Social Studies
The Integrated Social Studies/English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum is a web-based, user-friendly curriculum developed by teachers. The curriculum development process was guided by expert social studies and technology consultants. Following a continuous improvement model, the curriculum is updated annually. The content of the curriculum is based on the New York State Social Studies Core Curriculum, integrates the NYS ELA Common Core Standards, and uses an Understanding by Design template.
Balanced Literacy Connections
A strong literature component is one hallmark of this program. For each lesson, read-alouds are identified and annotated. Questioning strategies are presented. To support a balanced literacy classroom, teachers can access guided reading suggestions, ideas for using varied genre, and leveled book lists. Writing tasks ask students to compare and contrast, state a point of view, write persuasively, write a letter, and answer document-based questions.
Curriculum Units K-6
Kindergarten
Getting to Know Myself and Others
• Myself and Others
• How Can I Be a Good Citizen?
• Understanding Want and Needs
Grade 1
My Family and Other Families Now
and Long Ago
• Rules and Laws • Unity in Community
• We Are Family • Economics
Grade 2
My Community and Other United States
Communities
• Active Citizenship
• Rural, Urban and Suburban
• Geography of Communities
• Change and Interdependence in Communities
Grade 3
Communities Around the World:
Learning about People and Places
• Geography • Brazil
• China • United States
Grade 4
New York State History and Government
• The Three Worlds: Native Americans, Europeans and Africans Meet in NYS
• The Impact of the Colonial & Revolutionary War Period on New York and the New Nation
• The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on New York State
• National and Local Government
Grade 5
The Western Hemisphere:
The United States, Canada & Latin America
• Geography: Western Hemisphere
• Economics: Needs and Wants
• Government: What is Government Anyway?
• History: Turning Points in the Western Hemisphere
• Cultural Diversity: Hands across the Hemispheres
Interactive Resources for Parents and Students
Free Rice
A fun, interactive game allows students (and teachers) to test their knowledge as well as help fight hunger! For every question that is correctly answered, Free Rice donates ten grains of rice through the U.N. World Food Program to help fight world hunger. The more you play, the more rice you help donate. Now offers question topics such as art, chemistry, geography, grammar, language learning, and math
http://www.freerice.com/
GeoNet Game
Houghton Mifflin’s Social Studies GeoNet game. Click on“Play GeoNet” and then the map of Africa. Test your knowledge of the following categories: The World in Spatial Terms, Places and Regions; Physical Systems; Population; Culture and Independence; Environment and Society; and Geography.
http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/
Geography Games For Kids
These fun and educational games were developed to help students develop and sharpen their geography skills.
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-games/
Financial Literacy
These sites offer free games and interactive lessons designed to help your kids learn about money and improve critical skills in financial literacy.
http://www.squidoo.com/k12-kids-and-money
http://www.themint.org/parents/