social studies curriculum standards, big ideas and … · social studies curriculum standards, big...

Social Studies Curriculum Standards, Big Ideas and

Outcomes

New Jersey Catholic Schools

2008 - 2009

6.1 Social Studies Skills

• What are the social studies skills?

1. Understand the concept of long ago and far away

2. Understand the concept of past, present and future -

6.1 Social Studies Skills

3. Assess informational sources: primary and secondary correctly

4. Analyze data from informational graphs and charts to capture the content with accuracy and clarity

5. Formulate questions based on past turning points

6.2 Citizenship and Government

• What are the major elements of citizenship?

1. Citizen Rights2. Citizen Responsibilities3. Civic Values4. Civic Symbols5. Civic Holidays

6.2 Citizenship and Government

• What are the major elements of government?

1. Democratic Principles2. Democratic Institutions3. Democratic Documents4. Types of Government5. Purposes of Government

6.3 World History

• What are the major elements of World History?

1. World History is about the culture of the times, place

2. World History is about the turning points of the cultures

6.3 World History

3. World History is about the connections between and among the people and the world

4. It is about the “who’s who” of world history

5. World History is about the analysis of events in the world from multiple perspectives

6.4 United States and New Jersey History• What are the major elements

of United States and New Jersey History?

1. US/NJ History is about the culture of the times, place

2. It is about the turning points of our country/state

6.4 United States and New Jersey History3. It is about the connections between

and among the people of the country, the regions and the state

4. It is about the “who’s who” of our US and NJ history

5. It is about the analysis of events from multiple perspectives

6.5 Economics

• What are the major elements of the economics of our societies?

1. Economics is about real world distinctions between needs and wants in the turning points of time

2. It is about real world understandings between supply and demand in the turning points of time

3. It is about real world understanding about the role/use of credit in the turning points of time

6.5 Economics

4. It is about real world understanding of the characteristics of economic systems –barter and trade, market capitalism and a command economy (communism) in the turning points of time

5. It is about real world understanding of the role of innovation, entrepreneurship, competition and continuous improvement in productivity in the global economy in the turning points of time

6.5 Economics

6. It is about real world understanding of the role of taxes in a democracy in the turning points of time

6.6 Geography• What are the many inter-related

facets of geography?1. Geography impacts history through

location, location, location.

1. Geography impacts history by having a clear understanding of the place/culture, surrounding regions, transportation and communication networks impacting the place

6.6 Geography3. Geography impacts history by a having

a clear understanding of how the people of the place interact with their environment; how the environment impacts the people in that place

4. Geography impacts history by having a a clear understanding of the resources – human, natural, environmental – of the region surrounding the place

New Jersey Catholic Schools Go Green

• Incorporated in each grade’s Geography content is the Going Green Segment.

• Starting from the time the children are very young what can educators do to help the children become good stewards of our Earth?

• Practical, content appropriate examples for stewardship are given. However, educators should feel very free to expand stewardship in other ways and through school wide projects. Go Green!

What is an Outcome, Anyway• Think of an outcome this way:

At the end of the unit my students will be able to answer these questions with accuracy, agility and depth.

• Outcome example:• Explain the role of public

officials including the mayor, governor, president

Using the Outcome Guide• The Outcome guide provides examples of

the vocabulary connected to the unit that the students should be able to use with skill and dexterity.

• The guide also provides a wide and rich range of resources that teachers and students should use throughout the units.

• Suggestion: At the start of each unit give your students – from Grade 4 onward – a copy of the unit guide – outcomes, vocabulary and resources. These would make great study and learning guides for the students.

It’s All About YouPre – Kindergarten

• What Social Studies standards are stressed in PreK?

• History –culture 6.4; Citizenship –rights and responsibilities 6.2; Geography – location and place 6.6

1. PreK gently introduces the children to themselves – new to a larger community called school

It’s All About YouPre – Kindergarten

2. PreK gently introduces the children to their new school community. “So, this is school!”

3. PreK gently introduces the children to their rights and responsibilities to their new community

4. PreK gently introduces the children to the many people in their new community who are there to care for them.

Welcome To My World Kindergarten

• What Social Studies standards are stressed in Kindergarten?

• History – culture 6.4; Geography – 6.6; Citizenship6.2

1. Kindergarten focuses in on staying healthy, happy and safe in the neighborhoods


• Kindergarten focuses on understanding and appreciating the wonder of - ME! All about my family, our celebrations , our rituals, traditions and customs


We are living in hard economic times. The classroom teacher has the awesome role of beginning to talk to the children about economics – as naturally as possible:

• Wants and Needs• Spending and Saving• Goods and Services• Jobs, jobs, jobs• Money


• Kindergarten starts to lay the foundation for geography:

• Locations: maps and globesstreets and townrivers and oceans

• Weather and climate• Landforms and Waterforms • Natural Resources• NJ Goes Green


3. Kindergarten focuses in on the children’s rights and responsibilities within their home, neighborhood and school community

4. Kindergarten focuses in on the many people in their new community who are there to care for them and help them and teach them

My Family, My Culture Grade One

• What Social Studies standards are stressed in Grade One?

