My Community |
6.1 U.S. History: America in the World: All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities. 6.3 Active Citizenship in the 21st Century All students will acquire the skills needed to be active, informed citizens who value diversity and promote cultural understanding by working collaboratively to address the challenges that are inherent in living in an interconnected world. Focus of this Unit: - Students will explore the need for rules and laws created by community, state, and national governments. They will explore these elements through historical narratives, community responses, and individual experiences. From these exposures students will understand what it means to be an active citizen. Students will compare their communities, states, and national governments to others in order to gain a cultural perspective.
- Students will be exposed to geographic tools that will encourage spatial awareness. They will understand the organization of people, places, and the environment as well as their physical and human properties. They will learn how human activity can accommodate or endanger these properties. These activities cause regions to form and change.
- Students will learn how people make decisions based on their needs, wants, and the availability of resources. They will learn how technology influences local, national, and global economies.
- Students will recognize key historical events, documents, symbols, and individuals that led to the development of our nation. Students will participate in discussions about American culture based on specific traditions, values, and beliefs that have been influenced by different cultural groups living in the United States.
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NJ STUDENT LEARNING STANDARDS |
6.1.4.A.1 Explain how rules and laws created by community, state, and national governments protect the rights of people, help resolve conflicts, and promote the common good. 6.1.4.A.2 Explain how fundamental rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights (i.e., freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to vote, and the right to due process) contribute to the continuation and improvement of American democracy. 6.1.4.A.3 Determine how “fairness,” “equality,” and the “ common good” have influenced change at the local and national levels of United States government. 6.1.4.A.4 Explain how the United States government is organized and how the United States Constitution defines and limits the power of government. 6.1.4.A.5 Distinguish the roles and responsibilities of the three branches of the national government. 6.1.4.A.7 Explain how the United States functions as a representative democracy, and describe the roles of elected representatives and how they interact with citizens at local, state, and national levels. 6.1.4.A.8 Compare and contrast how government functions at the community, county, state, and national levels, the services provided, and the impact of policy decisions made at each level. 6.1.4.A.9 Compare and contrast responses of individuals and groups, past and present, to violations of fundamental rights. 6.1.4.A.11 Explain how the fundamental rights of the individual and the common good of the country depend upon all citizens exercising their civic responsibilities at the community, state, national, and global levels. 6.1.4.A.12 Explain the process of creating change at the local, state, or national level 6.1.4.A.16 Explore how national and international leaders, businesses, and global organizations promote human rights and provide aid to individuals and nations in need. 6.1.4.B.1 Compare and contrast information that can be found on different types of maps, and determine when the information may be useful. 6.1.4.B.2 Use physical and political maps to explain how the location and spatial relationship of places in New Jersey, the United States, and other areas, worldwide, have contributed to cultural diffusion and economic interdependence. 6.1.4.B.3 Explain how and when it is important to use digital geographic tools, political maps, and globes to measure distances and to determine time zones and locations using latitude and longitude. 6.1.4.B.4 Describe how landforms, climate and weather, and availability of resources have impacted where and how people live and work in different regions of New Jersey and the United States. 6.1.4.B.6 Compare and contrast characteristics of regions in the United States based on culture, economics, politics, and physical environment to understand the concept of regionalism. 6.1.4.B.7 Explain why some locations in New Jersey and the United States are more suited for settlement than others. 6.1.4.B.8 Compare ways people choose to use and divide natural resources 6.1.4.B.9 Relate advances in science and technology to environmental concerns, and to actions taken to address them. 6.1.4.B.10 Identify the major cities in New Jersey, the United States, and major world regions, and explain how maps, globes, and demographic tools can be used to understand tangible and intangible cultural differences. 6.1.4.C.1 Apply opportunity cost to evaluate individuals’ decisions, including ones made in their communities. 6.1.4.C.2 Distinguish between needs and wants and explain how scarcity and choice influence decisions made by individuals, communities, and nations. 6.1.4.C.3 Explain why incentives vary between and among producers and consumers. 6.1.4.C.4 Describe how supply and demand influence price and output of products. 6.1.4.C.5 Explain the role of specialization in the production and exchange of goods and services. 6.1.4.C.7 Explain how the availability of private and public goods and services is influenced by the global market and government. 6.1.4.C.8 Illustrate how production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services are interrelated and are affected by the global market and events in the world community. 6.1.4.C.9 Compare and contrast how access to and use of resources affects people across the world differently. 6.1.4.C.10 Explain the role of money, savings, debt, and investment in individuals’ lives. 6.1.4.C.11 Recognize the importance of setting long-term goals when making financial decisions within the community. 6.1.4.C.13 Determine the qualities of entrepreneurs in a capitalistic society. 6.1.4.C.14 Compare different regions of New Jersey to determine the role that geography, natural resources, climate, transportation, technology, and/or the labor force have played in economic opportunities. 