Renaissance Public
School Academy
4th Grade
Social Studies Curriculum
Guide
2013
1
Year at a Glance
1st 9 Week Unit
Foundations in Social Studies and
Our Federal Government
2nd 9 Week Unit
Exploring Economics
3rd 9 Week Unit
Geography of the United States
4th 9 Week Unit
Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
●
●
●
●
●
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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● 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.
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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.
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United States Studies
Grade Four
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. Expectations that particularly lend themselves to being taught through a historic,
geographic, civic, or economic lens are denoted.
History
Fourth grade students use examples from Michigan history (from statehood to the present) as a case
study for learning about United States geography, economics, and government. Teachers are
encouraged to use examples from Michigan history beyond statehood to teach geographic, civic, and
economic concepts.
Geography
Students draw upon their knowledge of spatial awareness, regions, human systems, and humanenvironment interactions to create more sophisticated understandings of these concepts within the
context of the United States. By focusing on the work of geographers, students explore the types of
questions geographers ask and the tools they use to answer these questions. Students learn that maps
can be used to describe elevation and climate, as well as to analyze patterns of population density. In
preparation for the study of American history, students concentrate on the geography of the United
States. Students expand their knowledge of human systems using case studies and stories to
understand push and pull factors of migration and the influence of migration
on culture within the United States. Students deepen their understanding of human-environment
interactions by assessing positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical
environment of the United States. The firm understanding of United States geography established
in fourth grade prepares students for the study of American history in fifth grade and world
geography in grades six and seven.
Civics and Government
Fourth grade students learn how the United States government works. Students examine the
purposes of government as set forth in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, how our current
form of government functions to serve those purposes, and the probable consequences of not
having government, rules, or laws. Building upon their understanding of the structure and
functions of government in Michigan, students use examples to explore how the powers of the
federal government are limited. Students also begin to understand that the federal and state
governments have different powers as a foundation for learning about federalism in fifth grade.
Concepts of governmental taxing and spending are expanded from previous grades as students
apply these concepts to the federal government. Students explore how key concepts such as
popular sovereignty, rule of law, checks and balances, separation of powers, and individual rights
serve to limit the power of government and how these ideas are manifested in the Constitution
and Bill of Rights. Students learn how government affects their daily lives by identifying examples
of rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students explain why all rights have
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limits, describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities, and investigate ways people
can work together to promote the values and principles of American democracy.
Economics
Fourth grade students continue to deepen their understanding of economic principles with a focus on
the characteristics of market economies. They move beyond applying the economic concepts of
scarcity, choice, and opportunity costs in personal economic decisions and begin to think like an
economist, identifying the types of questions economists ask. Economic decision making is
examined by applying the concepts of price, competition, and incentives. Students develop an
understanding of specialization, division of labor, competition, and interdependence and explore their
effects on productivity. Moreover, the circular flow model is introduced in fourth grade, providing a
foundation for future studies in economics. Students build upon their knowledge of governmental
taxing and spending as they explore why certain public goods are not privately owned. Students also
take an increasingly sophisticated look at the global economy as the expectations explore the impact
of global competition on the national economy.
Public Discourse, Decision Making, and Citizen Involvement
Students deepen their understanding of public issues and the importance of citizen action in a
democratic republic. Using the context of the United States, fourth grade students identify public
policy issues facing citizens in the United States, use graphic data and other sources to analyze
information about the issue, and evaluate alternative resolutions. By utilizing examples, students
expand their understanding of how conflicts among core democratic values often lead people to want
different resolutions to a public policy question. Students demonstrate competency in expressing
their own opinions relative to a public issue in the United States and justify their opinions with a
reasoned argument with increasing complexity. This foundational knowledge is built upon throughout
the grades as students use their knowledge of how, when, and where to communicate and become
more proficient in communicating positions on sophisticated public issues with a reasoned argument.
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Unit 1: Foundations in Social Studies and Our Federal Government
In this unit students learn about four disciplines that are the focus of social studies: history,
geography, government, and economics. They explore the questions studied by these different
social scientists about people and places. Students begin the unit by using a familiar context,
Michigan and its people, to review the questions historians ask. They then expand their lenses to
those of geographers, political scientists, and economists to examine the United States. By
exploring the focus of each social studies discipline, students construct questions to guide their
study of the United States throughout the year.
Students will also learn how the United States government works. It begins with a review of
questions political scientists seek to answer. Building on these questions, students explore the
need for government and examine the probable consequences of not having government, rules, or
laws. After exploring the purposes of government as set forth in the Preamble to the U.S.
Constitution, students learn how our current form of government functions to serve those purposes.
Next, students investigate how the powers of the federal government are limited through the
systems of separation of powers and checks and balances, and compare those to state
government. They also begin to understand that the federal and state governments have different
powers as a foundation for learning about federalism in fifth grade. Students extend their
understanding of limited government by exploring key concepts such as popular sovereignty, rule
of law, and the Bill of Rights. A wide variety of instructional strategies are used throughout the unit
including small group work, large group substantive discussion, nonlinguistic representations, and
web-based activities. In addition, graphic organizers, reading comprehension strategies, and
literature connections are integrated throughout the unit.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
●
4 – H3.0.1 Use historical inquiry questions to investigate the development of Michigan’s
major economic activities (agriculture, mining, manufacturing, lumbering, tourism,
technology, and research) from statehood to present. (C, E) What happened? When did it
happen? Who was involved? How and why did it happen? How does it relate to other events
or issues in the past, in the present, or in the future? What is its significance?
4 – G1.0.1 Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States (e.g., Where it
is? What is it like there? How is it connected to other places?).
● 4 – C1.0.1 Identify questions political scientists ask in examining the United States (e.g.,
What does government do? What are the basic values and principles of American
democracy? What is the relationship of the United States to other nations? What are the
roles of the citizen in American democracy?).
● 4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is
produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What
role does the government play in the economy?).
● 4 – C1.0.2 Explain probable consequences of an absence of government and of rules and
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laws.
4 – C1.0.3 Describe the purposes of government as identified in the Preamble of the
Constitution.
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● 4 - C2.0.1 Explain how the principals of popular sovereignty, rule of law, checks and
●
●
balances, separation of powers, and individual rights swerve to limit the powers of the
federal government as reflected in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
4 - C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill
of Rights are involved.
4 – C3.0.1 Give examples of ways the Constitution limits the powers of the federal
government (e.g., election of public officers, separation of powers, checks and balances,
Bill of Rights).
● 4 – C3.0.2 Give examples of powers granted to the federal government (e.g., coining of
money, declaring war) and those reserved for the states (e.g., driver’s license, marriage
license).
● 4 – C3.0.3 Describe the organizational structure of the federal government in the United
States (legislative, executive, and judicial branches).
● 4 – C3.0.4 Describe how the powers of the federal government are separated among the
branches.
● 4 – C3.0.5 Give examples of how the system of checks and balances limits the power of the
federal government (e.g., presidential veto of legislation, courts declaring a law
unconstitutional, congressional approval of judicial appointments).
● 4 – C3.0.6 Describe how the President, members of the Congress, and justices of the
Supreme Court come to power (e.g., elections versus appointments).
● 4 - C3.0.7 Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the
purposes of government.
● 4 – C5.0.1 Explain responsibilities of citizenship (e.g., initiating changes in laws or policy, holding
public office, respecting the law, being informed and attentive to public issues, paying taxes,
registering to vote and voting knowledgeably, serving as a juror).
● 4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship
● 4 – C5.0.3 Explain why rights have limits
● 4 – C5.0.4 Describe ways citizens can work together to promote the values and principles of
American democracy
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
■
■
■
■
■
Classification
Compare and Contrast
Forming and Testing Hypotheses
Nonlinguistic Representations
Identifying Perspectives.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
2
What types of lenses do social scientists use in investigating places and people?
How is the federal government structured to fulfill the purposes for which it was created?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
● Identify questions that historians, geographers, economists, political scientists, ask in examining the
past in Michigan.
18
●
●
●
●
●
Explain probable consequences of an absence of government and of rules and laws.
Explain how the principles of popular sovereignty, rule of law, checks and balances, separation of
powers, and individual rights.
Give examples of ways the Constitution limits the powers of the federal government.
Describe the purposes of government.
Give examples of how the system of checks and balances limits the power of the federal
government.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
4
What questions frame the social studies disciplines of history, geography, government and
economics?
How are historians, geographers, political scientists, and economists similar and different
in how they study people and places?Why do people form limited governments?
How does our federal government work?
How does the Constitution, including its core democratic values, limit the power of government?
