SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE OF STUDY ALLISON WALLACE 4TH GRADE

1st GOAL 4 To enable students to gather and interpret information using perspectives from appropriate fields of socials studies, to use methods and skills drawn from the social studies and to actively engage in learning.

2nd GOAL 4 To enable students to explain how the world’s people cope with challenges of existence, examine issues from multiple perspectives, and respect individual and cultural diversity.

3rd GOAL 4 To enable students to work with others, make informed judgement and decisions, and act in accordance with democratic processes and principles.

AMERICAN HERITAGE

ACTIVITIES 4 Make a timeline plotting events occurring throughout U.S. history. 4 Discuss cause and effect relationships like the existence of swamps and the production of coal. 4 Discuss alternative cause and effect relationships like “What if the British would have won the Revolution?’

 Identify significant individuals and events in state history and explain their significance. Examples: Tecumseh and Neil Armstrong.  Investigate the cultural diversity of an area by listing the various types of churches and recreational activities. MORE ACTIVITIES

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY http.//

ACTIVITIES 1. Identify various cultural groups that have settled in Ohio. 2. Imagine you are a mound builder and decide which of your treasures you would like to bury. 3. Indicate on a map where various cultural groups have settled in Ohio.

MORE ACTIVITIES 4. Discuss various customs of different cultural groups and make a booklet depicting these specific customs. 5. Divide class into groups and have each group research an report on one of Ohio’s ethnic groups.

WORLD INTERACTIONS

ACTIVITIES 1. Use maps to locate major landforms and bodies of water in Ohio, the United States, and other nations in the world. 2. Use Rand McNally Ohio desk maps or off road maps to locate familiar places and cities on a map. 3. Study similarities and differences of various map symbols and have children create their own map legend.

MORE ACTIVITIES 4. Using an Ohio map, interpret the legend to describe climate, natural vegetation and resources. 5. Describe the location of Ohio relative to other states, nations and physical features of the world like Canada and the Mississippi River.

DECISION MAKING AND RESOURCES

ACTIVITIES 1. Identify the resources needed to produce a good or service and classify each resource by the factors of production creativity. 2. Make a large outline of Ohio. Draw symbols for products produced in Ohio and cut and paste them on the correct area of the map. At the bottom make a key of the symbols.

MORE ACTIVITIES 3. Trace the resources needed to make a pair of jeans. For example: cotton seeds, farm workers, weaving machines etc. 4. Design a class business to use the factors of production such a making and distributing secret Valentine hearts. 5. Read Making Cents, Every Kid’s Guide to Money by Elizabeth Wilkinson.

DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES

ACTIVITIES 2. Discuss the laws, regulations and decisions that govern a state. 3. Discuss the basic function of each branch of local, state and federal governments. 1. Discuss the purposes of state government.

MORE ACTIVITIES 4. Make a chart of the branches of government of local, state and federal. 5. Set up a “class government”. Have the class divided into the three branches of government and discuss the various jobs of the branches and have students makes decisions regarding class actions.

CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ACTIVITIES 1. Discuss how to differentiate between opinions and facts. 2. Give the students a series of statements about public issues or policies and have them identify each as fact or opinion. 3. Discuss the ordinances, laws, regulations and decisions that govern the local community and state.

MORE ACTIVITIES 5. Take a field trip to the state capital and watch a governmental session. 4. Identify and discuss the the personal characteristics that are conducive to group decision making, cooperative activity, and personal involvement in the community.

CONCLUSION Because of the activities and discussions throughout the year, the students should have a good understanding of Ohio and the factors that affect the governing and resources of the state.