Commentary on Proposed SS Curiculum

Michelle -- You did so much great work.  I think we really have the foundation for most of what we need in the things you did.  I have some sort of "out of the box" kinds of thoughts and questions that are more things I wish we'd discuss in terms of the hows and whys of teaching this...  You will see what I mean as I go through it all.  I'll start with the social justice section and work my way down...  I thought it might be easiest if I just went down through all this work that you did, and made comments or suggested changes "in place."  I've put my thoughts in blue.

Sue

Sixth Grade

In the following areas of Social Studies, the grade 6 student will:

Peace and Justice: (focus on dignity of work and rights of workers)

1. Work is a way to continue participation in God’s act of creation
2. The basic rights of workers, owners, and others must be respected
3. These rights must be exercised in a way that advances the common good.

From a philosophical standpoint, it seems to me that the reason for teaching the tenets of social justice is to help our students grow in understanding so that they can begin to apply these ideas and concepts to their own lives.  Eleven and twelve year olds are a ways from being "workers" in the traditional sense, and most likely, even further from being employers.  Wouldn't it make this more real for them if it were put into the context of their lives and their experiences?
Is it appropriate or valuable to somehow suggest or direct that, in this context, 6th graders would benefit from a very clear discussion /exploration of the place and value of work in their own lives.  It might be difficult for young pre-adolescents to fully comprehend the "value of work" in the context of adult lives, but if it were anchored in their own experience, it might make more sense.  Too, it would help students to "see" their own place in the "work" of their education.  Questions we might want to explore:  What is your own work?  In school, at home, in the community, in the Church?  In what ways is your work a "participation in the creation?"  What are your rights and responsibilities as a worker?  How does the work you do, and the way in which you do it, advance the common good?  And what, really, is the common good?

I'll get to other sections here in the next few days...


Sue

Possible Draft of New SS Curricuulm?

Sixth Grade

In the following areas of Social Studies, the grade 6 student will:

Peace and Justice: (focus on dignity of work and rights of workers)

1. Work is a way to continue participation in God’s act of creation
2. The basic rights of workers, owners, and others must be respected
3. These rights must be exercised in a way that advances the common good.

Geography: (focus on Europe, Asia, and Africa as connected with the history studied)

 The study of the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa should focus on:

4. Placing countries, cities, deserts, mountain ranges, and bodies of water on the continents on which they are located
5. Use coordinates of latitude and longitude to locate points on a world map
6. Name and identify on a map the countries in each continent
7. Identify:

·         Major mountain ranges

·         Rivers

·         Bodies of water

·         Climate

·         Natural resources

8. Describe ways humans depend on and modify the environment and the positive and negative consequences of the modifications
9. Explain how particular regions and resources in these regions influence the availability of the growth of technology, transportation, and communication
10. Identify and describe a variety of physical and human regions by analyzing maps, charts, and graphs that show patterns and characteristics that define regions

History: (focus on world history from early civilizations through medieval times in Europe, Asia, and Africa)

11. Describe the early cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic Era to the revolution of agriculture including:
• Hunter-gatherer life
• Technology (tools, use of fire)
• Development of cultural features among prehistoric peoples, especially religion
• Domestication of animals and plants
• Development of farming
• How communities emerged and what life was like in early villages

12. Compare the early river civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus Valley and China) with emphasis on:
• Geography especially the impact/importance of river valleys
• Government
• Culture
• Economic system
• Religion
• Technology
• Agricultural practices
• History
• Key Figures

13. Compare the characteristics of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and their enduring impact on later civilizations, with emphasis on the following:
• Geography
• Government
• Culture
• Economic system
• Religion – especially role in the spread of Christianity
• Technology
• Art and architecture
• History 
• Key figures

14. Describe the Byzantine Empire and the rise of Islam and Arab world, with emphasis on:
• Geography
• History of the Byzantine Empire and connections to Rome
• Division of the Christian church into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox church
• Dessert life on the Arabian peninsula 
• Teachings of Muhammad and Islam
• Spread of Islam

