Social Studies Unit 1: What is a Community?
Unit Abstract:
In this foundational unit students explore characteristics of communities, the reasons people live in communities, and different kinds of communities. The unit begins with a review of the concept of family and explores the question, “Why do families live in communities?” Students then investigate common characteristics of a community including location, physical characteristics, history, government, people, and businesses. Students explore two reasons people live in a community and are introduced to the concept of government. Using a variety of resources, including photographs and illustrations from picture books, students then examine different kinds of communities and explore how communities differ in size and geography. Using a Venn Diagram, students identify similarities and differences between two communities. Finally, students begin to create a profile of their local community by gathering information from family members and friends about what makes their community special.
Key Concepts:
basic needs
community
family
government
human characteristics of place
location
physical characteristics of place
transportation
Grade Level Content Expectations:
GLCE: English Language Arts, 2nd Grade , Reading
Narrative Text
GLCE: Social Studies, 1st Grade , Geography
G2 Places and Regions
Understand how regions are created from common physical and human characteristics.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Geography
G2 Places and Regions
Understand how regions are created from common physical and human characteristics.
G4 Human Systems
Understand how human activities help shape the Earth’s surface.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Civics & Government
C1 Purposes of Government
Explain why people create governments.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Economics
E1 Market Economy
Use fundamental principles and concepts of economics to understand economic activity in a market economy.
Unit Abstract:
In this foundational unit students explore characteristics of communities, the reasons people live in communities, and different kinds of communities. The unit begins with a review of the concept of family and explores the question, “Why do families live in communities?” Students then investigate common characteristics of a community including location, physical characteristics, history, government, people, and businesses. Students explore two reasons people live in a community and are introduced to the concept of government. Using a variety of resources, including photographs and illustrations from picture books, students then examine different kinds of communities and explore how communities differ in size and geography. Using a Venn Diagram, students identify similarities and differences between two communities. Finally, students begin to create a profile of their local community by gathering information from family members and friends about what makes their community special.
Key Concepts:
basic needs
community
family
government
human characteristics of place
location
physical characteristics of place
transportation
Grade Level Content Expectations:
GLCE: English Language Arts, 2nd Grade , Reading
Narrative Text
- R.NT.02.02 identify and describe the basic elements and purpose of a variety of narrative genre including poetry, fantasy, legends, and drama.
- R.NT.02.03 identify and describe characters’ actions and motivations, setting (time and place), problem/solution, and sequence of events.
GLCE: Social Studies, 1st Grade , Geography
G2 Places and Regions
Understand how regions are created from common physical and human characteristics.
- 1 – G2.0.1 Distinguish between physical (e.g., clouds, trees, weather) and human (e.g., buildings, playgrounds, sidewalks) characteristics of places.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Geography
G2 Places and Regions
Understand how regions are created from common physical and human characteristics.
- 2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of another community.
G4 Human Systems
Understand how human activities help shape the Earth’s surface.
- 2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people create for moving people, goods, and ideas within the local community.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Civics & Government
C1 Purposes of Government
Explain why people create governments.
- 2 – C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Economics
E1 Market Economy
Use fundamental principles and concepts of economics to understand economic activity in a market economy.
- 2 – E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.
Social Studies Unit 2: Where is my Community & What is it Like
Unit Abstract:
In this unit students use the context of their local community to explore the five major themes of geography: location, place, human/environment interaction, movement, and region. The unit begins with an exploration of a variety of maps and a review of map skills covered in kindergarten and grade one. Using a community map, the concept of relative location is introduced. Next, students explore a map of the community and identify various regions such as residential areas and important physical features in the community. Next, students expand their knowledge of the geography of their community as they gather information about physical and human characteristics not of their community. Integrating the second grade science content expectations, students learn about major landforms and bodies of water found on the Earth. Returning to the map of the community, students identify major roads and discuss how roads help to connect places and move goods and people. Synthesizing what they have learned, students construct a simple map of their local community. Using a Venn Diagram, students compare the human and physical characteristics of their community with those of another community. Human environment interaction is introduced as students explore how people interact with the environment and the consequences of changing the environment. Finally, the geographic theme of region is expanded as students learn their community is part of several larger regions including county, state, country, continent, and planet.
Key Concepts:
community
geography
human characteristic of place
human/environment interaction
land use
location
map
movement
physical characteristic of place
region
transportation
Grade Level Content Expectations:
GLCE: English Language Arts, 2nd Grade , Reading
Comprehension
- R.CM.02.02 retell in sequence the major idea(s) and relevant details of grade-level narrative and informational text.
GLCE: Mathematics, 2nd Grade , Geometry
Use coordinate systems
- G.LO.02.07 Find and name locations using simple coordinate systems such as maps and first quandrant grids.
