2 Grade Course Title: _Social Studies_ Duration: ___September____
Unit/Topic: ____Citizenship, Landforms, and Bodies of Water______
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
Good citizens follow rules and demonstrate responsibilities at home and at school.
Man interacts with the geographic features of the Earth.
Essential Questions:
How can I be a “good” citizen? (Civics and Government)?
What are the major geographic features of the Earth?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment5.1 Principles and Documents of Government
• Explain the purposes of rules and laws and why they are important in the home, classroom and community
• Identify documents of United States government
• Describe the purpose of the United States Flag, The Pledge of Allegiance and The National Anthem
• Identify framers of documents of governments
• Explain why government is necessary in the classroom, school, community, state and nation and the basic purposes of government in
Pennsylvania and the United States
• Explain the importance of respect for the property and the opinions of others
• Identify symbols and political holidays
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
· Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
– Personal rights
– Political rights
– Economic rights
– Personal responsibilities
– Civic responsibilities
• Identify personal rights and responsibilities
• Identify sources of conflict and disagreement and different ways conflicts can be resolved
• Identify the importance of political leadership and public service in the school, community, state and nation.
• Explain the benefits of following rules and laws and the consequences of violating them
5.3 How Government Works
• Identify reasons for rules and laws in the school and community
• Identify positions of authority at school and in local, state and national governments.
• Explain what an election is.
• Explain why being treated fairly is important.
• Identify individual interests and explain ways to influence others.
• Identify different ways people govern themselves
7.1 Basic Geographic Literacy
· Identify geographic tools and their uses.
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.2 Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
· Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
8.3 United States History
• Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history / · Pledge of Allegiance
· Preamble to the Constitution
· Classroom Rules/Responsive Classroom
· Landforms and Bodies of Water / · Vocabulary for the Pledge of Allegiance
· Vocabulary for the Preamble to the Constitution
· Write classroom rules
· Introduce vocabulary and visuals of landforms and bodies of water / · Observe students reciting Pledge of Allegiance and Preamble
· Teacher observes students following classroom rules
· Students begin to identify landforms and bodies of water
Suggested titles for Interactive Read Aloud and/or Guided Reading:
· The Park Bench by Fumiko Takeshita
· A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
· It Takes a Village by Jane Cownen-Fletcher
· We the Kids by David Catrow
· I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin and Michael Sampson
___2___ Grade Course Title: __Social Studies______Duration: __October_____
Unit/Topic: _____Explorers, Settlers, Pioneers______
Communities (Rural, Suburb, Urban)
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
The early explorers, settlers, and pioneers moved.
Man interacts with the geographic features of the Earth.
Essential Questions:
Why did people move to the Americas?
What are the major geographic features and locations on the Earth?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment7.1 Basic Geographic Literacy
· Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.2 Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
· Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.3 Human Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their population characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their economic activities
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their political activities
7.4 Interactions Between People and the Environment
• Identify the impacts of physical systems on people
• Identify the impacts of people on physical systems
8.1 Historical Analysis and Skills Development
• Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present and future time
8.3 United States History
• Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history / Vocabulary:
· Rural
· Suburban
· Urban
· Explorer (connect to Columbus Day)
· Maps
· Communities / · Define explorer
· Use a compass rose / · Type 2 Writing
· Role play explorer.
· Make a classroom map
· Build a floor map
Suggested titles for Interactive Read Aloud and/or Guided Reading:
· A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David Adler
· On the Mayflower: Voyage of the Ship’s Apprentice and a Passenger Girl by Kate Waters
· Samuel Eaton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters
· Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters
· The Pilgrim’s First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern
· Westward Ho! The Story of the Pioneers by Lucille Recht Penner
· If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine
· If You Were a Pioneer on the Prairie by Anne Kamma
· The Long Way Westward by Joan Sandin
· Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner
· You Wouldn’t Want to Be an American Pioneer by Jacqueline Morley
· Superkids book club set Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner
· Superkids book club set Snow Shoe Thompson by Nancy Smiler Levinson
· Superkids book club set The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh
· How Mountains are Made by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
· Mountains by Zuza Vrbova
· Volcano! By Lorraine Jean Hopping
· Grand Canyon by Linda Viera
· I See Something GRAND by Mitzi Chandler
· The Little Island by Golden Macdonald
· The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole
· Wetlands by Marcia Freeman
2 Grade Course Title: _Social Studies______Duration: __November/December_____
Unit/Topic: ___American History______
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
The settlers and colonist (Pilgrims) moved to satisfy their wants and needs.
People use and change their environments to meet their needs.
Essential Questions:
Why did people move to the Americas?
Why did people migrate within the United States?
How and why do people change the land?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment5.1 Principles and Documents of Government
· Describe what government is.
• Explain the purposes of rules and laws and why they are important in the home, classroom and community
• Define the principles and ideals shaping government
• Identify documents of United States government
• Explain the importance of respect for the property and the opinions of others
• Identify symbols and political holidays
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
· Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
– Personal rights
– Political rights
– Economic rights
– Personal responsibilities
– Civic responsibilities
• Identify personal rights and responsibilities
• Identify the importance of political leadership and public service in the school, community, state and nation
• Identify ways to participate in government and civic life
5.3 How Government Works
• Identify the elected representative bodies responsible for making local, Pennsylvania and United States laws
• Identify positions of authority at school and in local, state and national governments
• Explain what an election is
• Explain why being treated fairly is important
• Identify individual interests and explain ways to influence others
7.2 Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
· Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.3 Human Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their economic activities
7.4 Interactions Between People and the Environment
• Identify the impacts of physical systems on people
• Identify the impacts of people on physical systems
8.1 Historical Analysis and Skills Development
• Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present and future time
8.3 United States History
• Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history / · Voting process.