15. Compare the characteristics (Geography, Government, Culture, Economic system, Religion, History, Key figures) of medieval life in China, Japan, Europe and Africa and their impact on later civilizations, with emphasis on the following:

China:

• Tang dynasty
• Mongol Empire
• Ming Dynasty

Africa:

·         Empire of Ghana

·         European slave trade

Japan:

·         feudal society and the influence of China on its culture

·         role of Shinto and Buddhism

Europe:

·         Feudalism

·         Limited monarchy - Magna Carta

·         The role of the Roman Catholic Church

·         Crusades

·         Black Plague

Civics and Government:(focus on forms of government, especially those found in historical cultures and countries studied)

16. Students will describe and compare the defining characteristics of democracy, republic, and limited monarchy and show connections to American rights today:
• Democracy – voting rights, legislative bodies, written constitutions
• Republic – separation of powers, representative government, civic duty
• Monarchy – limited monarchy

17. Explain how opportunities for citizens to participate in and influence the political processes differ under these various systems of government
18. Compare the rights and responsibilities of citizens living under various systems of government

Economics (focus on human resources and rights of workers)

19. Explain how the availability of productive resources and labor affects the production of goods, specialization, trade, interdependence, and services in different world regions
20. Explain why trade occurs when individuals, regions, and countries specialize, and how this causes both production and consumption to increase
21. Describe the growth of cities due to the establishment of trade routes in Asia,Africa, and Europe and the products and inventions that traveled along these

Graded Course of Study

1

TEACHING

FOR THE

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

Graded Course of Study for

Social Studies

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

March 2003

Approved By Brother Joseph Kamis, S.M.

Superintendent of Schools

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

RECOMMENDED SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI

Peace and Justice

· Grade 5 – Recognize the value of ethnicity and the need for world peace

· Grade 6 – Identify areas of discrimination and affirm the equality of people

Geography

· Grade 5 – Apply world geography through the five themes of geography; apply

these geographic themes to modern Africa

· Grade 6 – Continue the application of the five themes of geography to world

history events and the continent of Asia

History

· Grade 5 – Describe the political, economic, social, and cultural development of

humankind from the Paleolithic Era through the fall of the Roman Empire

· Grade 6 – Describe the political, economic, and cultural events and the social

and geographical characteristics of medieval time through present day

Governance and Civic Ideals

· Grade 5 – Identify the reasons for the creation of government and the different

methods countries use to govern

· Grade 6 – Compare the rights and responsibilities of citizens living under

various systems of government

Global Connections

· Grade 5 – Identify world trade and the relationship between supply and

demand of goods and services

· Grade 6 – Understand how the availability of services and labor affects the

production of goods, trade, interdependence, and services in world regions

Cultural Connections

· Grade 5 – Compare cultural practices and products of the societies studied,

compare world religions and belief systems

· Grade 6 - Compare cultural practices and products of the societies studied,

compare world religions and belief systems, give examples of conflicts among

different cultures that led to changes in other civilizations

GRADE 5

Grade 5 – Geographic Regions of the World and World History from prehistoric time

up to the fall of the Roman Empire

Fifth graders will focus on the geography of the world for one semester. The five

themes of geography will be used during this exploration. The concentration on world

history will be both geographic and historic. Students will study Asia’s, Africa’s, and

Europe’s earliest peoples in order to understand human interactions with the

environment at that time.