• History – culture 6.4; Geography – place, location, environment;

• Citizenship and Government – rules, laws, responsibilities, government, government and historical symbols, civic holidays, turning points, and key personalities in our turning point – 6.4

• Economics – needs, wants, goods and services, spending and saving, money, jobs – 6.5


• The whole intent of SS in Grade One is to begin the process of using natural family happenings and events in connection with the life skills of understanding geography, economics, citizenship, government and, of course, history.

• Through stories, music, art, picture, visuals, software students learn to appreciate “their world” - family and community and school - as it unfolds throughout the year.


• Geography begins with a conscious attempt to ground the children in understanding their world in relation to where they are here and now.

• Globes and maps, map symbols, town, city, county, region, state, country, continent, continents, world, earth – you get to lay the foundation of geographic literacy


• Besides geography you get to begin the process of grounding the children in the understanding of citizenship:

• rights, responsibilities, • rules and law, government, symbols,

holidays, music of our country – all learned in natural ways and in very focused ways throughout the school year.

• Holidays with all of their signs and symbols and heroes and heroines are taught in connection to the feast.


• We are living in hard economic times. The classroom teacher has the awesome role of beginning to talk to the children about economics – as naturally as possible:

• .


• Want and needs, • Spending and Saving• Goods and services • Jobs money• In whatever natural setting you

can, through stories, playing store, pictures…you get to help students begin to learn about STEWARDSHIP

Living in the NeighborhoodGrade Two

• The whole intent of SS in Grade Two is to continue the process of using natural family happenings and events in connection with the life skills of understanding geography, economics, citizenship, government and, of course, history. The family neighborhood will expand

• Through stories, music, art, picture, visuals, software students learn to appreciate “their world” - family, community and neighborhood and school - as it unfolds throughout the year.

Living in the NeighborhoodGrade Two

• What Social Studies standards are stressed in Grade Two?

• History – culture 6.4; Geography – place, location, environment;

• Citizenship and Government – rules, laws, responsibilities, government, government and historical symbols, civic holidays, turning points, and key personalities in our turning point – 6.4

• Economics – needs, wants, goods and services, spending and saving, money, jobs – 6.5

Living in the Neighborhood Grade Two• The concepts of geography continue

with a conscious attempt to ground the children in understanding their world in relation to where they are here and now.

• Globes and maps, map symbols, color keys, map grids, map scale, borders, cardinal directions, compass rose town, city, counties, regions, state, country, continent, continents, world, earth – you get to build the foundation.

• Landforms, waterforms • Natural Resources• Weather and Climate,

Living in the Neighborhood Grade Two

• Besides geography you get to continue the process of grounding the children in the understanding of citizenship: rights, responsibilities, government, symbols, holidays, music of our country – all learned in natural ways and in very focused ways.



• Continuing the process of building a sense of citizenship students begin to learn about local, state and country government through stories, site or virtual visits, letter writing about natural topics….


• We are living in hard economic times. Teachers have the awesome role of beginning to talk to the children about economics – as naturally as possible:

• Want and needs, speeding and saving, good and services, jobs money all gain attention

• In whatever natural setting you can, through stories, pictures…you get to help students begin to learn about STEWARDSHIP

Celebrate Communities All Around the World: Grade Three

• Grade Three has the best content: You get to travel around the whole wide world –past and present – studying the different kinds of communities.

• Suggestion: Choose four different countries around the globe that are of interest to you and/or your students.

• Use stories, pictures, travel logs, interviews of people from the area to get the real story of the culture you have chosen. Find out about the life of the children and parents living in the communities


• Interview the parents. “How did you celebrate Christmas in Honduras? What was Grade 3 like for you? The questions are endless.”

• Show pictures from visits to the country. Talk, talk, talk.

• Set up pen-pals in your new country.• Bottom line: Because a ‘citizen’ of

your four new countries


• Choose from urban, rural, suburban communities.

• Choose from a community somewhere within this country that you want to know more about

• Choose from a Native American Community that stirs curiosity within you.


• The concepts of geography continue with a conscious attempt to ground the children in understanding their world in relation to where they are here and now.

• Globes and maps, map symbols, color keys, map grids, map scale, borders, cardinal directions, intermediate directions, latitude, longitude, compass rose town, city, counties, regions, state, country, continent, continents, world, earth – you get to build the foundation

• Landforms and Waterforms• Natural Resources• Weather and Climate


• Besides geography you get to continue the process of grounding the children in the understanding of citizenship: rights, responsibilities, government – local, state, federal, symbols, holidays, music of our country – all learned in natural ways and in very focused ways.


