Special Collections

District List: NYC Core Curriculum 7th - Social Studies

Description: The New York City Core Curriculum program aims to provide a high-quality curricula to NYC students through a seamless instructional program across grades and subjects. This list has been curated by #NYCDOE for 7th Grade Social Studies materials.


Showing 26 through 50 of 74 results

Bull Run

by Paul Fleischman

Northerners, Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment of the first battle of the Civil War.

Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

Date Added: 07/06/2018


The Ninth Amendment

by Kathy Furgang

One of the more elusive and nebulous of Constitutional amendments, the Ninth Amendment essentially guarantees unnamed and unspecified individual rights not explicitly enumerated within the Constitution or the other amendments. From its ratification, the amendment has caused confusion and uncertainty. Even Supreme Court justices have been unsure how to interpret it and unclear about exactly what individual rights it extends to American citizens. The vagueness of the amendments wording has discouraged many people from basing their claim to a specific right on the Ninth Amendment. This book penetrates the veil of mystification that surrounds the amendment and explains exactly why it was proposed and ratified, and why it was worded in the way it was. It shows how consensus about how to interpret and apply the amendment has very gradually emerged through the course of several landmark Supreme Court Cases. Indeed, the story of the Supreme Court's grappling with the Ninth Amendment provides a window onto some of the most seminal and iconic moments in American history, including New Deal politics, labor activities, fair housing laws, and past and current hot-button issues of privacy.

Date Added: 08/28/2018


The Seventh Amendment

by Kathy Furgang

While jury trials in criminal cases are recognized as vitally important to safeguarding the Constitutional rights of the accused, the right to a jury trial in civil cases is a less understood, celebrated, and valued right. This book is an invaluable reminder of just how important the Seventh Amendment is to the promotion and preservation of fairness and justice in America. By entrusting a jury of ordinary and impartial citizens to decide the outcome of lawsuits, the framers of the Constitution and Bill of Rights removed the power from the judges, who could potentially be swayed and corrupted. The Seventh Amendment levels the playing field, guaranteeing that a citizen's voice and interests carry as much weight as that of a wealthy individual, major corporation, or powerful government. The historical context that motivated the drafting and passage of this amendment is discussed, as is the evolution of civil law, jury trials, and the application of the Seventh Amendment in American history, from colonial times to the present. Contemporary, straight from the headlines cases-including Toyota's recent woes-illustrate the relevance of the Seventh Amendment and its application to cases involving consumer protection, environmental cleanup, medical malpractice, and corporate wrongdoing.

Date Added: 08/28/2018


Fourth Amendment

by Dean Galiano

The Fourth Amendment states that American citizens have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and belongings against unreasonable searches and seizures. This was not always the case. The Founders had to overcome great obstacles-fighting for American independence and ratifying the Constitution and the Bill of Rights-to provide these rights.

This book outlines that arduous journey, and then focuses on the Fourth Amendment's impact on modern American life and the role of the Supreme Court in safeguarding those protections. Sidebars highlight the amendment in action and zero in on the details of Supreme Court cases. It concludes with an examination of the impact of technological advances on our privacy and features a list of all the Amendments to the Constitution, including those proposed, but unratified.

Date Added: 08/29/2018


The Second Amendment

by Larry Gerber

The United States has the most guns per capita of any country in the world. Many Americans value the right to bear arms, which they believe is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Others believe that the Second Amendment only guarantees the right for organized militias to own guns. This book surveys the history of the Second Amendment and gun ownership in the United States, and explores how the amendment continues to affect us today.

Date Added: 08/28/2018


American Revolution And Constitution

by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

52 short nonfiction texts for American History (1750-1800) with 10 new lessons for content literacy

"We turn information into knowledge by thinking about it. These texts support students in using the Toolkit's comprehension and thinking strategies as tools to acquire and actively use knowledge in history." -Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

To support cross-curricular strategy instruction and close reading for information, Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis have expanded their Toolkit Texts series to include a library of short nonfiction for American history with 10 all-new Toolkit lessons.

