Curriculum Details: Social Studies
In all grade levels, students examine the following as they are relevant to the subject matter being covered:
- Literature: novels, plays, poetry, essays, and original source material
- Geography: physical and political, and historical changes
- Government: class and school governments, through city wards, state legislature, federal government, and forms of world governments
- Architecture: types of homes throughout the world, Native American and pioneer homes, current and historical U. S. and world landmarks, and styles and schools of architecture reflecting geographic place and historic change
- Philosophy: world philosophies, religions, and mythologies, introductions to ethics, and studies of major world philosophers
- Fine Arts: visual and performing arts, art history, and artists of the United States and the world
- Current events
The primary social studies topics for each grade level are as follows:
Grade 1: The World Around Us
Current Events: Scholastic News
The rest of the first grade social studies curriculum is organized by month.
September: Introduction to our Multicultural World
- Stories behind our names
- Saying hello in different languages
- Beginning map and globe skills: directions, compass rose
- Naming and locating the continents and oceans
- Our global addresses
October: Homes Around the World
- Similarities and differences of homes in different places
- Comparison of own home to others in the world
- Begin Map Champ Atlas activities: types of communities (rural, urban, suburban) and places in a community
- Differences between wants and needs
- How structures like homes are built (materials, influence of environment)
November: North America
- Cultural explorations
- Interdependence of people (in a family and in the world)
- Geography (using physical and political maps)
- Natural features and manmade landmarks
- Animals
- Shelter
- Food
- Clothing
- Languages
- Literature (folk tales)
- Transportation
- Toys, games, and music
- Art forms
- Celebrations
- Thanksgiving
December: South America
- See North America
- Winter Holidays
January: Europe
- See North America
- M.L. King Jr.
February: Africa
- See North America
- Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Presidents’ Day
March: Asia
- See North America
- Inclusion
April: Australia
- See North America
- More Map Champ Atlas work
- Memorable events in one’s personal life
May: Antarctica
- See North America (but focus on exploration, geography, and animals)
- Life History Timeline
June: Our Multicultural World
- Autobiographies
- Immigration
- More connections of world to personal life and personal/family history
- Celebration of our multicultural world
Grade 2: U.S. Geography, Illinois, and Chicago
The main second grade social studies curriculum focuses on:
- The Fifty States
- State of Illinois (history and geographic features)
- City of Chicago (history, landmarks, famous people)
Example of Novel Used: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Projects and Field Trips:
- Family Interview
- Chicago Projects
- Arlington Heights History Museum
- Chicago Architecture Foundation
- Tour of Downtown Chicago
- Swedish American Museum field trip
Current Events: Scholastic News
Grade 3: The United States
Textbook: Harcourt's The United States
- Land and Early People
- Exploration and Settlement
- The American Revolution
Example of Novels Used: Bud, Not Buddy,
Projects and Field Trips:
- Regions Brochures (in computer lab)
- Native American Tribes Timeline (group research projects)
- The Grove field trip: Native American program
- Naper Settlement field trip
Current Events: Scholastic News
Grade 4 (Western Hemisphere)
- Current Events: Junior Scholastic
- Western Hemisphere: culture, physical geography, economics
- Westward Expansion
- Civil War and Reconstruction
- Role of Women/Children in Early U.S. History
- Culminating Project: Civil Responsibilities and Community Outreach
- Novel Ties: Kira Kira, The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963
Projects:
- Countries of the Western Hemisphere research and choice project
- Civil War Newspaper project
- Civic Responsibility Problem Solving project
Grade 5 (Eastern Hemisphere and Introduction to Ancient Civilizations)
- Current Events with Junior Scholastic
- Eastern Hemisphere: culture, physical geography, economics, history
- Rise and fall of ancient and great civilizations: Mesopotamia and Egypt
- Novel Ties: Number the Stars, and Red Scarf Girl,
- Economics and Political systems using a classroom city simulation
Grade 6 (Global Interactions, Movements, and Conflicts)
- Cultural Comparisons: Athens and Rome, Classical Greece and China, Fall of Rome
- Start of Movements: Christianity in the Ancient World, Spread of Islam, Comparing Christian and Muslim responses to the Black Death
- World Changing Ideas: printing press, Enlightenment philosophers, Renaissance views of the world
- Exploration and Reformation: sugar trade; Colonialism, Imperialism, and Cultural Superiority; underlying causes of World War II; Gandhi, King, Mandela--nonviolence
Grade 7: United States History: Pre-Colonial through the Civil War
- Early Colonies (Jamestown and Salem)
- American Revolution
- Native American Relations
- Constitution
- Louisiana Purchase/American Expansion
- Early democracy and economics
- Mexican American War
- Slavery
- Civil War
Grade 8: United States (and related world) History: Reconstruction through the Present
- Reconstruction/Western Expansion
- Industrialization/American Imperialism
- Progressivism
- World War I
- Great Depression
- World War II
- Holocaust
- Cold War
- Protest (Civil Rights, Vietnam, immigration and modern issues)