Peace and Justice

Students will:

1. Recognize the value of ethnicity and its contribution to cultural life

2. Recognize the need for world peace today

3. Trace how a global issue from past civilizations is still an issue today, such as

human rights

4. Recognize the Church as an important community builder

Geography (Africa Thrust)

Using the five themes of Geography (location, place, human environment

interactions, movement, and regions) students will:

(Location)

5. Use cardinal and intermediate directions and basic terms on maps and globes

6. Recognize different map projections, but also recognize the globe as the most

accurate representation of land and water

7. Locate the United States in relation to the Equator, North and South Poles,

continents, and oceans on maps and globes

8. Compare a globe to a flat world map

9. Recognize and use different kinds of maps:

· Political

· Physical

· Elevation

· Relief

· Historical

· Distribution

· Contour

· Population

· Climate

34

10. Use map skills:

· Grid systems

· Compass

· Map scale

· Keys and legends

· Symbols

· Locator

· Latitude and longitude

11. Construct simple maps which are correctly oriented as to direction

12. Recognize physical and cultural features on maps or globes:

· Continents

· Oceans

· Countries

· Mountain ranges

· Deserts

· Lakes

· Cities

13. Identify by proper name land and water formations on maps and globes

(Place)

14. Use an atlas for special purpose maps

15. Use a globe to discover how Earth’s rotation relates to day and night and how

Earth’s revolution relates to years

16. Recognize and use graphs, tables, charts

17. Explain how physical processes produce geographic variations in landforms and

climate

18. Use maps and globes to explain the geographic setting of events

(Human Environment Interactions)

19. Understand the relationship of plant and animal life to climate and landforms in

areas studied

20. Recognize that plant and animal life help determine rural and urban growth

21. Become aware of the kinds of communities, and recognize differences in

communities and styles of living

22. Recognize the difference in communities and in styles of living as affected by

environment

23. Recognize that the environment is affected by humans

24. Discover the relationship between topography of land and climate to the type of

food, clothing, housing, recreation, transportation and size of population

(Movement)

25. Identify the features of geography which cause people to choose a particular kind

of economic activity

26. Demonstrate recognition and knowledge of the effect of resources and location on

the economic development of a nation

35

27. Identify and list examples of natural resources which are used in regional

development

28. Analyze the relationship between the population of a country and the amount of

natural resources available

29. Recognize that competition for resources between nations or groups of people

often leads to conflict

30. Demonstrate a knowledge of the effect of natural resources on the development of

cities, employment, transportation, and population

31. Identify the geographical and social reasons that caused the development of

regions

32. Recognize the need for broader knowledge and new technology to achieve the best

use of resources

(Regions)

33. Demonstrate an understanding of how climate is affected by elevation of land,

surface features of land, distance from ocean and sea, and the effect of the slant

of the sun

34. Recognize the effects of weather conditions on people’s homes, jobs, and

recreation

35. Apply preceding geographic principles to modern Africa

· Culture

· Landforms

· Customs

· Holidays

· Language

History

Students will:

36. Describe the early cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic Era to

the revolution of agriculture including:

· Hunter gatherer societies

· Technology (tool-making, use of fire)

· Domestication of plants and animals

· Culture

· Religious beliefs

37. Compare the geographic, political, economic, and social characteristics of the

river civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Indus Valley) with emphasis on:

· The importance of river valleys to development

· The forms of government

· Religious beliefs

A) Define polytheism and monotheism

B) Birth of Judaism

· Technology

· Economy

· Culture

36

38. Describe the geographic, political, economic, and social characteristics of the

ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and their enduring impact on later

civilizations, with emphasis on:

· The influence of the geography of the Mediterranean on the development,

expansion, and decline of the civilizations

· The development of concepts of government and citizenship

A) Greece – define democracy, monarchy, and oligarchy

B) Rome – define tyranny, dictator, republic, and empire to its

decline

C) Understand the difference between a republic and a democracy

· Religious beliefs

A) Mythology

B) Birth of Christianity

· Recognize scientific and cultural advances, including networks of roads,

aqueducts, art and architecture, literature and theater, mathematics, and

philosophy

· Recognize the contributions and roles of key figures including Socrates,

Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Jesus, Peter,

Paul, and Constantine

Governance and Civic Ideals

Students will:

