Embedded Files
Flexible Options
This curriculum is designed to help teachers in Columbus and Central Ohio incorporate local history into elementary social studies instruction. The curriculum is flexible and can be adapted to meet your needs. We have provided three options for implementation, but you can adapt these as well.
Option A. Full Investigations
Full Investigations are detailed guided inquiries. They integrate Ohio's Social Studies Learning Standards in History, Geography, Government, and Economics. The Full Investigations also emphasis disciplinary thinking in social studies, including source analysis and evaluation, chronological thinking, thinking like a historian, and historical commemoration and preservation.
Each of the six Full Investigations includes a teacher's guide slide presentation and a printable PDF student reading.
Structure
Full Investigations (units) contain two Scenes (lessons)
Each Scene consists of 4-5 🔎 Clues (daily readings/activities).
Clues begin with a teacher-led preview activity in the teacher guide slide presentation. These previews include an image(s) with spiral questions from basic to complex that help pique student interest in the lesson.
The slides will then direct students to read the Clue (about 100-250 words), and record 🗒️ Field Notes by answering 1-2 questions.
At the conclusion of the Scene, students complete a 📘 Final Report, a culminating performance task.
Alignment
Full investigations are primarly aligned with Ohio's Learning Standards for grade 3. This includes the History, Geography, Government, and Economics standards.
Some of the readings also lead into to topics in grade 4 standards (e.g., Native Americans, War of 1812, Underground Railroad).
Note: The study of local history is challenging to do entirely separate from state and even national history. Therefore, we have included more context and details than required in grade 3. Teachers can use discretion in determining where these lessons best it.
Option B. Quick Questions
Quick Questions are summarized versions of the Full Investigations.
Structure
Quick Questions include a printable PDF of the reading (about 400-600 words) along with 2 image sources. Students answer 4-5 open-ended questions following the reading. There is no separate teacher's guide, although the teacher could lead a preview using the images in the reading.
Alignment
Quick Questions are designed for more efficient coverage. However, there are some limitations as well. These lessons address primarily the History standards in grade 3 without specific reference to the Geography, Government, and Economics topics. The Quick Lessons also leave out many of the many of the names, dates, and places, and much of the historical context. Although some source material is included, the disciplinary practices are not explicitly taught.
Option C. Independent Inquiries
The readings and sources from the Quick Question readings have been added to a set of separate webpages to allow for independent student research. In this approach, the teacher can provide the direct link to students and have them read the pages and record their own notes. This is the only option that requires students to access a digital device.
Supplemental Activities
In addition to the core lessons, there are supplemental activities coming soon! These will include Skill Labs that reinforce social studies skills such as timelines, bar graphs, line graphs, and mapping skills. Skill Labs can be paired with the Full Investigations, Quick Questions, or Independent Inquiries.
A collection for brief biographies appropriate for grades 2 or 3 is also forthcoming.
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