6.1.4.C.15 Describe how the development of different transportation systems impacted the economies of New Jersey and the United States. 6.1.4.C.16 Explain how creativity and innovation resulted in scientific achievement and inventions in many cultures during different historical periods. 6.1.4.C.17 Determine the role of science and technology in the transition from an agricultural society to an industrial society, and then to the information age. 6.1.4.C.18 Explain how the development of communications systems has led to increased collaboration and the spread of ideas throughout the United States and the world. 6.1.4.D.2 Summarize reasons why various groups, voluntarily and involuntarily, immigrated to New Jersey and America, and describe the challenges they encountered. 6.1.4.D.3 Evaluate the impact of voluntary and involuntary immigration on America’s growth as a nation, historically and today. 6.1.4.D.5 Relate key historical documents (i.e., the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights) to present day government and citizenship. 6.1.4.D.6 Describe the civic leadership qualities and historical contributions of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin toward the development of the United States government. 6.1.4.D.11 Determine how local and state communities have changed over time, and explain the reasons for changes. 6.1.4.D.12 Explain how folklore and the actions of famous historical and fictional characters from New Jersey and other regions of the United States contributed to the American national heritage. 6.1.4.D.14 Trace how the American identity evolved over time. 6.1.4.D.17 Explain the role of historical symbols, monuments, and holidays and how they affect the American identity. 6.1.4.D.18 Explain how an individual’s beliefs, values, and traditions may reflect more than one culture. 6.1.4.D.19 Explain how experiences and events may be interpreted differently by people with different cultural or individual perspectives. 6.1.4.D.20 Describe why it is important to understand the perspectives of other cultures in an interconnected world. 6.3.4.A.1 Evaluate what makes a good rule or law. 6.3.4.A.3 Select a local issue and develop a group action plan to inform school and/or community members about the issue. 6.3.4.B.1 Plan and participate in an advocacy project to inform others about environmental issues at the local or state level and propose possible solutions.
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Essential Questions |
- How do citizens, civic ideals, and government institutions interact to balance the needs of individuals and the common good?
- How have economic, political, and cultural decisions promoted or prevented the growth of personal freedom, individual responsibility, equality, and respect for human dignity?
- How do physical geography, human geography, and the human environment interact to influence or determine the development of cultures, societies, and nations?
- How can individuals, groups, and societies apply economic reasoning to make difficult choices about scarce resources? What are the possible consequences of these decisions for individuals, groups, and societies?
- How have scientific and technological developments over the course of history changed the way people live and economies and governments function?
- How do our interpretations of past events inform our understanding of cause and effect, and continuity and change, and how do they influence our beliefs and decisions about current public policy issues?
- How can the study of multiple perspectives, beliefs systems, and cultures provide a context for understanding and challenging public actions and decisions in a diverse and interdependent world?
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Civics, Government, and Human Rights |
Core Content/Objectives | Instructional Actions |
Concepts What students will know
| Skills What students will be able to do
| Activities/Strategies Learning Activities/ Differentiation Interdisciplinary Connections | Assessment How learning will be assessed |
- How do leaders help their community?
| - Children learn about community leaders. In an experimental exercise, they elect imaginary people to act as class leaders and learn that a similar procedure is used to elect community leaders.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 12
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstrate an understanding of problems and solutions within a community (example: SSA activity 12.4)
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- What do communities share?
| - Children learn about some of the things shared by communities in the United States. In and experiential exercise, they discover the economic interdependence of communities by exchanging product cards.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 14
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, create a presentation that would show a aspect of their community that could be shared with others (example: SSA activity 14.4)
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- What does a good citizen do?
| - Children learn what they can do to be good citizens in their community.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 13
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of students knowledge through a writing activity (example: SSA activity 13.4)
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- How can one person make a difference in a community?
| - Children learn how four people from the past made a difference in their communities. In a response group activity, children speculate about possible solutions to given community problems and compare their solutions to how people actually solve their problems.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 11
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification and recognition of contributing community member (example: SSA activity 11.4)
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| - Children learn that a community is a place where people live, work, play, and solve problems together. In a problem solving group work activity they design a community that includes places to live, work, and play.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 1
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification of services provided by their own community (example: SSA activity 1.4)
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- Who provides services in a community?