Building on selections from popular children's magazines as well as original articles, these engaging, age-appropriate texts will keep your active literacy classroom awash in historical resources that depict the controversies, issues, and dramas that shaped historical events, including the exploits of lesser-known individuals.

These short nonfiction texts for American history include:

10 comprehension strategy lessons for close reading in content literacy. Short nonfiction articles on a wide range of topics and at a variety of reading levels. ( 45 articles in Colonial Times and 52 articles in The American Revolution and Constitution ) A bank of historical images, primary source documents and artifacts, plus primary source documents and artifacts bibliographies, web sites, and ideas for online investigations. A Digital Companion Resource provides all of the texts, primary source documents, and the image bank in a full-color digital format so you can display them for group analysis. Lesson Title 1 Read and Annotate: Stop, think, and react using a variety of strategies to understand 2 Annotate Images: Expand understanding and learning from visuals 3 Build Background to Understand a Primary Source: Read and paraphrase secondary sources to create a context for a topic 4 Read and Analyze a Primary Source: Focus on what you know and ask questions to clarify and explain 5 Compare Perspectives: Explore the different life experiences of historical figures 6 Read Critically: Consider point of view and bias 7 Organize Historical Thinking: Create a question web 8 Read with a Question in Mind: Focus on central ideas 9 Surface Common Themes: Infer the big ideas across several texts 10 Synthesize Information to Argue a Point: Use claim, evidence, and reasoning The CCSS and other state standards expect that children will read a variety of texts on a common topic and synthesize the ideas and information.

These short nonfiction texts were selected using the following criteria: Interest/Content Because kids love the quirky and the unexpected, these texts highlight important but often lesser-known or unrecognized perspectives and voices from the past. Visual literacy Since visual literacy is an essential 21st-century skill, these texts include historical images, paintings, and maps, as well as diagrams, timelines, charts, and photographs. Writing quality and accuracy To foster student engagement, these articles feature vibrant language in an active voice supported by a rich assortment of visual features. Reading level/complexity These texts are written at a range of reading levels and include a wide variety of topics to capture the interests of all readers.

Date Added: 09/25/2018


Colonial Times

by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

These short nonfiction texts for American history include:
10 comprehension strategy lessons for close reading in content literacy.
Short nonfiction articles on a wide range of topics and at a variety of reading levels.
( 45 articles in Colonial Times and 52 articles in The American Revolution and Constitution )

A bank of historical images, primary source documents and artifacts, plus primary source documents and artifacts bibliographies, web sites, and ideas for online investigations.

A Digital Companion Resource provides all of the texts, primary source documents, and the image bank in a full-color digital format so you can display them for group analysis.

Date Added: 08/28/2018


Short Nonfiction For American History

by Anne Goudvis and Stephanie Harvey

"We turn information into knowledge by thinking about it. These texts support students in using the Toolkit's comprehension and thinking strategies as tools to acquire and actively use knowledge in history."-Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

To support cross-curricular strategy instruction and close reading for information, Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis have expanded their Toolkit Texts series to include a library of short nonfiction for American history with 10 all-new Toolkit lessons.

Building on selections from popular children's magazines as well as original articles, these engaging, age-appropriate texts will keep your active literacy classroom awash in historical resources that depict the controversies, issues, and dramas that shaped historical events, including the exploits of lesser-known individuals.