TERMINOLOGY
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
economics / economist
geography / geographer
government / political
scientist
history / historian
Bill of Rights
checks and balances
Constitution
delegated/reserved/shared
powers
executive/legislative/judicial
branches of government
federal government
governmental authority
individual rights
limited government
popular sovereignty
representative government
rule of law
separation of powers
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
4 – H3.0.1 Use historical inquiry questions to investigate the development of Michigan’s major
economic activities (agriculture, mining, manufacturing, lumbering, tourism, technology, and
research) from statehood to present. (C, E) What happened? When did it happen? Who was
involved? How and why did it happen? How does it relate to other events or issues in the past, in the
19
●
present, or in the future? What is its significance?
4 – G1.0.1 Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States (e.g., Where it is?
What is it like there? How is it connected to other places?).
● 4 – C1.0.1 Identify questions political scientists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What does
government do? What are the basic values and principles of American democracy? What is the
relationship of the United States to other nations? What are the roles of the citizen in American
democracy?).
● 4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is
produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What role
does the government play in the economy?).
● 4 – C1.0.1 Identify questions political scientists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What does
●
●
●
government do? What are the basic values and principles of American democracy? What is the
relationship of the United States to other nations? What are the roles of the citizen in American
democracy?).
4 – C1.0.2 Explain probable consequences of an absence of government and of rules and laws.
4 – C1.0.3 Describe the purposes of government as identified in the Preamble of the Constitution.
4 – C3.0.1 Give examples of ways the Constitution limits the powers of the federal government (e.g.,
election of public officers, separation of powers, checks and balances, Bill of Rights).
● 4 – C3.0.2 Give examples of powers granted to the federal government (e.g., coining of money,
declaring war) and those reserved for the states (e.g., driver’s license, marriage license).
● 4 – C3.0.3 Describe the organizational structure of the federal government in the United States
(legislative, executive, and judicial branches).
● 4 – C3.0.4 Describe how the powers of the federal government are separated among the branches.
● 4 – C3.0.5 Give examples of how the system of checks and balances limits the power of the federal
government (e.g., presidential veto of legislation, courts declaring a law unconstitutional,
congressional approval of judicial appointments).
● 4 – C3.0.6 Describe how the President, members of the Congress, and justices of the Supreme
Court come to power (e.g., elections versus appointments).
● 4 - C2.0.1 Explain how the principals of popular sovereignty, rule of law, checks and
●
●
balances, separation of powers, and individual rights swerve to limit the powers of the
federal government as reflected in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
4 - C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill
of Rights are involved.
4 – C5.0.1 Explain responsibilities of citizenship (e.g., initiating changes in laws or policy, holding
public office, respecting the law, being informed and attentive to public issues, paying taxes,
registering to vote and voting knowledgeably, serving as a juror).
● 4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship
● 4 – C5.0.3 Explain why rights have limits
● 4 – C5.0.4 Describe ways citizens can work together to promote the values and principles of
American democracy.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
Sample Activities-Have students examine a newspaper article describing a presidential veto. Next, have students use a trade
book to learn about judicial review. Finally, have students use newspapers and the Internet to gather further
examples of checks and balances. They use the articles and their own illustrations to create a poster
20
describing the system of checks and balances. Students then present their posters to small groups and the
group discusses the question: How do checks and balances serve to limit the power of the federal
government?
-Have students review the questions historians ask in trying to reconstruct the past, engage in a large group
analysis of a historical map, and complete a paired activity based on a memoir. They use this information to
add to the class list about Michigan history. In focusing on the historical question of “when?” and the concept
of chronology, students work in small groups to create a timeline of Michigan history by sequencing a set of
event cards. Finally, have them examine the critical concept of “cause and effect” and complete a graphic
organizer.
-Have students work in groups to design a government for a group of people on an island where there is no
government. They then work as a class to construct a chart identifying the characteristics of a representative
democracy and a constitutional government. In doing so, students are introduced to the ideas of popular
sovereignty, rule of law, representative government, individual rights (liberty), and the common good. They
then re-evaluate their plans for the island government in light of what they have learned and make
modifications. Each group can then present their island government to class and explains any modifications
they made and the reasons they changed their government.
-Have students create a Venn diagram of the powers given to the different levels of government (federal,
state, or shared). Have students discuss how a particular power granted to the federal government might
serve one or more of the purposes found in the Preamble. Then also discuss how the granting, reserving,
and sharing of power serves to limit the power of government.
Assessments:
-Using a chart have students compares the disciplines of history, geography, economics, and civics and
government.
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
Math:
21
Number Sense
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.
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
Chart paper and Markers
Class set of magnifying glasses
Four Different Types of Eye Glasses or Hats (to represent the four disciplines)
Map of the United States
22
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Student Resource
Ben’s Guide to Government, 3-5. U.S. Government Printing Office. 16 May 2008 http://bensguide.gpo.gov/35/index.html
Blank Outline Maps of the United States. About.com. 16 May 2008
http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxusa.htm
Goldish, Meish. Mass Production and the Model T: Building the Car for Everyone. Harcourt Achieve, Rigby,
2008.
Hall, Donald. The Ox Cart Man. New York: Penguin Group, 1983.
Haydon, Julie. Writing a Biography: Henry Ford. Harcourt Achieve Inc., 2006.
Hoban, Lillian, Arthur’s Funny Money. New York, Harper Collins. 1981.
Parker, Lewis K. Henry Ford and the Automobile Industry. American Tycoons Series. Rosen Book Works,
2002.
Teacher Resource
Astronomy Picture of the Day. NASA. 16 May 2008 http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap970830.html (also at
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/usanight_dmsp_big.gif)
The 6 Core Economic Principles. Kids Econ Posters. Indiana Council for Economic Education. 16 May 2008
http://www.kidseconposters.com/6_Core_Principles.html
The Ford Motor Company Chronology. The Henry Ford. 16 May 2008
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/fmc/chrono.asp
The Life of Henry Ford. The Henry Ford. 16 May 2008 http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/hf/default.asp
The Model T. The Henry Ford. 16 May 2008 http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1908/model.t.html
The Showroom of Automotive History. The Henry Ford. 16 May 2008
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/featured.html
United States and World Geography. Maps that Teach. Owl and Mouse Educational Software. 16 May 2008
http://www.yourchildlearns.com/geography.htm
Equipment/Manipulative
Butcher or chart paper
Large white drawing paper (14”x11” or 17”x11”)
Markers
Newspapers (National News section)
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Political Scientist Hat from Unit 1
Student journal or notebook
Student Resource
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl Barnes. House Mouse, Senate Mouse. Lorton, VA: VSP Books, 1999.
- - - . Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse. Lorton, VA: VSP Books, 1998.
- - -. Woodrow for President. Lorton, VA: VSP Books, 1999.
*Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 13 January 2009 http://bensguide.gpo.gov
Bill of Rights Match Game. Texas Law Related Education Project. State Bar of Texas. 13 January 2009
http://www.texaslre.org/BOR/billofrights.html
Branches of Government. Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 15 January 2009
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/branches.html
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. New York:
Penguin Putnam, 2005.
The Constitution of the United States of America. Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 15 January
2009
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/documents/constitution/index.html
Elementary Version of the Bill of Rights. Texas Law Related Education Project. State Bar of Texas. 13
January 2009
http://www.texaslre.org/downloads/bore.pdf
Giesecke, Ernestine. National Government (Kids’ Guide). Heinemann, 2000.
*Granfield, Linda. America Votes: How Our President is Elected. Toronto, Canada: Kids Can Press,
2005.
*Gutman, Dan. The Kid Who Became President. NY: Scholastic, Inc. 1999.
23
House Chamber Field Trip. Kids in the House. Office of the Clerk. U.S. House of Representatives. 15
January 2009 http://clerkkids.house.gov/trip/chamber.html“How Does Government Affect Me?” The PBS
Kids Democracy Project. 11 Jan. 2009
http://pbskids.org/democracy/govandme/
How Laws are Made. Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 13 January 2009
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/lawmaking/example.html
How Laws are Made. Kids in the House. Office of the Clerk. U.S. House of Representatives. 13 January
2009 http://clerkkids.house.gov/laws/index.html
I’m just a Bill. Schoolhouse Rock. 13 January 2009 http://www.school-house-rock.com/Bill.html
*Inside the Voting Booth. PBS Kids Democracy Project. 13 January 2009 http://pbs.org/democracy/kids/vote
Krull, Kathleen. A Kid’s Guide to America’s Bill of Rights. NY: Avalon Camelot Books, 1999.
