Social Studies

What are we learning?

Trimester 3

Students will be using a small portion of their science/social studies time participating in a Genius Hour project. This project will allow students to follow their own passions and learn about something they are interested in. Check out this video to get an idea about what Genius Hour is all about. Students will work on this project on Friday afternoons throughout the trimester.

Trimester 2

November/December

We will begin the trimester with a Project Based Unit (PBL) on the mission period of California history. In the 22nd California Mission project, students gain knowledge about the mission period of California history by engaging in a task that requires critical thinking and creativity. The project begins when students are placed in a scenario in 1818 with a letter from the Archbishop of Mexico, asking them to recommend a location for a new mission. Working in teams, students choose a site, create a design for the layout and buildings, make maps, and then present their proposals to an audience. A written proposal is also part of the project. The 22nd California Mission project is multi-curricular, including social studies, language arts, art, and even some mathematics.

Next we learn about the Mexican period of California history by reading about the time period and creating a disceno (map) of land we want to obtain for the new Mexican government.

January/February

Finally, we will learn about the Gold Rush by reading historical fictions books during our reading instruction. Students will also write informational essays about the Gold Rush and subtopics such as mining camps, routes to the gold fields, the growth of cities, impacts on Native Americans...

Trimester 1

Students will be introduced to important time periods in California history. They will research components of each time period and contribute to the class understanding of the period in California history.

August

  • California Geography- using MyMaps
    • Students will locate and identify the four regions in California including information and pictures of each region.

September

  • Native Americans of California- using Google Drawing
    • Students will select a Californian Native American group to research and read about. They will then create a digital poster to share information about the group.

October

  • Explorers- using Google slides
    • Students will research and read about an explorer that impacted the history of California. They will then create a slideshow about the explorer and present findings to the class.