RSD Social Studies Committee 2013
Social Studies Curriculum Map K-5
Grade: 3
Time
Frame Unit
Title
Sept.
Dec.
First
Nations
of North
America
Big Idea: Culture: People, Place, and Environment
Materials and Resources
EALRs/GLEs
Economics 2.2.1 Understand show the economic
systems of groups are influenced by laws, values,
and customs.
Geography 3.1.1 Understands and applies how
maps and globes are used to display the regions of
North America in the past and present.
Geography 3.2.1 Understands how the
environment affects cultural groups and how
cultural groups affect the environment.
SS Skills 5.2.2 Uses a graphic organizer to organize
main ideas and supporting details form visuals and
literary, narrative, information, and expository
texts.
SS Skills 5.3.1 Engages in discussion that attempt to
answer question about cultural similarities and
differences.
SS Skills 5.4.1 Draws conclusions using at least two
clear, specific and accurate examples in a paper or
presentation
Essential Questions








How do we affect our
environment?
How do we meet our needs
and wants?
How do people form different
cultural groups and ways of
life work together to solve
problems?
Who were the first people to
live in North America, how
did they live, and how do they
live today?
How are Native American
cultures similar and different?
How do stories, legends, and
the arts serve as expressions
cultural traditions?
How and why did the Native
American cultures change
over time?
How were Native American
cultures affected by exchanges
with non-native peoples?
Possible
Assessments
(websites, videos, literature, curriculum packages)
TCI: Social Studies Alive!: Our Community and Beyond*
 Lesson 1: “Where in the world is our community?”
 Lesson 2: “Where in the US is our community?”
 Lesson 3: “What is the geography of our community?”
*Other Lessons are suggested, but not required
StoryPath: Early Northwest Coast People
BrainPOP:
 American Indians: Learn About the Original Inhabitants of the
Americas! Link to Video
Discovery Streaming:
 Reservation Life Today Link to Video
 Native Americans: The First Peoples Link to Video
 Native Americans: People of the Northwest Coast Link to Video
Whole Class Read Aloud Literature:
 The Desert is Theirs by Byrd Baylor
 Fatty Legs by Christi Jordan-Fenton
 Cheyenne Again by Eve Bunting
 When the Shadbush Blooms by Carla Messinger
 The Good Rainbow Road by Simon J. Ortiz


CBA: Humans
and the
Environment
TCILesson
Assessments
(Lesson
Masters)



Lesson 1 p.2
Lesson 2 p.7
Lesson 3 p.16
Additional Text Resources (Unit 1)**

Evan-Moor: History Pockets: Native Americans

Where the Buffaloes Begin by Olaf Baker

Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles
**These resources are not provided but are suggested supplemental trade books
Grade 3 SS Curriculum Map
1
RSD Social Studies Committee 2013
Time
Frame
Unit
Title
Jan. March
Cultures
of
North
America
Materials and Resources
EALRs/GLEs
Geography 3.1.2 Understands the physical,
political and cultural characteristics of places,
regions and people in North America
including the location of the fifty states within
the regions of the US.
Geography 3.3.1 Understands that learning
about the geography of North America helps
us understand the global issue of culture
Essential Questions



What should you know
about your neighbors?
How does the geographic
region influence culture?
How are Mexico, Canada,
and the United States
different?
Possible
Assessments
(websites, videos, literature, curriculum packages)
TCI: Social Studies Alive!: Our Community and Beyond*
 Lesson 4: “How do people become part of our country?”
 Lesson 5: “What makes our community diverse?”
 Lesson 6: “How do people improve their community?”

*Other Lessons are suggested, but not required
BrainPOP:
 Continents of The World: How We Divide the World’s
Landmasses Link to Video
 Geography Themes: Talk About a Sense of Place! Link to
TCI Lesson
Assessments
(Lesson
Masters)



Lesson 4
p.20
Lesson 5
p.24
Lesson 6 p.35
Video
Discovery Streaming:
 Reading Rainbow: My America: A Poetry Atlas of the
United States Link to Video
 Regions of the United States (multiple videos) Link to Video
Whole Class Read Aloud Literature:
 How I Learned Geography by Uri Schulevitz
 When it’s Six O’clock in San Francisco by Cynthia Jaynes
Omololu
 The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller
Additional Text Resources (Unit 2)**

Adele and Simon in America by Barbara McClintock

Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney
**These resources are not provided but are suggested supplemental trade books
Grade 3 SS Curriculum Map
2
RSD Social Studies Committee 2013
Time
Frame
Unit Title
April June
Cultures in
Our
Community
Materials and Resources
EALRs/GLEs
Civics 1.1.1 Understand the key ideals of unity
and diversity.
Civics 1.1.2 Understands and applies the key ideals
of unity and diversity within the context of the
community
Geography 3.2.2 Understands the cultural
universals of place, time family life, economics,
communication, arts, recreation, food, clothing,
shelter, transportation, government, and
education.
History 4.2.2 Understands how contributions
made by various cultural groups have shaped the
history of the community and world.
SS Skills 5.1.2 Evaluates if information is clear,
specific, and detailed.
SS Skills 5.4.2 Prepares a list of resources,
including the title and author for each source.
Essential Questions





What makes up a culture?
What are the critical
attributes of culture
(cultural universals)?
How are cultures similar
and different?
What can we learn about
ourselves by studying
cultures in other places?
What cultures have
contributed to your
community? How have they
made these contributions?
Possible
Assessments
(websites, videos, literature, curriculum packages)
TCI: Social Studies Alive!: Our Community and Beyond*
 Lesson 7: “How are people around the world alike and different?”
 Lesson 8: “How does our economy work?”
 Lesson 9: “How does global trade affect our community?”
 Lesson 12: “How do we have a voice in our community?”
 Lesson 14: “How can we help the global community?”
*Other Lessons are suggested, but not required
BrainPop:
 Winter Holidays Link to Video
Discovery Streaming:
 Diversity Elementary: Culture and Ethnicity Link to Video
 TLC Elementary School: American Diversity Sections 1-3) Link to
Video
Whole Class Read Aloud Literature:
 Violet by Tanya Duprey Stehlik
 The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
 Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

TCI Lesson
Assessments
(Lesson
Masters)
 Lesson 7 p.38
 Lesson 8 p.47
 Lesson 9 p.52
Lesson 12
p.85
 Lesson 14
p.101

Additional Text Resources (Unit 3)**
Culture in the Cinderella Story:

Smokey Mountain Rose: An Appalachain Cinderella by Alan Schroeder

The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin

The Golden Sandal: A Middle-Eastern Cinderella Story Retold by Rebecca
Hickox

Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition by Jewell Reinhart
Coburn

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

Cinder-Elly by Francis Minters
**These resources are not provided but are suggested supplemental trade books
Grade 3 SS Curriculum Map
3