District #200 Curriculum: Social Studies
Subject Expectation 1
The student will understand, analyze, and
compare the political systems of the United States and other nations.
Essential Learning 1
Identify basic principles of United States government.
Critical Content
| a. recognize that the United States Constitution grants and distributes power and responsibilities to national and state governments | US History Quiz
for Kids
PBS Government for Kids Simple explanations and interactive features make this a fun site for kid The United States Constitution Table of Contents and Text The emergence of a new country History of the early US Virtual tour of Philadelphia, the home of the US Constitution American History leading to the Constitution Continental Congress and Constitution Broadsides American Originals Original documents and information from the National Archives |
| b. recognize that states have their own constitutions to meet their own needs, emphasizing the Illinois Constitution | Constitution
|
Essential Learning 2
Identify democratic processes and institutions.
Critical Content
| a. name the three branches of National / Illinois government | Illinois
Government Information about the three branches of state goverment
Land of
Lincoln
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| b. identify the main job of each branch of government at the federal and state level | Ben's
Guide to Government
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c. identify the titles of state and national elected officials
and relate them to the branch of government they represent:
- president - vice president - governor - lieutenant governor - senator - representative - judge/justice |
American Presidents
Presidents of the United States Explore DC site info on the Presidents
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Essential Learning 3
Formulate and defend reasoned judgments regarding
relevant political topics.
Critical Content
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a. apply principles of citizenship to curriculum related
topics - decision making
- individual/group problem solving |
Essential Learning 4
Use reading and writing strategies to comprehend
expository materials.
Critical Content
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a. apply pre-reading strategies such as:
- activating prior knowledge - brainstorming - previewing - predicting - surveying using skimming/scanning - setting a reading purpose |
Resources
for teaching reading comprehension to elementary students
Resources for teaching expository writing to elementary students
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b. recognize the organizing principle of a text in order to
aid comprehension, and recall:
- format features within a text. · identify headings to determine the ordinance (hierarchy) of ideas · discern where a section of text starts and stops using organizational visual cues · distinguish headings from boldfaced vocabulary words · identify features unusual to the specific text. such as: --skill pages -- captions -- review section -- adjunct pages of information -- charts -- graphs · use the front and end matter of a text: -- glossary -- table of contents - knowledge of the interrelationship among ideas such as: · enumeration (listing) · time order (chronology) · comparison/contrast · cause/effects · problem/solution |
Examples of cause and effect in elementary literature
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c. adjust ones reading rate to the reading task. such as:
- skimming - scanning - retelling |
Teaching
ideas for skimming and scanning lessons
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d. develop and apply appropriate strategies during
reading to understand expository text
- use metacognitive strategies. such as: · confirming or rejecting previous predictions · revise/formulate predictions · develop questions as one reads · self monitoring · rereading - use vocabulary strategies to determine text meaning such as: · context clues · word recognition strategies · glossary usage |
Research on the importance of word recognition in early reading |
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e. check for understanding of expository text after
reading using various strategies such as:
- summarize information internally, orally, or written formats - paraphrase information in discussion or written formats - make generalizations from text in oral or written formats - form reasoned arguments/judgments from text in oral or written formats |
Research
project ideas that help students learn to summarize and paraphrase
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f. produce written products for a variety of purposes and
audiences such as:
- notetaking - outlining - summarizing - research reports - expository essays - persuasive essays - narrative essays - journaling - illustrating - formulate answers to open ended questions |
The steps of the research process
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Essential Learning 5
Access, use, and evaluate information from a variety of
sources (technology, library, etc.).
| a. self select appropriate research materials | |
| b. recognize and understand the function
of the parts of a book and use appropriately such as:
- table of contents - index - glossary - gazetteer - atlas |
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| c. use a variety of reference materials to
locate information such as:
- encyclopedia - periodicals - atlas - almanac - non fiction books - computer technology/Internet |
Subject Expectation 2
The student will understand, analyze, and compare the economic structures of
the United States and other nations.
Essential Learning 1
Recognize economic systems and how they function.