Learn About Congress. Kids in the House. Office of the Clerk. U.S. House of Representatives. 15 January
2009 http://clerkkids.house.gov/congress/index.html
The Preamble. School House Rock. 8 Jan. 2009 http://www.school-house-rock.com/Prea.html
President For a Day. The PBS Kids Democracy Project. 15 January 2009
http://www.pbs.org/democracy/kids/presforaday/index.html
*The President’s Cabinet. Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 13 January 2009
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/national/cabinet.html
Quigley, Charles N. and Ken Rodriguez. We the People. Calabasas, CA: Center for Civic Education, 2003.
22-38, 87-121, 123-130.
Sobel, Syl. The U.S. Constitution and You. New York: Barron’s Educational Series, 2001.
- - -. How the U.S. Government Works. Barron’s Educational Series, 1999.
- - -. Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts. Barron’s Educational Series, 2001.
The Three Branches of Government. Congress for Kids. The Dirksen Center. 15 January 2009
http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm
TLC Elementary School: Separation of Powers . Discovery Channel School. 2006.
United Streaming. 15 January 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
This is Our Government. 100% Educational Videos. 2003. United Streaming. 15 January 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
Travis, Cathy. The Constitution Translated for Kids. Austin, TX: Ovation Books, 2008.
Understanding the Constitution: The Executive Branch. Discovery Education. 2001.
United Streaming. 15 January 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
Understanding the Constitution: The Judicial Branch. Discovery Education. 2001.
United Streaming. 15 January 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
Understanding the Constitution: The Legislative Branch. Discovery Education. 2001.
United Streaming. 15 January 2009 http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
What Is Government? American Government for Children Video Series. Wynnwood, PA: Schlessinger
Media, 2002.
24
Unit 2: Exploring Economics
In this unit students deepen their understanding of economic principles and examine how an
economic system works using the United States as an example. They begin the unit by engaging in
a scarcity simulation designed to review economic concepts from previous grades. Students then
explore the characteristics of market economies and the types of questions economists ask. Using
a circular flow model, students examine how households and businesses interact in a market
economy. They expand their understanding of economic decision making by applying the concepts
of price, competition, and incentives. Using the automobile industry as a context, students consider
how businesses become interdependent through the use of specialization and division of labor.
They then explore how these factors influence productivity. In addition, the role of government in
the economy is introduced as students distinguish between taxing and spending, and consider how
the purposes of government influence decisions to tax and spend. Finally, students investigate the
role of global competition on the economy and employment in the United States. In doing so, they
apply economic concepts in assessing the impact of global competition on the national economy
and identify public issues relating to global competition.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
●
●
4 – H3.0.5 Use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan
economic activity today with that same or a related activity in the past. (E)
● 4 - H3.0.6 Use a variety of primary and secondary sources to construct a historical narrative about
the beginnings of the automobile industry and the labor movement in Michigan.
● 4 - H3.0.9 Create timelines to sequence and describe important events in Michigan history;
annotate with connections to the past and impact on the future.
● 4 – C3.0.7 Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the purposes of
government.
● 4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is
produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What role
does the government play in the economy?).
● 4 – E1.0.2 Describe some characteristics of a market economy (e.g., private property rights,
voluntary exchange, competition, consumer sovereignty, incentives, specialization).
● 4 – E1.0.3 Describe how positive and negative incentives influence behavior in a market economy.
● 4 – E1.0.4 Explain how price affects decisions about purchasing goods and services (substitute
goods).
● 4 – E1.0.5 Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity (e.g., assembly
line). (H)
● 4 – E1.0.6 Explain how competition among buyers results in higher prices and competition among
sellers results in lower prices (e.g., supply, demand).
● 4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which includes
households and businesses and depicts the interactions among them.
● 4 – E1.0.8 Explain why public goods (e.g., libraries, roads, parks, the Mackinac Bridge) are not
privately owned. (H)
● 4 – E2.0.1 Explain how changes in the United States economy impact levels of employment and
unemployment (e.g., changing demand for natural resources, changes in technology, changes in
competition). (H)
4 - E3.0.1 Describe how global competition affects the national economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs,
increased supply of goods, opening new markets, quality controls).
25
ADDITIONAL SKILLS COVERED:
■
■
■
■
Cause and Effect
Classifying
Describing
Using nonlinguistic representations
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
How are geographers, economists, and political scientists similar and different in how they
study places and people?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
● Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States.
● Describe some characteristics of a market economy.
● Explain how competition among buyers results in higher prices and competition among sellers
results in lower prices (e.g., supply, demand).
● Describe how positive (e.g., responding to a sale, saving money, earning money) and negative (e.g.,
library fines, overdue video rental fees) incentives influence behavior in a market economy.
● Use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan economic
activity today with that same or a related activity in the past.
● Describe how global competition affects the national economy.
● Explain how changes in the United States economy impacts levels of employment and
unemployment.
● Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the purposes of government.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
What questions do economists ask and how do their answers describe the United States?
How do the characteristics of a market economy influence economic decision making?
How does competition affect the economy in the United States?
TERMINOLOGY
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
circular flow
competition
division of labor
economic decision making
economics
employment/ unemployment
incentives
market economy
price
productivity
public goods and services
role of government
specialization
supply/demand
26
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
4 – H3.0.5 Use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan
economic activity today with that same or a related activity in the past. (E)
4 - H3.0.6 Use a variety of primary and secondary sources to construct a historical narrative about
the beginnings of the automobile industry and the labor movement in Michigan.
4 - H3.0.9 Create timelines to sequence and describe important events in Michigan history;
annotate with connections to the past and impact on the future.
4 – C3.0.7 Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the purposes of
government.
4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is
produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What role
does the government play in the economy?).
4 – E1.0.2 Describe some characteristics of a market economy (e.g., private property rights,
voluntary exchange, competition, consumer sovereignty, incentives, specialization).
4 – E1.0.3 Describe how positive and negative incentives influence behavior in a market economy.
4 – E1.0.4 Explain how price affects decisions about purchasing goods and services (substitute
goods).
4 – E1.0.5 Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity (e.g., assembly
line). (H)
4 – E1.0.6 Explain how competition among buyers results in higher prices and competition among
sellers results in lower prices (e.g., supply, demand).
4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which includes
households and businesses and depicts the interactions among them.
4 – E1.0.8 Explain why public goods (e.g., libraries, roads, parks, the Mackinac Bridge) are not
privately owned. (H)
4 – E2.0.1 Explain how changes in the United States economy impact levels of employment and
unemployment (e.g., changing demand for natural resources, changes in technology, changes in
competition). (H)
0.1 Describe how global competition affects the national economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs,
increased supply of goods, opening new markets, quality controls).
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
Sample Activities-Pose the following question: When you make an economic choice about what good to buy, what influences
your decision? Give students time to think and then create a class list of their ideas. Not that possible
answers include:
·
The price of the item
·
How other people feel about the item
·
The popularity of the item
·
What other people said about the item
·
Other choices I have besides the item
-Introduce the book Grandpa’s Corner Store by Dyanne Disalvo-Ryan. As you read the book, have students
gather information about the characteristics of a market economy that are described in the story. Read the
book and then guide students in creating a list of characteristics. Note that possible answers include the
27
following.
·
Stores are privately owned.
·
People sell what they think people want like cheese and pickle sandwiches.
·
There’s a lot of competition. In the story there is competition between a new, big store and a small
family-owned store.
·
Stores compete for people’s business.
·
People are free to open and close businesses.
·
Stores use incentives like sales to get people to buy goods.
·
There is a wide variety of businesses and a wide variety of goods.
·
Stores offer different services. Some deliver and some don’t.
·
Sometimes new big stores lead to other stores going out of business.
·
People are free to shop where they want and buy what they want.
If possible, relate the story to your own community. Consider the effect a large chain store like WalMart has
had on small family-owned businesses in communities throughout the United States. Consumers often flock
to such “big box” stores because of the saving it offers them. The result is that many smaller family-owned
businesses cannot compete and have gone out of business. Have students consider how competing
businesses like fast-food chains have popped up in the same area. Why do they think this is so? Students
can also consider recent closings of businesses and try to analyze why they may have closed.
-Have students work in small groups and use local and regional newspapers, observations in the local
community, and other resources to identify instances of positive and negative incentives. Then have the
groups report the results of their investigation to the class in the form of a newscast report.
Assessments:
-Have students write a scenario of their own and include four examples of positive incentives and three
examples of negative incentives.
-Have students write a short paragraph explaining various factors that affect levels of employment. In
addition, students could write a paragraph taking a reasoned position on the issue of outsourcing.
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.
28
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
Math:
Expressions and Equations
D.RE.04.03 Solve problems using data presented in tables and bar graphs, e.g., compare data represented
in two bar graphs and read bar graphs showing two data sets.
English Language Arts:
●
●
●
●
R.NT.04.02 identify and describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of
narrative genre including poetry, myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure.
