Social Studies - 2nd Grade

Standard I    Standard II    Standard III    Standard IV

(Culture): Students will recognize and describe how people within their community, state, and nation are both similar and different.

Objective 1:
Examine and identify cultural differences within the community.

Assessment Ideas

• Family Traditions (pdf)
  Have students give a presentation to the class describing a tradition in their family.

Indicators:

1. Explain the various cultural heritages within their community.
2. Explain ways people respect and pass on their traditions and customs.
3. Give examples of how families in the community borrow customs or traditions from other cultures.

Objective 2:
Recognize and describe the contributions of different cultural groups in Utah and the nation.

Assessment Ideas

• Whoever You Are T Chart (pdf)
  Ask students the following questions:
  • What does it mean to be different?
  • How are people in our community different?
  • How do we borrow different customs or traditions from each other?
  After discussing the questions read the book, Whoever You Are, written by Mem Fox, and have students complete the T-chart based on the story.

Indicators:

1. Identify various cultural groups within the state and the nation.
2. Describe contributions of cultural groups to our state and nation.
3. Explain ways American Indians and immigrants have shaped both Utah's and America's culture (e.g., names of places, food, customs, celebrations).
4. Compare and contrast elements of two or more cultures within the state and nation (e.g., language, food, clothing, shelter, traditions, and celebrations).

(Citizenship): Students will recognize and practice civic responsibility in the community, state, and nation.

Objective 1:
Examine civic responsibility and demonstrate good citizenship.

Assessment Ideas

• Good Citizens (pdf)
  After learning about the traits of good citizenship, have the students complete the following statement: "I can be a good citizen when I…" Students can then illustrate their statement. Hang the statements in the classroom so that you can refer to them as needed.

Indicators:

1. Describe characteristics of being a good citizen through the examples of historic figures and ordinary citizens.
2. Explain the benefits of being a U.S. citizen (e.g., responsibilities, freedoms, opportunities, and the importance of voting in free elections).
3. Identify and participate in a local civic activity. (e.g. community cleanup, recycling, walkathons, voting).
4. Identify state and national activities (e.g., voting, Pledge of Allegiance, holidays).

Objective 2:
Identify individuals within the school community and how they contribute to the school's success.

Assessment Ideas

• Important People (pdf)
  As a class work together to create a class book called "Important People at _________ (insert the name of your school)". Have the students work in partners to create the pages. Each partnership will chose the name of an important person at the school. Students will then take a digital picture of that person and write a short description of why they are important. After all pages are completed put them together into a book that new students can look at to learn about the school.

Indicators:

1. Identify the roles that people have in the school and explain the importance of each member.
2. Demonstrate respect for the school and the school community.

Objective 3:
Investigate and show how communities, state, and nation are united by symbols that represent citizenship in our nation.

Assessment Ideas

• After learning about symbols, landmarks, and documents in the community, state, and nation; have students work in small groups to create a poster giving information about a specific one and why it is important. (Create your own list and have the groups randomly pick.) You could use 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 to assess the final project. 5 facts (about their symbol, landmark or document), 4 colors (each person participates by adding their information in a specific color), 3 reasons (why it is important), 2 visuals (drawing or picture), 1 fabulous finished project.

Indicators:

1. Explain the significance of various community, state, and national celebrations (e.g., Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving).
2. Identify community and state symbols, documents and landmarks (e.g., city hall, county courthouse, state capitol, Utah State Constitution, flag, holidays).
3. Identify and explain the significance of various national symbols, documents, and landmarks (e.g., Declaration of Independence, Constitution, flag, Pledge of Allegiance, national monuments, national capitol building).

(Geography): Students will use geographic tools and skills to locate and describe places on earth.

Objective 1:
Identify common symbols and physical features of a community, and explain how they affect people's activities in that area.

Assessment Ideas

• Geography and Community (pdf)
  Students will describe how geographic aspects of the area affect a community. Students will work together with a partner to describe how life would be different for kids their own age depending on where they live. Using the prompt sheet they will answer the questions provided for each geographic area. Circulate through the groups as they are talking to listen and help clarify any misunderstandings. After 10 – 15 minutes of discussion with partners combine 2 groups of partners and have new groups of 4 discuss what they came up with. Choose a few random groups to share with the entire class.

Indicators:

1. Identify community traffic signs and symbols, and know their meanings (e.g., stop sign, hazard symbols, pedestrian crossing, bike route, recreational, blind or deaf child signs).
2. Describe how geographic aspects of the area affect a community and influence culture (e.g., river, mountain, and desert).
3. Describe ways in which people have modified the physical environment in a community (e.g., building roads, clearing land for homes, and mining).

Objective 2:
Demonstrate geographic skills on a map and a globe.

Assessment Ideas

• Using the My Atlas Workbook spend several days going through each of the pages. This workbook is from the 2nd grade Elementary Core Academy 2006. Use this book as an informal assessment each day as they are working on it. When the books have been completed, use the Find Someone Who sheet to review the things they have learned. Each student will have their own paper and have classmates sign it who can answer one of the questions on the sheet. (My Atlas answer sheet.)

Indicators:

1. Identify and use information on a map and on a globe (e.g., map key or legend, simple grid systems, physical features, compass rose).
2. Compare and contrast the difference between maps and globes.
3. Locate your city, the State of Utah, and the United States on a variety of maps or on a globe.
4. Locate and label the following on a map or a globe: the seven continents, the five oceans, the poles, and the equator.
5. Using a map or a globe, link cultures/nationalities within your community to their place of origin.

(Financial Literacy): Students will explain how the economy meets human needs through the interaction of producers and consumers.

Objective 1:
Describe how producers and consumers work together in the making and using of goods and services.

Assessment Ideas

• Simple Simon (pdf)
  After helping students understand the differences between consumers and producers (consumers are people who buy and use goods and services, producers are people who make goods and provide services) give them a chance to demonstrate what they have learned using the nursery rhyme Simple Simon.

Indicators:

1. Define and explain the difference between producing and consuming.
2. Explain ways in which people can be both consumers and producers of goods and services.
3. Recognize that people supply goods and services based on what people want.
4. Identify examples of technology that people use (e.g., automobiles, computers, telephones).
5. Identify how technology affects the way people live (work and play).

Objective 2:
Describe the choices people make in using goods and services.

Assessment Ideas

• Goods and Services (pdf)
  As a class, make a list of places the students have visited the past week. List all of these places on the board. Sort the list into the categories of goods and services. Remind students of the following definitions; goods (products; merchandise); services (task performed for others, for pay); producers (someone who makes a good); consumers (someone who buys a good or service). Discuss logos from businesses in the community. Have students explain the goods and/or services each business provides and how they help meet the needs and wants of the community. (Here is the Word version of the handout if you want to customize it and add logos from your community.)

Indicators:

1. Explain the goods and services that businesses provide.
2. Explain the services that government provides.
3. Explain different ways to pay for goods and services (i.e., cash, checks, credit cards).
4. Explain how work provides income to purchase goods and services.
5. Explain reasons and ways to save money (e.g., to buy a bicycle or MP3 player, piggy bank, bank, credit union, savings account).

The Online Standards Resource pages are a collaborative project between the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah Education Network. If you would like to recommend a high quality resource, contact Robert Austin.