An Introduction to Second Grade

Second Grade Social Studies Teacher Edition

An Introduction to Second Grade Standards Alignment Studies Weekly is a standards-based curriculum. Cross-Disciplinary Integration: Lesson plans, activities, and assessments are deliberately integrated with the English Language Arts standards. Integration with math, science, physical education, and fine arts has also been incorporated throughout the curriculum, giving students opportunities to engage in deep learning by transferring, applying, and expanding their learning. Student Curriculum includes:

● 32 weeks of original articles, photos, illustrations, and designs ● English Language Arts-based activities ● Formative and summative assessments aligned with enduring understandings,

standards, and deconstructed skills Teacher Resources include:

● Year-at-a-glance curriculum scope and sequence ● Standards correlation and alignment ● Printable graphic organizers aligned with the content ● Google Classroom integration ● Primary source documents, videos, images, and artwork ● Audio-reader at variable settings ● Annotation features that allow students to highlight and code text for improved

comprehension and retention ● Leveled questions that support formative and summative assessment ● Avatar game component for increased student engagement

Deep Learning Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions The second grade curriculum incorporates deep learning strategies that facilitate student acquisition of knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Deep Learning skills and dispositions include critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, character, and citizenship. Well-Being Support Studies Weekly is a Tier 1 resource that facilitates student engagement and well-being. Well-being questions are integrated throughout the curriculum to help teachers and students make real-world connections and applications. Teachers and students can use our resources as a foundation to teach, examine, and support well-being discussion, instruction, and reflection. Interactive Notebooks As a research-based strategy, interactive notebooks provide a comprehensive and engaging system for students to retrieve information and demonstrate knowledge. Additionally, interactive notebooks help students to make connections between and among topics and themes (Caine, 2005; Caine, Caine, McClintic, & Klimek, 2005; Perkins, 1991, Stickel, 2005). We recommend that teachers create a student binder, storage system, or notebook for students to take notes, place articles, and engage with printable graphic organizers provided in the Teacher Edition. To help facilitate the use of interactive notebooks, graphic organizers are included that can be downloaded and printed. Inquiry-Based Instruction The Teacher Edition has been designed to facilitate inquiry-based discussions as students apply their knowledge to investigate and engage in problem-solving. Each weekly unit has been designed based on essential questions that encourage students to inquire about who they are in relationship to the world. Many of the activities invite students to apply their knowledge to local problems and provide evidence from the text to support their stance. Inquiry-based instruction is a literacy-rich classroom. This allows teachers to focus on teaching content and scaffolding literacy skills like comprehension, communication, and writing through supportive language opportunities. Inquiry-based instruction lends itself perfectly to incorporating critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, character, and citizenship — the foundational learning outcomes reflecting what we want students to become.

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Unit Summary: The purpose of this unit is to engage students in learning about community, government, and their role as citizens of a community. Students will explore the various communities that they belong to, including family, classroom, school, and local communities. Students will learn more about the purpose of government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Students will be introduced to the idea of patriotism and how we demonstrate our patriotism through national symbols, holidays, and events. Students will examine the Founders and the important documents of the United States, including the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Finally, students will learn the definition of primary sources, including the types of sources, and how to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Table of Contents: Week 1: Community Week 2: Rules and Laws Week 3: Principles of Democracy Week 4: Important Documents Week 5: Purpose & Structure of Government Week 6: Government Services Week 7: Citizens Week 8: Patriotism Week 9: National Symbols Week 10: Monuments and Memorials Week 11: National Holidays Week 12: Founders Week 13: Culture Week 14: Sources

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| Week 1

Summary of the Week: Students will recognize that they are members of a family, classroom, and school community. Students will identify and explain the importance of responsibilities at school, at home, and in the community.

Teacher Background Knowledge: Understanding that you are part of something larger than what you see around you is the goal for understanding this week. Students should understand that they are part of different types of communities and that they have responsibilities in each of those communities. Sometimes those responsibilities are the same, and sometimes they are different. This is a great time to set up the culture for your classroom community.

Enduring Understandings: 1. Geography and economics drive the actions of governments and people. 2. People and events are interconnected over time and space. 3. Movement and settlement are a result of geographic, government, religious,

cultural and economic factors. 4. The purpose of the United States government is to protect the rights of the

people. 5. When authority becomes destructive to people’s liberty and freedom it is the

right of the people to alter or abolish that authority.

Essential Questions: 1. What communities do I belong to? 2. What are my responsibilities in my community? 3. How can I make my community better?

Vocabulary: community: group of people that live in the same place responsibility: something you are expected to do respect: showing that you care about others’ feelings and their well-being

Notes for Teacher: ● Students will be using the My Responsibilities graphic organizer for the whole

week. ● Read a story to the class or lead the students in an activity that will help create

a class community. Ask the students to write you a private letter telling you about someone they feel might be invisible. In the letter, encourage them to problem-solve a way they can help.