GLCE: Science, 2nd Grade , Discipline 4: Earth Science
Solid Earth
K-7 Standard E.SE: Develop an understanding of the properties of earth materials and how those properties make materials useful. Understand gradual and rapid changes in earth materials and features of the surface of Earth. Understand magnetic properties of Earth.
E.SE.E.2 Surface Changes- The surface of Earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
E.SE.02.21 Describe the major landforms of the surface of the Earth (mountains, plains, plateaus, valleys, hills).
E.FE.E.2 Water Movement- Water moves in predictable patterns.
- E.FE.02.22 Describe the major bodies of water on the Earth’s surface (lakes, ponds, oceans, rivers, streams
- GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Geography
- G1 The World in Spatial Terms
Use geographic representations to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.K-4- 2 – G1.0.1 Construct maps of the local community that contain symbols, labels, and legends denoting human and natural characteristics of place.
- 2 – G1.0.2 Use maps to describe the spatial organization of the local community by applying concepts including relative location and using distance, direction, and scale.
G2 Places and Regions
Understand how regions are created from common physical and human characteristics.- 2 – G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of another community.
- 2 – G2.0.2 Describe how the local community is part of a larger region (e.g., county, metropolitan area, state).
G4 Human Systems
Understand how human activities help shape the Earth’s surface.- 2 – G4.0.1 Describe land use in the community (e.g., where people live, where services are provided, where products are made).
- 2 – G4.0.2 Describe the means people create for moving people, goods, and ideas within the local community.
G5 Environment and Society
Understand the effects of human-environment interactions. - 2 – G1.0.1 Construct maps of the local community that contain symbols, labels, and legends denoting human and natural characteristics of place.
- 2 – G5.0.1 Suggest ways people can responsibly interact with the environment in the local community.
- 2 – G5.0.2 Describe positive and negative consequences of changing the physical environment of the local community.
Social Studies Unit 3: How Do Citizens Live Together in a Community?
Unit Abstract
In this unit students explore many important civics concepts using the context of local government. The unit begins with a lesson that explores diversity in communities and also reviews why people live in communities. Then, students explore the reasons people form governments including the need for laws, safety, and order. In a lesson on core democratic values and how they create a foundation for government students are introduced to the values of the common good, individual rights, and patriotism. Students then explore the meaning and importance of the Pledge of Allegiance. Using the example of school rules as a springboard, students next examine the reasons communities need laws. Then, they learn how local governments make, enforce, and interpret laws. Students compare narrative text and informational text as they learn about the role mayors play in local government. This serves as an introduction to for the next lesson on different functions of local government. In a final lesson on citizenship students learn about the roles and responsibilities of citizens in local government. As a culminating activity, students take part in a simple simulation of a town council meeting where they have to decide whether to buy a new police car or new playground equipment for a local park.
Key Concepts:
branches of government
citizen
city council
civic responsibility
common good
community
core democratic values
court
diversity
government
individual rights
laws
mayor
patriotism
Grade Level Content Expectations:
GLCE: English Language Arts, 2nd Grade , Reading
Narrative Text
- R.NT.02.03 identify and describe characters’ actions and motivations, setting (time and place), problem/solution, and sequence of events.
- R.NT.02.05 respond to individual and multiple texts by finding evidence, discussing, illustrating, and/or writing to reflect, make connections, take a position, and/or show understanding.
Comprehension
- R.CM.02.01 make text-to-self and text-to-text connections and comparisons by activating prior knowledge, connecting personal knowledge, experience, and understanding of others to ideas in text through oral and written responses.
GLCE: Social Studies, 2nd Grade , Civics & Government
C1 Purposes of Government
Explain why people create governments.
- 2 – C1.0.1 Explain why people form governments.
- 2 – C1.0.2 Distinguish between government action and private action.
C2 Values and Principles of American Democracy
Understand values and principles of American constitutional democracy.
- 2 – C2.0.1 Explain how local governments balance individual rights with the common good to solve local community problems.
- 2 – C2.0.2 Describe how the Pledge of Allegiance reflects the core democratic value of patriotism.
C3 Structure and Functions of Government
Describe the structure of government in the United States and how it functions to serve citizens.
- 2 – C3.0.1 Give examples of how local governments make, enforce, and interpret laws (ordinances) in the local community.
- 2 – C3.0.2 Use examples to describe how local government affects the lives of its citizens.
- 2 – C3.0.3 Identify services commonly provided by local governments (e.g., police, fire departments, schools, libraries, parks).
C5 Role of the Citizen in American Democracy
Explain important rights and how, when, and where American citizens demonstrate their responsibilities by participating in government.
- 2 – C5.0.1 Identify ways citizens participate in community decisions.
- 2 – C5.0.2 Distinguish between personal and civic responsibilities and explain why they are important in community life.