39. Identify reasons for the creation of governments, such as:

· Protecting life and property

· Providing necessary services that individuals alone can not provide

40. Recognize that the world is divided into countries that claim sovereignty over

territory, which can be further divided into states or provinces that contain cities

and towns

41. Explain the different methods countries use to resolve conflicts

· Diplomacy

· Treaties

· Military involvement

42. Describe the defining characteristics of a democracy, republic, monarchy, citystate,

and dictatorship

43. Identify the historical figures and explain their contributions to government

37

Global Connections (Economics)

Students will:

44. Explain how the availability of productive resources and entrepreneurship affects

the production of goods and services in different world regions

45. Explain that most decisions involve trade-offs and give examples

46. Understand why trade occurs when individuals, regions, and countries specialize in

what they can produce at the lowest opportunity cost and how this causes both

production and consumption to increase

47. Demonstrate the relationship of supply and demand of goods and services

48. Relate imports and exports to the interdependency of different countries

49. Distinguish between goods and services typically produced by the private sector

and the public sector

Cultural Connections

Students will:

50. Compare the cultural practices and products of the societies studied including:

· Class structure

· Gender roles

· Beliefs

· Customs and traditions

51. Compare world religions and belief systems focusing on geographic origins,

founding leaders, and teachings including:

· Buddhism

· Christianity

· Judaism

· Hinduism

52. Explain factors that foster conflict or cooperation among countries

· Language

· Religion

· Types of Government

· Economic interest

38

] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]

Assessment Alternatives

Reports: written or oral Color coded map projects

Constructing models Creative writing (poems)

Short and long answers on tests Dramatizations, skits

Small group work Time lines, construct and display

Debates Compare and contrast compositions

Create map games Create a newspaper of the past

Journal writing Classroom observations

Portfolios

Acting out roles portraying different historical characters

Research projects – use of internet for gathering information

Appropriate cultural activities (Songs, dances, art, writing)

Integration of Curriculum

· Write a newspaper from an historical time period (Language Arts), include

interviews with historical figures

· Greek and Roman games(Early Olympics)

· Mythology activities

· Wax Museum of Greek and Roman Gods

· Debate (Language Arts) – Ancient Greece

· Write a newspaper from an historical time period (Language Arts), include

interviews with historical figures

· See the Lascaux Cave Site – Art Project “Cave

Painting”

On sandpaper (4” x 5” is good) using only brown and

red brown paint, stencil in positive or negative form

in animal shape. Detail in white chalk and black

charcoal or #2 pencil (graphite). Frame with two 1

inch black stripes. They do not use a brush but put

paint on with paper towels, fingers, etc.

· Mesopotamia / Sumerian / Fertile Crescent – Summer Prayer Statues

On ½ sheet (long cut) grey paper (to mirror statue

carved from stone) design a prayer statue (it

should represent them). The statues can only be

in prayer mode. The eyes need to be large and

can only be colored blue, to represent the lapislazuli

stone that they used in the eyes. The pieces

should be outlined in fine line and cut out. Using

the cut lines as guide, the back should then be

detailed in. The project can also include a writing

addition. They should write a prayer using good

printing and adding ends on grey paper about 4” x 5” in size. Using cardboard

strips, bend and fold pieces into shapes and dip into black paint and “press”

onto the prayer “clay tablet” to represent wedge-shaped cuneiform writing.

39

· Egypt – Design a Cartouche or Sarcophagus

To help children limit the size and space, give them an

outline piece to work in and hieroglyph resources. To

make them more exciting and to add a new element,

have them detail (after they color it vividly with

colored pencil) with gold, silver and copper paint and

fine line brushes

· China

Design on the computer a black line design that uses

only circles, squares, and rectangles. Have the

children color with vivid marker. The shapes should

overlap using an oval template cut and cut each

piece into oval. Mount onto colored “scale” (limit to

three colors that you want your dragon to be). Use

two templates to cut scale (the size of regular

construction paper). Arrange the scales to overlap

(can be two deep) attach pre-made dragon head and

tail and legs

Related Readings

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Mummies of the Pharaohs: Exploring the Valley of the Kings by Melvin & Gilda

