Social Studies
The focus of social studies is to help students understand themselves as citizens within a global society. Students will learn the principles and relationships of the social sciences including political science, economics, history, geography, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. The knowledge and understanding gained is applied to evaluate differing perspectives on historical, political, geographic, or social issues.
District 102 students are engaged in strategies during Social Studies such as experientials, visual discoveries, previewing assignments, skill builders, writing, and response groups. Using the Teacher’s Curriculum Institute TeachTCI program, the following materials are used to support instruction at the respective grade levels:
Kindergarten: Social Studies Alive! Me and My World
First Grade: Social Studies Alive! My School and Family
Second Grade: Social Studies Alive! My Community
Third Grade: Social Studies Alive! Our Community and Beyond
Fourth Grade: Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country
Fifth Grade: Social Studies Alive! America's Past
Sixth Grade: History Alive! The Ancient World
Seventh Grade: History Alive! The United States Through Industrialism
Eighth Grade: History Alive! Pursuing American Ideals
Recently approved by the State of Illinois, new learning standards that are aligned with the national College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework will become part of the Social Studies curriculum. The C3 framework focuses on practices that allow students to engage more deeply in Social Studies learning through having teachers provide opportunities for students to craft own questions that matter, to establish a collaborative and individual context for inquiry, to integrate content and skills meaningfully, to articulate disciplinary literacy practices and outcomes, and to provide tangible opportunities for taking informed action.
Each of these shifts are accomplished through an inquiry-oriented approach where students are:
Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts
Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Actions
During the 2015-2016 school year, District 102 teachers will be learning about the new practices and learning standards so students can continue to see topics and content through the eyes of a political scientist, a historian, an economist, and a geographer.