· Native Americans and regions of the United States.
· Pilgrims/Colonist and regions of the United States.
· Natural Resources as used by the Native Americans.
· Election Day and
Veterans Day are in
November !!! / · Identify major ideas of what a democracy is.
· Compare and contrast the use of natural resources by Native Americans, Pilgrims, and present day use. / · Kids voting
· Jigsaw research and presentation of regions of the United States.
· Venn Diagram
Suggested titles for Interactive Read Aloud and/or Guided Reading:
· Children of the Wind and Water by Stephen Krenksy
· Children of the Earth and Sky by Stephen Krenksy
· Houses of Wood by Bonnie Shemie
· Young Goat’s Discovery by Arline Warner Tinus
· Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen
2 Grade Course Title: _Social Studies__ Duration: ___January____
Unit/Topic: ____ _Wants and Needs______
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
People have wants and needs.
People depend on others to fulfill their wants and needs.
Essential Questions:
How do people get the things they want and need?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment5.1 Principles and Documents of Government
· Describe what government is
• Explain the purposes of rules and laws and why they are important in the home, classroom and community
• Define the principles and ideals shaping government
• Identify documents of United States government
• Describe the purpose of the United States Flag, The Pledge of Allegiance and The National Anthem
• Identify framers of documents of governments
• Explain why government is necessary in the classroom, school, community, state and nation and the basic purposes of government in
Pennsylvania and the United States
• Explain the importance of respect for the property and the opinions of others
• Identify symbols and political holidays
• Identify portions of famous speeches and writings that reflect the basic principles and ideals of government (e.g., “I have a dream,” Reverend Martin Luther King; “One small step for mankind,” Neil Armstrong)
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
· Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
– Personal rights
– Political rights
– Economic rights
– Personal responsibilities
– Civic responsibilities
• Identify personal rights and responsibilities
• Identify sources of conflict and disagreement and different ways conflicts can be resolved
• Identify the importance of political leadership and public service in the school, community, state and nation
• Explain the benefits of following rules and laws and the consequences of violating them
• Identify ways to participate in government and civic life
5.3 How Government Works
• Identify the elected representative bodies responsible for making local, Pennsylvania and United States laws
• Identify the role of the three branches of government
• Identify reasons for rules and laws in the school and community
• Identify services performed by the local, state and national governments
• Identify positions of authority at school and in local, state and national governments
• Explain what an election is
• Explain why being treated fairly is important
• Identify individual interests and explain ways to influence others
• Identify the role of the media in society
• Identify different ways people govern themselves
6.1 Economic Systems
· Describe how individuals, families and communities with limited resources make choices
• Identify local economic activities
– Employment
– Output
• Identify examples of local businesses opening, closing, expanding or contracting
6.1 Markets and the Functions of Governments
· Define and identify goods, services, consumers and producers
• Identify ways local businesses compete to get consumers
• Identify and compare means of payment
– Barter
– Money
• Identify groups of competing producers in the local area
• Identify who supplies a product and who demands a product
• Define price and identify the prices of different items
• Identify forms of advertising designed to influence personal choice
• Explain why most countries create their own form of money
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
· Define scarcity and identify limited resources
• Identify and define wants of different people
• Identify and define natural, human and capital resources
• Identify costs and benefits associated with an economic decision
• Explain what is given up when making a choice
• Explain how self-interest influences choice
6.3 Economic Interdependence
· Explain why people trade
• Explain why goods, services and resources come from all over
the nation and the world
• Identify local resources
– Natural (renewable, nonrenewable and flow resources)
– Human
6.4 Explain why some products are produced locally while others are not
• Identify local geographic patterns of economic activities
– Agriculture
– Travel and tourism
– Mining and mineral extraction
– Manufacturing
– Wholesale and retail
– Health services
6.5 Work and Earnings
· Explain why people work to get goods and services
• Identify different occupations
• Describe businesses that provide goods and businesses that provide services
• Define saving and explain why people save
7.1 Basic Geographic Literacy
· Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.2 Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
· Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.3 Human Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their population characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their economic activities
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their political activities
7.4 Interactions Between People and the Environment
• Identify the impacts of physical systems on people
• Identify the impacts of people on physical systems
8.1 Historical Analysis and Skills Development
• Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present and future time
• Develop an understanding of historical sources
• Understand historical research
8.2 Pennsylvania History
• Understand the political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups to Pennsylvania history
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in Pennsylvania history
8.3 United States History
• Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history
8.4 World History
• Identify individuals and groups who have made significant political and cultural contributions to world history
• Identify historic sites and material artifacts important to world history
• Compare similarities and differences between earliest civilizations and life today (e.g., Africa, Egypt; Asia, Babylonia; Americas, Olmec;
Europe, Neolithic settlements)
• Identify how conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations affected world history / · Wants and Needs
· Producer and consumer
· Import and export
· Transportation / · Explain wants and needs.
· Explain producer and consumer.
· Explain import/export.
· Explain the importance of transportation in meeting our wants and needs. / · Prioritize their wants and needs on a “T” chart.
· Type II writing- Write a reflection on something you want, tell why you want it, and how you plan to purchase it.
· Bring products from home to determine the production country and label it on the world map.
· Compare/contrast transportation from present day to colonist times.
· Design and present an entrepreneurship.
* Integrate continents/oceans with products imported/exported/transportation.