R.IT.04.01 identify and describe the structure, elements, features, and purpose of a variety
of informational genre including autobiography/ biography, personal essay, almanac, and
newspaper.
R.CM.04.03 explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across
texts to create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and
contrasting, or drawing parallels across time and culture.
W.GN.04.01 write a cohesive narrative piece such as a myth, legend, fantasy, or adventure
creating relationships among setting, characters, theme, and plot.
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.
29
○
Explicitly teach the meaning of tolerance. Have a class discussion about why the trait is
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/Manipulative
Butcher or oversized construction paper
Markers or colored pencils
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Student Resource
Adams, Barbara Johnston. The Go-Around Dollar. NY: Four Winds Press, 1992.
Agee, Jon. Nothing. New York: Hyperion Books, 2007.
Assembly Line. Discovery Education. 2007. Discovery Education. 23 April 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
Country Import and Export Trade Data. U.S. Census Bureau. 24 April 2009http://www.census.gov/foreigntrade/statistics/country/index.html
30
Crayon Assembly Line. 23 April 2009 http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/4269-assembly-linecrayola-crayons-video.htm
Disalvo-Ryan. Grandpa’s Corner Stor. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000.
Economics Songs. 22 April 2009 http://kidseconposters.com/econsongs.html
Hall, Donald. The Ox Cart Man. New York: Viking Junior Books, 1979.
History in Motion: Assembling the First Model T video clip. 23 April 2009
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/himfordassembly.htm
How A Car is Built DVD. Big Kids Productions, 2005.
I Love Lucy Chocolate Assembly Line video clip. 23 April 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI
Index of U.S. Government Department and Agencies. 24 April 2009
http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml
L’Hommedieu, Arthur. From Plant to Blue Jeans. New York: Children’s Press, 1997.
“The Model-T.” The Mitten. February 2004. 23 April 2009
http://www.michiganhistorymagaz2ine.com/kids/pdfs/mittenfeb04.pdf
The Official Kids Portal for the U.S. Government. 24 April 2009 http://www.kids.gov/
Photographs of Rhyolite. 24 April 2009 http://www.rhyolitesite.com/sitemap.html
Siebert, Diane. Rhyolite. New York, Clarion Books, 2003.
Virtual Tour of Rhyolite, Nevada. 24 April 2009 http://www.rhyolitesite.com/tour.html
31
Unit 3: Geography of the United States
In this unit students explore the United States through the social studies discipline of geography. In exploring
the United States in spatial terms, students first consider the location of the United States. They learn about
and use a variety of geographic tools such as maps, globes, and satellite images to answer the question
“Where is the United States?” Next, students examine the concept of place relative to the United States.
They use songs, stories, photographs, and aerial images to investigate the question, “What is it like there?”
and to describe significant physical and human characteristics. Students also use the concept of regions to
compare sections of the United States. They build on their understanding that regions are defined by
common characteristics and explore ways in which the United States can be divided into regions. Students
then compare a region to which Michigan belongs with other regions in the United States using special
purpose maps. In doing so, students examine geographic features such as elevation, climate, and patterns
of population density in the United States. As a culminating project, students summarize what they have
learned by creating a poster, picture book, PowerPoint slide show or other visual describing the United
States according to the geographic themes of location, place, and regions.
In this unit students explore the United States through the lens of human geography with a focus on the
themes of movement and human/environment interaction. Using literature and primary sources, they study
push and pull factors of migration and the influence of migration on culture within the United States. Through
both historical and current examples students explore ways people have used, adapted to, and modified
various environments in the U.S. They deepen their understanding of human-environment interactions by
assessing positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical environment. Returning again to
historical examples, students explore ways in which geography can be used to interpret history. Finally,
students identify current geographic issues facing the U.S. and select one issue to study in depth.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
● 4 – G1.0.1 Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States (e.g., Where it
is? What is it like there? How is it connected to other places?).
● 4 – G1.0.2 Use cardinal and intermediate directions to describe the relative location of
significant places in the United States.
● 4 – G1.0.3 Identify and describe the characteristics and purposes (e.g., measure distance,
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
determine relative location, classify a region) of a variety of geographic tools and
technologies (e.g., globe, map, satellite image).
4 – G1.0.4 Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer
geographic questions about the United States.
4 – G1.0.5 Use maps to describe elevation, climate, and patterns of population density in the
United States.
4 – H3.0.2 Use primary and secondary sources to explain how migration and immigration
affected and continue to affect the growth of Michigan. (G)
4 – H3.0.7 Use case studies or stories to describe the ideas and actions of individuals
involved in the Underground Railroad in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region. (See 8U4.2.2; 8-U4.3.2; 8-U5.1.5; USHG 7.2.4) (G, C, E)
4 - H3.0.3 Describe how the relationships between the location of natural resources and the
location of industries (after 1837) affected and continues to affect the location and growth
of Michigan cities. (G, E)
4 - H3.0.4 Draw upon stories, photos, artifacts, and other primary sources to compare the
life of people in towns and cities in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region during a variety
of time periods from 1837 to the present.
4 - H3.0.8 Describe past and current threats to Michigan’s natural resources; describe how
32
●
Michigan worked in the past and continues to work today to protect its natural resources.
(G, C,E)
4 – G2.0.1 Describe ways in which the United States can be divided into different regions
(e.g., political regions, economic regions, landform regions, vegetation regions).
● 4 – G2.0.2 Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which Michigan
belongs (e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of another region in the United States.
● 4 – G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to
identify push and pull factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration.
(H)
● 4 – G4.0.2 Describe the impact of immigration to the United States on the cultural
development of different places or regions of the United States (e.g., forms of shelter,
language, food). (H)
● 4 – G5.0.1 Assess the positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical
environment of the United States.
● 4 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the United States that influence the daily lives of its
citizens.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS COVERED:
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
Classifying/Grouping
Compare and Contrast
Evidentiary Argument
Researching
Cause and Effect
Generalizing
Issue Analysis.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1
2
How does the geography of the United States affect the way people live?
How are people connected to the Earth and to each other?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Identify and describe the characteristics and purposes of a variety of geographic tools and
technologies.
Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer geographic questions
about the United States.
Use maps to describe elevation, climate, and patterns of population density in the United States.
ways in which the United States can be divided into different regions
Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which Michigan belongs with those of
another region in the United States.
Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to identify push and pull
factors why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration.
Describe the impact of immigration to the United States on the cultural development of different
places or regions of the United States .
Assess the positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical environment of the
United States.
33
●
Identify public issues in the United States that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
4
5
6
What questions would geographers ask in examining the United States?
What tools and technologies would geographers use to answer geographic questions?
How might the United States be described using the concepts of location, place, and regions?
What questions do geographers ask in examining human geography in the United States?
How have the concepts of movement and human/environment interaction influenced the
development of the United States?
How might the country resolve contemporary public issues related to movement and
human/environment interaction in the United States?
TERMINOLOGY:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
absolute location
climate
elevation
human and physical characteristics of place
political boundaries
population density
regions
relative location
spatial perspective
special purpose maps
topography
adaptation to the environment
culture
human/environment interaction
immigration
migration
modification of the environment
movement
public issues
push and pull factors
resource use
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
● 4 – G1.0.1 Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States (e.g., Where it
●
●
is? What is it like there? How is it connected to other places?).
4 – G1.0.2 Use cardinal and intermediate directions to describe the relative location of
significant places in the United States.
4 – G1.0.3 Identify and describe the characteristics and purposes (e.g., measure distance,
determine relative location, classify a region) of a variety of geographic tools and
technologies (e.g., globe, map, satellite image).
34
● 4 – G1.0.4 Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer
geographic questions about the United States.
● 4 – G1.0.5 Use maps to describe elevation, climate, and patterns of population density in the
United States.
● 4 – H3.0.2 Use primary and secondary sources to explain how migration and immigration
●
●
●
●
●
affected and continue to affect the growth of Michigan. (G)
4 – H3.0.7 Use case studies or stories to describe the ideas and actions of individuals
involved in the Underground Railroad in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region. (See 8U4.2.2; 8-U4.3.2; 8-U5.1.5; USHG 7.2.4) (G, C, E)
4 - H3.0.3 Describe how the relationships between the location of natural resources and the
location of industries (after 1837) affected and continues to affect the location and growth
of Michigan cities. (G, E)
4 - H3.0.4 Draw upon stories, photos, artifacts, and other primary sources to compare the
life of people in towns and cities in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region during a variety
of time periods from 1837 to the present.
4 - H3.0.8 Describe past and current threats to Michigan’s natural resources; describe how
Michigan worked in the past and continues to work today to protect its natural resources.
(G, C,E)
4 – G2.0.1 Describe ways in which the United States can be divided into different regions
(e.g., political regions, economic regions, landform regions, vegetation regions).
