School Administrative District #4
Unity of purpose
K-12 SOCIAL-STUDIES PROGRAM
Summer, 1998
Curriculum Team:
Elementary Schools:
Abbie Fowler, Cambridge, Guilford Primary, McKusick, Wellington
Linda L. Eberbach
Audrey Noether
Darlene Patten
Piscataquis Community Middle School
Bob Berta
Ellen Haley
Bill Savage
Jean Sweetser
Piscataquis Community High School
Steve Bell
Tim Scott
Mark Wallace
School Administrative District #4
Unity of purpose
CORE CURRICULUM: CONTENT-AREA PHILOSOPHY
Department: Social Studies
The social-studies program, K-12, focuses upon people as a unifying theme; consequently, the content of social studies is based in the social development of humankind throughout time and includes instruction in history, geography, civics and government, and economics. At the high-school level, electives in psychology, contemporary issues, and global economics are also offered. The social-studies program allows students to explore the social sciences and the humanities through which they develop an understanding of themselves and others and to explore the chronology of history and major eras to make connections among past, present, and future people and events. As facilitators of learning, teachers of social studies begin with what students already know about people and places in the immediate environment, move gradually outward to the less familiar and the more abstract, and proceed to an in-depth study of specific environments.
The purpose and direction of a social-studies
curriculum in the
An active program of social studies instruction requires an environment that is interesting and dynamic and that provides materials, technology, and time for hands-on investigations. These activities should provide experiences that develop open-mindedness and critical thinking. Students should be given the opportunity to learn from a variety of stimulating and challenging activities that are relevant to their lives.
In a balanced approach to instruction, not all assessment will be based on the idea of producing error-free work. While in some cases, assessment will be based on the quality of a product, in others it will also be based on the student's involvement in the process. As a student moves through the grades, therefore, both product and process will be integral parts of the assessment of his/her overall learning.
School Administrative District #4
Unity of purpose
CORE CURRICULUM: CONTENT STANDARDS
Department: Social Studies
1. HISTORY
The study of history acquaints students with human experience through time and helps them to recognize relationships between and among events and people and to identify patterns, themes, and turning points of change, using the chronology of history and major eras. In interpreting current and historical events, students evalu-ate the credibility and perspectives of information gathered from multiple sources. Students are expected to (1) use the chronology of history and major eras to demonstrate the relationships between and among events and people; (2) develop historical knowledge of major events, people, and enduring themes in Maine, in the United States, and throughout the world; and (3) evaluate source material such as documents, artifacts, maps, artworks, and literature; and to make judgments about the perspectives of the authors and their credibility when interpreting current historical events.
2. GEOGRAPHY
The study of geography involves understanding the relationships among people and environments. Students learn how to construct and interpret maps and how to use globes and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, regions, and environments. In an integrated way, students study people and the physical characteristics and processes of the earth's surface to understand causes and effects, ecosystems, human behavior, patterns of population, inter-dependence, resources, cooperation and conflict and the process by which these are shaped by economic, political, and cultural systems. Students are expected to (1) know how to construct and interpret maps and use globes and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, regions, and environments; and (2) understand and analyze the relationships between people and their physical environments. The study of geography includes the study of ethnology, the study of socio-economic systems and cultural heritage, especially of cultural origins and of factors influencing cultural growth and change in technology. Students are expected to (1) develop an understanding of ethnic, gender, socio-economic, religious, and political differences among people; (2) understand that cultural diversity can be both a boon and a bane to society; and (3) understand that cultural change is evolutionary and somewhat predictable.
3. CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT
The study of civics and government provides students
the opportunity to learn about the constitutional principles and the democratic
foundations of local, state, and national systems and institutions, as well
as the opportunity to learn how to exercise the rights and responsibilities
of participation in civic life and how to analyze and evaluate public policies. Political
relationships among the
4. ECONOMICS
The study of economics includes
understanding concepts of production, distribution, and consumption needed
to make decisions as effective participants in an international economy.
Students come to understand the development, principles, institutions, relationships
to culture, and change over time of economic systems in the
The study of psychology is a study of behavior and mental processes. This study is essentially scientific because psychologists base their hypotheses on observation, test those hypotheses to validate them, and refine them in order to suggest practical applications. All students are expected to (1) develop an understanding of themselves and others as they learn the principles and processes of psychology and (2) enhance their ability to think critically as they examine and evaluate competing ideas and claims.
