Social Studies Second Grade

Social Studies
THEME: Meeting Basic Needs In Nearby Social Groups
ALASKA THEME: My Alaskan Neighborhood
Grade2

This list may be customized for individual lesson plans and records. Alaska Content Standards (in geography, government, and history) should be recorded as they are addressed throughout the year. For your convenience, each item in the Mastery and Developmental lists on the following pages is matched to the Content Standard (in geography, government, history) that it supports. Items that meet the Alaska Cultural Standards are marked with an asterisk (* ).

 CONTENT LIST GeographyGovernmentHistoryCultural
Basic geographic concepts and physical features of the landscape     
Impact of geographic features on where and how people live     
My Alaskan neighborhood, school, and neighborhood functions     
Neighborhood environment and culture     
Rules for social relationships     
Social group responsibilities (caring, giving, and living harmoniously)     

Meeting basic requirements of living in social groups is the central theme of grade two.  The program emphasizes that the neighborhood is the students’ own unique place in the world, and that they should learn firsthand the elemental human relationships such as sharing and caring, helping others in time of need, and living harmoniously with neighbors.  The study of social functions such as education, production, and transportation in a neighborhood context are appropriate as children develop an understanding of people in groups.  The need for rules and laws should be stressed and illustrated by examples from the everyday lives of the children.  Geographic concepts related to location and the physical features of the landscape need to be included.  A global perspective is important and should be sought through the study of neighborhood life in another culture.  Contrasting neighborhood life today with what it was in an earlier time should be included to provide historical perspective.  Students should explore life in their Alaskan neighborhood and other Alaskan neighborhoods.

** The bold print indicates items that are new to the Mastery or Developmental strand at each grade level, but they may appear in earlier grades in the Enrichment strand.

IN ORDER TO MEET THESE STANDARDS STUDENTS NEED TO

MASTERY
Geography
Describe human and geographic characteristics of the local neighborhood. (B1)

Government
• Recognize the role of the individual in creating and evaluating class and school rules to resolve conflicts. (E4, E7)
• Analyze the rights, responsibilities, and roles of the individual in a neighborhood setting. (E2)
• Explain and apply the fundamental ideas of privacy, property, equality, and responsibility. (A2)
• Explain rules and laws, and the reasons for their existence. (E4)

History
• Organize personal history into time periods. (B4, D1)
• Place significant people and events within time sequences. (A1)

DEVELOPMENTAL
Geography
• Use a spatial perspective to study the world in relationship to our neighborhood by identifying, making, and comparing maps. (A1, A2)
• Identify state, national, and cultural symbols. (B5)
• Identify land and water forms. (C1)
Explore the physical systems of the neighborhood and how they interact, including use and modification. (E, A5)
Investigate how the earth’s features impact the structures and activities of our neighborhood. (E3)
• * Describe how different people perceive places and neighborhoods (e.g., how children, joggers, mothers, and city park workers view a park). (E4)

Government
• Examine the extrinsic and intrinsic value of neighborhood participation. (E6)
• Develop an awareness of the American political system and recognize national identity. (B)
• Participate in neighborhood/school service. (E2, E6)
Explore the democratic process. (E3)

History
• * Compare and contrast family traditions and customs. (A6, B1)
• Compare and contrast how families and social groups address similar needs and concerns. (B1, A6))
• * Identify cultural diversity. (C2, A1, C)
• * Understand that cultural elements including language, literature, the arts, and customs reflect the attitudes and beliefs of a specific time. (A6)
• * Understand that history is a bridge to understanding self and others. (A8)
• * Recognize that history is written in different voices representing different perspectives. (A5)
Demonstrate that history relies on evidence. (A2, A4)
Explore that people, places, and ideas experience continuity and change through time. (A9)

* Meets Cultural Standards

ENRICHMENT
Geography
• Identify the diversity and productivity of environments.
• Use geographical perspectives to investigate individual interests.

Government
• Examine persisting issues involving the rights, roles, and status of individuals and groups in relation to the general welfare.
• Identify causes, consequences, and possible solutions to pertinent issues.
• Examine global perspectives.
• Explore the forces and influences of economics such as environmental issues, resources, transportation, communication, money, personal wants and needs, and natural disasters.
• Study, observe, and participate in government action.

History
• Use historical perspectives to analyze world events and explore personal positions, as well as the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to global issues.

