Social Studies

Unit 1 Civics: Active Citizenship and Conflict Resolution- August/September

During this unit students will focus on building a community of responsible classroom citizens. We will work through ways to resolve conflicts with others and how we can be responsible citizens. Students identify strategies and skills that address bullying and promote equality, justice and responsibility through the introduction of power and authority.

Questions students will address:

  • How do people decide what is important for their classroom, school or community?

  • How do people influence decisions in their classroom, school or community?

  • How do you know when power is being used appropriately or inappropriately?

  • It is okay to have conflict or differences? Why or why not?

  • Who decides how conflict is resolved?


Unit 2 Economics: Choices and Decision Making-December

This unit focuses on “traditional” economics (scarcity, cost, choice, resources, goods, services, etc.) and personal financial literacy which helps students understand how to manage their own scarce resources and the costs and benefits of every choice. The placement of this unit at the beginning of the calendar year coincides with goals that many students set for themselves as they enter a new year. Although New Year’s goals are not necessarily financial in nature, the idea of goal setting is transferable.

Questions for Students

  • What motivates people's choices?

  • How does scarcity influence decisions?

  • When you make a choice, what do you think about?

  • Why can't we have everything we want?

Unit 3 Geography: Tools, People and Places-April

This unit's focus is on human and physical interactions and pulls in concepts of spatial inquiry. Students will learn how human and physical features affect individual and community activity. Students will learn political features (cities, states, countries, boarders etc..) to their learning. Students will identify human, physical and political features using maps and geography tools. They will learn how to manage their environment by reducing, reusing and recycling.

Questions students will address:

  • How does where you live influence how you live?

  • What happens when people interact with the environment?

  • How do we use geographic tools?

Unit 4: History: Connecting Past to Present- May

Students engage with a variety of historical sources including artifacts and oral history. They will ask questions and describe how communities change over time. Change occurs due to development, events, or people. They will develop their chronological thinking and add relevant events to a timeline.

Questions for Students

  • How does history connect to the past and help us understand the present?

  • What do we learn from studying history?

  • How do historians construct stories of the past?

  • What makes a person or event historical?