| - Children learn about service occupations in a community. They will read descriptions of different occupations and perform pantomimes.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 7
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of knowledge about community occupations (example: SSA activity 7.5)
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Geography, People, and the Environment |
Core Content/Objectives | Instructional Actions |
Concepts What students will know
| Skills What students will be able to do
| Activities/Strategies Learning Activities/ Differentiation Interdisciplinary Connections | Assessment How learning will be assessed |
| - Children discover what a map is and learn to use the basic features. They discover the purpose of maps as they read and answer questions about them.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 3
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstrate knowledge by drawing a map (example: SSA activity 3.8)
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- What do communities share?
| - Children learn about some of the things shared by communities in the United States. In and experiential exercise, they discover the economic interdependence of communities by exchanging product cards.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 14
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, create a presentation that would show a aspect of their community that could be shared with others (example: SSA activity 14.4)
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| - Children learn that communities have different geographic features and that physical maps show these features. They practice identifying geographic features and locating them on physical maps.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 4
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of knowledge through illustrations of physical map features (example: SSA activity 4.5)
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| - Children learn that a community is a place where people live, work, play, and solve problems together. In a problem solving group work activity they design a community that includes places to live, work, and play.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 1
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification of services provided by their own community (example: SSA activity 1.4)
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- How are goods made and brought to us?
| - Children learn how goods are produced and distributed in an experiential exercise. Children make a simple toy using assembly line techniques. They participate in a relay race to learn more about the ways goods are transported to stores.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 6
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, creation of a product and distribution plan (example: SSA activity 6.5)
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- How do people use our environment?
| - Children explore how people use the environment. In a response group activity, they explore how people use natural resources in various environments, and discovered effects of pollution caused by misuse of the environment.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 5
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of new knowledge about uses of environments (example: SSA activity 5.7)
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- How are communities different?
| - Children learn about three types of communities. In a visual discovery activity they learn about the features, advantages, and disadvantages of urban, suburban, and rural communities.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 2
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, students will compare and contrast the pros and cons of the three community environments (example: SSA activity 2.6)
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- How do communities change?
| - Children learn how communities change. In a problem solving group work activity, children create a plan to make a neighborhood better.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 9
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, discussion about community changes (example: SSA activity 9.5)
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- How do leaders help their community?
| - Children learn about community leaders. In an experimental exercise, they elect imaginary people to act as class leaders and learn that a similar procedure is used to elect community leaders.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 12
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstrate an understanding of problems and solutions within a community (example: SSA activity 12.4)
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- How can one person make a difference in a community?
| - Children learn how four people from the past made a difference in their communities. In a response group activity, children speculate about possible solutions to given community problems and compare their solutions to how people actually solve their problems.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 11
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification and recognition of contributing community member (example: SSA activity 11.4)
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- How did one community change?
| - Children learn how San Francisco changed from a small seaport into a large urban area. In a visual discovery activity, they analyze images of San Francisco before and after the earthquake.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 10
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, provide a written and visual description of a person from that time period (example: SSA activity 10.5)
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Economics, Innovation, and Technology |
Core Content/Objectives | Instructional Actions |
Concepts What students will know
| Skills What students will be able to do
| Activities/Strategies Learning Activities/ Differentiation Interdisciplinary Connections | Assessment How learning will be assessed |
- How can I be a good shopper?
| - Children learn what it means to be a good consumer. In and experimental exercise, children make choices about what to buy, and learn to distinguish between economic needs and wants.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 8
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, product comparison (example: SSA activity 8.4)
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- What do communities share?
| - Children learn about some of the things shared by communities in the United States. In and experiential exercise, they discover the economic interdependence of communities by exchanging product cards.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 14
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, create a presentation that would show a aspect of their community that could be shared with others (example: SSA activity 14.4)
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- How are goods made and brought to us?
| - Children learn how goods are produced and distributed in an experiential exercise. Children make a simple toy using assembly line techniques. They participate in a relay race to learn more about the ways goods are transported to stores.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 6
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, creation of a product and distribution plan (example: SSA activity 6.5)
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- Who provides services in a community?
| - Children learn about service occupations in a community. They will read descriptions of different occupations and perform pantomimes.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 7
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of knowledge about community occupations (example: SSA activity 7.5)
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- How do leaders help their community?