* Meets Cultural Standards

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
Geography
• Make relief maps or globes of school, neighborhood, Alaskan community, or world.
• Construct personal experience maps.
• Incorporate knowledge of “left,” “right,” and cardinal directions.
• Use a neighborhood map to pinpoint students’ homes, and graph how many live on each bus route, street, etc.
• Observe and record changes within a local environment during the year.
• Construct a representation of human and physical features of local community.
• Explore how habitat/location influences a variety of cultures within Alaska.
• Use newspapers to enhance discussion about similarities and differences between own community and other larger/smaller communities through current events.
• Discuss seasonal changes and how the work forces are affected.
• Identify physical forces that have shaped the local environment (e.g., glaciers, volcanoes, rivers, earthquakes).
• Define, diagram, and evaluate the water cycle in relation to the local environment.
• Make relief maps of local physical systems.
• Predict and graph weather systems.
• Explore how weather impacts where and how we live.
• Interview family or community members on how they came to settle in Alaska.
• Discuss important state resource issues.
• Explore causes and types of pollution in the local community, and discuss possible courses of action.
• Visit a park or recreation area and look for evidence of pollution.

Government
• Throughout the year, discuss ways to make life in the classroom more comfortable, pleasant, and productive byü       sharing and responsibly using materials and equipment;ü       taking responsibility for assigned classroom jobs;ü       respecting others’ rights and property;ü       caring for classroom, school, and playground; andü       using respectful language and behavior.
• Participate in setting classroom rules to accomplish the above.
• Use regular classroom meetings to solve problems.
• Develop skills for conflict resolutions within the family, the school, and the community.
• Review, practice, evaluate, and revise classroom rules throughout the year. Role-play situations involving the rules.
• Learn, practice, and review school, playground, and bus rules throughout the year.
• Make a class list of ways to be a good learner at school.
• Explore through discussion and literature what is involved in being a good friend and community member.
• Examine family responsibilities through literature, art, drama, and class discussions.
• Work cooperatively in a variety of group structures to accomplish many different kinds of goals.
• Identify the concept and qualities of leadership in students’ lives.
• Visit/interview leaders within the community and school such as the city manager, police, and fire chief, and invite them to speak about civic duties.
• Examine democratic ideals and responsibilities within the school setting.
• Review the election process through classroom voting and discussions of pertinent local/national elections.
• Explore the responsibilities and benefits of citizenship.
• Celebrate cultural diversity within the classroom by having students and families share their own cultural heritage through food, costumes, traditions, stories, music, and art.
• Use literature, music, and art to identify cultural diversity, as well as persisting issues, rights, and roles.
• Conduct class survey on pertinent class or school issues.  Discuss results.
• Review and practice the “Pledge of Allegiance.”
• Review and practice patriotic songs, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
• Read biographies of people involved in political and social change.
• Define power, and role-play appropriate and inappropriate ways of using power.
• Use media sources to follow pertinent current events and begin to critically analyze the information gathered.
• Select a school problem and identify possible consequences and solutions.
• Establish a school improvement project. 
• Study occupations and identify those, locally, that involve production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services (e.g., oil, lumber, tourism, fishing).
• Identify natural resources in our community.
• Learn how local goods and merchandise are distributed throughout the community.
• Role-play buyer, seller, producer, and consumer.
• Develop and practice disaster drills at school and at home, including evaluating current safety of classroom.

History
• Explore and share personal family history and community history through literature, art, music, movement, writing, and interviews.
• Interview family and community members to learn how our lives have changed and/or remained the same over time.
• Choose a historical figure and study him/her through literature.
• Practice asking and answering questions about own and classmates’ stories, experiences, observations, and literature.
• Make a personal record of significant life events using a variety of formats.
• Maintain a class calendar or timeline throughout the year, noting significant events.
• Create personal or class time capsule at the beginning of the year; revisit at end of the school year.
• Record and celebrate academic growth throughout the year through collections of student work.
• Compare/contrast life of other Alaskan students through journals, videos, pen pals, or the Internet.
• Explore cultural past and current customs of the Denaina people on the Kenai Peninsula, including food, shelter, recreation, art, music, and stories.
• Identify Denaina, Russian, and European influences on the communities of the Kenai Peninsula.
• Examine past and present seasonal subsistence activities of local people.
• Compare and contrast traditional folklore from a variety of Alaskan Native peoples.
• Examine the historical events surrounding early interactions between Native Americans and the first European settlers.
• Explore the concept of slavery through literature; include significant people and events.
• Gain an understanding of cultural diversity through an in-depth comparison of life in another country with an emphasis on daily life, the arts, and literature.
• Share literature representing different places and time periods.
• Compare different authors’/artists’ interpretations of historical events using art, literature, or children’s own memories of a common experience.
• Explore the traditions of family, cultural, and world holidays.
• Use newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, multimedia, and Internet access to follow current events of interest to students.
• Begin to judge the accuracy, value, and relevance of information gathered from a variety of sources (e.g., media, newspapers, Internet).
• Debate issues, recognizing the importance of listening to all views.

ASSESSMENTS
• Demonstration of appropriate behaviors
• Group and individual projects and presentations scored by a rubric
• Interviews
• Maps and journals
• Observations of student actions and participation
• Participation in discussions and activities
• Personal or family history writing
• Projects, work samples, and presentations
• Record of community service
• Rubrics
• Small group problem solving
• Student self assessment
• Timeline