School Improvement in Maryland
Social Studies Grade PK Voluntary State Curriculum
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Date: 6/20/2006
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Standard 1.0 Political Science

Students will understand the historical development and current status of the democratic principles and the development of skills and attitudes necessary to become responsible citizens.
Topic
A. The Foundations and Function of Government
Indicator
1. Identify the importance of rules
Objectives
  1. Recognize why people have rules at home and at school
  2. Generate and follow classroom rules, such as taking turns, walking inside, and forming a line that promote order and safety in the classroom
Indicator
2. Identify symbols and practices associated with the United States of America
Objectives
  1. Recognize symbols, such as the American flag
  2. Recognize that the Pledge of Allegiance is a practice that happens in school
Topic
B. Individual and Group Participation in the Political System
Indicator
1. Recognize people important to the American political system
Objective
  1. Respond to informational text read aloud to develop an awareness of the contributions made by certain individuals that are remembered during the observance of national holidays and celebrations
Topic
C. Protecting Rights and Maintaining Order
Indicator
1. Identify the roles, rights, and responsibilities of being a member of the family and school
Objectives
  1. Identify roles of family members
  2. Identify the roles of members of the school, such as principal, teacher, and nurse
  3. Identify and discuss rights, responsibilities and choices in the classroom and family


Standard 2.0 Peoples of the Nation and World

Students will understand how people in Maryland, the United States and around the world are alike and different.
Topic
A. Elements of Culture
Indicator
1. Identify themselves as individuals and members of families that have the same human needs as others
Objectives
  1. Identify the members of their families and the ways that they meet their human needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other commonalties, such as recreation, stories, and music
  2. Use personal experiences, stories, and electronic media to demonstrate understanding that all people need food, clothing, and shelter
Topic
C. Conflict and Compromise
Indicator
1. Identify how groups of people interact
Objective
  1. Identify and demonstrate appropriate social skills, such as listening to others, settling disagreements, and taking turns that help people live, work and play together at home and in school


Standard 3.0 Geography

Students will use geographic concepts and processes to understand location and its relationship to human activities.
Topic
A. Using Geographic Tools
Indicator
1. Recognize that a globe and maps are used to help people locate places
Objectives
  1. Recognize that maps are models of places
  2. Recognize that a globe is a model of Earth
  3. Make maps by drawing, building with blocks, and playing with clay, puzzles, pictures, and photographs
Topic
B. Geographic Characteristics of Places and Regions
Indicator
1. Recognize that places in the immediate environment have specific physical and human-made features
Objectives
  1. Discuss that places have natural/physical features such as mountains, rivers, and hills
  2. Discuss that places have human-made features, such as streets, buildings, and parks
Topic
C. Movement of People, Goods and Ideas
Indicator
1. Identify the role of transportation in the community
Objectives
  1. Recognize transportation as a means of traveling from place to place
  2. Identify ways in which people travel to various places in the community, such as bus, car, and bicycle
Topic
D. Modifying and Adapting to the Environment
Indicator
1. Describe how people adapt to their immediate environment
Objective
  1. Identify ways people adapt to the environment, such as wearing clothing that is appropriate to the weather


Standard 4.0 Economics

Students will identify the economic principles and processes that are helpful to producers and consumers when making good decisions.
Topic
A. Scarcity and Economic Decision-making
Indicator
1. Recognize that people have to make choices because of unlimited economic wants
Objectives
  1. Identify that goods are things that people make or grow
  2. Demonstrate the ability to make a choice
Indicator
2. Identify that materials/resources are used to make products
Objectives
  1. Recognize that workers do jobs in the home and school
  2. Participate in steps that are followed in making a product, such as a drawing, a block building, and a card for a friend or relative
Indicator
3. Explain how technology affects the way people live, work, and play
Objective
  1. Begin to be aware of technology and how it affects daily life, such as different ways to fasten shoes and different appliances to cook food
Topic
B. Economic Systems and the Role of Government in the Economy
Indicator
1. Identify types of local markets
Objective
  1. Identify markets as places where buyers and sellers meet
Indicator
3. Identify how goods are acquired
Objectives
  1. Identify that coins and bills are money
  2. Identify that money is used to buy goods


Standard 5.0 History

Students will use historical thinking skills to understand how individuals and events have changed society over time.
Topic
A. Change Over Time
Indicator
1. Distinguish among past, present, and future time
Objective
  1. Describe the events of the day (things that have happened in the immediate past, in the present and might happen in the future) using terms, such as morning/afternoon, night/day