These short nonfiction texts for American history include:

10 comprehension strategy lessons for close reading in content literacy. Short nonfiction articles on a wide range of topics and at a variety of reading levels.
A bank of historical images, primary source documents and artifacts, plus primary source documents and artifacts bibliographies, web sites, and ideas for online investigations.
A Digital Companion Resource provides all of the texts, primary source documents, and the image bank in a full-color digital format so you can display them for group analysis.
Lesson Title 1 Read and Annotate: Stop, think, and react using a variety of strategies to understand 2 Annotate Images: Expand understanding and learning from visuals 3 Build Background to Understand a Primary Source: Read and paraphrase secondary sources to create a context for a topic 4 Read and Analyze a Primary Source: Focus on what you know and ask questions to clarify and explain 5 Compare Perspectives: Explore the different life experiences of historical figures 6 Read Critically: Consider point of view and bias 7 Organize Historical Thinking: Create a question web 8 Read with a Question in Mind: Focus on central ideas 9 Surface Common Themes: Infer the big ideas across several texts 10 Synthesize Information to Argue a Point: Use claim, evidence, and reasoning The CCSS and other state standards expect that children will read a variety of texts on a common topic and synthesize the ideas and information.

These short nonfiction texts were selected using the following criteria: Interest/Content Because kids love the quirky and the unexpected, these texts highlight important but often lesser-known or unrecognized perspectives and voices from the past. Visual literacy Since visual literacy is an essential 21st-century skill, these texts include historical images, paintings, and maps, as well as diagrams, timelines, charts, and photographs. Writing quality and accuracy To foster student engagement, these articles feature vibrant language in an active voice supported by a rich assortment of visual features. Reading level/complexity These texts are written at a range of reading levels and include a wide variety of topics to capture the interests of all readers.

Date Added: 09/24/2018


Short Nonfiction For American History

by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

"We turn information into knowledge by thinking about it. These texts support students in using the Toolkit's comprehension and thinking strategies as tools to acquire and actively use knowledge in history."-Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

To support cross-curricular strategy instruction and close reading for information, Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis have expanded their Toolkit Texts series to include a library of short nonfiction for American history with 10 all-new Toolkit lessons.

Building on selections from popular children's magazines as well as original articles, these engaging, age-appropriate texts will keep your active literacy classroom awash in historical resources that depict the controversies, issues, and dramas that shaped historical events, including the exploits of lesser-known individuals.

These short nonfiction texts for American history include:

10 comprehension strategy lessons for close reading in content literacy. Short nonfiction articles on a wide range of topics and at a variety of reading levels. A bank of historical images, primary source documents and artifacts, plus primary source documents and artifacts bibliographies, web sites, and ideas for online investigations. A Digital Companion Resource provides all of the texts, primary source documents, and the image bank in a full-color digital format so you can display them for group analysis.

Date Added: 09/24/2018


The First Americans

by Joy Hakim

Thousands of years-- way before Christopher Columbus set sail-- wandering tribes of hunters made their way from Asia across the Bering land bridge to North America. They didn't know it, but they had discovered a New World. The First Americans is a fascinating re-creation of pre-Columbian Native American life, and it's an adventure of a lifetime! Hunt seals with the Inuit; harvest corn on a cliff-top mesa; hunt the mighty buffalo; and set sail with Leif Erickson, Columbus, and all the early great explorers-- Cabot, Balboa, Ponce de Leon, Cortes, Henry the Navigator, and more-- in this brilliantly told story of America before it was America. [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Date Added: 07/06/2018


From Colonies to Country

by Joy Hakim

How did compliant colonials with strong ties to Europe get the notion to become an independent nation? Perhaps the seeds of liberty were planted in the 1735 historic courtroom battle for the freedom of the press. Or maybe the French and Indian War did it, when colonists were called "Americans" for the first time by the English, and the great English army proved itself not so formidable after all. But for sure when King George III started levying some heavy handed taxes on the colonies, the break from the motherland was imminent. With such enthralling characters as George Washington, Sam Adams, Patrick Henry, Eliza Pinckney, and Alexander Hamilton throughout, From Colonies to Country is an amazing story of a nation making transformation. [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Date Added: 07/06/2018


A History of US:

by Joy Hakim

Recommended by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy as an exemplary informational text.

