Renaissance Public
School Academy
2nd Grade
Social Studies Curriculum
Guide
2013
1
Year at a Glance
1st 9 Week Unit
What is a Community? and How can a
Citizen Affect a Community?
2nd 9 Week Unit
Where is my community & what is it like?
3rd 9 Week Unit
How do citizens live together?
4th 9 Week Unit
How do citizens work together in a
community? and How do communities
change?
2
3
Using this Guide:
This curriculum guide is to be used as just that, a guide. While using this guide you are encouraged
to take notes on what activities were successful, which ones were not, and what suggested ideas to
add. The sequence was planned in theory and once in practice, does it make sense? This guide
should be used as a living document that should be adjusted throughout the year and changed from
year to year in order to best meet the needs of our students. Each 6-week unit has multiple science
standards. Science processes and inquiry skills are incorporated into each unit. Please note that
you can work on more skills than the ones listed if the teachable moments occur. This guide strives
to keep each teacher focused on the same standards and skills while using their own teaching
styles and approaches. If a concept is not the focus until later in the year, you may introduce the
students to it if it works with earlier lessons.
Within each unit are samples of activities and assessments. Please note teachers are not limited to
these examples. Additional lessons, activities, and assessments are expected and encouraged.
The sample activities are not exclusive to the particular unit in which it is listed. If you like an
activity and want to tweak it for a future unit please do so. When using this guide, you will notice
that there is not a sample activity for every standard or essential skill listed. It is the teacher’s
responsibility to know the skills to be focused on for each unit. This guide provides ideas; gives a
framework; and educates the teacher on areas in which she/he requires guidance. This guide is a
planning tool used to align the standards and the school. The teacher is the determining factor in
how effectively this guide is to be used.
Grade levels should use this guide to create more in-depth lesson plans while not limiting their
creative process to the resources listed. During each unit, it is crucial to monitor all standards
being taught. By the end of each unit, the teacher should have a strong knowledge of where each
child is performing in each area. This data will be used to determine which skills need to be retaught and which students need remediation. A chart at the end of this guide shows the specific
standards covered during each unit.
Note: if there are students who have not mastered a skill and that skill is not represented in future
units, the teacher will need to determine a plan on how she or he will revisit that skill/standard and
at what level of instruction (whole class, small group or one on one) students will receive.
4
Notes, Tips, and Pointers
Writing Across the Curriculum
Three Text Types
Argument
Arguments are used for many purposes—to change the reader’s point of view, to bring about some action on
the reader’s part, or to ask the reader to accept the writer’s explanation or evaluation of a concept, issue, or
problem. An argument is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating that the writer’s position, belief, or
conclusion is valid. In English language arts, students make claims about the worth or meaning of a literary
work or works. They defend their interpretations or judgments with evidence from the text(s) they are writing
about. In history/social studies, students analyze evidence from multiple primary and secondary sources to
advance a claim that is best supported by the evidence, and they argue for a historically or empirically
situated interpretation. In science, students make claims in the form of statements or conclusions that
answer questions or address problems. Using data in a scientifically acceptable form, students marshal
evidence and draw on their understanding of scientific concepts to argue in support of their claims.
Informational/Explanatory Writing
Informational/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more
closely related purposes: to increase readers’ knowledge of a subject, to help readers better understand a
procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept.
Informational/explanatory writing addresses matters such as types (What are the different types of poetry?)
and components (What are the parts of a motor?); size, function, or behavior (How big is the United States?
What is an X-ray used for? How do penguins find food?); how things work (How does the legislative branch
of government function?); and why things happen (Why do some authors blend genres?). To produce this
kind of writing, students draw from what they already know and from primary and secondary sources. With
practice, students become better able to develop a controlling idea and a coherent focus on a topic and more
skilled at selecting and incorporating relevant examples, facts, and details into their writing. They are also
able to use a variety of techniques to convey information, such as naming, defining, describing, or
differentiating different types or parts; comparing or contrasting ideas or concepts; and citing an anecdote or
a scenario to illustrate a point. Informational/explanatory writing includes a wide array of genres, including
academic genres such as literary analyses, scientific and historical reports, summaries, and précis writing as
well as forms of workplace and functional writing such as instructions, manuals, memos, reports, applications,
and résumés. As students advance through the grades, they expand their repertoire of
informational/explanatory genres and use them effectively in a variety of disciplines and domains.
Although information is provided in both arguments and explanations, the two types of writing have different
aims. Arguments seek to make people believe that something is true or to persuade people to change their
beliefs or behavior. Explanations, on the other hand, start with the assumption of truthfulness and answer
questions about why or how. Their aim is to make the reader understand rather than to persuade him or her
to accept a certain point of view. In short, arguments are used for persuasion and explanations for
clarification.
Like arguments, explanations provide information about causes, contexts, and consequences of processes,
phenomena, states of affairs, objects, terminology, and so on. However, in an argument, the writer not only
gives information but also presents a case with the “pros” (supporting ideas) and “cons” (opposing ideas) on
a debatable issue. Because an argument deals with whether the main claim is true, it demands empirical
5
descriptive evidence, statistics, or definitions for support. When writing an argument, the writer supports his
or her claim(s) with sound reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
Narrative Writing
Narrative writing conveys experience, either real or imaginary, and uses time as its deep structure. It can be
used for many purposes, such as to inform, instruct, persuade, or entertain. In English language arts,
students produce narratives that take the form of creative fictional stories, memoirs, anecdotes, and
autobiographies. Over time, they learn to provide visual details of scenes, objects, or people; to depict
specific actions (for example, movements, gestures, postures, and expressions); to use dialogue and interior
monologue that provide insight into the narrator’s and characters’ personalities and motives; and to
manipulate pace to highlight the significance of events and create tension and suspense. In history/social
studies, students write narrative accounts about individuals. They also construct event models of what
happened, selecting from their sources only the most relevant information. In science, students write
narrative descriptions of the step-by-step procedures they follow in their investigations so that others can
replicate their procedures and (perhaps) reach the same results. With practice, students expand their
repertoire and control of different narrative strategies.
Additional Examples
Writing is integrated into all of our subject areas. Students need to write in many different ways and for
many different purposes to understand the importance of writing. The writing process should be taught
explicitly on a daily basis. The steps of the writing process need to be followed in all grades from the
prewriting to publishing. However, that is not the only time writing should take place in a classroom.
Students in kindergarten up to eighth grade should be writing five to ten times a day. Each grade will
manifest the processes differently, but many of the ideas are the same. And remember, it is not just the
students who should be writing throughout the day, it is the teachers too. Shared writing, model writing,
recording student-generated ideas, and creating classroom-generated charts and graphs are great ways to
model the importance of writing and create a classroom brimming with literacy.
Quick Writes: When you are in the middle of an activity/ lesson, watching an educational film, or reading a
passage in any content area, a Quick Write is a great process to work on with your students. The idea is to
stop at designated points during your instruction to check for understanding, make predictions, hypothesis
or inference, make a connection, summarize, etc. The students write their thoughts down quickly and share
with designated students. This activity should only take about 5-10 minutes, depending if your students
share their Quick Writes with the whole class, a partner, or small group. Many teachers who use this
method keep scratch paper near the desks or use notebooks or Quick Write journals.
Reports/ Research papers: Students can create a research paper or report at every grade level. Get the
students involved in their science or social studies topics through exploration and creating a research paper
that they can publish.
Journaling: There are so many ways to get students journaling. All they need is a notebook and pencil.
Students can write about their ideas, personal experiences, and opinions. The teacher can provide a
prompt, story starter, or let the student select a topic. Interactive journals are a great way to use journaling
for communication. In this process students write to the teacher and the teacher writes back. This is also a
creative way to work on letter writing, using writing as a communication tool, building relationships with
students, and teaching mini lessons to a particular child.
6
Note Taking: Note taking is an important skill and one that needs to be taught. A student should not be
copying word for word off of the board. Students should be creating their own words to capture what they
have learned and this should be explicitly taught. In the younger grades, students can draw pictures of
what they have learned and use labels as an early version of note taking.
7
Grouping Practices:
●
Varying the way students are grouped for instruction is an important component of planning
and teaching. There is a place for whole group, small group, partner work, and 1-on-1
instruction throughout the day. Determining an instructional method is part of the lesson
planning process along with planning what the students will be doing with or without the
direct instruction from the teacher.
●
Students need to truly understand the teacher’s expectations and procedures when
working with partners, in centers/ stations, or independently. These expectations should be
modeled and practiced at the beginning of the year. When working in small groups, the
teacher needs to make sure the other students are working on high-quality, independent
work, or academic centers.
●
Small group instruction is great for working with a few students with similar areas of
weakness and at similar levels or to facilitate a small group of students at different levels
learning from one another.
●
When pairing students, be thoughtful of which students should be paired together.
Typically the highest performer in the classroom should not be paired with the lowest
performer in the classroom because both may feel frustrated. Also, many times students
with specific personality traits do not work well together. For example, two shy students or
a student who struggles with behavior and a student who is very quiet.