Standard 6.0 Social Studies Skills and Processes

Students shall use reading, writing, and thinking processes and skills to gain knowledge and understanding of political, historical, and current events using chronological and spatial thinking, economic reasoning, and historical interpretation, by framing and evaluating questions from primary and secondary sources.
Topic
A. Learn to Read and Construct Meaning about Social Studies
Indicator
1. Develop and apply social studies vocabulary through exposure to a variety of text and portions of text
Objectives
  1. Acquire new vocabulary through listening to and reading a variety of grade-appropriate print and non-print sources
  2. Discuss words and word meanings as they are encountered in texts, instruction, and conversation
  3. Make connections to prior knowledge and new vocabulary by listening, reading, and responding to a variety of texts
Indicator
2. Use strategies to prepare for reading (before reading)
Objectives
  1. Make and explain the connections made using prior knowledge and experiences with the text
  2. Make predictions or ask questions about the text by examining the title, cover, illustrations/photographs/text, and familiar author or topic
  3. Set a purpose for reading the text
Indicator
3. Use strategies to monitor understanding and derive meaning from text and portions of text (during reading)
Objectives
  1. Recall and discuss what they understand
  2. Identify and question what did not make sense
  3. Reread difficult parts slowly and carefully and use own words to restate difficult parts
  4. Read on, revisit, and restate the difficult parts in your own words
  5. Make, confirm, or adjust predictions
  6. Ask and answer questions about the text
  7. Periodically summarize while reading
  8. Visualize what was read
  9. Look back through the text to search for connection to the topic, characters, events, and actions in text
  10. Explain personal connections to the topics, events, characters, and actions in texts
Indicator
4. Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading)
Objectives
  1. Review/restate and explain what the text is mainly about
  2. Identify and explain what is directly stated in the text (details, literal meaning)
  3. Identify and explain what is not stated in the text (implied or inferential meaning)
  4. Summarize the text orally
  5. Confirm, refute, or make predictions to form new ideas
  6. Connect the text to prior knowledge or personal experience
  7. Engage in conversation to understand what has been read
  8. Retell explicit and implicit main ideas of texts
  9. Answer questions (what if, why, and how) in writing
Topic
B. Learn to Write and Communicate Social Studies Understandings
Indicator
1. Compose oral, written, and visual presentations that express personal ideas, inform, and persuade
Objectives
  1. Write to express social studies ideas using a variety of forms, such as journals, narratives, letters, and reports
  2. Contribute to a shared writing experience about a social studies topic
  3. Write a variety of responses to text, such as response logs, journals, and constructed responses
Indicator
2. Locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose
Objectives
  1. Identify and use sources of information on a topic
  2. Use note taking and organizational strategies to record and organize information
Topic
C. Ask Social Studies Questions
Indicator
1. Identify a topic that requires further study
Objectives
  1. Identify prior knowledge about the topic
  2. Pose questions about the topic
Indicator
2. Identify a situation or problem that requires study
Objectives
  1. Define the problem/situation
  2. Identify prior knowledge about the problem/situation
  3. Pose/Ask questions about the problem/situation
Topic
D. Acquire Social Studies Information
Indicator
1. Identify primary and secondary sources of information that relate to the topic/situation/problem being studied
Objectives
  1. Gather and read appropriate print sources, such as journals, textbooks, timelines, and trade books
  2. Read and obtain information from texts representing diversity in content and culture
  3. Locate and gather data and information from appropriate non-print sources, such as music, maps, graphs, photographs, and illustrations
Indicator
2. Engage in field work that relates to the topic/ situation/ problem being studied
Objectives
  1. Gather data
  2. Make and record observations
  3. Conduct surveys
Topic
E. Organize Social Studies Information
Indicator
1. Organize information from non-print sources
Objectives
  1. Distinguish factual from fictional information
  2. Find relationships between gathered information
  3. Display information on various types of graphic organizers and charts
Indicator
2. Organize information from print sources
Objectives
  1. Distinguish factual from fictional information
  2. Find relationships between gathered information
  3. Display information on various types of graphic organizers, maps, and charts
Topic
F. Analyze Social Studies Information
Indicator
1. Interpret information from secondary sources including pictures, graphics, maps, atlases, and timelines
Objectives
  1. Compare information from a variety of sources
  2. Compare information to prior knowledge
  3. Recognize relationships in and among ideas or events, such as cause and effect, sequential order, main idea, and details
Topic
G. Answer Social Studies Questions
Indicator
1. Describe how the community has changed over time and how people have contributed to its change, drawing from maps, photographs, newspapers, and other sources
Objectives
  1. Present social studies information in a variety ways, such as plays, skits, posters, songs, poems, murals, and oral presentations
  2. Plan and engage in school and community events, such as a mock election, playground clean-up, writing letters to community officials, and fund-raising for a cause


Date: 6/20/2006