Social Studies Strands
(for a 6th grade study of World Cultures)
by
Donna Martin
Kara Bredemeyer
Social Studies Strands for ED 608
The following presentation consists of
activity ideas and websites relating to each
of the seven Social Studies Strands for the
State of Ohio. The activities and websites
that we have chosen are appropriate for
sixth grade students.
THEME: World Cultures
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Descriptions, Activities, and Websites for:
STRAND I:
STRAND II:
STRAND III:
American Heritage
People in Societies
World Interactions
STRAND IV:
STRAND V:
STRAND VI:
STRAND VII:
Decision Making & Resources
Democratic Processes
Citizenship Rights & Responsibilities
Science, Technology, and Society
American Heritage
This strand focuses on the following:
Identifying significant individuals from
different regions
Group significant individuals into historical
eras
Analyze cause and effect relationships within
different cultures
Activities:
Create a timeline of the significant events of the
Renaissance.
Compile a report on Harriet Tubman and analyze
her impact people then and now.
Create a collage of Beethoven’s influence on
society.
Activities (Cont’d):
Write a letter to a relative in America as if you were
in Ireland during the Great Potato Famine.
Constrict a multi-tiered timeline of the kings of
England during the Medieval period.
Websites:
Renaissance Faire
http://www.renaissance-far.com/
Beethoven
http://www.edepot.com/beethoven.html
Harriet Tubman
http://www.harriettubna.com/
Websites (Cont’d):
Great Potato Famine
http://www.nde/state.us/ss/irish_irishpf.html
Medieval Kings of England
http://www.castlewales.com/eng_king.html
People In Societies
This strand focuses on the following:
The role of women in society throughout the
world
The differences in world religions
The organization of societies including
economics and class structures
Activities:
Create a chart to compare the role of Harriet
Tubman and Mother Teresa.
Prepare a report of the Caste System of India.
Chart natural resources on a map of the Middle
East.
Activities (Cont’d):
Prepare a chart on similarities and differences
between Christianity & Islam.
Act out a wedding custom from another country.
Websites:
Tribute to Mother Teresa
http://www.cnn.com/world9709/mother.teresa
Caste System in Hindu
http://www.friesian.com/caste.htm
Websites (Cont’d):
Middle East Virtual Library
http://menic.utexas.edu.menic.html/
The History of Islam
http://islam.about.com/cs/
Wedding Details – Worldwide Traditions
http://www.weddingdetails.com/love/tradition
s/
cfm
World Interactions
This strand focuses on the following:
Utilizing map skills
Interpreting and analyzing charts, maps, and
graphs
Examining the spread of major philosophies
and religious ideas
Activities:
Students will design a map of their neighborhood.
Students will map the time zones around the
world.
Students will trace the migration of the
U.S. population during the Gold Rush.
Activities (Cont’d):
Students will create a new idea and map and
explain how your idea will spread through your
own culture and other cultures.
Students will prepare a report analyzing the spread
of Buddhism.
Websites:
Exploring Maps
http://www.usgs.gov/education/learnweb/Map
s.
html
World Time Server
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/
Gold Rush Fever!
http://www.richmond.edu/~pstohrhu/learn/
gold.html
Websites (Cont’d):
Cultural Diffusion
http://hawk.hamamed.ac.jp/dbk/diffusion.html
Buddhism History
http://thaibuddhism.hypermart.net/
Decision Making and Resources
This strand focuses on the following:
Exploring the issues of resource distribution
Relating issues of resources distribution to
international trade
Examining what occurs when two or more
regions or nations specialize and trade goods
and services to satisfy their wants
Activities:
Students will list the imports and exports of
France.
Students will learn the idea of trade by completing
puzzles that are missing pieces.
Students will classify the resources of China as
natural or produced.
Activities (Cont’d):
Students will list the goods that the United States
must import.
Students will list the chief exports of the United
States.