●
Every teacher also needs to plan for what she/he will be doing when students are working in
pairs or independently. Will the teacher be walking around and checking for understanding
with groups or students, or calling students over to a table to do some 1-on-1 instruction or
assessing? Avoid the mistake of using this time to catch up on e-mails or finish paperwork.
Each and every moment the students are in the classroom is an opportunity to learn more
about the students and make a larger impact on their learning.
Assessments:
Data should drive the teacher’s instruction. Teachers need to use formative and summative
assessments such as: performance tasks, observations, writing samples, interim assessments,
pre/mid/post unit assessments to determine which students are at mastery and which students
need more assistance/ remediation. Using frequent student data provides informed decision
making in order to determine the pace of the classroom and the need for additional activities to
strengthen a concept in the class.
8
Comprehension Strategies:
Research shows that skilled readers use a set of learning strategies that help them make meaning
from text. Teachers need to expose students to these strategies starting in kindergarten and going
through 8th grade by modeling, conducting think-alouds, and facilitating class discussions.
Making Connections: Children make personal connections with the text by using their schema
(prior knowledge). There are three main types of connections that can be made: Text to Text, Text
to Self, and Text to World. It is important to model/ teach students how to activate their prior
knowledge and make connections before, during, and after reading.
Questioning: Questions help students clarify and deepen their understanding of the text they are
reading. Using stickies, journals or recording forms for students to jot down questions before,
during, and after reading is an effective technique for students to record their ideas.
Visualizing: Mental pictures are the cinema-like unfolding of imagery in your mind that makes
reading three-dimensional. Visualizing helps readers engage with text in ways that make it
personal and memorable.
Inferring: Inferring is usually described as “reading between the lines.” Readers form best
guesses using evidence such as context clues, picture clues, and their own personal knowledge.
Students predict, draw conclusions, and find meaning in unknown words.
Evaluating: Readers judge, justify, and/or defend understandings to determine importance based
on stated criteria. The reader makes judgments about what they read and can explain their way
through evidence in the text.
Synthesizing: Readers’ thinking changes as they gather more information. New information makes
readers re-evaluate their schema to form new schema. In a more child friendly term, synthesizing
is putting the pieces together to see them in a new way.
9
Michigan’s Grade Level Content Expectations for Social Studies
The purpose of social studies instruction is to develop social understanding and civic
efficacy.The Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE) balance disciplinary content
and processes and skills that contribute to responsible citizenship and form a
foundation for high school social studies coursework.
The disciplinary knowledge found in this document can be used by students to
construct meaning through understanding of powerful ideas drawn from the
disciplines of history, geography, civics and government, and economics.These
ideas can be best supported by assessment and instruction that focuses on the
Standards for Assessment and the Standards for Teaching and Learning found in
the Michigan Curriculum Framework.
Effective social studies instruction and assessment incorporate methods of inquiry,
involve public discourse and decision making, and provide opportunities for citizen
involvement. Each year, students should receive instruction that allows them to think
and act as historians, geographers, political scientists, and economists. For this type of
thinking to occur, teachers should utilize the following disciplinary processes with their
students:
●
●
●
●
●
●
acquiring, organizing, and presenting social studies information
conducting investigations on social studies questions
analyzing public issues in our various communities
engaging in constructive conversation around social studies topics
composing cohesive essays expressing a position on public issues
participating constructively as community members
Respect for the underlying values of a democratic society is developed through
effective social studies education. Rigorous standards provide a framework for
designing curriculum, assessment, and effective classroom instruction, that result in
relevant learning experiences.
These content expectations provide the necessary framework for deliberate
professional development. Working collaboratively, teachers, administrators,
university personnel, government officials, parents, community organizations, and
businesses will prepare Michigan students to become productive 21st century citizens.
10
The K-8 Social Studies GLCE were developed to meet the following criteria:
Rigor
● challenging enough to equip students to succeed at the next grade level
● represent the essential core content of a discipline – its key concepts and how they relate to each other
Clarity
● more than just plain and jargon-free prose
● widely understood and accepted by teachers, parents, school boards, and others who have a stake in the quality of
schooling
● provide guidance for university faculties who will prepare teachers to convey the expectations, and who later receive
those teachers’ students
Specificity
● enough detail to guide districts in developing curricula and teachers in planning instruction
● address available time for instruction
Focus
● prioritize facts, concepts, and skills that should be emphasized at each grade level
Progression
● move from simple to complex, from concrete to abstract
● delineate a progression of knowledge and skills, rather than repetition from grade to grade
Coherence
● reflect a coherent structure of the discipline and/or reveal significant relationships among the strands, and
how the study of one complements the study of another
● represent a “back-mapping” from the high school expectations to a progression of benchmarks that middle and
elementary school students would need to reach in order to be “on track” for success in college and work
The Challenges of Developing Content Expectations in Social Studies
At the national level and in just about every state, establishing standards and benchmarks in the social
studies has been a challenging endeavor, filled with political and pedagogical controversy. Three enduring
educational issues have challenged the creation of standards/content expectations to guide instruction and
assessment in Michigan: (1) The challenge of integrating separate disciplines, (2)The challenge of
representing both thinking and substance, and (3) The challenge of determining an effective K-12 scope
and sequence.
First, while everyone recognizes that social studies is an amalgam of four or more disciplines including
history, civics, economics and geography, there is no consensus concerning the appropriate mix of
these or the appropriate place of each in the curriculum. Critical questions about the relationship
among the content areas or even the relative amount of each area in the standards and eventually in
11
the curriculum have not been resolved. Therefore, one critical challenge is to find ways to make
connections within and across content areas.
Second, social studies educators face a problem in trying to reflect both disciplinary “thinking” and
“substance” in standards documents. This is particularly true in history and civics where people want
students to develop more sophisticated ways to think about contemporary issues and to draw upon
specific knowledge of the past and the present in their thinking. So, standards and content
expectations must include both thinking and knowledge expectations in such a combination that can
effectively guide teachers, curriculum designers, and, of course, assessors.
When standards documents stress “thinking” at the expense of “substance,” teachers and
educational critics often argue these appear vague and offer little guidance for deciding what
content should be taught and tested. Teachers often complain that the mandated tests assess
content not specified in standards or benchmarks.
On the other hand, standards that specify more substantive detail face their own critics who argue that
such detail is too prescriptive and gives too much content to be effectively assessed in large-scale,
multiple-choice dominated exams. A second challenge, therefore, is to provide more substance to meet
the criticism that Michigan’s standards were too vague without losing sight of the central purposes for
offering social studies to our students.
Finally, there is the challenge of creating a sensible and educationally sound K-12 scope and sequence.
For many years, states required the full run of U.S. history in grades 5, 8 and 11. Critics argued this
privileged breadth over depth, and urged dividing historical content into three sections for students to
study in more depth in 5th, 8th and 11th grades. Still others argued that this arrangement was asking very
young students(e.g., 5th graders) to study, remember, and be able to use very sophisticated concepts
and events five or six years later when they were studying U.S. history in high school. Most advanced
courses rely upon earlier grades to develop foundational skills and knowledge, but do not expect earlier
grades to help students achieve the sophisticated study possible in
high school. Thus they begin their studies of U.S. history at the “beginning.” In short, social studies
educators have developed three different and compelling patterns for structuring the scope and sequence
in social studies.
The standards and expectations that follow represent the best efforts of the various writing and review
committees to provide the integration, coherence, and the scope and sequence that will guide instruction
and assessment in Michigan.
ACTIVE RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS
Our constitutional democracy requires active citizens. Responsible citizenship requires students to
participate actively while learning in the classroom. Instruction should provide activities that actively
engage students so that they simultaneously learn about civic participation while involved in the civic
12
life of their communities, our state, and our nation.The social studies curriculum prepares students to
participate in political activities, to serve their communities, and to regulate themselves responsibly.
The Responsible Citizen
● Uses knowledge of the past to construct meaningful understanding of our diverse cultural heritage and inform his/her civic
judgments (Historical Perspective)
● Uses knowledge of spatial patterns on earth to understand processes that shape both the natural environments and the
diverse societies that inhabit them (Geographic Perspective)
● Uses knowledge of American government and politics to make decisions about governing his/her community (Civic
Perspective)
● Uses knowledge of the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services to make personal, career and
societal decisions about the use of scarce resources (Economic Perspective)
● Uses methods of social science investigation to answer questions about society (Inquiry)
● Knows how, when, and where to construct and express reasoned positions on public issues (Public Discourse and Decision
Making)
● Acts constructively to further the public good (Citizen Involvement)
USING SOCIAL STUDIES TO DEVELOP DIGITAL-AGE PROFICIENCIES
The use of technology is critical for responsible citizenship. Citizens must know how to read and comprehend narratives from
a variety of sources, understand and use data effectively, as well as know how to compile and present valid and reliable data.