Berger

Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth (Erastostheves) by Kathryn Lasky

Cleopatra by Diane Stanley

A is for Asia by Cynthia Chin Lee

A is for Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu

African Americans in the Old West by Tom McGowen

Mapping the World by Sylvia A. Johnson

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton

and the Endurance (Best read aloud) by Jennifer Armstrong

Technology Links

Quia Geography Games

http://www.quia.com/dir/geo

Media

Ancient Mesopotamia (Schlessinger Media)

Ancient Greece (Schlessinger Media)

Ancient Rome (Schlessinger Media)

Field Trips

Cincinnati Art Museum – collection of ancient artifacts

Cincinnati Museum Center (Union Terminal)

40

GRADE 6

Grade 6 – World Studies from the Middle Ages Through the 20th Century

The sixth grade year focuses on the study of the world from the fall of the Roman

Empire to the present. Students learn that each historic event is shaped by its

geographic setting, the culture of the people, economic conditions, governmental

decisions, and citizen action. Connections are made to the present-day including

characteristics of culture, governments, and economic interactions.

Peace and Justice

Students will:

1. Affirm essential equality of people

2. Identify areas of discrimination, i.e., sex, age, race, religion

3. Describe life in the early Church and explore contemporary examples of social

teaching

Geography (Asia thrust)

Students will:

4. Place countries, cities, deserts, mountain ranges, and bodies of water on the

continents on which they are located

5. Use coordinates of latitude and longitude to locate points on a world map

6. Name and identify on a map all of the countries in Asia

7. Identify:

· Major mountain ranges

· Rivers

· Bodies of water

· Climate

· Natural resources

8. Describe ways in which human settlements and activities are influenced by

environmental factors and processes in different places and regions including:

· Bodies of water

· Landforms

· Climates

· Vegetation

9. Describe ways in which human migration and colonization has an impact on the

physical and human characteristics of places

10. Describe ways humans depend on and modify the environment and the positive

and negative consequences of the modifications

41

11. Explain possible reasons that people migrate from place to place including:

· Oppression/freedom

· Poverty/economic opportunity

· Cultural ties

· Political conflicts

· Environmental factors

12. Identify and explain primary geographic causes for world trade including the

uneven distribution of natural resources

13. Explain how particular regions and resources in these regions influence the

availability of the growth of technology, transportation, and communication

14. Identify and describe a variety of physical and human regions by analyzing maps,

charts, and graphs that show patterns and characteristics that define regions

History

Students will:

15. Describe the political and economic events and the social and geographical

characteristics of Medieval European life and their enduring impact on later

civilizations, with emphasis on:

· The creation and expansion of the Byzantine Empire

· The reasons for the fall of Rome

· New forms of government

A) Feudalism

B) Limited monarchy with the Magna Carta

· The role of the Roman Catholic Church and its monasteries including its

effect on education and the arts

· The role of the Crusades including how they helped to introduce Muslim

ideas and products to Europe

· The impact of the Black Plague including how it contributed to the end of

the feudal system

· Contributions and roles of key figures including Charlemagne, Joan of Arc,

Marco Polo, and Peter the Great

16. Describe Japan’s feudal society and the influence of China on its culture

17. Describe the Renaissance and Reformation, including:

· The social and intellectual significance of printing with moveable type

· Major achievements in literature, music, painting, sculpture, and

architecture in Europe, including the work of Leonardo de Vinci and

Michelangelo

· Discontent among Europeans with the late medieval Catholic Church and

the beliefs and ideas of the leading Protestant reformers, including Luther,

Calvin, and Henry VIII

· The rise of the Ottoman Empire

42

18. Describe the importance of the Empire of Ghana including:

· Trade routes

· Products

· Spread of Arabic language and the spread of Islam

19. Describe the culture of pre-Columban civilizations

20. Describe the causes and effects of exploration among Europeans on the people of

Africa, Europe, and the Americas (1400-1750), including:

· The practices of mercantilism and colonialism leading to imperialism

· The impact of European exploration and expansion on the people of sub-

Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas

· The influence of early explorers, i.e., Columbus, Ponce de Leon, Hudson,

Cartier, Champlain, Cabot, Pizarro, and Cortez on the development of North

and South America

· Reasons specific European states such as Portugal, Spain, France, Holland,

and England emerged as economic world powers

21. Explain the causes and effects of the Age of Revolution including the Industrial

Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Russian Revolution, with emphasis on:

· Scientific and technological changes that promoted industrialization

· The impact of the growth of population, rural to urban migration, growth of

industrial cities, and immigration out of Europe

· The changing role of labor

· Changes in living and working conditions, especially those of women and

children

· The emergence of a middle class and its impact on leisure, art, music,

literature, and other aspects of culture

· An understanding of the formation of modern European nations

· The rise of socialism and communism

22. Explain the causes and effects of World War I including the provisions of the

Treaty of Versailles

23. Explain the social, political, and economic impact of the Depression

24. Identify the causes of World War II and its effects including:

· The Holocaust

· The atomic bomb

· The Cold War

· The formation of the United Nations

25. Identify the causes and effects of modern conflicts

· China

· Korea

· Vietnam

· Gulf War

· Middle East

· Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe

· 9/11 and the “War on Terrorism”

43

Governance and Civic Ideals

Students will:

26. Explain how opportunities for citizens to participate in and influence the political

processes differ under various systems of government including monarchy, direct

democracy, communism, fascism, and representative democracy

27. Compare the rights and responsibilities of citizens living under various systems of

government

28. Describe the rights found in the Magna Carta and show connections to rights

Americans have today

Global Connections (Economics)

Students will:

29. Explain how the availability of productive resources and labor affects the

production of goods, specialization, trade, interdependence, and services in

different world regions

30. Explain why trade occurs when individuals, regions, and countries specialize, and

how this causes both production and consumption to increase

31. Describe the growth of cities due to the establishment of trade routes in Asia,

Africa, and Europe and the products and inventions that traveled along these

routes

Cultural Connections

Students will:

32. Compare the cultural practices and products of the societies studied including:

· Class structure

· Gender roles

· Beliefs

· Customs and traditions

33. Compare world religions and belief systems focusing on geographic origins,

founding leaders, and teachings including

· Buddhism

· Christianity

· Judaism

· Hinduism

· Islam

34. Explain factors that foster conflict or cooperation among countries

· Language

· Religion

· Types of government

· Historic relationships

· Economic interests

44

35. Give examples of conflicts among different cultures that led to the changes in

belief systems, art, science, technology, language, and systems of government

36. Describe the cultural and scientific legacies of European civilizations

] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]

Assessment Alternatives

Reports: written or oral Color coded map projects

Gathering information from the internet Synopsis or commentary by student

Constructing models Creative writing (poems)

Short and long answer tests Dramatizations, skits

Small group work Time lines, construct and display

Debates Compare and contrast compositions

Create map games Create a newspaper of the past

Journal writing Classroom observations

Portfolios Create a Renaissance/Feudal Village

Acting out roles portraying different historical characters

Research projects – use of internet for gathering information

Appropriate cultural activities (songs, dances, art, writing)

Integration of Curriculum

· Research paper (Language Arts) – Modern nations

· Debate (Language Arts)

· Write a newspaper from an historical time period (Language Arts), include

interviews with historical figures

Related Readings

Everyday Life Through the Ages by Michael Worth Davison (Holocaust)

Daniel’s Story by Carol Matas (Holocaust)

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry – Dell Yearling Books (Holocaust)

A Complete Guide to Heraldry, Bracken Books, London, 1993 – Teacher reference

for heraldry (Middle Ages)

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli – Scholastic, Inc. (Middle Ages)

Kids At Work by Russell Freedman – Houghton-Mifflin Co. (Industrial Revolution)

