Social Studies Technology Project-- The Ohio Model

GRADE 4 Angie Stover Allison Palser Dawn Hughes Karla Gaier

RATIONAL The social studies program for the fourth grade examines the six strands by using the fifty states as the context for study. Particular emphasis is given to Ohio, its past, its people, and its institutions. Ohio’s links with other states, as well as the rest of the world, enable students to explore enduring social studies ideas in a familiar setting.

Instructional Objectives American Heritage People in Societies World Interactions Decision making and Resources Democratic Processes Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

American Heritage In the fourth grade students will: Group state events by broadly defined historical eras and place them in sequence Explore cause and effect relationships by creating a time line of state events Explore sources of information about Ohio history Identify significant individuals and events in state history and explain their importance Investigate the geography of Ohio Use maps and aerial photos to detect uses of the environment Will point out the political boundaries of a local community and identify common characteristics of the community

ACTIVITIES-- American Heritage Have students choose a famous Ohioan and create a small speech about the individual’s life. Students can link to the Oregon Trail web site and learn, interactively, about the Ohio Pioneers. Students can create “State-Alphabet” books about Ohio. Students, in groups, can make classroom-size timelines of great events in Ohio’s history. Using topographic maps, students can find the different levels of land and the areas in which the glacier came across.

WEBSITES-- American Heritage

People in Societies By: Allison Palser

The learner will: 4 Identify various cultural groups that have settled in Ohio. 4 Examine the contributions of people of various cultural groups to Ohio’s development. 4 Indicate on a map where various cultural groups to Ohio’s development. 4 Indicate on a map where various cultural groups have settled in Ohio. 4 Examine how Ohio’s government deals with the needs and demands of various cultural groups, 4 Identify how members of Ohio’s various cultural groups make a living. 4 Compare customs, traditions, and needs of Ohio’s various cultural groups.

Websites

Activities 4 The child will develop a definition of the word culture. They will then write an essay including information about their culture. 4 The class will work together to create a multicultural calendar. They will fill in dates holidays and other important events from the cultures that they choose. 4 The class will identify historical mounds in Ohio, and find out which Indians created these landmarks. The students can even create mounds of their own. 4 The class will have a culture day in which the students and teachers will bring in food, pictures, souvenirs to share the difference of cultures. 4 The student will create a story about exploring another culture.

World Interactions By: Allison Palser

The learner will: 4 Develop map skills 4 Use maps as a source of information 4 Demonstrate the relationship between historical events in Ohio, nations and world. 4 Describe factors that helped influence the location, growth, and development of places in Ohio. 4 Create tables, charts and graphs to compare climate, vegetation, and resources in Ohio. 4 Recognize that the government if Ohio deals with the governments of other nations. 4 Recognize the interdependence of Ohio’s economy with nations around the world. 4 Define a region of the basis of its common characteristics.

Websites

Activities 4 Students will do a research report on Ohio. It should include facts about Ohio, information about the government, economy, tourism, culture and history. 4 Students will learn how to read a map. They will use a grid to find out the capital, major rivers and highways etc. They will also compare and contrast physical and political maps. 4 Students will take part in research upon a certain historical event. They will then create a small skit to present to the rest of the class. 4 Students will pretend that they are mapmakers, and construct their own community. 4 Students will create their own globe, using a tennis ball. They will label all parts. Then discuss pros and cons of map types.

Decision Making and Resources This strand focuses on the decisions that individuals and societies make in addressing wants. Also, how resources are used to satisfy wants. The learner will: * explain how developing skills and knowledge allows them to become better consumers *identify the resources needed to produce a good or service *describe the role of each factor of production

Decision Making and Resources: Web Sites subjectID=2&SubheadID=2&TopicID=56&Grade_Value=2 5.

Decision Making and Resources: Activities- 1. Students will make a brochure about the advantages and disadvantages of specialization in the production process. 2. Students will discover on maps where different resources are found. 3. Students will look over several grocery ads. Then they will decide what would be the most beneficial to them as a consumer and which way would be the most beneficial to the producer.

4. Students will come up with a list of items that require numerous resources to compose. Then each student will further research what resources are needed for their good and will classify each resource by the factors of production. 5. Students will be given a income to work with and will be given a list of what they consume. Students may have to limit certain items they use. The goal is to at least break even. Activities Cont’d

Democratic Processes This strand focuses on what it means to live in a democratic society. The learner will: identify the purposes of state government explain what each branch of the local and state govt. does link examples of govt.. actions with the purposes of the state govt.

Democratic Processes: Web Sites

Democratic Processes: Activities 1. Students will participate in a mock senator debate. Each student will represent a different state. 2. Students will go through the process of how a bill becomes a law. 3. Students will make commercials to illustrate how the govt. promotes order and society.

Activities Cont Students will write a letter to Governor Taft. Topics may include things such as a issue that the student is confused about or a issue that they feel strongly about. 5. Students will get web pals in fourth grade classes in different states. Students will discuss similarities and differences in their states democratic processes.

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities  This strand provides a context for examining and engaging in the activities that are a part of an adult’s public life.  During the Fourth grade students will be able to do the following. –Differentiate between facts and opinions. –Gain information about issues facing local and state governments. –Discuss issues facing local and state governments –Assume leadership roles and reflect dispositions that will enhances the learner’s effectiveness in addressing public issues.

Activities -- These are some activities to do with your fourth graders concerning citizenship rights & responsibilities. 1. Engage the students in a discussion about what a fact is and what an opinion is. Have the students write opinions on the board in one column and facts in another column and compare the differences between the two kinds of statements. 2. Discuss with the children some issues that are concerning the state and local governments at the time. Have the students divide into two groups and have each group take an issue and try to interpret what they think the issue means. 3. Have the students vote on how they feel about each issue. Divide the students up according to how they voted and have the groups debate about why they agreed or disagreed with the issue. Have the students identify whether they are making an opinion or stating a fact during the debate.

Activities Continued Have the students discuss the different leaders that are in their sate or town (governor,mayor, town counsel, etc.). Have the students collect data on the Internet about each person and make a chart of the different duties that each person or group performs. 5. The students will do some investigating and acquire some information on the viewpoints of the governor or mayor on certain issues on the Internet. They will show this on the board with a compare and contrast chart showing the class’s opinion and the governor or mayor’s opinion on each issue.

Web Sites to Explore These web sites can be used by the students to find information for projects, or by the teacher to introduce information to the students.

General Overview 4 There are six strands in Ohio’s Model Competency-Based Program. 1. American Heritage 2. People in Societies 3. World Interactions 4. Decision Making and Resources 5. Democratic Processes 6. Citizenship Rights & Responsibilities

Conclusion 4 This model is designed to enhance the quality of social studies learning. 4 To achieve the goals that this model has set teachers should become familiar with it and use it to help guide them in setting up activities for the students. Final assembly by Angie Stover