The development of vocabulary, critical to understanding and communication, is an important component of the social studies
curriculum. Finally writing, especially expository, informational and persuasive writing, is an empowering skill needed by all
citizens. The ability to clearly communicate one’s ideas and reasoned viewpoints is the hallmark of a responsible citizen.
“The current and future health of America’s 21st Century Economy depends directly on how broadly and
deeply Americans reach a new level of literacy—21st Century Literacy—that includes strong academic
skills, thinking, reasoning, teamwork skills, and proficiency in using technology.” —21st Century
Workforce Commission National Alliance of Business
In order to thrive in a digital economy, students will need digital-age proficiencies. These proficiencies include:
● Basic, scientific, technological, financial, economic, and civic literacy
● Visual and information literacy
● Cultural literacy and global awareness
● Adaptability, ability to manage complexity, and self-direction
● Curiosity, creativity, and risk-taking
● Higher order thinking and sound reasoning
● Teaming and collaboration
● Personal and social responsibility
● Interactive communication
● Prioritizing, planning, and managing for results
13
● Effective use of real-world tools
● High quality results with real-world application
K-5 Overview
K-5 GradeSpecific
Contexts
Kindergarten
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Myself and Others
Families and
Schools
The Local
Community
Michigan Studies
United States
Studies
Using a familiar context for five and six year olds, kindergartners
learn about the social studies disciplines (history, geography,
civics and government, and economics) through the lens of
“Myself and Others.” Accordingly, each discipline focuses on
developing rudimentary understandings through an integrated
approach to the field.
In first grade, students continue to explore the social studies
disciplines of history, geography, civics and government, and
economics through an integrated approach using the context of
school and families. This is the students’ first introduction to social
institutions as they draw upon knowledge learned in kindergarten to
develop more sophisticated understandings of each discipline.
In second grade, students continue the integrative approach to
social studies through the context of the local community. This the
first time students are introduced to a social environment larger than
their immediate surroundings and they draw upon knowledge
learned in previous grades to develop more sophisticated
understandings to explore the social studies disciplines of history,
geography, civics and government, and economics.
Third grade students explore the social studies disciplines of history,
geography, civics and government, and economics through the
context of Michigan studies. Building on prior social studies
knowledge and applying new concepts of each social studies
discipline to the increasingly complex social environment of their
state, the third grade content expectations help prepare students for
more sophisticated studies of their country and world in later grades.
Using the context of the United States, fourth grade students learn
significant social studies concepts within an increasingly complex
social environment. They examine fundamental concepts in
geography, civics and government, and economics through the
lens of Michigan history and the United States.
14
Fifth
Integrated
American
History
The fifth grade social studies content expectations mark a departure
from the social studies approach taken in previous grades. Building
upon the geography, civics and government, and economics
concepts of the United States mastered in fourth grade and
historical inquiry from earlier grades, the fifth grade expectations
begin a more disciplinary-centered approach concentrating on the
early history of the United States. Students begin their study of
American history with American Indian peoples before the arrival of
European explorers and conclude with the adoption of the Bill of
Rights in 1791. Although the content expectations are organized by
historical era, they build upon students’ understandings of the other
social studies disciplines from earlier grades and require students to
apply these concepts within the context of American history.
15
The Local Community
Grade Two
In second grade, students continue the integrative approach to social studies through the context of
the local community. This is the first time students are introduced to a social environment larger than
their immediate surroundings and they draw upon knowledge learned in previous grades to develop
more sophisticated understandings to explore the social studies disciplines of history, geography,
civics and government, and economics.
History
In second grade, students further develop abilities to think like a historian by using the tools of the
discipline. Students use a timeline of local community events to demonstrate chronological thinking.
Using examples from the past, students start to understand the significant role of the individual in
shaping history. The content expectations also introduce students to the concept of perspective by
asking students to explain why people can describe the same event differently. Additionally, the
expectations expand students’ ability to think historically as they explore changes over time as well as
localized events. In preparing students to evaluate decisions from the past in later grades, the
expectations ask students to examine how a local community problem in the past was addressed.
Students demonstrate their understanding of history by constructing a historical narrative of the local
community, which serves as a building block for more sophisticated analyses and writing in
subsequent grades.
Geography
In developing geographic understandings, students draw upon prior knowledge of spatial awareness,
place, human systems, and human-environment interactions from earlier grades to create more
complex understandings using the context of the local community. Geographic representations
(maps) of areas outside their immediate environment introduce students to the use of symbols,
labels, and legends to denote human and natural features. Students use maps to describe the
spatial organization of their local community, applying relative location and using distance, direction,
and scale. In addition to learning more elaborate distinctions between human and physical
characteristics by studying the local community, students compare these characteristics to those of
another community. They use these attributes to further their understanding of region by exploring
how their local community is part of larger regions such as county, state, and country. Students
expand upon the concept of human systems and human-environment interactions by examining local
land use, as well as the positive and negative consequences of changing the physical environment.
As a starting point for understanding the global economy in later grades, the second grade
expectations introduce students to the geographic theme of movement as they explore how people,
goods, and ideas move within the local community. These foundations prepare students for a more
elaborate understanding of geography, as they examine their state, country, and world in subsequent
grades.
Civics and Government
In second grade, students explore government in the United States. Building upon earlier
understandings of the purposes for rules in the classroom, second grade students explore the
reasons why people form governments. Students begin to understand the distinction between
16
government action and private action, which sets the foundation for understanding the powers and
limits of governmental authority in later grades. Students also examine situations in which the local
government seeks to balance individual rights with the common good in solving community problems.
They describe how the Pledge of Allegiance reflects the core democratic value of patriotism. Using
examples of how the local government makes, enforces, and interprets the laws, students begin to
explore formal structures of government and how government influences the lives of citizens. These
understandings provide foundations for the study of state and national government in later grades.
In second grade, students are introduced to the role of government in the economy as they
learn about the role of taxes and fees in paying for government services. The expectations
help to prepare students for responsible citizenship by exploring how citizens participate in
community decisions and by examining why both personal and civic responsibility are
important aspects of community life. Students apply this knowledge by designing and
participating in community improvement projects.
Economics
Second grade students build upon basic economic concepts they have applied to personal
experiences in previous grades. They continue to work with the concepts of scarcity and choice and
learn to identify opportunity cost in consumer decisions. Significantly, the expectations broaden the
context of study of communities. Using the lens of the local community, students identify different
types of businesses and make connections between local businesses and the economic wants of
people or other businesses. Students are introduced to the concepts of natural, human, and capital
resources using local community examples. In doing so, they begin to recognize examples of
economic specialization and its relationship to trade.
Public Discourse, Decision Making, and Citizen Involvement
Students develop a more sophisticated understanding of public issues, and the importance of citizen
action in a democratic republic. Second grade students begin to recognize that conflicts among core
democratic values often lead people to want different resolutions to a public policy issue in the local
community. They identify public issues in the local community, analyze data about these community
issues, and evaluate alternative resolutions. They use core democratic values to demonstrate why
people may differ on the resolution of a community issue as they continue to develop competency in
expressing their own opinions relative to these issues and justify their opinions with reasons. This
foundational knowledge is built upon throughout the grades as students develop a greater
understanding of how, when, and where to communicate their positions on public issues with a
reasoned argument.
17
Unit 1: What is a Community? How Can a Citizen Affect a Community?
In this foundational unit students explore characteristics of communities, the reasons people live in
communities, and different kinds of communities. The unit begins with a review of the concept of family and
explores the question, “Why do families live in communities?” Students then investigate common
characteristics of a community including location, physical characteristics, history, government, people, and
businesses. Students explore two reasons people live in a community and are introduced to the concept of
government. Using a variety of resources, including photographs and illustrations from picture books,
students then examine different kinds of communities and explore how communities differ in size and
geography. Using a Venn Diagram, students identify similarities and differences between two communities.
Finally, students begin to create a profile of their local community by gathering information from family
members and friends about what makes their community special.
In this unit students synthesize what they have learned about communities throughout the year by exploring
the role of citizens in a community and how people work together to solve public issues. The unit begins with
an exploration of the qualities of a good citizen using the book Good Citizen Sarah. Students then examine
ways citizens work together in a community to solve problems through the book The Giant Jam Sandwich.
The term ‘public issue’ is introduced as the class explores the idea that often people disagree about how to
solve a community problem or issue. Using a decision making model, students are given a case study about
a garage sale controversy in a mythical town. Students work in small groups to generate possible solutions
to the garage sale problem and use the decision making model to evaluate these solutions. Given a local
community issue, students are asked to generate solutions and take a position on a solution. In a final lesson
that can be used at any appropriate time during the year, students participate in a project to improve their
community.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
● 1 – G2.0.1 Distinguish between physical (e.g., clouds, trees, weather) and human (e.g., buildings,
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
playgrounds, sidewalks) characteristics of places.
2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of
another community.
2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people create for moving people, goods, and ideas within the local
community.
2 – C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
2 – E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.
