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  • Grade 6 Social Studies Unit 4

    Comparative World Religions

    Unit description: Major religions and belief systems developed in the Eastern Hemisphere. There were important similarities and differences between these belief systems. In this unit, students will have the opportunity to explore belief systems and religions developed by complex civilizations and societies that have similar, as well as different, characteristics. Students will also learn about how belief systems and religions are based on sets of mutually held values and how they are often used to unify groups of people, and may affect social order and gender roles.

    Standards

    Standard: 2; Themes: ID, SOC

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    • Big idea of the unit: Major religions and belief systems developed in the Eastern Hemisphere.
    • What character traits are similar and different between civilizations and complex societies?
      • Civilizations and complex societies developed belief systems and religions that have similar, as well as different, characteristics.
    • How are the major tenets, practices, and sacred writings or holy texts for each belief system and religion originated?
      • Belief systems and religions are based on sets of mutually held values.
    • What effect did belief systems and religions have on uniting groups of people?
      • Belief systems and religions often are used to unify groups of people, and may affect social order and gender roles.

    Download the complete Grade 6 Social Studies Unit 4 framework to customize for your own planning.

  • Grade 3 Social Studies Unit 5

    Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems

    Unit description: In this unit, students will examine how communities meet their needs and wants in a variety of ways, forming the basis for their economy. Students will explore how world communities use human and natural resources in different ways and that people in communities have various ways of meeting their basic needs and earning a living. In addition, students will learn about how each community develops an economic system that addresses three essential questions. Through this study, students will learn about communities and the goods and services they provide as well as trade to meet the needs and wants of the community.

    Essential Outcomes of the Unit

    Standards

    • Standard 4- Economics

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    Big idea of the unit: Community economies focus on how to meet the wants and needs of the the people through producing and trending goods and services.

    • How does earning a living help people meet their needs and wants?
      • People in communities have various ways of meeting their basic needs and earning a living
    • How do natural resources support the needs and wants of people in a community and surrounding communities?
      • World communities use human and natural resources in different ways.
    • How does trade help support the economic systems of communities importing and exporting goods?
      • Surplus and scarcity of resources in individual world communities drive the exchange of goods.
      • To meet their needs and wants, communities trade with others.
    • How does technology affect trade?
      • Technological developments in transportation and communication have influenced trade.

    Prerequisite Skills

    Teachers should select at least three communities that represent different regions of the world, types of communities (urban, suburban, and rural), and governmental structures. The communities selected should reflect the diversity of the local community. The key ideas, conceptual understandings, and content specifications guide the study of communities while exploring the major themes of social studies. The various world communities, Key Ideas and social studies practices may be presented in any order.

  • Grade 7 Social Studies Unit 3

    American Independence

    Unit description: Growing tensions over political power and economic issues sparked a movement for independence from Great Britain. New York played a critical role in the course and outcome of the American Revolution. In this unit students will study how conflicts between France and Great Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries in North America altered the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain. Students will investigate how American colonial leaders outlined their grievances against British policies and actions in the Declaration of Independence. In addition, students will examine how the outcome of the American Revolution was influenced by military strategies, geographic considerations, the involvement of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and other Native American groups in the war.

    Standards

    Standards: 1, 4, 5; Themes: TCC, GOV, ECO

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    • Big idea of the unit: Growing tensions over political power and economic issues sparked a movement for independence from Great Britain.
    • What altered the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries?
      • Conflicts between France and Great Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries in North America altered the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain.
    • What was the colonial response to the British government enacting and attempting to enforce new political and economic policies in the colonies?
      • Stemming from the French and Indian War, the British government enacted and attempted to enforce new political and economic policies in the colonies. These policies triggered varied colonial responses, including protests and dissent.
    • What ideas and influences lead to the writing of the Declaration of Independence?
      • Influenced by Enlightenment ideas and their rights as Englishmen, American colonial leaders outlined their grievances against British policies and actions in the Declaration of Independence.
    • What factors impacted the outcome of the American Revolution?
      • The outcome of the American Revolution was influenced by military strategies, geographic considerations, the involvement of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and other Native American groups in the war, and aid from other nations.

    Download the complete Grade 7 Social Studies Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.