● 4 – G2.0.2 Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which Michigan
belongs (e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of another region in the United States.
● 4 – G1.0.1 Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States (e.g., Where it
is? What is it like there? How is it connected to other places?).
● 4 – G1.0.3 Identify and describe the characteristics and purposes (e.g., measure distance,
determine relative location, classify a region) of a variety of geographic tools and
technologies (e.g., globe, map, satellite image).
● 4 – G1.0.4 Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer
geographic questions about the United States.
● 4 – G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to
identify push and pull factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration.
(H)
● 4 – G4.0.2 Describe the impact of immigration to the United States on the cultural
development of different places or regions of the United States (e.g., forms of shelter,
language, food). (H)
● 4 – G5.0.1 Assess the positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical
environment of the United States.
● 4 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the United States that influence the daily lives of its
citizens.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS:
Sample Activities:
-Have students use a variety of geographic representations such as maps and globes to explore ways to
answer the question: Where is the United States located? Various geographic terms are explored including
absolute location, relative location, equator, Prime Meridian, and hemisphere.
-Have students use the songs This Land is Your Land and America the Beautiful to categorize various
35
physical characteristics of the United States. Then have them make inferences about the physical geography
of the United States using a digital relief map. Next, they begin to create a mental map of the U.S. by looking
at patterns in landforms and labeling an outline map. Continuing their use of maps, they explore the location
of four deserts. Focusing next on water features they explore oceans, rivers, and lakes through literature,
maps, and websites. As a culminating activity, students work in groups to create a project illustrating in
words and pictures major physical characteristics of the United States.
-Have students begin by analyzing a map of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in order to make inferences
regarding the connections between the physical characteristics of a place and the human characteristics.
Then have students complete a chart predicting the kind of human characteristics likely to be located near
specific physical characteristics such as rivers, mountains, and prairies. Next,have students use special
purpose maps to focus in on two important human characteristics: cities and highways. Finally, have
students research a specific human characteristic in the United States and give a short presentation about it.
-Use six large sheets of chart paper and post them in the room labeled: Location, Landforms, Climate,
Bodies of Water, Human Characteristics and Regions. Working in small groups, have students move from
one chart to another adding examples, descriptions, definitions, etc. The charts are then reviewed in the
large group and evaluated for accuracy. Then have students participate in a culminating activity to either
work in groups to create a book describing the geography of the United States or work independently to
construct a visual about the geography of the United States.
Assessments:
-Use the culminating research assignment of human characteristics in the U.S. as an assessment.
-Use the writing project as an assessment from above.
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:
36
Math:
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
D.RE.04.02 Order a given set of data, find the median, and specify the range of values.
English Language Arts:
●
●
●
●
●
●
R.NT.04.01 describe the shared human experience depicted in classic, multicultural, and
contemporary literature recognized for quality and literary merit.
R.NT.04.02 identify and describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of
narrative genre including poetry, myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure.
R.IT.04.01 identify and describe the structure, elements, features, and purpose of a variety
of informational genre including autobiography/ biography, personal essay, almanac, and
newspaper.
R.CM.04.03 explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across
texts to create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and
contrasting, or drawing parallels across time and culture.
W.GN.04.03 write an informational comparative piece that demonstrates understanding of
central and supporting ideas using an effective organizational pattern (e.g.,
compare/contrast) and informational text features.
W.PR.04.02 apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative and informational
writing (e.g., graphic organizers such as maps, webs, Venn diagrams) in order to generate,
sequence, and structure ideas (e.g., plot, setting, conflicts/resolutions,
definition/description, or chronological sequence).
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.
37
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.
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
38
MDE Social Studies Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Box of thick markers (at least 6 different colors)
Chart paper
Computer with Internet access
Geographer’s Hat from Unit 1
Globe
Large U.S map (political and physical) or desk maps
Overhead projector or Document Camera and Projector
Sticky Notes
World Map
Student Resource
The American Southwest. National Parks of the American Southwest. 7 October 2008
http://www.americansouthwest.net/
American Southwest. 7 October 2008
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amsw/
Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest. 7 October 2008
http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/cspn/Website/index.html
Climate: The Northwest Region. 7 October 2008
http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/climate/climate_northwest.html
Climate: The Southwest Region. 7 October 2008
http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/climate/climate_southwest.html
Disney World. 7 October 2008
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/?bhcp=1
The Gateway Arch. 7 October 2008
http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/
Golden Gate Bridge. 7 October 2008
http://www.goldengatebridge.org/
The Great Lakes Atlas. Environmental Department of Canada. 7 October 2008
http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/great-lakes-atlas/
Great Lakes Photo Gallery. Streetwater Visions. 7 October 2008
http://www.sweetwatervisions.com/Pages/galleryGL.html
Great Lakes Map and Quiz Printout. Enchanted Learning. 7 October 2008
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/statesbw/greatlakes.shtml
Holling, Holling Clancy. Paddle-to-the-Sea. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1941.
Interactive United States Elevation Map. 7 October 2008
http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-stateselevation-map.htm
*A Kid’s Guide to the People and Places of America: State-by-state Atlas. DK Publishing, 2003.
Life in the USA: U.S. Regions. USA Study Guide Website. 7 October 2008
http://www.usastudyguide.com/regionaldifferences.htm
Map of the North Pacific Coast. Outline of American Geography. 7 October 2008
http://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/outgeogr/map14.htm
Map of the Southwest Border Area. Outline of American Geography. 7 October 2008
http://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/outgeogr/map12.htm
Mount Rushmore. 7 October 2008
http://www.mtrushmore.net/
Nature of the Northwest. 7 October 2008
http://www.naturenw.org/
Neubecker, Robert. Wow! America. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.
The North Pacific Coast. Outline of American Geography. 7 October 2008
http://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/outgeogr/geog15.htm
Pacific Northwest. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Northwest
Pacific Northwest Region. USDA Forest Service. 7 October 2008
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/welcome.shtml
Pacific Northwest Travel Guide and Directory. 7 October 2008
http://www.gonorthwest.com/
Paddle-to the-Sea Video. Available from the following website for around $12.00:
http://store.criterion.com/product/show/31758
39
*Places Online. Association of U.S. Geographers. 16 May 2008
http://www.placesonline.org/sitelists/nam/usa/usa.asp
*Postcards from America. 7 October 2008 http://www.postcardsfrom.com/index.html
*Printable Maps. The United States Atlas. 7 October 2008 http://nationalatlas.gov/printable.html
Relief Map of Hawaii. 7 October 2008 http://www.hawaii-map.org/relief-map.htm
*Roadside America. 7 October 2008 http://www.roadsideamerica.com/
The Southwest Border Area. Outline of American Gography. 7 October 2008
http://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/outgeogr/geog13.htm
The Southwest Region. 7 October 2008 http://www.dembsky.net/regions/southwest.html
The Southwest Region. US Embassy. 7 October 2008 http://usa.usembassy.de/travelregions.htm#southwest
Southwestern Region. U.S. Forest Service. 7 October 2008 http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/
Southwestern United States. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_United_States.
*Terrafly. 7 October 2008
http://www.terrafly.com/
Trans Alaska Pipeline. 7 October 2008 http://www.alyeska-pipe.com/pipelinefacts.html
*United States Maps. 7 October 2008 http://www.united-states-map.com/
U.S. Cities Interactive Map. 7 October 2008 http://www.mrnussbaum.com/usaflash3.htm
*U.S. Gazetteer. United States Census Bureau. 7 October 2008 http://www.census.gov/cgibin/gazetteer
*U.S. Highways. 7 October 2008 http://www.us-highways.com/
U.S. Regions. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_U.S#The_Belts
*Virtual Field Trips. Houghton Mifflin. 7 October 2008
http://college.hmco.com/geology/resources/geologylink/fieldtrips/natrips/usa.html
Virtual Seaway Map with Ship Locations. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. 7 October 2008
http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/navigating/map/index.html
What is the Northwest? Go Northwest. 7 October 2008
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Visitor/about/northwest.htm
Teacher Resource
*1895 U.S. Atlas. 7 October 2008 http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/
*Astronomy Picture of the Day. NASA. 7 October 2008 http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap970830.html (also at
ttp://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/usanight_dmsp_big.gif)
Bates, Katherine. America the Beautiful. New York: Putnam Juvenile, 2003.