All kinds of people are coming to America. If you're European, you come in search of freedom or riches. If you're African, you come in chains. And what about the Indians, what is happening to them? Soon with the influx of so many people, thirteen unique colonies are born, each with its own story. Meet Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown. Join William Penn and the Quakers in Pennsylvania. Sit with the judges at the Salem witch trials. Hike over the mountains with Daniel Boone. And let Ben Franklin give you some salty advice in his Poor Richard's Almanac in this remarkable journey through the dynamic creation of what one day becomes the United States.

Date Added: 07/06/2018


Liberty for All?

by Joy Hakim

Early nineteenth-century America could just about be summed up by Henry David Thoreau's words when he said, "Eastward I go only by force, but westward I go free." It was an exuberant time for the diverse citizens of the United States, who included a range of folk, from mountain men and railroad builders to whalers and farmers, as they pushed forward into the open frontier and all their hopes and fears are captured in Liberty for All? In addition to colorful accounts of the massive westward migration, the California Gold Rush, a war with Mexico, the Oregon boundary conflict, Texas and the Alamo, Liberty for All? takes a deep look at the issue that began to gnaw at the country's core: How, in the land where "all men are created equal," could there be slaves? This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Date Added: 07/06/2018


The New Nation

by Joy Hakim

Beginning with George Washington's inauguration and continuing into the nineteenth century, The New Nation tells the story of the remarkable challenges that the freshly formed United States faced. Thomas Jefferson's purchase of the Louisiana Territories (bought from France at a mere four cents an acre!), Lewis and Clark's daring expedition through this wilderness, the War of 1812 a.k.a. "Revolutionary War, Part II," Tecumseh's effort to form an Indian confederacy, the growth of Southern plantations, the beginning of the abolitionist movement,and the disgraceful Trail of Tears are just a few of the setbacks, sidetracks,and formidable tasks put in the new nation's path. Master storyteller Joy Hakim weaves these dramatic events and more into a seamless tale that's so exciting, how could it be true? But it is--it's A History of US. This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Date Added: 07/06/2018


War, Terrible War

by Joy Hakim

Riveting, moving, and impossible to put down, War, Terrible War takes us into the heart of the Civil War, from the battle of Manassas to the battle of Gettysburg and on to the South's surrender at Appomattox Court House. Follow the common soldiers in blue and gray as they endure long marches, freezing winter camps, and the bloodiest battles ever fought on American soil. Off the war fields, War, Terrible War captures the passion and commitment of abolitionists and slave-owners alike in their fiery debates throughout the land. With profiles of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Jefferson Davis, soldiers on both sides, slave owners, abolitionists, average citizens, and others, War, Terrible War is the compelling story of a people affected by the horrors of war during this tragic and dramatic period in A History of US. This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Date Added: 07/06/2018


The American Revolution for Kids

by Janis Herbert

Heroes, traitors, and great thinkers come to life in this activity book, and the concepts of freedom and democracy are celebrated in true accounts of the distinguished officers, wise delegates, rugged riflemen, and hardworking farm wives and children who created the new nation. This collection tells the story of the Revolution, from the hated Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party to the British surrender at Yorktown and the creation of the United States Constitution. All American students are required to study the Revolution and the Constitution, and these 21 activities make it fun and memorable. Kids create a fringed hunting shirt and a tricorn hat and reenact the Battle of Cowpens. They will learn how to make their voices heard in "I Protest" and how Congress works in "There Ought to Be a Law." A final selection including the Declaration of Independence, a glossary, biographies, and pertinent Web sites makes this book a valuable resource for both students and teachers.

Date Added: 07/06/2018


The New York Colony

by Martin Hintz

An introduction to the history, government, economy, resources, and people of the New York Colony.

Date Added: 07/06/2018


Native Tribes of California and the Southwest

by Michael Johnson and Bill Yenne

This series provides a comprehensive reference library on the Native nations and peoples of North America, covering essential information on 400 different tribes. Organized according to traditional geographical and cultural groupings, this collection provides an informative view of the diversity of Native North America, from the Canadian Arctic to the Rio Grande. Each volume features historical photographs, regional maps, historic and updated census information, a guide to prominent museums specializing in Native culture, and a comprehensive index to the tribes featured in all six volumes.