Critical Content
| a. describe economic
systems as they apply to regions of the United States
- import/export - intrastate trade - free enterprise - interstate trade |
Treasury for Kids
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Essential Learning 2
Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of the availability of
resources.
Critical Content
| a. relate how the change in the availability / need of resources changes economy / occupations over time, with an emphasis on Illinois | Homer
Price Supply and Demand The Doughnuts, story in
4th grade Impressions
Resource Availability Lesson Econ Edlink lesson for grades 3-5
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b. illustrate how the principles of supply and
demand apply to regional economies such as:
- coal mining - manufacturing - agriculture - fishing / hunting - discovery of gold - technology |
Coal
Mining
Going for Gold Fun for Kids
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Essential Learning 3
Demonstrate an understanding of economic interdependence.
Critical Content
| a. identify factors that affect how consumers make their choices | Consumer Reports for Kids Online |
| b. explain the relationship between the quantity of goods/services and price |
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| c. explain that when a choice is made, something else is given up | Federal Consumer
Information Center
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| d. identify and explain examples of competition in the economy: |
Washington State Unit on Potato Growing for Fourth Grade Students |
Essential Learning 4
Formulate and defend reasoned judgments regarding
relevant economic topics.
Critical Content
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a. apply knowledge of economic systems in order to make a
responsible consumer choice such as:
- supply and demand
- import /export
- competition Nike VS. Reebok tennis shoes |
A
ThinkQuest activity on supply and demand for kids
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Essential Learning 5
Use reading and writing strategies to comprehend
expository materials.
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 4
Essential Learning 6
Access, use, and evaluate information from a variety of
sources (technology, library, etc.).
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 5
Subject Expectation 3
The student will recall, understand, and analyze
significant events, trends, personalities, and movements in history as these
shape United States and world cultures.
Essential Learning 1
Recognize patterns and relationships of historical events.
Critical Content
| a. read historical stories and determine the events that influenced their writing | History's
Happening Good History Websites for kids
Tips for Choosing Good Historical Fiction
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b. recognize a point of view on a given historical event, with
an emphasis on Illinois history such as:
- American Revolution - Native Americans/settlers - Westward Expansion - Civil War - Immigration - Industrialization |
Uncle
Sam for Kids Links for kids about Federal and State info
Illinois History from
America's Library Info from the Library of Congress Donner Party Cooperative learning experience about the Oregon Trail and difficulties faced crossing the country Oregon Trail Information about the Oregon Trail United States Immigration at Ellis Island for Kids
Civil War Using photograph's from American Memory collection to analyze the role of American Industrialization in the Civil war
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| c. explain how physical features and natural resources have affected the growth of rural and urban areas, with an emphasis on Illinois history | Annenburg
Site on Population Growth-Math in Daily Life
Internet sources on population growth
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Essential Learning 2
Identify roles played by groups and individuals in developing a pluralistic
society.
Critical Content
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a. recognize the contributions of individuals, with an
emphasis on Illinois .such as:
- Abraham Lincoln - Harriet Tubman - Jane Addams - John Deere - Cyrus McCormick - Jean Baptiste Point duSable |
Lincoln
biography of Abraham Lincoln
Harriet Tubman Harriet TubmanTubman's life and influence Hull House Information about Jane Addams, Hull House and the Museum Jane Addams Includes audio of Addams Nobel Peace Prize Speech John Deere Cyrus McCormick DuSable |
Essential Learning 3
Formulate and defend reasoned judgments regarding
relevant historical topics.
Critical Content
|
a. defend a position on a historical topic in Illinois
history,
such as: - Was the Fort Dearborn massacre justified? - Take a position in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate - Take a position on the value of the Underground Railroad |
Dearborne
Massacre Narrative history of the massacre Dearborne Massacre Lincoln
Douglas Debates Underground
Railroad Underground
Railroad |
Essential Learning 4
Use reading and writing strategies to comprehend
expository and narrative materials.
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 4
Essential Learning 5
Access, use, and evaluate information from a variety of
sources (technology, library, etc.)
