School:

• Present original arguments to an authentic audience using credible sources.

• Analyze how a specific problem can manifest itself at the local, regional, and global levels over time.

• Analyze various primary sources such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Washington’s Farewell Address, and the Missouri Compromise, etc.

• Explain the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, and the media in a variety of contexts.

• Explain how push and pull factors contributed to immigration and migration in early American history.

• Explain how global interconnections influenced early American history.

• Calculate the cost of borrowing money for different types of goods.

Read the Iowa Core Parent Guide (English) and Iowa Core Parent Guide (Spanish).

Source: Iowa Core Parent Guides from the Iowa Department of Education.
Read the complete standards on the Iowa Core website.