C5.0.1 Identify ways citizens participate in community decisions.
2 – C5.0.2 Distinguish between personal and civic responsibilities and explain why they are
important in community life.
2 – C5.0.3 Design and participate in community improvement projects that help or inform others.
(See P4.2.2)
2 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the local community that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
2 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in the
local community and evaluate alternative resolutions.
2 – P3.1.3 Give examples of how conflicts over core democratic values lead people to differ on
18
●
●
●
resolutions to a public policy issue in the local community.
2 – P3.3.1 Compose a statement expressing a position on a public policy issue in the local
community and justify the position with a reasoned argument.
2 – P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan to address or inform others about a public issue.
2 – P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
■
■
■
■
■
■
Categorizing
Comparing/Contrasting
Describing
Analyzing
Cause and Effect
Problem Solving
.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
2
What is a community and why do families live in communities?
How can a citizen affect a community?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
List ways families meet their basic needs in the local community.
Complete a graphic organizer illustrating common characteristics of communities.
In words and pictures tell why people live in communities.
Compare two communities, using a Venn diagram.
Describe a place in their community.
Identify traits that make a good citizen.
Explain what makes them a good citizen.
Identify ways citizens help make community decisions.
When given a community problem, develop ways that citizens can solve the problem.
Analyze the impact of their actions and contributions to the community.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3.
4.
What is a community?
Why do families live in communities?
How are communities alike and different? What is a good citizen?
How do people work together to solve community issues?
19
TERMINOLOGY
basic needs
community
family
government
human characteristics of place
location
physical characteristics of place
transportation
citizen
citizen involvement
civic responsibility
decision-making
public issues
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
1 – G2.0.1 Distinguish between physical (e.g., clouds, trees, weather) and human (e.g., buildings,
playgrounds, sidewalks) characteristics of places.
2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of
another community.
2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people create for moving people, goods, and ideas within the local
community.
2 – C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
2 – E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.
C5.0.1 Identify ways citizens participate in community decisions.
2 – C5.0.2 Distinguish between personal and civic responsibilities and explain why they are
important in community life.
2 – C5.0.3 Design and participate in community improvement projects that help or inform others.
(See P4.2.2)
2 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the local community that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
2 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in the
local community and evaluate alternative resolutions.
2 – P3.1.3 Give examples of how conflicts over core democratic values lead people to differ on
resolutions to a public policy issue in the local community.
2 – P3.3.1 Compose a statement expressing a position on a public policy issue in the local
community and justify the position with a reasoned argument.
2 – P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan to address or inform others about a public issue.
2 – P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others.
20
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
Sample Activities-Brainstorm with students “What is a family?” Read picture books and poems about families.
Students could create a simple poster using words and illustrations to answer the question “What is a
Family?”
-Read picture books that display different types of communities. Discuss characteristics of each of the
communities including: people, businesses, buildings, natural characteristic, and places to have fun. Use a
5-column chart to record responses.
-Have students create short books illustrating and describing why people live in communities.
-Using a Venn diagram compare two of the communities that have been explored through picture books.
-Have students write an informational piece about a place they enjoy in their own community.
-Read the book, Good Citizen Sarah, or a similar book, and then discuss ways Sarah was a good citizen and
record them. Then students can create a short book illustrating their ideas about good citizenship.
-Read The Gian Jam Sandwich and discus show the people in the story worked together to solve the wasp
problem. Using the story as an example explain that not all community problems are solved easily. Explain
that when a solution can’t be agree upon it becomes an “issue”. Then use an example of a made up
community problem for students to take part in coming up with different solutions, finding positives and
negatives to each, and then take a position.
-Next take a true community issue, using newspapers, local officials, and community website. Have
students discuss the issue, generate solutions, and evaluate the solutions. Then students compose a written
statement expressing their position on the issue and give a reason that supports their position.
-Have students take part in a community service project and then reflect on the impact they made.
Assessments:
-As a culminating activity, create a class book entitled “Our Favorite Places.” Explain that students will each
write about their favorite place in their community and then make a drawing just like the other children. Give
students time to write a rough draft and do a rough sketch on the sheet. Then, meet with each student to go
over their work. Make suggestions and corrections as needed. Have students ‘publish’ a finished copy for the
class book.
Objective Assessments: True/False questions, Cloze questioning to determine a quick check of
understanding.
Writing Portfolio: As students are growing as writers, keep a selection of writing samples throughout the
year to determine misconceptions, phonics that need attention, knowledge of sentence structure and monitor
growth as writers.
Writing Assessments: With a given prompt, have students demonstrate their understanding through writing
their thoughts.
Observations: While asking students questions or while students are performing tasks, observe them and
their thought process, and enter these observations into written form for each child observed.
21
Rubrics: When designing an assessment/ activity, think about what you want to learn from the assessment/
activity about your students. Use what you want to learn about the child and what you want the child to be
able to do as guidelines to create a rubric to use as an assessing tool. Students can be assessed anytime
during any activity throughout the day to see if they are learning what you want them to learn.
Summative Assessments: Create a pre and post assessment that covers the literary standards covered in
the unit and determine growth and areas of weakness. This assessment can be made up of multiple choice,
missing information, and open ended questions.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
Math:
Number Sense
English language Arts:
R.NT.02.02 identify and describe the basic elements and purpose of a variety of narrative genre
including poetry, fantasy, legends, and drama.
R.NT.02.03 identify and describe characters’ actions and motivations, setting (time and place),
problem/solution, and sequence of events.
INTEGRATING CHARACTER EDUCATION
Teamwork/ Safety
Throughout instruction we want our students to construct knowledge of positive character traits
that we believe are important for our students to possess. Listed are a few ideas to integrate
friendship and responsibility into literacy instruction.
○
Explicitly teach the meaning of teamwork and safety. Have a class discussion why these
traits are important to possess.
○
Read-a-loud texts or have students read independently passages and decide if characters
are being safe and if not, what is the effect of the lack of safety?
○
Create a teamwork promise in the classroom. Discuss the traits a good teammate has and
decide as a class that everyone will be a team player in the class. Have the whole class sign
the promise.
○
Use read- a-louds to show examples of both traits and have students make connections to
their own lives.
○
Have students talk about times they have exhibited teamwork. Write about their
experiences.
○
As the students work in stations or cooperative groups, remind them of the importance of
teamwork. Walk around and give the students feedback on their ability to work
cooperatively.
22
Resources
Texts
Social Studies Annotated Bibliography
Writing Across the Curriculum Guides
Social Studies Writing Across the Curriculum
Online Resources
Discovery Education Streaming
MDE Social Studies Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Chart Paper and Markers
Student Resource
*Costa-Pau, Rosa. The City. Broomall, PA: Chelsea House Publishers, 1995.
Geisert, Bonnie and Arthur. Prairie Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
Hammersmith, Craig. What is a Family? New York: Spyglass Books, 2002.
Hoberman, Mary Ann. Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers: A Collection of Family Poems. New York:
Scholastic, 1991.
Lenski, Lois. Sing a Song of People. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company, 1987.
Pancella, Peggy. Suburb. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann, 2005.
*Simon, Norma. All Kinds of Families. New York: Albert Whitman and Company, 1976.
*Soentpiet, Chris K. Around Town. New York: HarperCollins, 1994.
Takabayashi. Mari. I Live in Brooklyn. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
*Treays, Rebecca. My Town. Tulsa, OK: Usborne Publishing, 1998.
Teacher Resource
*- - -. Prairie Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
*- - -. River Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.
Detroit Photograph. 28 August 2009
http://www.phototravelpages.com/us/detroit_images/detroit.jpg
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials. Teacher-made material. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative
Curriculum, 2009.
Geisert, Bonnie and Arthur. Mountain Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
Hoberman, Mary Ann. Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers: A Collection of Family Poems. New York:
Scholastic, 1991.
*How Communities Are Different. 3 July 2008. 28 August 2009
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSCommunityDifferencesVenn3.htm
*Kids and Community. 3 July 2008. 24 August 2009
http://www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity/
Kids and Community Great Place Gallery. 27 August 2009
http://www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity/citygallery/greatplace.htm
*Miller, Jake. Community Needs: Meeting Needs and Wants in Communities. New York: The Rosen
Publishing Group, 2005.
*Norris, Jill. My Community, A Complete Thematic Unit. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor Educational Publishers,
1996.
*Pancella, Peggy. City. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann, 2006
Small Town Photo. 27 August 2009
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/07may/04.htm
23
Subdivision in Greenville. 28 August 2009
http://www.greenvilledailyphoto.com/index.php/2008/06/09/anareal-view-of-a-subdivision-in-greenville/
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
National Council for the Social Studies. 28 August 2009
http://www.ncss.org/
Social Studies Lesson Plans and Resources. 28 August 2009
http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/
Strategies for Teaching Social Studies. 28 August 2009
http://www.udel.edu/dssep/strategies.htm
Teaching Social Studies. 28 August 2009
Equipment/Manipulative
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Chart Paper and Markers
Student Resource
Kroll, Virginia. Good Citizen Sarah. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company, 2007.
