Welcome to Mrs. William's Homepage

Why do we have to take Social Studies?

Well, do you like money?  Do you wish you could change the rules?  Do you realize how much globalization is impacting what you buy and do for entertainment?  My class will help you to better understand the world around you.  High school Social Studies looks at globalization, nationalism and liberalism (which means freedom, not the Liberal Party of Canada).

The goal of Social Studies is to help students to be more aware of their world, in order to be intelligent, contributing citizens.  My goal is to have students look beyond their own world to see the impact they can have on the whole world (and the impact the whole world can have on them).

To be successful in this class you need to be here.  While you will have access to a textbook and online resources, much of this course is based on class discussion and projects.  Excessive time away from class can make things confusing when you get back.  Of course, while you are here you need to be participating in class discussions and getting the assignments completed to the BEST of your ability.

Also, an awareness of current events is important, not only to understand modern-day concepts, but to help gain a perspective on what has happened in the past. Students should be accessing a news report every day, which could mean watching the news, looking at an online news site or listening to the news on the radio.  In order to encourage this, all students are asked to check out the Facebook site for the class (Williams Social-Class), and can achieve bonus opportunities for posting current events to the page.

Teacher Tips for Parents

Your involvement as a parent is essential to the success of your student at school. My class websites contain most of the information that is discussed in class, which can help you to keep on top of what we are studying. In addition, many of the topics we discuss don't have a "yes" or "no" answer, but instead ask students to make their own decisions - discussions at home can help them formulate their opinions.

I will update marks in PowerSchool bi-weekly so that you are up to date with your student's assignments.  You can also access your student's class schedule/timelines, attendance, and marks at any time.  For more information on the curricular objectives we are studying in each grade level, you can go to https://education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/socialstudies/programs.aspx