Grade 3 Social Studies

District 2853

Timelines

Content

Technology Used

Skills for Student Achievement

Assessment

 

9 weeks

·         Culture and History

(Native Americans)

·         Africa Virtual Tour (Internet)

·         Explain how natural resources have affected the specified culture.

·         Study vocabulary words related to topic.

·         Understand why communities developed where they did.

·         Compare and contrast Native American life to Pilgrim life.

·         Define culture as way of life of a group of people.

·         Explain that Native Americans were first people to live on North American continent.

·         Explain that history is a story of the past.

·         Compare and contrast Native American life in the past with the present.

·         Realize communities have histories.

·         Unit test from The World Around Us—Unit 2 & 4

·         Anasazi Project

·         Native American Booklet

·         Diorama & short report

·         Art activities

·         Program

 

5 weeks

·         Geography

 

·         Identify hills, mountains and plains as landforms.

·         Identify rivers, lakes, and oceans as bodies of water. 

·         Name and identify the 7 continents and 4 oceans.

·         Identify and locate equator/poles on a map or globe.

·         Introduce compass rose directions.

·         Know cardinal and secondary directions.

·         Locate the continents and oceans on a map and globe.

·         Distinguish size of each continent in relationship to each other.

·         Introduce key characteristics of each continent.

·         Use topic vocabulary.

·         Introduce hemispheres.

·         Continue work with more detailed map keys and legends.

·         Self developed quizzes and tests

·         Teacher Observation

·         Map booklet

5 weeks

·         Current Events

(This is ongoing throughout the school year.)

(Weekly Reader, Time for Kids, Internet - Time for kids.com, etc.)

·         Internet

·         Become aware of issues, topics and problems of current events.

·         Become aware of ways we learn about current events.  (e.g. TV, radio, newspaper, etc.)

·         Scholastic News  Comprehension  page

·         Group discussion

·         Test in booklet

·         Teacher observation

12 weeks

·         Community

·         Internet - Website on communities

·         Internet Activity Book with worksheets

·         Identify custom as special way group of people does something.

·         Realize that every community has its own special customs.

·         Recognize that people in communities work together.

·         Describe how communities provide goods and services.

·         Understand that a community is a place with people living, working and sharing special times.

·         Rural area recognized as a community in country away from cities or suburbs.

·         Identify towns and villages as types of rural communities.

·         Recognize that communities change over time.

·         Identify what  some communities are known for.

·         Recognize that each community has its own identity, celebrations, and problems.

·         Recognize that the location, climate and natural resources of a community help determine the products that a community produces.

·         Unit test form The World Around Us—Units 1 & 3

·         Traditions Poster Project

·         Comparison Charts

·         Booklet

·         Group Project

6 weeks

·         Government

·         Internet

·         Recognize that American Revolution brought independence to our country.

·         Identify the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution as landmark documents upon which our country was founded.

·         Identify Washington, DC as the capitol of our country.

·         Identify the capitol as the place where congress meets.

·         Describe events that led to George Washington becoming our first president.

·         Identify White House as the building in Washington, DC where the President lives and works.

·         Virtual Tour on Internet

·         Explain importance of laws and rules for well being of community and country.

·         Realize that laws are made by government officials for the good of the community.

·         Recognize that most communities are governed by an elected mayor and council.

·         Define a tax as money that people pay to support their government.

·         Unit Test from The World Around Us-Unit 5

·         Booklet