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Social Studies:
Unit one:
In social studies students study the formation of communities. We
discussed the Story of Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran and illustrated by
Barbara Cooney. Roxaboxen is an imaginary town built by children using boxes
and rocks. Roxaboxen is used as an introduction to learn about maps, reading
maps and locating places on maps. The students are introduced to the concept
of neighborhoods and moving to larger regions such as towns, cities, states,
countries, and the continents of the world. We study the symbols used to
read maps. We learn about cooperation, citizen responsibilities, the value
of having laws, the need for consequences when laws are broken, leadership,
resources, and changing communities. Students will learn about
responsibilities and privileges of being a citizen.
Students learn that communities have histories. They will become aware of
changes that occur as a region thrives. They will become aware of the many
contributions that different cultures provide. They will look and study some
cultural customs.
Unit two:
With the story of Aurora Means Dawn, the students will become aware of how
the town of Aurora was formed. They will become aware of the hardships that
early settlers faced when starting a new town.
Students will study physical features of the United States such as Mountain
ranges, valleys, Plateaus, plains, peninsulas, coast lines and even more
features. The differences between natural resources and man-made resources
will be compared. Physical regions and their location in the United States
will be covered and illustrations and labeling will be expected.
Climate and weather will be discussed in the context of how they affect the
type of habitat that is in particular regions.
The students will learn why communities started and how they use the natural
resources to maintain a productive society. For example communities built on
large bodies of water, may use ports, harbors, ships, start trading centers,
and build up business centers to accommodate the people using the resources.
Needs for goods and resources continue to promote building and expansion of
a community.
Growth in communities leads to the need for government officials and
government buildings. This concept covers the levels of governments such as
federal, state, county, and local levels of government.
Boundaries and borders are discussed. The study of our country is compared
to regions in other countries.
Unit three:
We read Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say, to focus and introduce the
concept of immigrants, their plights, and hopes as they came to our country
long ago to settle in a new territory or land.
The Harlem culture is examined: literature, heritage, and Jazz. Holidays,
customs, and Traditions of the Japanese, Vietnamese, and African are
reviewed. Different countries and different Cultures focuses on folktales,
language, literature, clothing, foods, and music.
The Island of tears or Island of opportunity, is in reference to Ellis
Island in New York. This was a major entry point for immigrants. We examine
how people first entered this country.
Unit four:
The story of Reuben and the Fire by Merle Good is about an Amish community.
This introduces the concept of people in a community working together to
meet their needs.
This section introduces the concept of raw materials, making a product, and
marketing the product that is produced. The concepts of consumers,
competition, supply and demand, advertising, and invention are explained.
International trade, communication, exporting and importing concepts are
shared.
Unit five:
In this unit the story, City Green by DyAnne-Ryan sets the scene to explain
how the people and the government work together to solve problems in the
community. Petitions, are written form signed by the people to request help
from the government. Representatives chosen by the people may meet as a
council to help solve the problem for the community. Then taxes are used to
repair, add services, or set new laws. Students would explore the way taxes
are raised. How to successfully solve community problems and how tax money
can be a benefit to them and their families. This unit also covers how
Indians made laws and how they used voting to make decisions. Early settlers
also created compacts, set up the constitution, and formed the election
process to choose leader.
The concepts of candidates, ballets, majority rule, minority rights, and
campaigning are covered. There is a section on the national government and
the topics that are discussed are the three branches of government: The
Presidential Branch, The congressional Branch, and Executive Branch (The
Supreme Court and judges). Patriotism and national symbols are shown and
explained.
Unit six:
How communities grow and change is introduced with a story called, Shaker
Lane, by Alice and Martin Provensen. This section discusses changes in
communities. Some changes happen slowly and others happen quickly. Some
changes come about due to planning for growth, some are unplanned such as
disasters, and still others become ghost towns because of lack of resources.
The social studies book ends on the note that all communities have a history.
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