Course Overview:
The Social Studies suite utilizes a personal approach to introduce students to community and citizenship. By providing scaffolded instruction from Kindergarten through 5th grade, students develop a firm understanding of important concepts and skills related to history, geography, and economics. The integration of recurring characters and challenges to overcome keeps students engaged and progressing. Finally, students will analyze grade-appropriate passages to reinforce reading comprehension and writing skills. In Kindergarten, students learn about community and are offered an introduction to history, geography, and economics. In First grade, students develop an understanding of citizenship in the home, school, and community. Second grade focuses on the geography of North America, the impact of immigration, and the foundations of American citizenship. Third grade includes a closer look at American history and civics. This includes studying regions with the United States and the physical and cultural characteristics of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands. In Fourth grade, students explore the important people, places, and events that shaped the state in which they live. In Fifth grade, students focus on American history through 1850 from Native Americans through exploration, colonization, and early American history.
Required Materials:
Student-Supplied Resources:
- Printer
- Disk space on your computer as well as external device to back up your files (flash drive, external hard drive, CD–Rom, etc.)
- Cell phone to take photo of student's work or scanner to scan student's work
- Interactive Notebook (three-ring binder)
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Scissors
- Crayons and colored pencils
- Glue
- Tape
- Ruler
- Printer paper
- Multi-colored paper
Lesson Specific Materials:
- Optional: Household items
Free Downloads:
- Java
- Windows Media Player
- Apple iTunes
Syllabus:
Module 01: What is Social Studies?
- 01.00 Module One Pretest
- 01.01 Discovering Social Studies
- 01.02 Sources Galore
- 01.03 Reliable Sources
- 01.04 Searching Sources for Answers
- 01.05 Module One Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 01.06 Module One Assessment
Module 02: Where in the World?
- 02.00 Module Two Pretest
- 02.01 Who Am I?
- 02.02 Cool Continents and Outstanding Oceans
- 02.03 All About the Elements
- 02.04 Using the Elements
- 02.05 So Many Maps
- 02.06 Even More Maps
- 02.07 Distorted Reality
- 02.08 What's That Scale?
- 02.09 Module Two Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 02.10 Module Two Assessment
Module 03: Introducing North America
- 03.00 Module Three Pretest
- 03.01 Exploring North America
- 03.02 Amazing Artifacts Revealed
- 03.03 Searching for Settlers
- 03.04 Module Three Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 03.05 Module Three Assessment
Module 04: Amazing America
- 04.00 Module Four Pretest
- 04.01 What Is a Region?
- 04.02 Spectacular Southeast
- 04.03 Natural Northeast
- 04.04 Marvelous Midwest
- 04.05 Sizzling Southwest
- 04.06 Wondrous West
- 04.07 Regional Melting Pot
- 04.08 Module Four Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 04.09 Module Four Assessment
Module 05: Meet the Neighbors
- 05.00 Module Five Pretest
- 05.01 Curious About Canada?
- 05.02 Meet the People of Canada
- 05.03 Magnificent Mexico
- 05.04 Meet the People of Mexico
- 05.05 Crystal Clear Caribbean
- 05.06 Meet the People of the Caribbean
- 05.07 Module Five Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 05.08 Module Five Assessment
Module 06: Making Money Work
- 06.00 Module Six Pretest
- 06.01 Money, Money, Money
- 06.02 Currencies of Countries
- 06.03 Need Money, Use Money
- 06.04 Making Things Scarce
- 06.05 International Scarcity
- 06.06 Module Six Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 06.07 Module Six Assessment
Module 07: People Power
- 07.00 Module Seven Pretest
- 07.01 The Grandeur of Government
- 07.02 Government by the People
- 07.03 A Constitution for All
- 07.04 Parts of the Constitution
- 07.05 Module Seven Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 07.06 Module Seven Assessment
Module 08: Get to Know the Government
- 08.00 Module Eight Pretest
- 08.01 Level Up
- 08.02 Figuring Out the Federal Government
- 08.03 The Power of Three
- 08.04 Super States
- 08.05 Sticking with State Government
- 08.06 A Local Look
- 08.07 A Little More Local
- 08.08 Responsible Citizenship
- 08.09 Module Eight Review and Discussion-Based Assessment
- 08.10 Module Eight Assessment
