Grade 2
Social Studies
Table of Contents
Unit 1: Aspects of a Community: Its History 1
Unit 2: Aspects of a Community: Its Geography 11
Unit 3: Aspects of a Community: Its Government 22
Unit 4: Aspects of a Community: Its Citizens 31
Unit 5: Aspects of a Community: Its Economy 40
Unit 6: The World and Local Cultures and Customs 50
Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum, Revised 2008
Course Introduction
The Louisiana Department of Education issued the Comprehensive Curriculum in 2005. The curriculum has been revised based on teacher feedback, an external review by a team of content experts from outside the state, and input from course writers. As in the first edition, the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum, revised 2008 is aligned with state content standards, as defined by Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs), and organized into coherent, time-bound units with sample activities and classroom assessments to guide teaching and learning. The order of the units ensures that all GLEs to be tested are addressed prior to the administration of iLEAP assessments.
District Implementation Guidelines
Local districts are responsible for implementation and monitoring of the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum and have been delegated the responsibility to decide if
· units are to be taught in the order presented
· substitutions of equivalent activities are allowed
· GLES can be adequately addressed using fewer activities than presented
· permitted changes are to be made at the district, school, or teacher level
Districts have been requested to inform teachers of decisions made.
Implementation of Activities in the Classroom
Incorporation of activities into lesson plans is critical to the successful implementation of the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum. Lesson plans should be designed to introduce students to one or more of the activities, to provide background information and follow-up, and to prepare students for success in mastering the Grade-Level Expectations associated with the activities. Lesson plans should address individual needs of students and should include processes for re-teaching concepts or skills for students who need additional instruction. Appropriate accommodations must be made for students with disabilities.
New Features
Content Area Literacy Strategies are an integral part of approximately one-third of the activities. Strategy names are italicized. The link (view literacy strategy descriptions) opens a document containing detailed descriptions and examples of the literacy strategies. This document can also be accessed directly at http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/uploads/11056.doc.
A Materials List is provided for each activity and Blackline Masters (BLMs) are provided to assist in the delivery of activities or to assess student learning. A separate Blackline Master document is provided for each course.
The Access Guide to the Comprehensive Curriculum is an online database of suggested strategies, accommodations, assistive technology, and assessment options that may provide greater access to the curriculum activities. The Access Guide will be piloted during the 2008-2009 school year in Grades 4 and 8, with other grades to be added over time. Click on the Access Guide icon found on the first page of each unit or by going directly to the url http://mconn.doe.state.la.us/accessguide/default.aspx.
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit 3: Aspects of a Community: Its Government
Time Frame: Approximately 14 instructional periods at 45 minutes per period
Unit Description
The focus of this unit is to study the government of the local community by exploring the functions of local government, the importance of laws, and the roles of key government officials.
Student Understandings
The students understand how government meets the basic needs of the community. The students identify key government officials and how they are elected. The students describe the responsibilities of the local government and how laws are enforced.
Guiding Questions
1. Can students explain why we need local government?
2. Can students explain who is in charge of our community?
3. Can students explain how our community is governed?
Unit 3 Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs)
GLE # / GLE Text and BenchmarksCivics
Structure and Purposes of Government
16. / Identify local community and parish laws, and the persons responsible for making and enforcing them (C-1A-E1)
17. / Identify the necessity of local government and how it helps meet the basic needs of society (C-1A-E2)
18. / Describe major responsibilities of local government (C-1A-E4)
19. / Identify key government positions at the local level, their powers, and limits on their powers (C-1A-E5)
20. / Explain how government officials at the local level are elected (C-1A-E6)
Economics
Individuals, Households, Businesses, and Governments
43. / Identify goods and services provided by the local government (E-1B-E4)
Sample Activities
Activity 1: Making Laws (GLE 16)
Materials List: Making a Law, large piece of chart paper
Show students the book Making a Law by Sarah deCapua. Before reading the book, have students generate questions they have about the topic based on an SQPL prompt. (view literacy strategy descriptions) State the following: “Laws are made to protect people”. Write it on the chalkboard or on a piece of chart paper when saying it. Next, ask students to turn to a partner and think of one good question they have about the book based on the statement, “Laws are made to protect people”. As students respond, write their questions on chart paper or the board. Questions that are asked more than once should be marked with a smiley face to signify that they are important questions. When students finish asking questions, the teacher should contribute additional questions to the list. Tell students to listen carefully for the answers to their questions as the book is read aloud. After reading the book, discuss with students how local, state and federal laws are made and what citizens can do to participate in the lawmaking process. Help students identify persons responsible for making and enforcing laws. Pause periodically to have students check which of their SQPL questions have been answered and to briefly discuss the answers. When the reading aloud concludes, ask students to return to the list of SPQL questions and check which ones may still need to be answered. Use the book or personal knowledge to supply answers.
Activity 2: What is Government? (GLEs: 16, 17, 18, 19)
Materials List: Constitution poster; chart paper; It is the Law, Making a Law, Law Making in the United States, or similar books
Tell students that, like the classroom and community, the country has laws. These laws are made by the government. Write the term government on the board. Have students use a concept map to explore the concept of government. This can be done whole group or in small groups. Using brainstorming (view literacy strategy descriptions), have students make a list of words that they can associate with government. Share and discuss students’ ideas, making sure they have included words like laws, parish, governor, president, mayor, state, court, and judge on their concept maps.
