Social Studies - 3rd Grade

 Standard I       Standard II       Standard III

Students will understand how geography influences community location and development.

Objective 1:
Determine the relationships between human settlement and geography.

Indicators:

1. Identify the geographic features common to areas where human settlements exist.
2. Use map features to make logical inferences and describe relationships between human settlement and physical geography (e.g. population density in relation to latitude, cities’ proximity to water, utilization of natural resources).
3. Compare the shapes and purposes of natural and human-made boundaries of cities, counties and states.

Objective 2:
Describe how various communities have adapted to existing environments and how other communities have modified the environment.

Web sites

• Cool Science Sites
  Cool Science Sites- Good resource on Biomes

Indicators:

1. Describe the major world ecosystems (i.e. desert, plain, tropic, tundra, grassland, mountain, forest, wetland).
2. Identify important natural resources of world ecosystems.
3. Describe how communities have modified the environment to accommodate their needs (e.g. logging, storing water, building transportation systems).
4. Investigate ways different communities have adapted into an ecosystem.

Objective 3:
Analyze ways cultures use, maintain, and preserve the physical environment.

Web sites

• Reduce Waste
  Teacher Resource:  Educational Toolbox. Articles, fact sheets, slide shows, clip art, etc.
• Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
  Wildlife species fact sheets for research projects on natural resources
• Tree Identification Guide
  Trees, online tutorial
• Utah Geological Survey
  Geological process of landforms teaching kits
• Natural Resources Map and Bookstore
  Landform activity packet
• AIR Now
  Air quality map

Indicators:

1. Identify ways people use the physical environment (e.g. agriculture, recreation, energy, industry).
2. Compare changes in the availability and use of natural resources over time.
3. Describe ways to conserve and protect natural resources (e.g. reduce, reuse, recycle).
4. Compare perspectives of various communities toward the natural environment.
5. Make inferences about the positive and negative impacts of human-caused change to the physical environment.

  Students will understand cultural factors that shape a community.

Objective 1:
Evaluate key factors that determine how a community develops.

Web sites

• Mathwire
  NCTM quilt/underground railway, how communities develop
• Art History World Map
  Art timeline

Indicators:

1. Identify the elements of culture (e.g. language, religion, customs, artistic expression, systems of exchange).
2. Describe how stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.
3. Compare elements of the local community with communities from different parts of the world (e.g. industry, economic specialization )
4. Identify and explain the interrelationship of the environment (e.g. location, natural resources, climate) and community development (e.g. food, shelter, clothing, industries, markets, recreation, artistic creations).
5. Examine changes in communities that can or have occurred when two or more cultures interact.
6. Explain changes within communities caused by human inventions (e.g. steel plow, internal combustion engine, television, computer).

Objective 2:
Explain how selected indigenous cultures of the Americas have changed over time.

Web sites

• The North American Indian
• Mr. Donn.org – Native Americans Daily Life in Olden Times

Indicators:

1. Describe and compare early indigenous people of the Americas (e.g. Eastern Woodlands, Plains, Great Basin, Southwestern, Arctic, Incan, Aztec, Mayan).
2. Analyze how these cultures changed with the arrival of people from Europe, and how the cultures of the Europeans changed.
3. Identify how indigenous people maintain cultural traditions today.

  Students will understand the principles of civic responsibility in classroom, community, and country.

Objective 1:
Describe the rights and responsibilities inherent in being a contributing member of a community.

Web sites

• Ben’s Guide - Symbols of Government
  American symbols

Indicators:

1. Identify how these rights and responsibilities are reflected in the patriotic symbols and traditions of the United States (i.e. Pledge of Allegiance, flag etiquette).
2. List the responsibilities community members have to one another.
3. Identify why these responsibilities are important for a functioning community (e.g. voting, jury duty, taxpaying, obedience to laws).

Objective 2:
Identify ways community needs are met by government.

Web sites

• The Democracy Project
  How Does the Government Affect Me? – Municipal level interactive on the computer

Indicators:

1. Differentiate between personal and community needs.
2. Identify roles of representative government (e.g. make laws, maintain order, levy taxes, provide public services).
3. Research community needs and the role government serves in meeting those needs.

Objective 3:
Apply principles of civic responsibility.

Web sites

• Info for Teachers – Local Government
  Local Government lesson plans; City Council simulation--Use Part 1;

Indicators:

1. Engage in meaningful dialogue about the community and current events within the classroom, school, and local community.
2. Identify and consider the diverse viewpoints of the people who comprise a community.
3. Demonstrate respect for the opinions, backgrounds, and cultures of others.

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.