*Blank Midwest Region Map. TeacherVision. 7 October 2008
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/kt_maps/kt_map_midwest_plains.pdf
*Blank U.S. Outline Map. TeacherVision. 7 October 2008
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/kt_maps/kt_map_usa.pdf
Census Regions Map. United States Census Department. 7 October 2008
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/us_regdiv.pdf
Climate Data For Selected Cities. 7 October 2008 http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762183.html
Climate Maps of the United States. 7 October 2008 http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgibin/climaps/climaps.pl?directive=quick_search&subrnum=
Deserts in the United States. DesertUSA website. 7 October 2008 http://desertusa.net/glossary.html
*Digital Petroleum Atlas. Kansas Geological Survey. 7 October 2008
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/DPA/frontEnd/regions1.html
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials for Unit 2.Teacher-made material. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative,
2008. (Separate files for each lesson available at
http://micitizenhipcurriculum.org
PA Regions Map. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 7 October 2008
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Image:EPA_Regions.gif
Exploration and Settlement:1800-1820 Map. 7 October 2008
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/exploration_1800.jpg
40
Exploration and Settlement:1835-1850 Map. 7 October 2008
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/exploration_1835.jpg
Federal Reserve Bank Districts Map. Federal Reserve Bank. 7 October 2008
http://www.federalreserve.gov/otherfrb.htm
Four Corners Map. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fourcorners-us.jpg
The Geographic Face of the Nation: Elevation. 7 October 2008
http://education.usgs.gov/common/resources/mapcatalog/images/topography/Elevation_11x14.pdf
The Geographic Fact of the Nation: Elevation 56” X 36” Poster. Product ID Number 114587. $7.00.
Can be ordered online at: http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/b2c/start.do or by calling 1-888-ASK-USGS.
*Geography Songs. Songs For Teaching. 7 October 2008
http://www.songsforteaching.com/geographysongs.htm
*GeoImages Project. University of California, Berkeley. 7 October 2008 http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/
Grand Canyon South Rim Village Map. 7 October 2008
http://gocalifornia.about.com/library/weekly/n_az_gc_map_vlg.htm
The Great Lakes. Great Lakes Information Network. 7 October 2008 http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/
Great Lakes Facts and Figures. Great Lakes Information Network. 7 October 2008 http://www.greatlakes.net/lakes/ref/lakefact.html
Great Lakes System Map. 7 October 2008
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/_storage/Pages/1721/seaway(SLSMC).jpg
Guthrie, Woody. This Land is Your Land. New York: Little, Brown Young Readers, 1998.
Illustrated Glossary of Landforms and Bodies of Water. Enchanted Learning. 7 October 2008
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/glossary.shtml
Illustration of the Gulf Stream. 7 October 2008
http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/img_mgsva/gulf-stream-YYY.gif
Interactive Landforms Map. 7 October 2008 http://www.mrnussbaum.com/landforms.htm
*Lake Effect Snow. The Weather Channel. 7 October 2008
http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/lake.html
Landforms of the United States Map. World Atlas. 7 October 2008
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/usanewe.htm
Landform Photos. 7 October 2008 http://pics.tech4learning.com/?view=sub&cat=Geography
Landforms of the United States - A Digital Shaded-Relief Portrayal. 7 October 2008
http://pubs.usgs.gov/imap/i2206/usa_shade.pdf
Locker, Thomas. Home: A Journey Through America. New York: Voyager Books, 2000.
Locker, Thomas. Where the River Begins. New York: Puffin Books, 1984.
*Lyrics for This Land is Your Land. 7 October 2008 http://www.arlo.net/resources/lyrics/this-land.shtml
Metropolitan Areas of the United States Map. 7 October 2008
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/us_metro_area_99.pdf
*National Geographic. 7 October 2008 http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
*National Geographic Educational Network. 7 October 2008 http://www.ngsednet.org/
The Northern Hemisphere. Wikimedia Commons. 7 October 2008
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Northern_Hemisphere_LamAz.png
Outline Map of North America. About.com. 7 October 2008
http://geography.about.com/library/blank/namerica.jpg
Physical Map of the United States. Eduplace.com. 7 October 2008
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/usphys.pdf
Population Density Map. 7 October 2008
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/mapGallery/images/2k_night.jpg
Population Density Map High Resolution Version. 7 October 2008
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/mapGallery/images/2k_night.pdf
*Resources for Geography Teachers. Virginia Geographic Alliance. 7 October 2008
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/geography/vga/resource.html
*Regional Energy Profiles. Energy Information Administration. 7 October 2008
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/reps/maps/us_census.html
41
Regions Maps. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_U.S.#The_Belts
*Regions of the United States. Library of Congress. 7 October 2008
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/rrhtml/regdef.html
Regions of the U.S. Digital Petroleum Atlas. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/DPA/frontEnd/regions1.html
Rust Belt Map. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rust-belt-map.jpg
Rivers and Lakes Map. National Atlas. 7 October 2008
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/outline/rivers_lakes.pdf
Rivers in North America. World Atlas. 7 October 2008
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/nariv.htm
The Salton Sea. National Geographic. 7 October 2008
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0502/feature5/index.html
The Salton Sea Coalition. 7 October 2008 http://www.saltonseacoalition.org/pages/thesaltonsea.cgi
*Satellite Images of the United States. Geology.com. 7 October 2008
http://geology.com/satellite/states.shtml
Seaway Data. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. 7 October 2008 http://www.greatlakesseaway.com/en/seaway/effective/
Snow Belt Map. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Snowbeltus.PNG
Sun Belt Map. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Map_of_USA_highlighting_Sun_Belt.png
Supplemental Curriculum Materials for Paddle to the Sea. 7 October 2008
http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/ohsu/ohsue91001.pdf
*Sutcliffe, Andrea. The New York Public Library Amazing US Geography: A Book of Answers for
Kids. Jossey-Bass, 2002.
T.E.A.C.H. Great Lakes Education and Curriculum Homesite. Great Lakes Information Network. 7 October
2008 http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/
Thomas Locker in Pursuit of Nature. 7 October 2008
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3666/is_200103/ai_n8949704
Time Zone Map. Wikipedia. 7 October 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:National-atlas-timezones2006.gif
*United States Geography. 7 October 2008 http://members.aol.com/bowermanb/US.html
*United States Geological Survey. 7 October 2008 http://www.usgs.gov/
United States Interstate Highways Map. 7 October 200 http://www.onlineatlas.us/interstate-highways.htm
United States Population Density Map and Information. 7 October 2008
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17439
*United States and World Geography. Maps that Teach. Owl and Mouse Educational Software. 7 October
2008 http://www.yourchildlearns.com/geography.htm
U.S. Rivers Labeled Outline Map. Enchanted Learning. 7 October 2008
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/outlinemaps/riverslabeled/
U.S. Rivers Outline Map. Enchanted Learning. 7 October 2008
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/outlinemaps/rivers/
Water Fact Sheet: Largest Rivers in the United States. U.S. Dept. of Interior. 7 October 2008
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1987/ofr87-242/pdf/ofr87242.pdf
Water: Regional and State Links. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 7 October 2008
http://www.epa.gov/ow/region.html
The Western Hemisphere. Wikimedia Commons. 7 October 2008
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Western_Hemisphere_LamAz.png
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
Teaching Geography is Fundamental. The National Council for Geographic Education. 7 October 2008
http://www.ncge.org/geography/2005bill/
Teaching Geography in the Elementary School. 7 October 2008 http://www.ericdigests.org/pre9212/geography.htm
Teaching Geography at School and Home. 7 October 2008 http://www.ericdigests.org/19925/geography.htm
42
Unit 4: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
In this unit students explore the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Through a lesson on the
Bill of Rights, students learn how government affects their daily lives by identifying situations in
which specific rights are involved. They also explore why rights have limits and the relationship
between rights and responsibilities. In exploring the responsibilities of citizenship, students focus
on the need for citizens to be informed about public issues. They deepen their understanding of
public issues and the importance of citizen action in a democratic republic. They identify public
policy issues facing citizens in the United States and then use graphic data and other sources to
analyze information about a particular issue. In exploring the issue, they evaluate alternative
resolutions and analyze how conflicts among core democratic values often lead people to want
different resolutions to a public policy issue. Finally, students demonstrate competency in
expressing their own opinions relative to a public issue in the United States and justify their
opinions with a reasoned argument.
BENCHMARKS COVERED:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
4 – C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of
Rights are involved (e.g., freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of press).
4 – C5.0.1 Explain responsibilities of citizenship (e.g., initiating changes in laws or policy, holding
public office, respecting the law, being informed and attentive to public issues, paying taxes,
registering to vote and voting knowledgeably, serving as a juror).
4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
4 – C5.0.3 Explain why rights have limits.
4 – C5.0.4 Describe ways citizens can work together to promote the values and principles of
American democracy.
4 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the United States that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
4 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in the
United States and evaluate alternative resolutions.
4 – 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 United States.
4 – P3.3.1 Compose a brief essay expressing a position on a public policy issue in the United
States and justify the position with a reasoned argument.