  • Grade 2 Social Studies Unit 5

    Economic Systems

    Unit description: In this unit, students will investigate how communities face different challenges in meeting their needs and wants. Students will examine how the availability of resources to meet basic needs varies across urban, suburban, and rural communities and how people make decisions to buy, sell, and use money based on their needs, wants, and the availability of resources. Students will also continue their study of scarcity, goods, services, and be introduced to the idea of taxes. In addition, students will study how a community requires the interdependence of many people performing a variety of jobs and services to provide basic needs and wants.

    Download the complete Grade 2 Social Studies – Economic Systems framework to customize for your own planning.

    Standards

    • Standard 1-U.S. & N.Y. History
    • Standard 3-Geography
    • Standard 4-Economics
    • Standard 5-Civics, Citizenship and Gov’t

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    Big Idea of the Unit: The economic health of a community is dependent on the amount of goods and services compared to the wants and needs of the people.

    • How does sharing resources help build our communities?
      • When communities share resources they add to the success of the community overall.
    • How does money play a role in goods and services?
      • The monetary value of goods and services is determined based on their availability and the wants and needs of the community.
    • What types of services and products does my community offer?
      • Communities offer goods and services that provide for the wants and needs of the people in the community.
      • Communities have similar and unique wants and needs.

    Prerequisite Skills

    Grade 2 “My Community and Other Communities” is organized into five units of study—Individual Development and Cultural Identity; Civic Ideals and Practices; Geography, Humans, and the Environment; Time, Continuity, and Change; and Economic Systems. These units represent five of the unifying themes of social studies, and may be presented in any order.

  • Grade 6 Social Studies Unit 3

    Early River Valley Civilizations in the Eastern Hemisphere

    Unit description: Complex societies and civilizations developed in the Eastern Hemisphere.Although these complex societies and civilizations have certain defining characteristics in common, each is also known for unique cultural achievements and contributions. In this unit, students will study early human communities in the Eastern Hemisphere and how they adapted to and modified the physical environment.

    Standards

    Standards: 2, 3; Themes: ID, TCC, GEO, SOC

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    • Big idea of the unit: Complex societies and civilizations developed in the Eastern Hemisphere.
    • How did humans living together in settlements develop and give identity to their group?
      • Humans living together in settlements develop shared customs, beliefs, ideas, and languages that give identity to the group.
    • What are the common characteristics of complex societies and civilizations?
      • Complex societies and civilizations share the common characteristics of religion, job specialization, cities, government, language/record keeping system, technology, and social hierarchy. People in Mesopotamia, the Yellow River valley, the Indus River valley, and the Nile River valley developed complex societies and civilizations.
    • How do we see these common characteristics evidenced in specific identified societies and civilizations?
      • Mesopotamia, Yellow River valley, Indus River valley, and Nile River valley complex societies and civilizations adapted to and modified their environment to meet the needs of their population.
    • What influenced the access that groups and individuals had to power, wealth, and jobs?
      • Political and social hierarchies influenced the access that groups and individuals had to power, wealth, and jobs and influenced their roles within a society.

    Download the complete Grade 6 Social Studies Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.

  • Grade 1 Social Studies Unit 3

    Geography, Humans and the Environment

    Unit description: Students will utilize maps to practice using various map tools, legends, and cardinal directions. They will be given the opportunity to practice these skills to describe location of items in the classroom as well as find places in the community or give directions to another student. In addition to this, students will learn about people and communities depending on and modifying their physical environment in order to meet basic needs and how humans interacting with their environment can have a positive or negative impact.

    Download the complete Grade 1 Social Studies – Geography, Humans and the Environment framework to customize for your own planning.

    Standards

    • Standard 1- U.S. & N.Y. History
    • Standard 3- Geography
    • Standard 5- Civics, Citizenship and Gov’t

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    • BI: There are many tools that we can use to identify the world around us and how it has changed.

    How do we use maps?

      • Maps show us where things are in location to one another.
      • Maps have keys to identify symbols and show us the cardinal directions of North, South, East and West.

    How are natural resources and basic needs important to my community?

      • People need natural resources to meet their basic needs.
      • Communities work together to use natural resources to meet the needs of their members.

    How does the environment impact human choices?

      • People chose to live in places that provide for their basic needs.
      • People modify their environments to help make their lives better.