Lord, John Vernon. The Giant Jam Sandwich. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1972
Teacher Resource
Picture Books About Citizenship. 14 May 2008
http://www.lawanddemocracy.org/book.cit.pix.html
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
Citizenship Education. 8 April 2008
http://www.ecs.org/html/educationIssues/CitizenshipEducation/CitEdDB_intro.asp
National Center for Learning and Citizenship. 8 April 2008
http://www.ecs.org/html/projectsPartners/nclc/nclc_main.htm
National Alliance for Civic Education. 8 April 2008
http://www.cived.net/
Social Studies Lesson Plans and Resources. 1 May 2008
http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/
Strategies for Teaching Social Studies. 1 May 2008
http://www.udel.edu/dssep/strategies.htm
Teaching Social Studies. 1 May 2008
http://www.proteacher.org/c/185_Teaching_Social_Studies.html
Using Primary Sources in the Classroom. 1 May 2008
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/lessons/primary.html
24
Unit 2: Where is My Community & What is it Like..
In this unit students use the context of their local community to explore the five major themes of geography:
location, place, human/environment interaction, movement, and region. The unit begins with an exploration
of a variety of maps and a review of map skills covered in kindergarten and grade one. Using a community
map, the concept of relative location is introduced. Next, students explore a map of the community and
identify various regions such as residential areas and important physical features in the community. Next,
students expand their knowledge of the geography of their community as they gather information about
physical and human characteristics not of their community. Integrating the second grade science content
expectations, students learn about major landforms and bodies of water found on the Earth. Returning to the
map of the community, students identify major roads and discuss how roads help to connect places and
move goods and people. Synthesizing what they have learned, students construct a simple map of their local
community. Using a Venn Diagram, students compare the human and physical characteristics of their
community with those of another community. Human environment interaction is introduced as students
explore how people interact with the environment and the consequences of changing the environment.
Finally, the geographic theme of region is expanded as students learn their community is part of several
larger regions including county, state, country, continent, and planet.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
2 – G1.0.1 Construct maps of the local community that contain symbols, labels, and legends
denoting human and natural characteristics of place.
2 – G1.0.2 Use maps to describe the spatial organization of the local community by applying
concepts including relative location and using distance, direction, and scale.
2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of
another community.
2 – G2.0.2 Describe how the local community is part of a larger region (e.g., county, metropolitan
area, state).
2 – G4.0.1 Describe land use in the community (e.g., where people live, where services are
provided, where products are made).
2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people create for moving people, goods, and ideas within the local
community.
2 – G5.0.1 Suggest ways people can responsibly interact with the environment in the local
community.
2 – G5.0.2 Describe positive and negative consequences of changing the physical environment of
the local community.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS COVERED:
■
■
Comparing/Contrasting
Describing
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
How does environment affect a community?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
25
The students will understand how to:
● Use maps to describe the organization of the local community by applying concepts including
●
●
●
●
●
relative location and using distance, direction, and scale.
Construct maps of the local community that contain symbols, labels, and legends denoting human
and natural characteristics of place.
Identify different methods of transporting people and goods in communities and what is presently
used in the local community.
Explore major landforms and bodies of water on Earth’s surface.
Compare and contrast their local community with another community.
Analyze ways people can responsibly interact with the environment of their community.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
Where is our community located?
What are the some physical and human characteristics of our community?
How do people change the environment in the local community?
TERMINOLOGY
community
geography
human characteristic of place
human/environment interaction
land use
location
map
movement
physical characteristic of place
region
transportation
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
2 – G1.0.1 Construct maps of the local community that contain symbols, labels, and legends
denoting human and natural characteristics of place.
2 – G1.0.2 Use maps to describe the spatial organization of the local community by applying
concepts including relative location and using distance, direction, and scale.
2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of
another community.
2 – G2.0.2 Describe how the local community is part of a larger region (e.g., county, metropolitan
area, state).
2 – G4.0.1 Describe land use in the community (e.g., where people live, where services are
provided, where products are made).
2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people create for moving people, goods, and ideas within the local
community.
2 - G4.0.3 Use components of culture (e.g.,foods, language, religion, traditions) to describe diversity
in the local community.
26
●
●
2 – G5.0.1 Suggest ways people can responsibly interact with the environment in the local
community.
2 – G5.0.2 Describe positive and negative consequences of changing the physical environment of
the local community.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
Sample Activities-Have students explore a variety of maps to learn about significant features of maps. Then make a
list of relative location words and have students use them to describe where things are in the
classroom. Then using a map of Michigan guide the students in describing the relative location of
their local community.
-Have students identify, using a map of the local community, regions where people live, shop, work,
etc. Also have them identify physical and human characteristics such as rivers, parks, hospitals,
and libraries.
-Have students synthesize what they have learned about the local community to create a simple
map including symbols, labels, and legend/map key as well as natural and human characteristics of
place.
-Make a pictograph of different methods of transporting people and good in the local community.
-Have students explore major landforms and bodies of water on the Earth’s surface. Then compare
and contrast their community with another using a Venn diagram.
-Using a book such as The Wartville Wizard, students could work in pairs to discuss how the
characters in the story modified/changed their environment and what happened as a result of the
changes. Then have them decide if the modifications had outcomes that were positive or negative.
Last they can each make a poster suggesting ways people can responsibly interact with the
environment of their local community.
Assessments:
-Have students identify a positive and negative consequence of an environmental change in a community
and write about it.
-The poster created as the culminating project from above could be used as an assessment.
Objective Assessments: True/False questions, Cloze questioning to determine a quick check of
understanding.
Writing Portfolio: As students are growing as writers, keep a selection of writing samples throughout the
year to determine misconceptions, phonics that need attention, knowledge of sentence structure and monitor
growth as writers.
Writing Assessments: With a given prompt, have students demonstrate their understanding through writing
their thoughts.
Observations: While asking students questions or while students are performing tasks, observe them and
their thought process, and enter these observations into written form for each child observed.
27
Rubrics: When designing an assessment/ activity, think about what you want to learn from the assessment/
activity about your students. Use what you want to learn about the child and what you want the child to be
able to do as guidelines to create a rubric to use as an assessing tool. Students can be assessed anytime
during any activity throughout the day to see if they are learning what you want them to learn.
Summative Assessments: Create a pre and post assessment that covers the literary standards covered in
the unit and determine growth and areas of weakness. This assessment can be made up of multiple choice,
missing information, and open ended questions.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
Math:
Expressions and Equations
Find and name locations using simple coordinate systems such as maps and first quandrant grids.
English Language Arts:
retell in sequence the major idea(s) and relevant details of grade-level narrative and informational text
Science Processes and Inquiry
Atmosphere
Chemical Changes
RST.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are
used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6–8 texts and topics.
RST.6-8.6 Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an
experiment in a text.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WST.6-8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed.
WST.6-8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between
information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
WST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
INTEGRATING CHARACTER EDUCATION
Tolerance
Throughout instruction we want our students to construct knowledge of positive character traits
that we believe are important for our students to possess. Listed are a few ideas to integrate
respect into literacy instruction.
○
Explicitly teach the meaning of tolerance. Have a class discussion about why the trait is
28
important to possess.
○
Use books read aloud, in small groups or independently to decide if characters are tolerant
of one another and their differences.
○
In literature analyze if a character in the book is being tolerant and if not, how tolerance
could help the character.
○
When examining animals and plants in nature, discuss how they need to be tolerant and how
tolerance can help them live.
○
Use literature to show examples of this trait and have students make connections to their
own lives.
○
Have students identify which character from a variety of text is the most tolerant and give
evidence from the text to back their opinions.
○
Use as many teachable moments as possible throughout the day to complement students
for showing tolerance and use their real life examples as a learning experience.
RESOURCES:
Texts
Social Studies Annotated Bibliography
Writing Across the Curriculum Guides
Social Studies Writing Across the Curriculum
Online Resources
Discovery Education Streaming
MDE Social Studies Resources
Equipment/Manipulatives
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Chart Paper and Markers
Student Resource
*Block, Marta Segal. Mapping Your Community (first guide to Maps). New York: Heinemann, 2008
Chesanow, Neil. Where Do I Live? New York: Barron’s Educational Series, 1995.
*Fox, Guy. Washington D.C. Children’s Map. New York: Guy Fox Publishing, 2007.
Geisert, Bonnie and Arthur. Desert Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001
- - -. Mountain Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000
- - -. Prairie Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998
- - -. River Town. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1999
*Green, Jen. Why Should I Protect Nature? New York: Barron’s Educational Series, 2005 (optional book)
Madden, Don. The Wartville Wizard. New York: Aladdin Books, 1993
Morris, Ann. On the Go. New York: Harper Collins, 1994.
Rabe. Tish. There’s a Map on My Lap: All About Maps. New York: Random House Books for Young
Readers, 2002.