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 5
Subject Expectation 4
The student will demonstrate a knowledge of world
geography and an understanding of its effects on the United States and the world
community.
Essential Learning 1
Locate, describe, and explain places, regions, and
features on the earth.
Critical Content
|
a. identify the following land formations and bodies of water:
- Canyon - Harbor - Peninsula - Tributary - Coast - Island - Plains - Valley - Continent - Lake - Plateau - Delta - Mountain - River - Gulf - Ocean - Sea |
Geography
Definitions Discovery channel definitions for geography Landform
Glossary Geography Geographical
Superlatives US Map Oceans Oceans |
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b. locate places on a map using:
- latitude - longitude - cardinal directions - intermediate directions |
Latitude/Longitude Narrative description of the meanings of latitude and longitude Longitude Directions |
| c. interpret a variety of maps including physical and political maps, using a key, scale, and other graphic representations | ThinkQuest
US Map
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| d. recognize hemispheres, poles, prime meridian, equator, and tropics | Geography Map Lessons |
| e. locate states by their geographic regions | Outline
Maps Printable outline maps |
Essential Learning 2
Identify characteristics and interactions of the earth’s physical systems.
Critical Content
| a. describe the general climate of given regions within the United States | Definition
and Explanation of How Climate Affects Regions
CIA World Factbook Climates brief descriptions of climates of the world's countries
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| b. recall how glaciers have affected land formations in Illinois | Color
Landforms of Illinois
Glaciers |
| c. describe the general land forms and water features of given regions within the United States | Color Landform Atlas of the 50 States |
| d. show how plants and animals of given regions within the United States interact with their environment | United States Plant and Animal Resources |
Essential Learning 3
Examine the patterns of interaction for human beings and their physical
environment.
| a. explain how physical features and natural resources affect the growth of towns and cities, past, present and future, with an emphasis on Illinois | Geography
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| b. give examples of how natural resources provide jobs in given regions of the United States | List
of Natural Resource sites on Internet
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| c. describe how natural occurrences/disasters affect inhabitants of various regions | FEMA Kids Page
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Essential Learning 4
Formulate and defend reasoned judgments regarding
relevant geographical topics
Critical Content
| a. evaluate how industry can wisely use and conserve natural resources | Department of Energy Page
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| b. evaluate how one’s own choices can conserve natural resources | Conservation
Kids Page
Department of conservation Kids Page
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Essential Learning 5
Use reading and writing strategies to comprehend
expository text
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 4
Essential Learning 6
Access, use, and evaluate information from a variety of
sources (technology, library, etc.)
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 5
Subject Expectation 5
The student will understand analyze, and compare
social systems with an application to the United States.
Essential Learning 1
Identify and compare characteristics of culture as reflected in language,
literature, the arts, and traditions.
Critical Content
| a. recognize the reasons why the United States, specifically the Chicago area, is nicknamed "The Great Melting Pot" | Maps
showing ethnic populations in Chicago
Collaborative Unit on the Melting Pot of Chicago
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b. discover that United States culture draws from elements of
cultures throughout the world such as:
- foods - celebrations - music - folklore |
Ethnic
Foods of the United States
Celebrating ethnic holidays in the United States
Library of Congress Folklife Page
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Essential Learning 2
Describe the interactions of individuals, groups, and institutions in
society.
Critical Content
|
a. explain ways in which institutions meet the needs of
individuals in society such as:
- schools - social clubs - athletic clubs - religious organizations - parks & recreation |
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| b. give examples of volunteerism | Volunteer
Resources on the Internet
The United States: A Country of Volunteers
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Essential Learning 3
Formulate and defend reasoned judgments regarding
relevant social topics
Critical Content
| a. describe and apply problem solving and decision making strategies within the school environment | |
| b. support a position on a social topic related to curriculum | List of approved debate topics |
Essential Learning 4
Use reading and writing strategies to comprehend
expository materials
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 4
Essential Learning 5
Access, use, and evaluate information from a variety of
sources (technology, library, etc.)
Critical Content
Same as Subject Expectation 1, Essential Learning 5