  • Grade 2 Social Studies Unit 4

    Time, Continuity and Change

    Unit description: In this unit, students will identify how continuities and changes over time can help people understand historical developments. Students will examine and interpret evidence such as maps, population charts, photographs, newspapers, biographies, artifacts, and other historical materials to look at changes over time in communities. In addition, students will investigate cause and effect relationships in their community.

    Download the complete Grade 2 Social Studies – Time, Continuity and Change framework to customize for your own planning.

    Standards

    • Standard 1-U.S. & N.Y. History
    • Standard 4-Economics
    • Standard 5-Civics, Citizenship and Gov’t

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    Big Idea of the Unit: Studying historical developments through continuity and change help us see cause and effect relationships over time.

    • How do we effectively document change over time?
      • Maps, population charts, photographs, newspapers, biographies, artifacts, and other historical materials document change over time.
    • Why is it important to see and document change over time?
      • Identifying cause-and-effect relationships help us to understand the changes in communities to inform decisions based on successes and failures of the past.

    Prerequisite Skills

    Grade 2 “My Community and Other Communities” is organized into five units of study—Individual Development and Cultural Identity; Civic Ideals and Practices; Geography, Humans, and the Environment; Time, Continuity, and Change; and Economic Systems. These units represent five of the unifying themes of social studies, and may be presented in any order.

  • Grade 7 ELA Unit 4

    Informational and Expository Texts/Research

    Unit description: Students will craft a research project that includes information from multiple reliable sources. Throughout their project, students apply their knowledge of identifying and evaluating an author’s argument in informational texts, as well as their ability to determine relevant, sufficient evidence. Students will take part in ample group discussion throughout the entire research process, and will present their findings to their peers.

    These learning progressions were developed using Next Generation Learning Standards and were crosswalked with the Common Core Standards.

    Essential Outcomes

    Reading

    • 7R1: Cite textual evidence to support an analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences.
    • 7R2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; summarize a text.
    • 7R6: In informational texts, analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
    • 7R8: Trace and evaluate the development of an argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient and recognizing when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

    Language

    • 7L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

    Writing

    • 7W1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
    • 7W5 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Apply the grade 7 Reading Standards to both literary and informational text, where applicable.
    • 7W6 Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, drawing on multiple sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. Generate additional related questions for further research and investigation.
    • 7W7: Gather relevant information from multiple sources; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others; avoid plagiarism and follow a standard format for citation.

    Speaking and Listening

    • 7SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively, and build on those of others.
    • 7SL2: Analyze the central ideas and supporting details presented in diverse formats (e.g., including visual, quantitative, and oral) and explain how the ideas clarify and/or contribute to a topic, text, or issue under study.
    • 7SL4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear enunciation.
    • 7SL5: Include digital media and/or visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

    All Standards Addressed in this Unit

    • R1, R2, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9
    • L3, L6
    • W1, W2, W5, W6, W7
    • SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4, SL5, SL6

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    • Why is nonfiction important?
      • Nonfiction is an important genre because it provides necessary information to its readers.
      • Informative and expository texts are two types of nonfiction that can provide us with necessary information on a topic.
      • Authors make arguments in nonfiction texts to convey information to the reader. Good readers can identify and track authors’ arguments.
      • It’s important to evaluate the legitimacy of nonfiction so that we as readers can make informed decisions based on factual data.
    • How do we make research relevant?
      • Choosing topics that are important to ourselves and our communities can have a positive impact and spark change.
      • We must be informed researchers so we are pulling data and facts from appropriate sources.
      • Good researchers have a plan or guide.
    • How do we ensure reliable research?
      • Some authors have hidden agendas and utilize untruths written as facts to persuade readers. It’s our duty to determine relaitble v. unreliable sources to create a factual research project.
      • Research is one way of conveying new information to an audience.

    Prerequisite Skills

    • Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively, and build on those of others.
    • Cite explicit and implicit evidence in a text (informational.)
    • Determine a theme or central idea and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize a text.
    • Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to respond and support analysis, reflection, and research.
    • Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, drawing on multiple sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

  • Grade 6 ELA Unit 3

    Comparative Literature Short Stories/Mood & Tone Focus

    Unit description: Building on their learning from the previous unit, students will continue their work with theme, and dive deeply into multiple short stories to compare and contrast themes and their development in each. Students will also work on the diction level to analyze the impact that specific words have on the development of the plot and theme of each story. Students will utilize a variety of formats to respond to teacher and student- generated questions about each text.