Think Deeply: ● What advice would you give to a new community member? ● How does being a member of a community affect your daily life? ● Can my actions influence others to change?

Well-Being Questions: ● What examples have you seen in your school of people being responsible

citizens and treating others with respect? ● What is one way that you can be a responsible citizen this week?

Let’s Write: ● How do my responsibilities at home help me with my responsibilities at school

and in the community? ● Why is being part of a community important? ● Are you a good member of your community? How do you know?

Weekly Assessment Questions: 1. What is a community?

a. a group of people who live in the same place b. the name of a street c. a type of car d. a group of birds

2. What are the four types of communities we read about? (match the images of home, school, class, and community to their labels)

3. I am a good member of a community by ______ others and being _______. a. respecting, responsible b. bumping, loud c. ignoring, silly d. helping, rude

4. How can you be responsible in your community? a. by playing loud music b. by breaking playground equipment c. by obeying the rules d. by riding your bike unsafely

5. Open response: What are some things I can do to be responsible in my

| Week 1

community? 6. What is one responsibility you have at school?

a. to work hard b. to play with toys c. to make your bed d. to come to school late

7. What are the things you can do to show you are responsible? Mark all that apply.

obey the rules work hard leave a mess in class take care of equipment

8. Open response: Who are members of your community?

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Student Edition Week 1

| Week 1

Article 1: I Belong to a Community Lexile: 500-600L Word Count: 82 Lesson Plan:

1. Show the video “Community Members Have Things in Common.” a. Remind students to watch for ways that they are a member of a

community and what kinds of communities there are. 2. Read the article as a class. Have students underline the word “community” as

you read. 3. Show the image of the community from related media. 4. As a class, label this image with the observations from the video or from the

things they see in the image. 5. Ask the following questions, and use the answers to label the image.

● What are characteristics of a community (things you see)? ● What are some traditions and celebrations of a community? ● How are citizens members of a community? ● How do we include everyone in a community? ● How are different communities connected? Why is that important? ● Who are some members of your community?

6. Have the students turn to a partner and share their favorite things about their community.

7. In their interactive notebooks and using the anchor chart image, have the students write about a time when they participated in their community.

Article Assessment Questions:

1. What is a community? a. a group of people who live in the same place b. the name of a street c. a type of car d. a group of birds

2. Who are the members of your classroom community? a. cats and dogs b. students and teachers c. firefighters and police officers d. moms and dads

Materials Needed: N/A Online Related Media (Explore More): Video ”Community Members Have Things in Common”

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Image of the community

Article 2: What is Our Responsibility? Lexile: 400-500L Word Count: 34 Lesson Plan:

1. Pose the following question to the class: What does it mean to take care of something? Let students respond with their ideas.

2. Next, write the words “responsibility” and “respect” on the board. Break the words into syllables, and have the students repeat the words.

3. Have students turn to a partner and discuss what they think these words mean.

a. Responsibility: something you are expected to do b. Respect: showing that you care about others’ feelings and well-being

4. Read the article as a class. 5. As a class, brainstorm the things students are responsible for at home and at

school. Brainstorm ways to show respect. Prompt students with scenarios if they get stuck. Write the ideas down on the board.

6. Create a T-chart on poster paper using the words responsibility and respect. 7. Each student gets two squares of paper (8 ½ x 11 in fourths).

a. On one piece, they should write or draw a way to be responsible. b. On the other piece, they should write or draw a way to be respectful.

Have them think about the things they do or the places they go during the day for ideas.

8. Invite students to glue their drawings to the chart. 9. Have students pick a different image (not their own) and write about how

they could make this a goal they could do in their interactive notebooks. Article Assessment Questions:

1. How can you be a good community member? a. by not listening b. by respecting others c. by throwing my trash on the ground d. by disobeying the crossing guard

2. How can you be responsible in your community? a. by playing loud music b. by breaking playground equipment c. by obeying the rules d. by riding your bike unsafely

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Material Needed: Poster paper Blank paper cut into fourths

Article 3: Being Responsible at Home Lexile: 500-600L Word Count: 35 Lesson Plan:

1. Read the article as a class. Have students turn to a partner and give their definition of responsibility. (something you are expected to do)

2. Show the students the images in related media of students being responsible. Prompt the students to think about the following questions as you show them the images:

a. Identify the roles and responsibilities of being a member of a family community.

b. What are your responsibilities at home? 3. Have students raise their hands if they have done this job at home. 4. Next, ask the question:

a. What jobs need to be done in a home? 5. Write students' responses on the board or chart paper. 6. Hand out the graphic organizer called My Responsibilities . Students will be

using this for the remaining articles this week. 7. Using the information from the article and from class discussions, have

students fill out the section about responsibilities at home. a. They will also answer the following writing prompt: What can you do to

support a positive home environment? Use the writing response as an exit ticket or assessment.