| - Children learn about community leaders. In an experimental exercise, they elect imaginary people to act as class leaders and learn that a similar procedure is used to elect community leaders.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 12
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstrate an understanding of problems and solutions within a community (example: SSA activity 12.4)
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- What does a good citizen do?
| - Children learn what they can do to be good citizens in their community.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 13
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of students knowledge through a writing activity (example: SSA activity 13.4)
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| - Children learn that communities have different geographic features and that physical maps show these features. They practice identifying geographic features and locating them on physical maps.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 4
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of knowledge through illustrations of physical map features (example: SSA activity 4.5)
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- How do people use our environment?
| - Children explore how people use the environment. In a response group activity, they explore how people use natural resources in various environments, and discovered effects of pollution caused by misuse of the environment.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 5
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of new knowledge about uses of environments (example: SSA activity 5.7)
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- How can one person make a difference in a community?
| - Children learn how four people from the past made a difference in their communities. In a response group activity, children speculate about possible solutions to given community problems and compare their solutions to how people actually solve their problems.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 11
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification and recognition of contributing community member (example: SSA activity 11.4)
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- How do communities change?
| - Children learn how communities change. In a problem solving group work activity, children create a plan to make a neighborhood better.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 9
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, discussion about community changes (example: SSA activity 9.5)
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History, Culture, and Perspectives |
Core Content/Objectives | Instructional Actions |
Concepts What students will know
| Skills What students will be able to do
| Activities/Strategies Learning Activities/ Differentiation Interdisciplinary Connections | Assessment How learning will be assessed |
- How do communities change?
| - Children learn how communities change. In a problem solving group work activity, children create a plan to make a neighborhood better.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 9
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, discussion about community changes (example: SSA activity 9.5)
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| - Children learn that a community is a place where people live, work, play, and solve problems together. In a problem solving group work activity they design a community that includes places to live, work, and play.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 1
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification of services provided by their own community (example: SSA activity 1.4)
|
- What do communities share?
| - Children learn about some of the things shared by communities in the United States. In and experiential exercise, they discover the economic interdependence of communities by exchanging product cards.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 14
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, create a presentation that would show a aspect of their community that could be shared with others (example: SSA activity 14.4)
|
- How are communities different?
| - Children learn about three types of communities. In a visual discovery activity they learn about the features, advantages, and disadvantages of urban, suburban, and rural communities.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 2
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, students will compare and contrast the pros and cons of the three community environments (example: SSA activity 2.6)
|
- How do leaders help their community?
| - Children learn about community leaders. In an experimental exercise, they elect imaginary people to act as class leaders and learn that a similar procedure is used to elect community leaders.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 12
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstrate an understanding of problems and solutions within a community (example: SSA activity 12.4)
|
- How can one person make a difference in a community?
| - Children learn how four people from the past made a difference in their communities. In a response group activity, children speculate about possible solutions to given community problems and compare their solutions to how people actually solve their problems.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 11
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, identification and recognition of contributing community member (example: SSA activity 11.4)
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- How can I be a good shopper?
| - Children learn what it means to be a good consumer. In and experimental exercise, children make choices about what to buy, and learn to distinguish between economic needs and wants.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 8
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, product comparison (example: SSA activity 8.4)
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- How do people use our environment?
| - Children explore how people use the environment. In a response group activity, they explore how people use natural resources in various environments, and discovered effects of pollution caused by misuse of the environment.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 5
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of new knowledge about uses of environments (example: SSA activity 5.7)
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- What does a good citizen do?
| - Children learn what they can do to be good citizens in their community.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 13
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of students knowledge through a writing activity (example: SSA activity 13.4)
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- Who provides services in a community?
| - Children learn about service occupations in a community. They will read descriptions of different occupations and perform pantomimes.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 7
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, demonstration of knowledge about community occupations (example: SSA activity 7.5)
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- How did one community change?
| - Children learn how San Francisco changed from a small seaport into a large urban area. In a visual discovery activity, they analyze images of San Francisco before and after the earthquake.
| - Social Studies Alive! My Community: Lesson 10
| - Formative: teacher observations, student participation, provide a written and visual description of a person from that time period (example: SSA activity 10.5)
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Evidence of Learning |
Assessment: - Formative Assessment Strategies
- Rubrics
- Unit Assessments
- Performance Assessments
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Equipment Needed: - Social Studies Alive – My Community
| Teacher Resources:
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