    These learning progressions were developed using Next Generation Learning Standards and were crosswalked with the Common Core Standards.

    Essential Outcomes

    Reading

    • 6R2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is developed by key supporting details over the course of a text; summarize a text.
    • 6R3 In literary texts, describe how events unfold, as well as how characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. In informational texts, analyze how individuals, events, and ideas are introduced, relate to each other, and are developed.
    • 6R4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings.

    Language

    • 6L4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
      Writing
    • 6W5 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Apply the grade 6 Reading Standards to both literary and informational text, where applicable.

    Speaking and Listening

    • 6SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively, and build on those of others.
    • 6SL3 Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.

    All Standards Addressed in this Unit

    • 6R2, 6R3, 6R4
    • 6L1, 6L2, 6L3, 6L4
    • 6W3, 6W5
    • 6SL1, 6SL3

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    • How do author’s develop mood and tone?
      • Authors use multiple techniques, including use of story elements, to develop mood and tone.
      • Good readers track mood and tone within and across stories.
    • What makes a short story effective?
      • Authors’ use of techniques can make a short story effective or ineffective.
      • Good readers evaluate the use of author’s techniques, including mood and tone, as they read.
    • Why is comparing and contrasting stories important?
      • Short stories have similarities and differences, and it’s our job as readers to evaluate and ask questions about them as we read.
      • When we compare and contrast multiple short stories, we become more in tune with an author’s style, choices, and techniques.
      • Readers can express their findings in many formats, including written and verbal forms.

    Prerequisite Skills

    • Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively, and build on those of others.
    • Cite explicit and implicit evidence in a text (literary.)
    • Determine a theme or central idea and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize a text.
    • Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to respond and support analysis, reflection, and research.
    • Create a poem, story, play, artwork, or other response to a text, author, theme, or personal experience.

    Download the complete Grade 6 ELA Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.

  • Grade 3 Social Studies Unit 4

    Development, Movement, and Interaction of Cultures

    Unit description: In this unit students will explore how communities share cultural similarities and differences across the world. Students will investigate the structure and activities of families and schools and share similarities and differences across world communities. In addition, students will learn about cultural diffusion and the process by which cultures exchange and transmit ideas, beliefs, technologies, and goods over time.

    Note: Lessons will vary in length, depending on the amount of time you have with students, the resources that you choose to accompany the unit, the level of rigor within each learning target, and any other factors that may contribute to the pacing of your learning progressions. It is recommended that you adjust the pace and length of each learning progression(s) accordingly in response to these factors.

    Download the complete Grade 3 Social Studies – Development, Movement, and Interaction of Cultures framework to customize for your own planning.

    Essential Outcomes of the Unit

    • Compare and contrast the structure and activities of families and schools in each selected community with their own.
    • Investigate the structure and activities of families and schools and share similarities and differences across world communities.
    • Examine how cultural diffusion and the process by which cultures exchange and transmit ideas, beliefs, technologies, and goods over time.

    Standards

    • Standard 1- U.S. & N.Y. History
    • Standard 2- World History
    • Standard 5- Civics, Citizenship and Gov’t

    Essential Questions and Big Ideas

    Big idea of the unit: Our similarities and differences affect how we interact with people around the world.

    • How does diversity in our homes, schools, and communities affect beliefs and practices?
      • The structure and activities of families and schools share similarities and differences across world communities.
    • What role does cultural diffusion play in diversity at home and around the world?
      • Cultural diffusion is the process by which cultures exchange and transmit ideas, beliefs, technologies, and goods over time.
    • How does it help communities to learn about other community’s members, languages spoken, customs and traditions, religious beliefs, practices, holidays and festivals?
      • Communities around the world can be diverse in terms of their members, languages spoken, customs and traditions, and religious beliefs and practices.

    Prerequisite Skills

    Teachers should select at least three communities that represent different regions of the world, types of communities (urban, suburban, and rural), and governmental structures. The communities selected should reflect the diversity of the local community. The key ideas, conceptual understandings, and content specifications guide the study of communities while exploring the major themes of social studies. The various world communities, Key Ideas and social studies practices may be presented in any order.