The teacher will use the directed reading-thinking activity or DR-TA (view literacy strategy descriptions), which invites students to make predictions, and then check their predictions during and after the reading. The teacher will build background knowledge by holding up a copy of the U. S. Constitution and asking students if they have ever seen this document before. Then the teacher will lead a discussion that elicits information the students may already have about the Constitution. Students’ ideas and information should be recorded on the board or chart paper. The Constitution for Kids Site at: http://www.usconstitution.net/constkidsK.html provides a simple description and basic information that will help students understand the Constitution.
The teacher should choose one of the following books or a similar book to read to the students: It is the Law, Making a Law, or Law Making in the United States. Discuss the title of the book and have students make predictions about the story. Write student predictions on the board or on chart paper. Then read the book, stopping occasionally to check students’ predictions and to revise predictions when necessary. Once the reading is completed, use student predictions as a discussion tool to help students understand the connection between government, laws, and the Constitution. Discuss with the students how the Constitution is the basic law for our country. Tell students the Constitution divides our government into three branches. Discuss the three branches of government with the students. Help students understand that groups of people who make laws, enforce laws, and lead our country make up our government. For background information about government, go to Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government at: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/.
Activity 3: Local Government (GLEs: 17, 18, 19)
Materials List: Word Grid BLM
Discuss with students that government officials are the leaders of the local community, state, and nation. Have students imagine what it would be like if no one were in charge at school. Imagine if there were no rules or laws anywhere. Have students reflect in their journals what it would be like to live in a world without government leaders. Then discuss with students the necessity of local government and how it helps meet the basic needs of society.
Use a word grid (view literacy strategy descriptions) similar to the sample one below, to help students identify government officials. Have students place an (x) in the box under each column where each key government official may be found. (See the Word Grid BLM.)
Key Government Officials / Local (City/Parish) / State / Countrypresident
governor
mayor
After completing the word grid, have students use it to identify local government officials. Discuss with students the major responsibilities of local government, their powers, and limits on their powers. Ask students “What kinds of things do local government officials do?” Invite local government officials (e.g., mayor) to the class to discuss their responsibilities in the community. Have students prepare questions that they would like to ask ahead of time. Help students understand the responsibilities of locally-elected people by focusing on issues that are meaningful to students (e.g., local park playground equipment, paving roads, planting trees).
Activity 4: How does Government Affect Me? (GLEs: 17, 43)
Materials List: pictures of government buildings, shoeboxes
Explore how government affects people’s lives. Help students understand the necessity of government and how it protects its citizens. Discuss services provided by government. Show students pictures of government buildings in the community (library, police department, hospital, school, courthouse, etc.). Help students make connections between government and the services they provide people throughout the community. Have students create shoebox models of different government buildings and share their experiences with these places. Discuss how government provides people with goods and services that help them meet their basic needs. Have students write narrative paragraphs naming some of the goods and services provided by local government. Go to The PBS Kids Democracy Project to explore services provided by government at: http://www.pbs.org/democracy/kids/mygovt/index.html.
Activity 5: You Be the Judge (GLEs: 18, 19)
Materials List: photographs of community leaders
Show students photographs or pictures of community leaders. Help students identify key leaders and discuss where they have seen them and what their jobs are in the community. Lead students in a discussion on what these leaders do for the community. Help students understand that each government leader plays a different role in the community, and has different responsibilities and limitations. Help students understand that these people are responsible for making laws, enforcing laws, and determining if the laws have been violated. Ask students what it would be like to be the mayor, governor, judge, police officer, etc. Then have the students role play different government leaders.
Have students recall the story of The Three Bears and list things Goldilocks did in the story that violated the laws of the community. Do a mock trial where students put Goldilocks on trial. Briefly explain the jobs of the judge, jury, defender, and prosecutor before students begin. Put students into small groups to role-play community leaders and how they would deal with Goldilocks. Have them decide whether they think she broke any laws. Students may share their decisions and what consequences, if any, should follow if she is convicted of breaking laws. Students may also role play another mock trial in The Big Bad Wolf vs. Curly Pig. A script may be found at: http://www.19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/bkshelf/resource/mt_bbwolf.htm.
Activity 6: Create a Classroom Government (GLEs: 16, 17, 18, 19, 43)
Materials List: chart paper, construction paper
Discuss with students how government helps meet the basic needs of our society. Discuss with students the responsibilities of community leaders. After the discussion, tell students to pretend they are local lawmakers. Then introduce and discuss the following representative committees on which they will serve:
· Lawmaking Committee: makes classroom rules and posts them for everyone to follow
· Executive Committee: oversees classroom rules and encourages good citizenship
· Law and Order Committee: mediates conflicts and keeps a discipline journal
· Postal Service Committee: delivers daily attendance record to the principal’s office
· Environment Committee: cleans the learning centers and cares for classroom plants and pets
· Public Relations Committee: produces a class newsletter and writes thank-you notes to parent volunteers
· History Committee: records class activities and compiles them for a presentation.
Discuss as a group how the members of each committee will function. Lead the students to the following suggestions:
· the responsibilities of membership on the committee
· how to choose a chairperson
· how to give and follow directions
· what the committee will do each week.
The whole class will first serve on the Lawmaking Committee to create and post classroom rules. Introduce a new committee every two or three days or as time permits, and assign the entire class to perform the responsibilities of that committee. As each committee is studied, a chart explaining the committee and its function should be posted in the classroom.
Suggested charts to be displayed in the classroom might include the following:
Lawmaking Committee
Makes classroom rules
Posts rules for everyone to follow
Executive Committee
Oversees classroom rules, ensuring that they are followed