Unit 1 Social Studies: Building Background Content and Skills
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Aug to mid-Oct
Unit Overview: How do geographic, economic, and civic skills help us interpret the world and solve problems?
In this unit, students will focus on building their background knowledge and developing essential social science skills. They will examine various geographic resources, such as maps, charts, graphs, and diagrams, to construct their own knowledge and formulate inquiry questions. Students will develop an understanding of geographic concepts, including absolute location, map scale, and map features, which will enable them to interpret, create, and analyze maps effectively. Furthermore, students will explore economic and political concepts and recognize the interrelated nature of these concepts when analyzing global issues. Academic vocabulary development will be integrated into the unit to support students' background knowledge. This unit provides students with a solid foundation in content knowledge and the necessary skills to examine regional themes throughout the school year.
The highlighted evidence outcomes are the priority for all students, serving as the essential concepts and skills. It is recommended that the remaining evidence outcomes listed be addressed as time allows, representing the full breadth of the curriculum.
Students Can (Evidence Outcomes):
Use geographic tools to identify, locate and describe places and regions in the Western Hemisphere to solve geographic problems. For example: Farming practices in a dry climate, implications of building a dam, and deforestation. (2.1.a)
Examine geographic sources to formulate and investigate inquiry questions to understand the past, analyze the present, or plan for the future. (2.1.c)
Classify and analyze the types of human and geographic connections between places.(2.2.a)
Describe how economic systems in the Western Hemisphere (such as traditional, command, market, and mixed) developed. (3.1.a)
Use economic reasoning to explain how specialization of production can result in more interdependence. For example: international trade patterns. (3.1.b)
Explain the roles of buyers and sellers in product, labor, and financial markets. (5.1.a)
Describe the role of competition in the determination of prices and wages in a market economy. (3.2.b)
Explore how consumer spending decisions and demand impact market economies. (3.2.c)
Examine changes and connections in ideas about citizenship in different times and places in the Western Hemisphere. For example: Indigenous Peoples are either denied citizenship or citizenship is not always desired; immigration and a nation’s quota preferences; and the changes in naturalization requirements change over time. (4.1.a)
Examine and explain the development of foundational principles of government in the Western Hemisphere. (4.2.a)
Describe structures and functions of different systems of government in the Western Hemisphere. (4.2.b)
Identify how different systems of government relate to their citizens in the Western Hemisphere and how systems of government create advantages for some of their citizens and disadvantages for others. (4.2.c)
Compare the economic components of the different systems of government in the Western Hemisphere. (4.2.d)
Prepared Graduates
Prepared Graduates
Apply geographic representations and perspectives to analyze human movement, spatial patterns, systems, and the connections and relationships among them.
Examine the characteristics of places and regions, and the changing nature among geographic and human interactions.
Evaluate how scarce resources are allocated in societies through analysis of individual choice, market interaction, and public policy.
Express an understanding of how civic participation affects policy by applying the rights and responsibilities of a citizen.
Analyze the origins, structures, and functions of governments to evaluate the impact on citizens and the global society.
Apply economic reasoning skills to make informed personal financial decisions.
Grade Level Expectation(s)
Grade Level Expectation(s)
Use geographic tools and resources to research and make geographic inferences and predictions about the Western Hemisphere. (2.1)
Evaluate how regional differences and perspectives in the Western Hemisphere impact human and environmental interactions. (2.2)
Investigate how different economic systems developed based on access to resources, societal values, and human experiences in order to address the problem of scarcity. (3.1)
Examine civic participation within different governmental systems of the Western Hemisphere. (4.1)
Explain how the development and features of systems of government in the Western Hemisphere relate to their citizens. (4.2)
Investigate the role of consumers and businesses within the Western Hemisphere (PFL). (5.1)
Essential Skills & Nature and Skills
Essential Skills & Nature and Skills
Revisit, reflect on, and revise inquiry questions based on analysis of geographic data (Critical Thinking and Analysis).
Look for and find value in different perspectives expressed by others in the Western Hemisphere (Adaptability and Flexibility).
Geographic thinkers use geographic tools to develop spatial thinking and awareness skills.
Geographic thinkers evaluate patterns that connect people in the Western Hemisphere to the rest of the world.
Geographic thinkers explore how technology is used to solve geographic problems.
Economic thinkers study economic data in order to analyze economic problems.
Economic thinkers use disciplinary vocabulary such as Gross Domestic Product, per capita income, and the Human Development Index to discuss economic systems in the Western Hemisphere.
Civic-minded individuals discuss and analyze how various government decisions impact people, places, and history.
Civic-minded individuals analyze how the actions of individuals and groups can have a local, national, and international impact.
Civic-minded individuals analyze the relationship between rights and responsibility in national and global contexts.
Civic-minded individuals investigate how different forms of government affect daily life. For example: Employees work in international corporations and tourists visit countries with different laws, rules, and regulations.
Civic-minded individuals apply knowledge of civic concepts to understanding the implications of events around the world.
Civic-minded individuals use the inquiry process to ask, investigate, and answer civic questions related to civic issues of the present and past.
Inquiry Questions
Inquiry Questions
How can geographic tools be used to solve problems in the future?
Why does where we live influence how we live?
What are different ways to define regions in the Western Hemisphere based on human and physical systems?
How do different economic systems address the distribution of scarce resources and the production of goods and services?
How do different economies control the means of production and distribution of goods and services?
What does it mean to live in an interconnected world?
What is the purpose of government?
What evidence can you find of effective and ineffective governments in the past and the present?
What would a government look like if you created it?
Diciplinary, Informational, and Media Literacy
Diciplinary, Informational, and Media Literacy
Integrate visual information such as charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps, with other information in print and digital texts.
Use content-specific technology tools to support learning and research.
Evaluate sources of information for context, bias, corroboration, propaganda, and differentiate facts from opinions, including using lateral reading and corroboration to verify factual information.
Evaluate the credibility, authority, relevance, and purpose of online and print sources.
Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies.
Academic Vocabulary and Language Expectations
Academic Vocabulary and Language Expectations
geography, hemispheres, Equator, Prime Meridian, latitude, longitude, absolute location, map scale, political map, physical map, special purpose map, GPS, GIS, satellite imagery; economic systems (traditional, command, market, mixed), resources, scarcity, specialization; government systems, buyers/sellers, product, labor, financial markets, supply/demand
Possible Assessments
Possible Assessments
TCI Chapter Assessments: 8, 9, 10, 11
Performance Assessment: See Model Unit Plan for suggestions
Read.Inquire.Write: Which map should we use? (create an account for free to access materials). Lesson on investigating different types of maps, and considering how maps show perspective and bias. Ends with students writing an argument about which map is best for use in schools.
Instructional Resources
Instructional Resources
TCI Chapters/Lessons
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Supplemental Resources
Read.Inquire.Write: Which map should we use? (create an account for free to access materials). Lesson on investigating different types of maps, and considering how maps show perspective and bias. Ends with students writing an argument about which map is best for use in schools.
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