4 - P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan and know how, when, and where to address or
inform others about a public issue.
4 - P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS COVERED:
■
■
■
■
■
Classification
Evidentiary Argument
Identifying Perspectives
Issue Analysis
Problem Solving
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
43
1
Why are rights and responsibilities of citizenship essential to our form of government?
ESSENTIAL CONTENT/ UNDERSTANDINGS:
The students will understand how to:
■
■
■
■
Describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship and explain why rights
have limits.
Explain responsibilities of citizenship and describe ways citizens can work together to promote the
values and principles of American democracy.
Identify resources that would help citizens become informed about these public issues and ask
questions regarding the point of view of the sources.
Analyze one of the issues in depth by using graphic data and other sources and evaluate possible
resolutions of the issue.
THINKING QUESTIONS:
1
2
3
How are rights and responsibilities related?
How can citizens work together to improve their government?
Why are rights and responsibilities of citizenship essential to our form of government?
TERMINOLOGY
●
●
●
●
●
●
Bill of Rights
citizenship
civic responsibilities
core democratic values
individual rights
public issues
TARGETED OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit students should have the ability to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
4 – C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of
Rights are involved (e.g., freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of press).
4 – C5.0.1 Explain responsibilities of citizenship (e.g., initiating changes in laws or policy, holding
public office, respecting the law, being informed and attentive to public issues, paying taxes,
registering to vote and voting knowledgeably, serving as a juror).
4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
4 – C5.0.3 Explain why rights have limits.
4 – C5.0.4 Describe ways citizens can work together to promote the values and principles of
American democracy.
4 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the United States that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
4 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in the
United States and evaluate alternative resolutions.
4 – 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 United States.
44
●
4 – P3.3.1 Compose a brief essay expressing a position on a public policy issue in the United
States and justify the position with a reasoned argument.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
Sample Activities-Ask students if they think there is ever a time when limits must be placed on freedom of expression.
Discuss student responses. If necessary, give them the example of someone who yells “Fire” in a crowded
movie theater. Such an act could seriously infringe on the rights and safety of others. In this case freedom
of speech is limited.
-As a culminating activity, place students in small groups and give them newspapers and a one copy of
the ”Public Issue Analysis” chart located in Supplemental Materials (Unit 6, Lesson 2). Explain that
students should look for a variety of articles on public issues at the local, state, and national levels. Then,
they should choose one of the articles and complete the analysis chart for it.
-Divide students into five small groups. Explain that each group should come up with one solution for the
problem of lead paint in toys. If necessary, explain that the solution may involve legislation or other
government action. Give groups time to work. Then, have each group explain their solution.
-After considering a consumer safety issue, students explore data related to the public issue. They write
an essay using data and reasoning to justify their position and then revise their essays after peer editing.
Assessments:
-Have students write an essay using data and reasoning to justify their position and then revise their
essays after peer editing.
-Have students write a short informational piece with one of the following titles: Should You Obey Laws?,
Should You Serve on a Jury?, Should You Pay Taxes?
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
45
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:
Geometry
D.RE.04.01 Construct tables and bar graphs from given data.
English Language Arts:
R.NT.04.03 analyze characters’ thoughts and motivation through dialogue, various character
roles, and functions including hero, anti-hero, or narrator; know first person point of view and
identify conflict and resolution.
Informational Text
R.IT.04.01 identify and describe the structure, elements, features, and purpose of a variety of
informational genre including autobiography/ biography, personal essay, almanac, and
newspaper.
W.PR.04.01 set a purpose, consider audience, and replicate authors’ styles and patterns when
writing a narrative or informational piece.
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.
46
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
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
47
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
Equipment/Manipulative
Copies of local and regional newspapers
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Student journal or notebook
Two colors of highlighters each student
Student Resource
*Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 10 March 2009
http://bensguide.gpo.gov
Bill of Rights in the News. Bill of Rights Institute. 9 March 2009
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Teach/News/default.asp
The Bill of Rights. Our Documents. 9 March 2009
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=13
Christelow, Eileen. Vote! New York: Sandpiper Books, 2008.
Clayton, Ed. Martin Luther King, the Peaceful Warrior. New York: Simon Pulse Books, 1991 (or other book
about Dr. King).
Cone, Molly. Come Back, Salmon. New York: Harcourt Books, 1992.
*First Amendment Heroes: Part C of An Introduction to the First Amendment. Education for Freedom
Website. 10 March 2009
http://www.freedomforum.org/packages/first/curricula/educationforfreedom/L01main.htm
*Inside the Voting Booth. PBS Kids Democracy Project. 10 March 2009
http://pbs.org/democracy/kids/vote
Issue Guide: Environment. Public Agenda. 9 March 2009
http://www.publicagenda.org/citizen/issueguides/environment
Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books,
2003.
Lead Toy Recalls. 5 March 2009
http://www.leadtoyrecalls.com/
Sierra, Judy. Ballyhoo Bay. New York: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2009.
Stamper, Judith. Save the Everglades. New York: Steck-Vaughn, 1992.
State News. 9 March 2009
http://www.stateline.org/live/
Toy Recall Database. 5 March 2009
http://www2.morganton.com/p/content/toy-recall-database-2008/
*TLC Elementary School: Understanding Good Citizenship. Discovery Channel School. 2006.
United Streaming. 10 March 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
Teacher Resource
America Votes: The Big Picture. Navigating Election Day. League of Women Voters Website. 9 March
2009
http://www.lwv.org
48
*Bill of Rights Institute. 10 March 2009
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Teach/freeResources/
*Center for Civic Education. 10 March 2009
http://www.civiced.org/
Choice of attire at voting booth at stake in suit. Daily Progress. 9 March 2009
http://www.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/choice_of_attire_at_voting_booth_at_stake_in_suit/32
617/
*Civics Lesson Plans. New York Times Learning Center website. 10 March 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/civics.html
Consumer Product Safety Commission. 9 March 2009
http://www.cpsc.gov/
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act Signed Into Law. Godfrey and Kahn. 9 March 2009
http://www.gklaw.com/publication.cfm?publication_id=750
*Create Your Own Notebook on Core Democratic Values. 10 March 2009
http://www.michiganepic.org/coredemocratic/indexb.html
*Education for Freedom: Lesson Plans for Teaching the First Amendment. Freedom Forum Website. 10
March 2009
http://www.freedomforum.org/packages/first/curricula/educationforfreedom/index.htm
The Five Freedoms. First Amendment Schools. 10 March 2009
http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/freedomsindex.aspx
Gas Prices Pump Up Support. Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 9 March 2009
http://pewresearch.org/
Handcrafted Toy Makers Fear New Lead Paint Law. Washington Times. 9 March 2009
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/25/handcrafted-toy-makers-fear-new-lead-paint-law/
Illinois city shouldn't have silenced man at council meeting. First Amendment Center. 9 March 2009
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=21055
Indiana high court: State can sue over political 'robo-calls'. First Amendment Center. 9 March 2009
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=21053
Lead in Toys. New York Times. 9 March 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/business/worldbusiness/11lead.html
Lead Toy Recalls. 9 March 2009 http://www.leadtoyrecalls.com/
*McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum. 10 March 2009http://www.freedommuseum.us/html/
Michigan House Reignites Smoking Ban Debate. Michigan News. 9 March 2009
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/michigan_house_reignites_smoki.html
New Jersey inmate challenges ban on prison preaching. First Amendment Center. 9 March 2009
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=20960
Officials Defend Grade Policy. Pittsburg Post Gazette. 9 March 2009 http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09007/940011-298.stm
The Pew Research Center. 9 March 2009 http://pewresearch.org/
Public Agenda. 9 March 2009 http://www.publicagenda.org/
*Resources for Teachers on Core Democratic Values. 10 March 2009
http://www.classroomhelp.com/lessons/cdv/index.html
Senate Okays Smoking Ban. Michigan News. 9 March 2009
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/senate_oks_smoking_ban_reactio.html
Sikh sues judge over demand for turban removal. First Amendment Center. 9 March 2009
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19003
Time Short For About 200 Deer. Detroit Free Press. 10 March 2009
http://m.freep.com/news.jsp?key=378966
Toy Recall Database: 9 March 2009 http://www2.morganton.com/p/content/toy-recall-database-2008/
*We the People. Calabasas, CA: Center for Civic Education, 2003. pp. 132-172, 183-196.
*What is the State of the First Amendment? Newsweek Education Program and the First Amendment
Schools Project. 10 March 2009 http://www.firstamendmentschools.org
*Yolen, Jane. Letting Swift River Go. Little Brown, 1995.