The study of contemporary issues provides students with a multi-disciplinary forum to discuss contemporary issues ranging from immediate questions of law and policy to basic assumptions about the nature of individuals, groups, and institutions. The class will focus on the historical, governmental, cultural, economic, and psycho-logical factors that help shape the world around them. All students are expected to (1) develop an understanding of themselves and the role(s) they play in helping to shape their future, as well as that of others; (2) enhance their ability to evaluate and think critically as they examine contemporary issues; and (3) predict future outcomes based on the current information available on selected topics.
The study of global economics includes understanding advanced concepts of production, distribution, and consumption needed to make decisions as effective participants in an international economy. Students are expected to (1) understand that economic decisions are based on the availability of resources and the costs and benefits of choices; (2) understand the economic system of the United States, including principles, development, and institutions; (3) analyze how different economic systems function and change over time; and (4) understand the patterns and results of international trade.
What To Look For
In A Social-Studies Classroom
When The Curriculum Is Being Implemented
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Lesson plans and/or agendas that reflect the curriculum |
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Visuals and bulletin boards that reflect various components of the curriculum |
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Student access to a variety of books, manipulatives, and tools; as well as student access to a variety of supplies that support project work related to social studies |
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Access to a variety of rubrics used to assess social studies |
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Evidence that the teacher models current best instructional and assessment practices in social studies |
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Evidence of students working or having worked on projects requiring social-studies applications |
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Students who are able to discuss what they have been doing in ways that make it clear that the curriculum is being implemented |
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A classroom climate that supports two-way communication and that encourages teacher(s) and students to be willing to make mistakes as a natural part of learning |
School Administrative District #4
Unity of purpose
Everyone has··.
1. The right to learn
2. The right to live safely
3. The responsibility to be polite
4. The responsibility to be honest
5. The responsibility to use time wisely
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Kindergarten - 8 |
Performance Indicators: The learner will·
CONTENT STANDARD: HISTORY
1. Share personal items from relatives and ancestors (discuss why they are important to your family
2. Invite local experts into classroom
3. Visit local historical societies
4. Construct game boards using historical/political/geographical/economical facts; have students evaluate their work
5. Writing/acting out plays
6. Make maps of community
7. Field trips (e.g. Maine State Museum, Leonard's Mill, Hudson Museum, Hinckley Museum, Cole Transportation Museum, Quebec City
8. Research a country/hold an ethnic presentation at school (e.g. foods, clothing, customs, music,··)
9. Research reports
10. Research on Internet
11. Role play a character from history
12. Construct a family tree
13. Research workers/careers in community
14. Research where ancestors cam from
15. Share how your family celebrates holidays
16. Teach different dances (e.g. square dancing, Virginia reel, minuet,·)
17. Study music from different cultures
18. Watch a western
19. Create a native American diorama
20. Time capsule
21. Write a journal pretending that you are living in a different time era
22. Create an Egyptian pyramid with hierogly phics
CONTENT STANDARD: GEOGRAPHY
1. Make landform models
2. Field trips (e.g. coast, Peaks Kenney, Boarstone)
3. Map research activity (teams) locate specific information on a variety of maps
4. Student created maps based on specified criteria
5. Map puzzles
6. Give student pieces of a cut-up map and have them put it back together using no visuals (e.g. seven continents,·)
7. Make a model of your community using paper bags, boxes,·..
CONTENT STANDARD: CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT
1. Provide voting opportunities to practice democratic principles (e.g. new playground equipment, favorite lunches, fun activities,·.)
2. Attend a town meeting
3. Field trips (e.g. state legislature in session, Blaine House
4. Read copies of your town's report
5. Look at components of a town report/create one for your school
6. Visit a courtroom
7. Mock trial
8. Design a classroom constitution (see sample). Read daily for awhile. Refer any behavior problems to constitution
9. Design a flag/stamp
CONTENT STANDARD: ECONOMICS
1. Invite local industries into class to speak
2. Run a class store
3. Look at local raw materials and create a product