Third Grade Social Studies Pathfinder
History of Communities
Technology Changes Communities
Transportation, Communication, Inventions, and Improvement of
Medicine Over Time
Where can you find information about early automobiles, the printing
press, the telephone or penicillin? These are all in the category of
inventions but are related to different areas of science and history. It
would take multiple searches to find all the information needed. Now,
what if you need to teach students how these inventions affected
communities throughout time? Wait, that’s social studies, right?
This pathfinder is provided to help third grade teachers prepare lessons
for the social studies unit: Technology Changes Communities. The variety
and depth of the resources listed below will not only provide content
information, but will help in making connections between technological
improvements and their effect on communities.
The following websites, print materials, databases, videos and
community resources will guide you to information about changes and
improvements in transportation, communication, inventions and
medicine throughout time.
WEBSITES
Enchanted Learning
This link will connect directly to the Zoom Inventors and Inventions page of The
Enchanted Learning Website. There, you will find information about inventions
related to Transportation, Communication and Medicine, as well as other general
categories.
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century
Here you will find information about inventions of the 20th Century that we still use
today. Further information can be found about the effects these inventions have on
this century and the world.
Famous Inventions: A to Z
Here you can research the history of famous inventions, past and present. Inventions
are organized alphabetically and accessed by clicking on the first letter of the
invention.
History and Impact of Technology
This website gives access to short videos and documents that show how technology
has impacted society. Grade level ranges are listed for each resource. *More
resources can be found here: Innovation and Invention
National Museum of American History
This site explores how transportation networks changed communities throughout
history. The exhibits are organized by dates and forms of transportation.
The History of Communication
This web page gives a timeline of inventions and inventors related to communication.
Here you will find relevant links to people, events, and communication technology
embedded in the timeline.
The BBC Website
The timeline provided can be used to gather information about key medical
improvements through history. The information is organized by Ancient Medicine,
Medieval and Renaissance Medicine, and Modern Medicine (19th and 20th Centuries.)
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PRINT MATERIALS
American Inventors of the 20th Century
By, Laura S. Jeffrey
Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 1996
(RPL: j 609.2273/JEF)
10 inventors and their inventions are introduced and described. With background
knowledge about important inventions, students can make connections to how they
may have an impact on society and how it works.
How Did That Get to My House? Electricity
By, Nancy Robinson Masters
Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Pub., 2010
(Oak Lawn: JUV 621.31 MASTERS)
Once students understand how electricity comes into a home, they can expand on
the concept to discuss how electricity comes to an entire community and why the
connection needs to exist.
How Did That Get to My House? Mail
By, Gaetano Capici
Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Pub., 2010
(Oak Lawn: JUV 383.4973 CAPICI)
What type of technology is needed to run the post office? Why does a community
need a post office? This book will help students understand how the mail keeps the
members of a community connected to each other and to the rest of the world.
How Did That Get to My House? Natural Gas
By, Nancy Robinson Masters
Ann arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Pub., 2010
(Oak Lawn: JUV 665.7 MASTERS)
Do you ever wonder about the elaborate pipe system that connects to all the homes
in a community? Many students may not realize what goes into starting their gas
stoves! Moreover, how is the system built and managed? This book can provide the
information necessary to start a great discussion.
How Did That Get to My House? Telephone
By, Nancy Robinson Masters
Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Pub., 2010
(Oak Lawn: JUV 621.385 MASTERS)
While students are busy chatting and texting, do they care about how it all works?
They may, once they learn the science behind their favorite form of technology. What
would they do without it?!!
How Did That Get to My House? Water
By, Nancy Robinson Masters
Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Pub., 2010
(Oak Lawn: JUV 628.1 MASTERS)
How does having a tap affect our lives? The impact of water and having easy access
to it may be one of the most important technological advances of our times.
Inventors
By, Martin W. Sandler
New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1996
(RPL: 609.2 SAN)
This is a fabulous collection of photos and text about the most significant inventions
of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It discusses the American spirit of
invention and how these amazing inventions changed our lives.