Websites:
France Exports, Imports, and Economics
http://looksmart.com/
China – China Dimensions
http://sedac.ciesin.org/china
Imports and Exports
http://www.howtosecrets.com/importexport.htm
U.S. Imports and Exports
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/trade
Trade Information Center
http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/tic
Democratic Processes
This strand focuses on the following:
Distinguishing among the characteristics and
priorities of monarchies, democracies and
dictatorships
Discussing how policies and actions of
government can promote the common good
Activities:
Students will create Venn diagrams to compare and
contrast the characteristics of monarchies,
democracies and dictatorships.
Students will choose a Jacob Riis
photograph from the internet to use
as the basis for a student-authored
story in which one of FDR’s public
works programs improves the life
of one of Riis’s subjects.
Students will hold a debate on whether or not Britain
is a true monarchy.
Activities (cont’d):
Students will compare the United States with another
constitutional government in the world.
Students will create their own
newspapers illustrating the type
of printed press one would find
in a 1) democracy, 2) monarchy,
and 3) dictatorship.
Websites:
Jacob Riis Exhibit
www.mcny.org/riis.htm
Government of the United Kingdom
www.ukonline.gov.uk
House of Windsor
www.royal.gov.uk/today/index.htm
Constitutional Monarchies
http://sosig.esrc.bris.ac.uk
Cuba’s official Newspaper - Granma
www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html
Citizenship Rights and
Responsibilities
This strand focuses on the following:
Citizen participation around the world
Acquiring, interpreting and analyzing
information regarding civic issues
Identifying ways to resolve conflicts based on
principles of fairness and justice
Alternative routes for attaining civic goals
Voluntary and community services
Activities (cont’d):
Student groups will research issues in an upcoming election and will present oral reports on
the pros and cons of their respective issue. The
class will officially vote on the issues through the
Kids Voting Ohio project.
Students will create a bar graph illustrating the
voting turnout in the U.S. and five other countries
on the occasions of their most recent national
elections.
Activities (cont’d):
Students will create a multi-tiered timeline which
compares the history (last 100 years) of voting
rights for women in the U.S., Afghanistan,
Switzerland, and South Africa.
Students will brainstorm ideas for resolving
classroom conflicts. They will live by their own
rules for a minimum of 2 weeks after which, the
class can revisit the subject and make changes.
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Activities (cont’d):
Students will draw a comparison chart of military
responsibilities for males and females in the U.S.,
Israel, Germany and Russia.
Students will volunteer 2 hours a week in the
school - for 6 weeks - to help keep the library
shelves clean and in order, to pick up trash on the
school grounds, or to assist with younger or
disabled students.
Websites (cont’d):
Project Vote Smart (facts & figures)
www.vote-smart.org
League of Women Voters (issues)
www.lwv.org/
Election Day voting for students
www.kidsvoteohio.org
Kids Guide to U.S. government
http://bensguide.gpo.gov
Women’s Suffrage
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawstime html
Science, Technology and Society
This strand focuses on the following:
Scientific and technological advances and their
influences on the cultural makeup of the world.
World and local history as it is affected by
scientific and technological innovations.
Activities:
Students will take a class trip to the Center of
Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio
to tour Progress Ally.
Students will make a collage of major scientific
and technological advances from various cultures
throughout world history.
Students will research Sputnik’s affect on internal
and foreign American policies of the late 1950’s
and 1960’s.
Activities (cont’d):
Students will write skits comparing the delivery of
mail by horse, rail, fax and modem to show how
communication technology
reduces the barriers of space
and time.
Students will read current
newspapers to establish
how modern science and technological advancements
affect the level of power one country can have over
another.
Websites:
JFK Library
www.cs.umb.edu/jfklibrary/refdesk.htm
Sputnik begins space race
www.nytimes.com/learning/general/specials/
sputnik/
Center of Science and Industry
http://cosi.org/
Pony Express
www.americanwest.com/trails/pages/ponye
xp1. htm
Websites (cont’d):
Impact of Railroad Expansion in late 1800’s
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/
THE END