1. How can you be helpful at home? a. by watching TV b. by helping do the family chores c. by staying in bed d. by leaving clothes on the floor

2. You have _______ at home. a. P.E. b. baseball games c. responsibilities

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d. recess Materials Needed: Graphic organizer My Responsibilities Online Related Media (Explore More): Images found online under Explore More

Article 4: Being Responsible at School Lexile: 700-800L Word Count: 26 Lesson Plan:

1. Have the students help create a list of different rooms or places at school (e.g., office, library, gym, cafeteria, playground, classroom, computer room, bathrooms, parking lots). If possible, take them on a walking tour.

2. Divide students into groups and give each group a large sheet of paper and one area of the school.

a. Doing a group think, invite each student to write down all of the ideas they have about how to be responsible in each of these areas.

b. Students should write as many ideas as they can in one minute. Some ideas may get duplicated.

c. Have the students rotate to another paper and repeat the process of writing. Do this two to three times.

d. The last group should be responsible to circle the ideas that are the same. Look for patterns.

3. Hang the posters together and have a class discussion about the patterns they found.

4. Read the article. 5. Ask the students: Does knowing about the different places in the school help

us be more responsible? 6. Use the graphic organizer My Responsibilities . Invite students to list their

responsibilities at school. Then, answer the question asked earlier about how knowing about the various places around the school helps us be responsible.


1. How can you be responsible at recess? a. by running away from your friends b. by not sharing the swings c. by taking care of the equipment

| Week 1

d. by ignoring the rules 2. Who should be responsible at school?

a. just the teachers b. just the principal c. everyone d. just the parents

Materials Needed: Large sheets of paper Graphic organizer My Responsibilities (section about school)

Article 5: Classroom Responsibilities Lexile: 400-500L Word Count: 31 Lesson Plan:

1. Read the article as a class. Have the students identify the three things they should be responsible for at school. Write the three things on the board.

2. Next, have a class meeting. The topic is: How to be Responsible in Class a. How can you help others to learn? b. What happens if others can’t learn? c. How is being responsible at school like a job? d. How is being responsible helpful to others? e. What can you do to be a problem solver?

3. In their graphic organizer My Responsibilities , invite students to list their responsibilities in the classroom. Next, invite students to complete the following prompt: This year, I can help others in my class learn by ____________________.


1. What is one responsibility you have at school? a. to work hard b. to play with toys c. to make your bed d. to come to school late

2. At school, you should help others be ________. a. silly b. successful c. mean d. organized

| Week 1

Materials Needed: Graphic organizer My Responsibilities (section about classroom)

Article 6: Your Local Community Lexile: 600-700L Word Count: 38 Lesson Plan:

1. Read the article. Underline the things you do as a member of a community. 2. Being a member of a community is important. A community provides

opportunities for us to learn and to be a part of something. 3. This should be a class discussion. Pose the question to the students: What

would happen in the community if we weren’t being responsible? What if we didn’t …

a. pick up trash b. recycle c. ride our bicycles safely d. What other things are we responsible for in our communities? e. What would happen if we didn't do them?

4. As a class, come up with a goal for the whole class. The goal should be focused on what each class member can try to do to show they are responsible in their community (e.g., picking up trash, holding doors for others, doing random acts of kindness). Create a monthly tally chart that students can add a tally to every time they accomplish this goal so you can track their monthly progress and support them with this goal. Also, consider adding to or changing the goal. Encourage different kinds of community citizenship.

a. Decide on the goal. Write it down and then have every student sign it. b. Post it in the room. Include the tally chart with it.

5. Invite students to fill in the graphic organizer My Responsibilities with ways they can be responsible in the community. Have them write the class goal in the bottom section. Encourage them to share the goal with their parents.


1. What is a city or a town? a. a place where people live b. a group of flowers c. a new kind of toy d. a place to sleep

2. How can you show you are responsible in your community?

| Week 1

a. by never mowing the lawn b. by picking up trash, riding a bike safely, recycling c. by playing in the street d. by ignoring the Mayor

Materials Needed: Graphic organizer My Responsibilities (section about communities)

| Week 1

Name ___________________________________________________________ Date _____________

Connecting Communities Studies Weekly – Expansive Horizons

Community

Week 1 Assessment

1. What is a community?

A. a group of people who live in the same place

B. the name of a street

C. a type of car

D. a group of birds

2. What are the four types of communities we read about?

_______________________ _____________________ ___________________ _____________________

3. I am a good member of a community by ___________ others and being __________ .

A. respecting, responsible

B. bumping, loud

C. ignoring, silly

D. helping, rude

| Week 1

4. How can you be responsible in your community?

A. by playing loud music

B. by breaking playground equipment

C. by obeying the rules

D. by riding your bike unsafely

5. What are some things I can do to be responsible in my community?

6. What is one responsibility you have at school?

A. to work hard

B. to play with toys

C. to make your bed

D. to come to school late

7. Mark all that apply: What are the things you can do to show you are responsible?

obey the rules

work hard

leave a mess in class

take care of equipment

8. Who are members of your community?

| Week 1

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An Introduction to Second Grade

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Transcript of An Introduction to Second Grade