Popular Science: Science Year by Year: Discoveries and Inventions from
the 20th Century that Shape our Lives Today
New York: Scholastic Reference, 2001.
(RPL: j 500 POP)
This will be a book to check out and have in the classroom while studying technology
and communities. Students will be able to browse at their own pace through the
wonderful photos and descriptions of some of the most intriguing inventions of the
20th Century.
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DATABASES
NoveList
District 96 has a subscription to this resource packed database. The link above will
connect to the member log in page. From there, a User ID and a Password will be
needed. Please email the Media Specialist if member information is needed.
NoveList can provide titles, biographies, curricular connections and teacher resources
that are relevant to all your needs. Non-Fiction titles will be found under NoveList K-8
Plus. Here you can find resources that go beyond our school library that may become
wish list materials or may be tracked down at a public library. There is also an easy to
use folder system to organize book lists by any category you choose.
The following three links will connect to the Riverside Public Library’s
InfoTrac log in page. A library ID # will be needed to access the
databases. If you do not have a RPL card with an ID, please email the
Media Specialist for access to the databases.
Student Resource Center - Gold
When you are logged in, scroll down the list to the apple icon: Student Resource
Center – Gold, and click on the link. This database is full of resources in a wide variety
of formats for all content areas. For information on the topic of this pathfinder, click
on Inventions, which is on the list of popular topics. There, you will find articles
related to inventions, inventors, and how they have made a difference in our world.
Kids InfoBits
When you are logged in, scroll down to the icon of the boy: Kids InfoBits, and click on
the link. Here you will find articles from reference sources, magazines, and
newspapers, as well as maps, charts and images. Not only will this database provide
relevant resources, but the materials are presented for students, in grade
appropriate text. They are ready to use, without needing to modify to a third grade
level. This is also a wonderful resource to use along with your students.
Science Resource Center
When you are logged in, scroll down to the molecule icon: Science Resource Center,
and click on the link. From the list of topics, click on Inventors or Technology and
Society to find the resources needed. All resources will be curriculum related and will
connect to state and national standards.
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VIDEOS
What is a Community?
Wynnewood, PA: Schlessinger Media, 2006
(Thomas Ford: J DVD 307 WHA)
15 minutes
This video provides a general overview of the places that make up a community,
establishing a foundation for connecting the community to technology.
Post Office
Wynnewood, PA: Schlessinger Media, 2006
(Thomas Ford: J DVD 307.3 POS)
15 minutes
Students will be shown how the post office works, providing a good introduction to
technology’s role in the functions of the post office and communication in a
community.
New Deal/New York
Alexandria, VA: PBS Video, 1993
(Orland Park: VIDEO 973.91 NEW)
60 minutes
The New Deal is described, which brought the country out of the Great Depression
by creating jobs which were designed to improve communities with public works
projects. The technology required for these jobs significantly impacted the success
of the improvements in communities.
Nanotechnology, The Power of Small, Clean, Green and Unseen
Hamilton, NJ: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2008
(Prairie State: AV TD145 .N36 2008)
58 minutes
This video views the use of nanotechnology and its impact on ecosystems and
communities.
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Riverside Public Works
North Riverside Public Works
These public works departments can provide information about maintaining the
infrastructures of buildings, roads, parks, and utilities. Teachers can collaborate with
officials to connect the needs and workings of the community with the technology it
takes to make it all happen.
Riverside Public Library
North Riverside Public Library
Our local public libraries can provide other resources for this social studies unit as
well as all other areas of curriculum. The Media Specialist can provide help with
navigating the library websites.
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DISTRICT 96 SCHOOL LIBRARIES
Dewey Numbers to Browse
Remember that browsing the library shelves is always helpful in locating books that
are related to the topic you are researching. The following ranges of Dewey numbers
may be good places to browse for more materials about communities and
technology:
230 300 360 370 600 620 650 940 970
Key Words, Phrases and Search Terms
When using the online catalog to locate more resources, the following search terms
may help:
(Communities) (Technology) (Communities AND Technology)
(Technology Impact AND Communities) (Inventions) (Inventors)
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