Ritchie, Scott. Follow that Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills. New York: Kids Can Press, 2009.
29
Takabayashi. Mari. I Live in Brooklyn. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
Teacher Resource
*Ashcroft, Minnie. Marvelous Map Activities for Young Learners: Easy Reproducible Activities that Introduce
Important Map and Geography Skills, and Help Kids Explore their Neighborhood, Community and Beyond.
New York: Scholastic, 2002.
*Block, Marta Segal. Mapping Your Community (first guide to Maps). New York: Heinemann, 2008
Class Set-UpTool. 27 October 2009
http://teacher.scholastic.com/tools/class_setup/\
Classroom Map. 27 October 2009
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/elemsoc/images/class.gif
Detroit Metro Airport Map. 27 October 2009
http://www.allairports.net/images/metro-airport-mcnamaraterminal.jpg
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 2).Teacher-made material. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative
Curriculum, 2009.
How Communities Are Different. 27 October 2009
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSCommunityDifferencesVenn3.htm
Hundred Acre Wood Map. 27 October 2009
http://www.squidoo.com/winnie-the-pooh-coloring-picturesand-crafts
*Kids and Community. 27 October 2009
http://www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity
Landforms. 27 October 2009
http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/landforms.htm
Map Adventures. 27 October 2009
http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/teacherspackets/mapadventures/illust1.html
Map of Waterford, Michigan. 27 October 2009
http://www.twp.waterford.mi.us/gis/maps/generic.pdf
*Moore. Jo E. Beginning Geography: Landforms & Bodies of Water (Beginning Geography). New
York: Evan-Moor, 1993
*Norris, Jill. My Community, A Complete Thematic Unit. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor Educational Publishers,
1996.
Outline Map of the U.S. 27 October 2009
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/usa_blank.jpg
School Map: 27 October 2009
http://natsci.edgewood.edu/wingra/watershed/watershed_examples.htm
State of Michigan Maps. Michigan Department of Transportation website. 27 October 2009
http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9622_11033_11151---,00.html
*Wade. Mary Dodson. Map Scales (Rookie Read-About Geography). New York: Children’s Press, 2003.
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
National Council for the Social Studies. 27 October 2009
http://www.ncss.org/
Social Studies Lesson Plans and Resources. 27 October 2009.
http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/
Strategies for Teaching Social Studies. 27 October 2009
http://www.udel.edu/dssep/strategies.htm
Teaching Social Studies. 27 October 2009
http://www.proteacher.org/c/185_Teaching_Social_Studies.html
30
Unit 3: How Do Citizens Live Together...
In this unit students explore many important civics concepts using the context of local government. The unit
begins with a lesson that explores diversity in communities and also reviews why people live in communities.
Then, students explore the reasons people form governments including the need for laws, safety, and order.
In a lesson on core democratic values and how they create a foundation for government students are
introduced to the values of the common good, individual rights, and patriotism. Students then explore the
meaning and importance of the Pledge of Allegiance. Using the example of school rules as a springboard,
students next examine the reasons communities need laws. Then, they learn how local governments make,
enforce, and interpret laws. Students compare narrative text and informational text as they learn about the
role mayors play in local government. This serves as an introduction to for the next lesson on different
functions of local government. In a final lesson on citizenship students learn about the roles and
responsibilities of citizens in local government. As a culminating activity, students take part in a simple
simulation of a town council meeting where they have to decide whether to buy a new police car or new
playground equipment for a local park.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
● 2 – C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
● 2 – C1.0.2 Distinguish between government action and private action.
● 2 – C2.0.1 Explain how local governments balance individual rights with the common good to solve
local community problems.
● 2 – C2.0.2 Describe how the Pledge of Allegiance reflects the core democratic value of patriotism.
● 2 – C3.0.1 Give examples of how local governments make, enforce, and interpret laws (ordinances)
in the local community.
● 2 – C3.0.2 Use examples to describe how local government affects the lives of its citizens.
● 2 – C3.0.3 Identify services commonly provided by local governments (e.g., police, fire departments,
schools, libraries, parks).
● 2 – C5.0.1 Identify ways citizens participate in community decisions.
● 2 – C5.0.2 Distinguish between personal and civic responsibilities and explain why they are
important in community life.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS COVERED:
■
■
Cause and Effect
Describing.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
How do people live together in a community?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
● Discuss how diversity can strengthen and enrich a community.
● Explain why people form governments.
● Identify reasons for having laws.
31
●
●
●
●
Illustrate the structure of their own local government and the purposes for having the local
government.
Explain the ideas, or values that governments are founded on.
Analyze what citizens should be doing to contribute to the local government.
Show patriotism based on knowing the importance of the flag/Pledge of Allegiance.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
What is the purpose of government?
What does our local government do?
What are important roles and responsibilities of citizens in a community?
TERMINOLOGY:
branches of government
citizen
city council
civic responsibility
common good
community
core democratic values
court
diversity
government
individual rights
laws
mayor
patriotism
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
● 2 – C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
● 2 – C1.0.2 Distinguish between government action and private action.
● 2 – C2.0.1 Explain how local governments balance individual rights with the common good to solve
local community problems.
● 2 – C2.0.2 Describe how the Pledge of Allegiance reflects the core democratic value of patriotism.
● 2 – C3.0.1 Give examples of how local governments make, enforce, and interpret laws (ordinances)
in the local community.
● 2 – C3.0.2 Use examples to describe how local government affects the lives of its citizens.
● 2 – C3.0.3 Identify services commonly provided by local governments (e.g., police, fire departments,
schools, libraries, parks).
● 2 – C5.0.1 Identify ways citizens participate in community decisions.
● 2 – C5.0.2 Distinguish between personal and civic responsibilities and explain why they are
important in community life.
●
32
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS:
Sample Activities:
-After teaching students about the diversity of the community (examples might include: different
places to worship, different ethnic restaurants, different languages spoken, cultural festivals held,
and holidays celebrated) have students describe in words and illustrations an example of diversity
in their own community.
-Explore what school would be like without rules. Explain that just like school, our community
needs laws. Look at a law from the community and discuss whey the law was needed. Then work
in small groups to write a law to solve a problem in the community.
-Give students a scenario of “cleaning their room” in two different ways. One where the mayor
comes in their house and tells them they have to clean their room and one where their mother
does. Discuss whether it is allowed for the mayor and their mother to do that. Then discuss that
government has limitations too.
-Make a T-chart on large chart paper and lable one side “Common Good” and the other “Individual
Rights”. Have students give examples from the story, “The Smiths Buy Buggy.”
-Tell students they are not only citizens of the community but citizens of their country too. Explain
that as citizens of the US, we need to learn about our country and respect our country. Show
students an American flag and lead a brief discussion of why the flag is so important. Explain that
there are things we do to show respect to our flag. Have students practice them. Discuss the Pledge of
Allegiance. On large chart paper list “Ways to show patriotism”. Start with Respecting our flag and Saying
the Pledge of Allegiance. Then have students make patriotism posters.
Assessment:
-The Patriotism Posters constructed in the lesson can also be used as an assessment.
-Have students identify and describe services provided by local governments and then explain how the
service benefits people in a community.
Objective Assessments: True/False questions, Cloze questioning to determine a quick check of
understanding.
Writing Portfolio: As students are growing as writers, keep a selection of writing samples throughout the
year to determine misconceptions, phonics that need attention, knowledge of sentence structure and monitor
growth as writers.
Writing Assessments: With a given prompt, have students demonstrate their understanding through writing
their thoughts.
Observations: While asking students questions or while students are performing tasks, observe them and
their thought process, and enter these observations into written form for each child observed.
Rubrics: When designing an assessment/ activity, think about what you want to learn from the assessment/
activity about your students. Use what you want to learn about the child and what you want the child to be
able to do as guidelines to create a rubric to use as an assessing tool. Students can be assessed anytime
during any activity throughout the day to see if they are learning what you want them to learn.
33
Summative Assessments: Create a pre and post assessment that covers the literary standards covered in
the unit and determine growth and areas of weakness. This assessment can be made up of multiple choice,
missing information, and open ended questions.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Math:
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
English Language Arts:
Identify and describe characters’ actions and motivations, setting (time and place),
problem/solution, and sequence of events.
Respond to individual and multiple texts by finding evidence, discussing, illustrating, and/or writing
to reflect, make connections, take a position, and/or show understanding.
Science Processes and Inquiry
Energy Waves
RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
RST.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia
sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
WST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WST.6-8.1a Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or
opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
WST.6-8.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an
understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
WST.6-8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
WST.6-8.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.
WST.6-8.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
WST.6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
WST.6-8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between
information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
WST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively;
assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others
while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
34
INTEGRATING CHARACTER EDUCATION:
Compassion/ Feelings
Throughout instruction we want our students to construct knowledge of positive character traits
that we believe are important for our students to possess. Listed are a few ideas to integrate
caring and self control into literacy instruction. Teach the terms separately.