Date Added: 09/13/2018


Native Tribes of the Plains and Prairie

by Michael Johnson

This series provides a comprehensive reference library on the Native nations and peoples of North America, covering essential information on 400 different tribes. Organized according to traditional geographical and cultural groupings, this collection provides an informative view of the diversity of Native North America, from the Canadian Arctic to the Rio Grande. Each volume features historical photographs, regional maps, historic and updated census information, a guide to prominent museums specializing in Native culture, and a comprehensive index to the tribes featured in all six volumes.

Date Added: 10/17/2018


The Civil War

by Zachary Kent

The Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in American history, forced neighbor to fight neighbor and brother to fight brother. More Americans lost their lives in this conflict than in any other war. From the hallowed battlefield at Gettysburg to the surrender at Appomattox, author Zachary Kent explores this pivotal time in American history, when a nation on the brink of destruction was reunited and permanently rid of slavery.

Date Added: 08/27/2018


Civil War And Reconstruction

by David C. King

A rare first-hand glimpse of the Civil War through the words of those who were there This exciting new addition to the American Heritage American Voices series offers young readers insights into the culture and ideas of the Civil War era through a variety of primary sources. The book includes major historical documents, such as the Gettysburg Address, as well as more personalized accounts of the war and of the popular culture of the times found in diaries, advertisements, and magazine and newspaper articles. Throughout, the readings are supplemented by introductions, period illustrations, sidebar information, and vocabularies. David C. King (Hillsdale, NY) is the author of Wiley's American Kids in History series of U.S. history activity books as well as Colonies and Revolution and Westward Expansion in the American Heritage American Voices series. American Heritage is the premier American history magazine and is well known for its reference books.

Date Added: 09/04/2018


A Historical Atlas Of The American Revolution

by Martha Kneib

A Historical Atlas of the American Revolution profiles the conditions of the American colonies under Great Britain and how colonists were angered enough to fight for their independence. Using primary source images, maps, and clear text, this book covers both the American and British victories in the Revolution, as well as the pivotal events such as the Boston Tea Party and Shay s Rebellion that led up to the fight. This is an objective and fascinating look at our American forefathers, the early patriots who fought for our freedom, and the environment that helped make it happen.

Date Added: 09/10/2018


Founding Fathers

by K. M. Kostyal and Jack N. Rakove

Kostyal tells the story of the great American heroes who created the Declaration of Independence, fought the American Revolution, shaped the US Constitution--and changed the world. The era's dramatic events, from the riotous streets in Boston to the unlikely victory at Saratoga, are punctuated with lavishly illustrated biographies of the key founders--Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and James Madison--who shaped the very idea of America. An introduction and ten expertly-rendered National Geographic maps round out this ideal gift for history buff and student alike. Filled with beautiful illustrations, maps, and inspired accounts from the men and women who made America, Founding Fathers brings the birth of the new nation to light.

Date Added: 10/17/2018


A Voice Of Her Own

by Kathryn Lasky and Paul Lee

In 1761, a young African girl was sold to the Wheatley family in Boston, who named her Phillis after the slave schooner that had carried her. Kidnapped from her home in Africa and shipped to America, she'd had everything taken from her family, her name, and her language. But Phillis Wheatley was no ordinary young girl. She had a passion to learn, and the Wheatleys encouraged her, breaking with unwritten rule in New England to keep slaves illiterate. Amid the tumult of the Revolutionary War, Phillis Wheatley ultimately had a book of verse published, established herself as the first African American woman poet this country had ever known. She also found what had been taken away from her and from slaves everywhere: a voice of her own.

Date Added: 09/14/2018



Showing 26 through 50 of 74 results