Mandela by Floyd Cooper – Puffin Books (South Africa)

Turn of the Century by Ellen Jackson – Scholastic, Inc. (Middle Ages, Colonies)

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth (Erastostheves) by Kathryn Lasky

All in a Day by Mitsumasa Anno

The Silk Route: 2000 Miles of History by John S. Major

Clues from the Past (Artifacts) by Robin Place

45

Technology Links

National Geographic for Kids

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/index.html

Media

History of the 20th Century: 1910 – 1919, ABC Video, Volume II (World War I)

A Friendship in Vienna (Disney) (Holocaust)

Survivors of the Holocaust by Steven Speilberg (Holocaust)

Miracle at Midnight (Holocaust)

Field Trips

Renaissance Festival

Cincinnati Art Museum – collection of ancient artifacts

46

Geography Overview and Checklist

As members of the global community, we have an obligation to become familiar

with the various regions of the world. The objectives for each grade level are

designed to familiarize students and integrate geography as much as possible into

the on-going social studies work of that grade level. The purpose of the geography

focus is to help the students become more proficient in geography as well as

nurturing a better understanding of cultures throughout the world.

GRADE 1

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Focus on oceans and continents

¾ Introduce map skills

¾ Globe versus map

¾ Directions

¾ Land and water forms

¾ Map key and directions

¾ Understanding day and night

GRADE 2

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ Regions of the earth

¾ The U.S. States

¾ Rivers

¾ Mountain ranges

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of the U.S.

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Following routes on maps

¾ Using a compass rose

¾ Breakdown from continents to countries to states to towns, etc.

¾ Reading Landform Maps

¾ Globe skills

¾ Different types of maps

56

GRADE 3

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ Students should know the seven continents and four oceans before entering the

3rd Grade. They should also be able to locate them on a map.

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of Australia and Antarctica

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Landforms

¾ Bodies of water

¾ Natural resources

¾ Weather and climate

¾ Cardinal directions

¾ Key/symbols

¾ Locating places on a map

GRADE 4

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ All 50 states and capitals

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of North America

¾ Focus on the geography of Ohio

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Latitude and longitude

¾ Climate and resources

¾ Resources of the Northwest

¾ Resources of the Southwest

¾ Living and working in the Southeast

¾ Resources of the Midwest

¾ Reading maps at different scales

¾ Life in the Great Lakes states

¾ Flow charts

¾ Life in the Plains States

¾ Resources of the Southwest

¾ Reading road maps

¾ Living and Working in the Southwest today

¾ Resources of the West

¾ Comparing maps

¾ Inuit

¾ U.S. capitals

¾ Major U.S. rivers, Great Lakes, oceans

57

GRADE 5

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of Africa

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Five Themes Of Geography (location, place, human environment interactions,

movement, and regions)

¾ Map and globe skills

¾ Latitude and longitude

¾ Parts of the map

¾ Climate and natural resources

¾ Kinds of maps

¾ Deserts of the world

¾ Mountains of the world

¾ Continents, seas, and oceans

GRADE 6

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ Concentrate on the resources and geography of Europe, Africa, Asia, and

Americas

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of Asia

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Five Themes of Geography (location, place, human environment interactions,

movement, and regions)

¾ Using globes and maps

¾ Earth’s resources on climates of the world

¾ Latitude and longitude

58

GRADE 7

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of Europe

¾ Review of geography terms and maps skills

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Five Themes of Geography (location, place, human environment interactions,

movement, and regions)

¾ Geographic terms

¾ Review of map skills

¾ Review of climates and regions of North America

GRADE 8

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS TO FOCUS ON:

¾ Ohio geography

¾ Review of geography covered through grades 1-7

¾ Focus on the geography and culture of Central and South America

GEOGRAPHY TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED AT THIS GRADE LEVEL:

¾ Review of geographic terms

¾ Ohio counties

¾ Ohio rivers

¾ Review of map skill