○
Explicitly teach the meaning of compassion and how compassion relates to a person’s
feelings. Have a class discussion why these traits are important to possess.
○
Use read- a-louds and independently read passages to decide if characters are acting with
compassion and talk about why it is important to have.
○
Have students make connections to their own lives.
○
Have students talk about times they exhibited these traits. Write about it.
○
Write friendly letters to someone the class feels is very compassionate.
○
Determine how a story would change if a character showed more or less compassion.
○
Use as many teachable moments as possible throughout the day to complement students
for showing good character traits.
○
Have class discussions about feelings.
RESOURCES:
Texts
Social Studies Annotated Bibliography
Writing Across the Curriculum Guides
Social Studies Writing Across the Curriculum
Online Resources
Discovery Education Streaming
MDE Social Studies Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
A large piece of chart paper with the Pledge of Allegiance written on it
An American Flag
Chart Paper and Markers
Drawing Paper
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Plain white paper – one piece per student
Student journal or notebook
Student Resource
35
Blos. Joan. Old Henry. New York: HarperCollins, 1990
*Kalman, Bobbie. Community Helpers from A to Z. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 1997.
Dooley, Norah. Everybody Brings Noodles. New York: Carolrhoda Books, 2005.
*Harris, Nancy, What’s a City Council? New York: Heinemann, 2007.
*- - -. What’s a Mayor? New York: Heinemman, 2007.
Pellegrino, Marjorie White. My Grandma’s the Mayor. New York: Magination Press, 1999.
Your Neighborhood. Ben’s Guide to Government. 11 February 2010
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k2/neighborhood/index.html
Teacher Resource
*Martin Jr., Bill; Sampson, Michael and Raschka, Chris. I Pledge Allegiance (Big Book). New York:
Candlewick Press, 2005
*Norris, Jill. My Community, A Complete Thematic Unit. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor Educational Publishers,
1996.
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 3). Teacher-made material. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative
Curriculum, 2009.
*Great Government for Kids. 11 February 2010
http://www.cccoe.net/govern/index.html
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
Center for Civic Education. 10 February 2010.
http://www.civiced.org/
Citizenship Education. 11 February 2010
http://www.ecs.org/html/educationIssues/CitizenshipEducation/CitEdDB_intro.asp
National Center for Learning and Citizenship. 11 February 2010
http://www.ecs.org/html/projectsPartners/nclc/nclc_main.htm
National Alliance for Civic Education. 11 February 2010
http://www.cived.net/
Strategies for Teaching Social Studies. 11 February 2010.
http://www.udel.edu/dssep/strategies.htm
Teaching Social Studies. 11 February 2010
http://www.proteacher.org/c/185_Teaching_Social_Studies.html
36
Unit 4: How Do Communities Change? How Do People Work Together
in a Community?
In this unit students use historical thinking to explore their local community’s past and how communities
change over time. The unit begins with a review of historical concepts and ideas from first grade. Using the
book The Oxcart Man or a similar literature choice from the economics unit, students identify evidence the
story took place in the past. Using a graphic organizer, students compare life in the past with life today.
Acting as historians, students investigate various ways we learn about history and begin to gather
information about the history of their local community. In a lesson on chronology (sequence) they explore a
timeline of local community events. Using The House on Maple Street and A River Ran Wild or similar books,
students investigate and compare change over time in a fictional and a non-fictional community. First,
students investigate change in the community in The House on Maple Street and then investigate change in
their own local community. Students identify historical figures in the local community and explain their
contributions and significance in local history. Using the book, A River Ran Wild, students identify how a
problem was solved in a community’s past and look for examples of past problems in their own local
community. Students are introduced to the concept of historical perspective as they begin to understand why
people may view the same historical event in different ways. Finally, using the information about their
community’s past which they have gathered throughout the unit, students create a class book describing and
illustrating the history of their local community.
Then students will explore several economic concepts using the context of their local community. The unit
begins with a review of the concepts of scarcity and choice from previous grades. Through simulation and
literature such as Sam and the Lucky Money or a similar book, students are introduced to the concept of
opportunity cost. Using a graphic organizer, students apply these concepts to an economic decision and
identify the opportunity cost. Next, using the book The Goat in the Rug or a similar book, students explore
how natural, human, and capital resources are combined to produce goods. Students then examine how
businesses in a community help people meet their economic wants. Using a variety of resources, students
identify businesses in their local community and connect the businesses with wants and needs they help to
meet. In a culminating lesson students are introduced to the concept of specialization through an activity that
compares trade from the past with the present. Using The Ox Cart Man or a similar book, all economic
concepts addressed in the unit are reviewed and assessed.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
1 – H2.0.6 Compare life today with life in the past using the criteria of family, school, jobs, or
communication.
2 – H2.0.1 Demonstrate chronological thinking by distinguishing among years and decades using
a timeline of local community events.
2 – H2.0.2 Explain why descriptions of the same event in the local community can be different.
2 – H2.0.3 Use an example to describe the role of the individual in creating history.
2 – H2.0.4 Describe changes in the local community over time (e.g., types of businesses,
architecture and landscape, jobs, transportation, population).
2 – H2.0.5 Identify a problem in a community’s past and describe how it was resolved.
2 – H2.0.6 Construct a historical narrative about the history of the local community from a variety
of sources (e.g., data gathered from local residents, artifacts, photographs).
2 – E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.
2 – E1.0.2 Identify businesses in the local community.
2 – E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.
37
●
●
2 – E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good or
service in a community.
2 – E1.0.5 Use examples to show that people cannot produce everything they want
(specialization) and depend on trade with others to meet their wants.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS COVERED:
■
■
■
■
■
Cause and Effect
Comparing/Contrasting
Synthesizing
Classifying
Describing
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
2
How do communities change over time?
How do people's choices impact a community?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
Gather evidence about the pas.
Investigate the past using photos of the local community.
Read and Create a timeline to understand the order that things happened in the past.
Describe how their local community has changed over time.
Discuss scarcity and choice, and identify an opportunity cost.
Explain ways natural, human, and capital resources are used to make goods and services.
Analyze how businesses in the community satisfy our economic wants.
Explain specialization and trade and its effect on the community.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
4
5
How do historians study the past?
How can an individual impact history?
How do communities change over time?
How do scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost impact economic decision making?
How do people and businesses interact to meet economic wants?
TERMINOLOGY
artifact
change
chronology
decades
historian
historical evidence
historical narrative
historical perspective
38
history
past
people
timeline
businesses
capital resources
choice
economic decision making
economic wants
human resources
natural resources
opportunity cost
production
scarcity
specialization
trade
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
1 – H2.0.6 Compare life today with life in the past using the criteria of family, school, jobs, or
communication.
2 – H2.0.1 Demonstrate chronological thinking by distinguishing among years and decades using
a timeline of local community events.
2 – H2.0.2 Explain why descriptions of the same event in the local community can be different.
2 – H2.0.3 Use an example to describe the role of the individual in creating history.
2 – H2.0.4 Describe changes in the local community over time (e.g., types of businesses,
architecture and landscape, jobs, transportation, population).
2 – H2.0.5 Identify a problem in a community’s past and describe how it was resolved.
2 – H2.0.6 Construct a historical narrative about the history of the local community from a variety
of sources (e.g., data gathered from local residents, artifacts, photographs).
2 – E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.
2 – E1.0.2 Identify businesses in the local community.
2 – E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.
2 – E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good or
service in a community.
2 – E1.0.5 Use examples to show that people cannot produce everything they want
(specialization) and depend on trade with others to meet their wants.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
Sample Activities-Have students act as “historians” to explore evidence, or clues about the past.Then have them
take old photographs of the community and investigate them in small groups. Then the groups
can present what they conclude about the photograph to the class.
-Have students create a timeline of their own history. Then create or explore a timeline of the
39
community.
Have a Pair/Share activity, have students predict what an old china cup and arrowhead are.
Explain that investigating artifacts from the past is one way to learn about history. Then have a
guest speaker from the local historical group visit and talk about how the community has
changed.
-Have students create a picture book that synthesizes their learning about the history of their
local community. Using the lists created in previous lessons students could choose an event and
write and illustrate a short historical narrative. They could then be collected and organized into
a class picture book.
-Have students “Turn and Talk” with a partner to share ideas about what people do when they
can’t have everything they want. Then have them share in the large group. Follow by reading a
book such as Sam and the Lucky Money to discuss how decisions are made when you can’t have
everything and that the things you decided not to get are the opportunity cost.
-Using the book From Trees to Paper guide the students in identifying different resources
described in the book and categorizing them on a 3-column chart. Then students apply what they
have learned by repreating the process with the book The Goat in the Rug.
-Using a local business directory and the Internet have students identify what economic wants
they satisfy. After making a list whole group, have students make a simple business directory to
include short descriptions about local businesses and what economic wants they satisfy.
Assessments:
-Have students use a Word Bank of important words from the lesson to complete some short sentences.
Objective Assessments: True/False questions, Cloze questioning to determine a quick check of
understanding.
