In Grade 6, students study people, places, and societies of the contemporary world. Societies for study are from the following regions of the world: Europe, Russia and the Eurasian republics, North America, South America, Southwest Asia-North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific realm. Students describe the influence of individuals and groups on historical and contemporary events in those societies and identify the locations and geographic characteristics of various societies. Students identify different ways of organizing economic and governmental systems. The concepts of limited and unlimited government are introduced, and students describe the nature of citizenship in various societies. Students compare institutions common to all societies such as government, education, and religious institutions. Students explain how the level of technology affects the development of the various societies and identify different points of view about events. The concept of frame of reference is introduced as an influence on an individual's point of view.

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Amanda Norrell

Phone: 469-302-6763
E-mail: anorrell@mckinneyisd.net

Conference Period: 3rd period

Teacher Website Page: 


I’ve been a part of the Dowell family for 8 years, I’m happy to be here and looking forward to contributing to the social studies department. 

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Judith Anderson-Bruess
Youth and Government Coordinator

•Phone: 469-742-6854 
•E-mail: jbruess@mckinneyisd.net  
•Conference  Period: 3rd period 
Teacher email: jbruess@mckinneyisd.net
Teacher Website
https://staff.mckinneyisd.net/DMS/jbruess/SitePages/Home.aspx


•BIO:  I live in Prosper and have on daughter. Helped write world history curriculum on an international consortium of teachers from Hungary, Romania, Peru, and Costa Rica at Mississippi State University.  I am the Youth and Government coordinator for Dowell and help write curriculum for the district.

This past summer I had the honor of going to the Great Decision Teacher Institute in New York City, where I met Ambassador Juan Jose Gomez Camacho, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, Hon. Paul Heinbecker who served as Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations and Ambassador of Canada to Germany, Ambassador Gheewhan Kim, The Consulate General of the Republic of South Korea in the UN, and Hon. John F. Prato, the Consulate General of Canada to the UN, and each one of them emphasize the importance of educating our youth in government and civic service.  They urge me to give all of myself to insure that we will have a better future, by instilling in our youth the values that are necessary for us to keep democracy alive and to have a respectful rhetoric.

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Gae Slade
*Phone:  469.302.6846
*E-mail: gslade@mckinneyisd.net
*Conference Period 3rd period
Teacher website:

This is my 25th year to teach, and my 10th year to teach at Dowell Middle School.  I really enjoy teaching World Cultures, and hope to instill in my students a love of learning about the various cultures around the world.








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