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
CIRCLE: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. 10 March 2009
http://www.civicyouth.org/
Citizenship Education. 10 March 2009
http://www.ecs.org/html/educationIssues/CitizenshipEducation/CitEdDB_intro.asp
49
Civitas. 10 March 2009 http://www.civnet.org/
National Center for Learning and Citizenship. 10 March 2009
http://www.ecs.org/html/projectsPartners/nclc/nclc_main.htm
National Alliance for Civic Education. 10 March 2009 http://www.cived.net/
Teaching Students To Discuss Controversial Public Issues. ERIC Digest. 10 March 2009
http://www.ericdigests.org/2002-2/issues.htm
50
Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations
History
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
Standard
History of Michigan (Beyond Statehood)
X
3– H3.0.1 Use historical inquiry questions to
investigate the development of Michigan’s major
economic activities (agriculture, mining,
manufacturing, lumbering, tourism, technology,
and research) from statehood to present. (C, E)
●
●
●
●
●
What happened?
When did it happen?
Who was involved?
How and why did it happen?
How does it relate to other events or issues in the
past, in the present, or in the future?
● What is its significance?
4 – H3.0.2 Use primary and secondary
sources to explain how migration and
immigration affected and continue to affect the
growth of Michigan. (G)
X
4 – H3.0.3 Describe how the relationship between
the location of natural resources and the location of
industries (after 1837) affected and continues to
affect the location and growth of Michigan cities. (G,
E)
X
4 – H3.0.4 Draw upon stories, photos, artifacts,
and other primary sources to compare the life of
people in towns and cities in Michigan and in the
Great Lakes region during a variety of time periods
from 1837 to the present (e.g., 1837-1900, 19001950, 1950-2000). (G)
X
4 – H3.0.5 Use visual data and
informational text or primary accounts to
compare a major Michigan economic
activity today with that same or a related
activity in the past. (E)
X
4 – H3.0.6 Use a variety of primary and
secondary sources to construct a historical
narrative about the beginnings of the
automobile industry and the labor movement in
Michigan. (G, E)
X
51
4 – H3.0.7 Use case studies or stories to
describe the ideas and actions of individuals
involved in the Underground Railroad in
Michigan and in the Great Lakes region.
(See 8-U4.2.2; 8-U4.3.2; 8-U5.1.5; USHG
7.2.4) (G, C, E)
X
4 – H3.0.8 Describe past and current threats to
Michigan’s natural resources; describe how
Michigan worked in the past and continues to work
today to protect its natural resources. (G, C, E)
X
X
4 – H3.0.9 Create timelines (using decades
after 1930) to sequence and describe
important events in Michigan history;
annotate with connections to the past and
impact on the future.
52
Geography
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
////
////
////
////
The World in Spatial Terms
4 – G1.0.1
X
4 – G1.0.1 Identify questions geographers ask
in examining the United States (e.g.,Where it
is? What is it like there? How is it connected
to other places?).
4 – G1.0.2 Use cardinal and intermediate
directions to describe the relative location of
significant places in the United States
X
4 – G1.0.3 Identify and describe the characteristics
and purposes (e.g., measure distance, determine
relative location, classify a region) of a variety of
geographic tools and technologies (e.g., globe,
map, satellite image).
X
4 – G1.0.4 Use geographic tools and technologies,
stories, songs, and pictures to answer geographic
questions about the United States.
X
4 – G1.0.5 Use maps to describe elevation,
climate, and patterns of population density in the
United States.
X
Places and Regions
4 – G2.0.1
X
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X
4 – G2.0.1 Describe ways in which the
United States can be divided into different
regions (e.g., political regions, economic
regions, landform regions, vegetation
regions).
X
4 – G2.0.2 Compare human and physical
characteristics of a region to which Michigan
belongs (e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of
another region in the United States.
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Human Systems
4 – G4.0.1
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X
4 – G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about
migration within or to the United States to
identify push and pull factors (why they left,
why they came) that influenced the migration.
(H)
X
4 – G4.0.2 Describe the impact of immigration to
the United States on the cultural development of
different places or regions of the United States
(e.g., forms of shelter, language, food). (H)
Environment and Society
4 – G5.0.1
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X
4 – G5.0.1 Assess the positive and negative
effects of human activities on the physical
environment of the United States.
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////
Civics and Government
Standard
Purposes of Government
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
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X
4 – C1.0.1 Identify questions political scientists
ask in examining the United States (e.g.,What
does government do? What are the basic values
and principles of American democracy? What is
the relationship of the United States to other
nations? What are the roles of the citizen in
American democracy?).
4 – C1.0.2 Explain probable consequences of an
absence of government and of rules and laws.
X
4 – C1.0.3 Describe the purposes of government as
identified in the Preamble of the Constitution.
X
Values and Principles of American Democracy
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X
4 – C2.0.1 Explain how the principles of popular
sovereignty, rule of law, checks and balances,
separation of powers, and individual rights (e.g.,
freedom of religion, freedom of expression,
freedom of press) serve to limit the powers of the
federal government as reflected in the
Constitution and Bill of Rights.
X
4 – C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific
rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of
Rights are involved (e.g., freedom of religion,
freedom of expression, freedom of press).
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Structure and Functions of Government
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X
4 – C3.0.1 Give examples of ways the
Constitution limits the powers of the
federal government (e.g., election of public
officers, separation of powers, checks and
balances, Bill of Rights).
4 – C3.0.2 Give examples of powers granted to
the federal government (e.g., coining of money,
declaring war) and those reserved for the states
(e.g., driver’s license, marriage license).
X
4 – C3.0.3 Describe the organizational structure of
the federal government in the United States
(legislative, executive, and judicial branches).
X
4 – C3.0.4 Describe how the powers of the federal
government are separated among the branches.
X
4 – C3.0.5 Give examples of how the
system of checks and balances limits the
power of the federal government (e.g.,
presidential veto of legislation, courts
declaring
a
law
unconstitutional,
congressional
approval
of
judicial
appointments).
X
4 – C3.0.6 Describe how the President, members
of the Congress, and justices of the Supreme Court
come to power (e.g., elections versus
appointments).
X
4 – C3.0.7 Explain how the federal
government uses taxing and spending to
serve the purposes of government.
X
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X
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Roles of the Citizen in American
Democracy
4 – C5.0.1 Explain responsibilities of citizenship
(e.g., initiating changes in laws or policy, holding
public office, respecting the law, being informed
and attentive to public issues, paying taxes,
registering to vote and voting knowledgeably,
serving as a juror).
X
4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship
between rights and responsibilities of
citizenship.
X
4 – C5.0.3 Explain why rights
have limits.
X
4 – C5.0.4 Describe ways citizens can work
together to promote the values and principles
of American democracy.
X
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Economics
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
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X
X
Market Economy
4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in
examining the United States (e.g., What is
produced?
How is it produced? How much is
produced? Who gets what is produced?
What role does the government play in
the economy?).
X
4 – E1.0.2 Describe some characteristics of
a market economy (e.g., private property
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rights, voluntary exchange, competition,
consumer sovereignty, incentives,
specialization).
X
4 – E1.0.3 Describe how positive and negative
incentives influence behavior in a market
economy.
X
4 – E1.0.4
Explain how price affects decisions
about purchasing goods and services (substitute
goods).
4 – E1.0.5 Explain how specialization and
division of labor increase productivity (e.g.,
assembly line). (H)
X
4 – E1.0.6 Explain how competition among
buyers results in higher prices and competition
among sellers results in lower prices (e.g.,
supply, demand).
X
4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate the circular flow
model by engaging in a market
simulation, which includes households
and businesses and depicts the
interactions among them.
X
4 – E1.0.8 Explain why public goods (e.g.,
libraries, roads, parks, the Mackinac Bridge)
are not privately owned. (H)
X
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National Economy
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X
4 – E2.0.1 Explain how changes in the United
States economy impact levels of employment
and unemployment (e.g., changing demand for
natural resources, changes in technology,
changes in competition). (H)
International Economy
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X
4 – E3.0.1 Describe how global
competition affects the national
economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs,
increased supply of goods, opening new
markets, quality controls).
59
Public Discourse, Decision Making, and Citizen Involvement
Standard
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
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Identifying and Analyzing Public Issues
X
4 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the United
States that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
4 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other
sources to analyze information about a
public issue in the United States and
evaluate alternative resolutions.
X
4 – 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 United
States.
X
Persuasive Communication about a Public
Issue
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4 – P3.3.1 Compose a brief essay
expressing a position on a public policy
issue in the United States and justify the
position with a reasoned argument.
Citizen Involvement
////
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////
X
X
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////
X
4 – P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action
plan and know how, when, and where to
address or inform others about a public
issue.
X
4 – P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform
others.
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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
uiu
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