Writing Portfolio: As students are growing as writers, keep a selection of writing samples throughout the
year to determine misconceptions, phonics that need attention, knowledge of sentence structure and
monitor growth as writers.
Writing Assessments: With a given prompt, have students demonstrate their understanding through
writing their thoughts.
Observations: While asking students questions or while students are performing tasks, observe them
and their thought process, and enter these observations into written form for each child observed.
Rubrics: When designing an assessment/ activity, think about what you want to learn from the
assessment/ activity about your students. Use what you want to learn about the child and what you want
the child to be able to do as guidelines to create a rubric to use as an assessing tool. Students can be
assessed anytime during any activity throughout the day to see if they are learning what you want them to
learn.
Summative Assessments: Create a pre and post assessment that covers the literary standards covered
in the unit and determine growth and areas of weakness. This assessment can be made up of multiple
choice, missing information, and open ended questions.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
40
Math:
Geometry
English Language Arts:
Discuss informational text patterns including descriptive, sequential, enumerative, and
compare/contrast.
Explain how authors use text features including boldface text, graphs, maps, diagrams, and
charts to enhance the understanding of key and supporting ideas.
Science Processes and Inquiry
Cell Functions
Growth and Development
RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information
expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia
sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
WH.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
WH.6-8.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into
broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g.,
charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
WH.6-8.2b Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples.
WH.6-8.2c Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas
and concepts.
WH.6-8.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
WH.6-8.2e Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
WH.6-8.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or
explanation presented.
WH.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on
several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
WH.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
WH.6-8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
INTEGRATING CHARACTER EDUCATION
Bully Awareness and Prevention
41
Throughout instruction we want our students to construct knowledge of positive character traits
that we believe are important for our students to possess. When looking at who bullies are,
discuss the importance of justice and showing integrity to prevent bullying and help others who
are bullied.
○
Explicitly teach the meaning of integrity and justice.
○
Use texts that are about bullies. Talk about what makes a person a bully and how to be
the best person you can be.
○
Discuss historical American figures and discuss what character traits they possess of the
ones already covered in the school year.
○
Use read- a-louds to analyze if a character in the book is showing justice to others and
integrity to ones’ self. If not, talk about the effect of the character’s behavior.
○
Use read- a-louds to show examples of both traits and have students make connections to
their own lives. Discuss how bullying has affected their lives. Talk about how we can
stop bullying.
○
Have students talk about times they exhibited justice and responsibility. Make a class
book.
○
Brainstorm as a class why justice is important.
○
Use as many teachable moments as possible throughout the day to complement students
for showing integrity and demonstrating justice and use their real life examples as a
learning experience.
○
Talk about how justice is an important part of being an American.
○
Examine how justice and responsibility have placed a key role in our past.
○
Make an anti-bullying chain. Every time a student helps instead of hurts, have them write
out what they did that made a difference and add it to a paper chain in the classroom.
RESOURCES:
Texts
Social Studies Annotated Bibliography
Writing Across the Curriculum Guides
Social Studies Writing Across the Curriculum
Online Resources
Discovery Education Streaming
MDE Social Studies Resources
42
Equipment/Manipulative
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Chart Paper and Markers
Student Resource
Blood, Charles & Link, Martin. The Goat in the Rug. New York: Aladin Paperbacks 1990.
Chinn, Karen. Sam and the Lucky Money. New York: Lee and Low, 1997.
Hall, Donald. The Ox Cart Man. New York: Viking Junior Books, 1979.
Marshall, Pam. From Tree to Paper (Start to Finish Series). Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 2003.
(one copy for each two students)
Teacher Resource
Channell, Geanie, et. Al. Focus: Grades K-2 Economics. National Council on Economic Education, 2007.
Econ and Me Video Series and Teachers’ Guide. National Council on Economic Education. 1995.
Economics Posters. 7 April 2010.
http://kidseconposters.com
Heyse, Kathy and Day Harlan. Half-Pint Economics for Kids. Indiana Council for Economic Education,
2004
Norris, Jill. My Community, A Complete Thematic Unit. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor Educational Publishers,
1996.
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
Council on Economic Education. 7 April 2010.
http://www.councilforeconed.org/
Michigan Council on Economic Education. 7 April 2010.
http://mceeonline.org
Online Lessons for each National Standard. 7 April 2010
http://www.councilforeconed.org/ea/standards/
Social Studies Lesson Plans and Resources. 7 April 2010.
http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/
Strategies for Teaching Social Studies. 7 April 2010.
http://www.udel.edu/dssep/strategies.htm
Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics. 7 April 2010.
http://www.fte.org/teachers/
43
Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations
History
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
Standard
Living and Working Together in Communities
X
2 – H2.0.1 Demonstrate chronological thinking
by distinguishing among years and decades
using a timeline of local community events.
X
2 – H2.0.2 Explain why descriptions of the same
event in the local community can be different.
2 – H2.0.3 Use an example to
describe the role of the individual in
creating history.
X
2 – H2.0.4 Describe changes in the local
community over time (e.g., types of
businesses, architecture and landscape, jobs,
transportation, population).
X
2 – H2.0.5 Identify a problem in a community’s
past and describe how it was resolved.
X
2 – H2.0.6 Construct a historical narrative
about the history of the local community
from a variety of sources (e.g., data
gathered from local residents, artifacts,
photographs).
X
44
Geography
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
The World in Spatial Terms
X
2 – G1.0.1 Construct maps of the local
community that contain symbols, labels,
and legends denoting human and natural
characteristics of place.
X
2 – G1.0.2 Use maps to describe the
spatial organization of the local
community by applying concepts
including relative location and using
distance, direction, and scale.
Places and Regions
2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human
characteristics of the local community with
those of another community.
////
////
X
X
X
2 – G2.0.2 Describe how the local community is
part of a larger region (e.g., county, metropolitan
area, state).
Human Systems
////
////
X
2 – G4.0.1 Describe land use in the community
(e.g., where people live, where services are
provided, where products are made).
X
2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people
create for moving people, goods, and
ideas within the local community.
X
X
2 – G4.0.3 Use components of culture (e.g.,
foods, language, religion, traditions) to describe
diversity in the local community.
Environment and Society
////
////
X
2 – G5.0.1 Suggest ways people can responsibly
interact with the environment in the local
community.
X
2 – G5.0.2 Describe positive and negative
consequences of changing the physical
environment of the local community.
45
Civics and Government
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
Purposes of Government
X
1– C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
X
2 – C1.0.2 Distinguish between government
action and private action
Values and Principles of American Democracy
////
X
////
////
2 – C2.0.1Explain how local governments
balance individual rights with the common
good to solve local community problems.
X
2 – C2.0.2 Describe how the Pledge of Allegiance
reflects the core democratic value of patriotism.
X
Structure and Functions of Government
////
////
////
2 – C3.0.1 Give examples of how local
governments make, enforce, and interpret
laws (ordinances) in the local community.
X
2 – C3.0.2 Use examples to describe how local
government affects the lives of its citizens.
X
2 – C3.0.3 Identify services commonly provided
by local governments (e.g., police, fire
departments, schools, libraries, parks).
X
////
Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy
////
////
2 – C5.0.1 Identify ways citizens participate in
community decisions.
X
X
2 – C5.0.2 Distinguish between personal
and civic responsibilities and explain why
they are important in community life.
X
X
2 – C5.0.3 Design and participate in
community improvement projects that
help or inform others. (See P4.2.2)
X
46
////
////
////
Economics
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
Market Economy
2 – E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in
a consumer decision.
x
2 – E1.0.2 Identify businesses in the local
community.
x
X
2 – E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local
community meet economic wants of consumers.
X
2 – E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and
capital resources needed for production of a
good or service in a community.
X
2 – E1.0.5 Use examples to show that
people cannot produce everything they want
(specialization) and depend on trade with
others to meet their wants.
X
47
Public Discourse, Decision Making, and Citizen Involvement
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
////
Identifying and Analyzing Public Issues
2 – P3.1.2
2 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the local
community that influence the daily lives of its
citizens.
X
2 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other
sources to analyze information about a
public issue in the local community and
evaluate alternative resolutions.
X
X
2 – P3.1.3 Give examples of how conflicts over
core democratic values
lead people to differ on
resolutions to a public policy issue in the local
community.
Persuasive Communication about a Public
Issue
2 – P3.3.1
////
X
2 – P3.3.1 Compose a statement expressing a
position on a public policy issue in the local
community and justify the position with a
reasoned argument.
Citizen Involvement
////
X
2– P4.2.1 Develop and implement an
action plan to address or inform others
about a public issue.
X
2 – P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help
or inform others.
48
References:
Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators
http://gomaisa-public.rubiconatlas.org/Atlas/Browse/View/Default
Michigan Department of Education
http://mi.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-28753_38684_28761---,00.html
Oakland Schools
http://oaklandk12-public.rubiconatlas.org/Atlas/Browse/View/Default
49