Celebrate Communities All Around the World: Grade Three• We are living in hard economic times.

Teachers have the awesome role of beginning to talk to the children about economics – as naturally as possible:

• Want and Needs• Spending and Saving• Goods and Services • Jobs and Money • In whatever natural setting you can,

through stories, pictures…you get to help students begin to learn about STEWARDSHIP

New Jersey, New Jersey, New Jersey

Grade Four• The whole point of Grade 4 Social

Studies is to focus the attention of the students on the state of New Jersey. The focus on New Jerseywill connect with the economy and geography of New Jersey; the civics and government of this state, the key players in our state Turning Points – History .


Grade Four• Not only will the focus of the

grade be on New Jersey – the state – but also the different regions throughout the state –and again from the perspectives of geography, economics and turning points.

• It is all about New Jersey!


Grade Four• In Grade Four you will continue to teach

Native Americans – but only those on this east coast – the Lenape.

• You will continue to teach the Explorers –but only those here on the east coast.

• You will continue to teach the first settlers– but only here on the east coast.

• And that’s the end of your history sections – unto the early settlers. Period.

United States, United States, United States

Grade Five• The whole point of Grade Five

Social Studies is to focus the attention of the students to the United States. The focus on the United States will connect with the economy and geography of our country; the civics and government of our country, the key players in our country’s Turning Points – History .


Grade Five• In Grade Five you will continue to teach

Native Americans – one group from each of the regions of the United States

• You will continue to teach the Explorers –one from each of the regions.

• You will continue to teach the first settlers– from across the regions of the United States.

• And that’s the end of your history sections – up to the early settlers. Period


Grade Five

• Not only will the focus of the grade be on the United States –but also on the different regionsthroughout the country from the perspectives of geography, economics and turning points.

Ancient Civilizations Grade Six

• Grade Six students get to start at the very beginning – the beginning of ancient civilizations.

• Grade Six Students get to visit each of the continents to see how our civilizations started, grew, declined and rebuilt

Ancient Civilizations Grade Six• Hunters and Gathers –

Mesopotamia, too• Egypt and Nubia• India and China• Greece and Rome• Maya, Aztec and Inca


• Each and every civilization must be studied from the perspectives of its geography and economics;

• Study the culture from the perspective of its citizens and its government; its major players in the development of the civilization


• Grade Six Social Studies sheds the spotlight on ancient civilizations: How they started, how they grew, how they developed, and how they fell. Period

• The Middle Ages will be taken up again in Grade 9 when the students study World Culture


• As teachers of Grade Six Ancient Civilizations is it imperative for the children’s sense of history/herstory that you take the time to work the stories in and through the arts, the crafts, the architecture of the ancient times.

• Learn all about the people of the times who contributed to the turning points. Take time to enjoy the stories of the peoples of ancient times.

American HistoryFrom the Colonists to Reconstruction

Grade Seven• You get to start the study of

American History off with the first colonists and show how the country grew and developed to the point that we had a Civil War over our development.

• End the year with Reconstruction.• Spend time, treasure and resources

understanding the need to reconstruct the country founded on freedom.

American HistoryFrom the Colonists to Reconstruction Grade Seven• As you trace our stories from

the colonist time onward you need to know that the historical events mean nothing if they do not connect with the geography and economics of the place and time.


Grade Seven• As you show the growth and

development of our country by settlers bound for freedom you have to make the natural connections in the turning points that seeded our government and rules of citizenship


Grade Seven• The Original Colonists• American Revolution• Creating the Constitution• Citizenship and Government• The New Republic• Thomas Jefferson• A Changing Nation - Andrew Jackson• Civil War• Reconstruction

American History From the Big Business to the Present

Grade Eight• Because Grade 7 started their

work with the first colonists and ended with the need to put the country back together again –reconstruction - you get to start the story with the growth of Big Business that came after the war and end up the year with the Gulf War


Grade Eight• As you weave the stories of the

growth, development, crisis and rising of our country you need to be sure to connect the turning points with its geography and economics of the place and time



growth, development, crisis and rising of our country you need to be sure to connect the turning points with the development of our democracy, role of our citizens, the law and order that protects us.



growth, development, crisis and rising of our country you need to be sure to connect the turning points with an understanding of the economics that impacted the event: Goods, services, supply, demand, jobs, resources…

• Without an understanding of the economy the turning point won’t make much sense.


Grade Eight• Growth of Industry• Progressive Era• Foreign Relations• World War I• Roaring Twenties• Great Depression and New Deal• World War II• Cold War• Civil Rights• Vietnam Era• Relations with the Middle East

Definition of Social Studies• His- story or herstory of turning

points in time that were impacted by the geography, economics and or citizens or government of the time and place.

• Charge: Tell our story well. Use our stories, our music and our art …to aid you. Tell our story well.