With today’s emphasis on Common Core State Standards, it is more important than ever to have a social studies program that meets the rigor these standards demand. Holt McDougal Social Studies exposes students to the skills and understandings necessary for college and career readiness and helps them become literate, in all its forms, in the twenty-first century.
The Grades 6–12 strand in Social Sciences promotes an interdisciplinary approach to literacy by:
- Including primary source analysis and Common Core informational text reading
- Incorporating literature and historical fiction selections
- Utilizing higher-order thinking skills of text evidence, determining point of view, distinguishing fact from opinion, and more
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards
Reading in History/Social Sciences
Key Ideas and Details
Using key skills like analyzing, evaluating, determining main idea from supporting detail, and drawing conclusions, students will actively look for text evidence in support of learning objectives. Complete skill lessons teach these explicitly, and ample assessment opportunities allow for demonstration of knowledge.
Craft and Structure
Holt McDougal teaches students how to read social studies-based informational text with particular guidance and practice on understanding historical readings, developing historical perspective, and formulating historical questions. This focus allows students to understand and compare points of view, determine bias, and recognize propaganda as they interpret a variety of primary sources.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Holt McDougal Social Studies offers students continuous opportunities to access a variety of sources—print, audio, visual, interactive media, and video—and in turn to analyze and assess them in 21st-century applications. Students can demonstrate their understanding through projects, proposals, presentations, and more.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
Holt McDougal Social Studies offers students a wealth of text genres in the Student Editions, related support material both in print and online, and related small volumes focusing on primary source collections, historical readings, literary collections, and historical literature.
Text Types and Purposes
Holt McDougal Social Studies is committed to the student writing process with skills and lessons to support them every step of the way with ample and varied writing can be found in formative assessment, informal assessment, formal assessment, and portfolio opportunities.
Production and Distribution of Writing
Whether in print or online, Holt McDougal Social Studies offers a variety of writing opportunities and platforms for students to research and publish their writing.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Holt McDougal Social Studies teaches students how to analyze bias, determine point of view, and recognize propaganda, along with interpret print, visual, and Internet source material. The depth and variety of skills culminates in students critically reading and responding to text and supporting their written argument with critical analysis and text evidence.
Range of Writing
Holt McDougal Social Studies offers a variety of writing projects—both short term and long term—to support the different needs of today’s classrooms and schedules. Students demonstrate their knowledge for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.