• There are four major units of study.  Each unit should generally be taught over the course of one quarter, but teachers may want to take more or less time with some units, depending on the specific needs of their students. 
• As much as possible, teachers are encouraged to integrate social studies with the teaching of reading, writing, mathematics, and science.  Teachers should choose when to teach each unit based on the developmental needs of their students and the timing that will best allow for curricular integration.
• Essential Questions are meant to be guiding “big” questions for each unit.  These can and should be explored with students at the beginning, middle, and end of a unit as student responses will develop and change based on instruction.  Teachers should feel free to rephrase these questions to best engage their students.
• Resources are listed if they were part of the materials bought for all schools during the most recent social studies adoption.  If teachers or individual schools have other materials that will more successfully help students develop skills, meet the standards, and explore the Essential Questions, they should feel free to use these in addition to or instead of some of the listed materials. 
• In order to help emphasize core social studies skills in even the earliest grades, specific activities from the Work Together, Teacher’s Book have been highlighted in the Resources column.  These activities are particularly recommended for use in the classroom because of their focus on skill building. 

Why do people live where they live?

How does the geography of a region affect the people there?

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Geography Atlas Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin: Work Together, Theme 1:  People and Communities 

Recommended Theme 1 Lessons from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

Lesson 2:  Our Communities
Lesson 3:  Living in Cities
Lesson 4:  Living in the Suburbs
Lesson 5:  Living in Rural Communities 

Recommended Theme 1 Skill-Building Activities from Work Together: Teacher’s Book

• “Research Skill:  Using a Textbook,” page 11B

• “A Neighborhood Walk,” page 17A

• “A Changing View,” page 19B

• “Making Maps from Photographs,” page 21A

• “A Guest Speaker,” and “Buildings Around Us,” page 27A

• “Alike and Different,” page 31A

• “Urban, Suburb, Rural,” page 35A

Houghton Mifflin Paper Back Plus:   How Many Stars in the Sky?, Park Bench 

*See additional resources listed in Theme Planning Guide Pages 7A-B 

Houghton Mifflin: Work Together, Theme 2:  Our Place on Earth 

Recommended Theme 2 Lessons from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

Lesson 1:  Land and Water
Lesson 2:  A World of Places
Lesson 3:  Resources for Communities
Lesson 4:  Regions of the U.S.A.

Recommended Theme 2 Skill-Building Activities from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

• “Before Reading:  KWL,” page 43B

• “Saving Water,” page 49A

• “Using Symbols,” page 49B

• “Hunt for Symbols,” page 51A

• “Draw a Diagram,” page 57A

• “North America and Hawaii,” page 61B

• “Cars Change the Land,” page 63A

• “A Regional Grab Bag,” page 67A

• “Geography Dictionaries,” page 69A 

Houghton Mifflin Paper Back Plus:  It Takes A Village 

*See additional resources listed in Theme Planning Guide Pages 41A-B 

What is the story of our nation?

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Geography Atlas Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin: Work Together, Theme 4:  Our Nation’s Story 

Recommended Theme 4 Lessons from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

Lesson 1:  The First Americans
Lesson 2:  Explorers and Settlers
Lesson 3:  Colonists Build a New Nation
Lesson 4:  Settlers on the Move
Lesson 5:  Our Nation Changes 

Recommended Theme 4  Skill-Building Activities from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

• “Depending on Land and Water,” page 125A

• “Sequence Strips,” page 131A

• “Visual Walk-Through,” page 133B

• “A Role-Play:  Paying Taxes,” page 139A

• “Pioneers’ Needs and Wants,” page 145A

• “United States Map,” page 145B

• “Tell the World,” page 153A 

Houghton Mifflin Paper Back Plus:  Young Goat’s Discovery 

*See additional resources listed in Theme Planning Guide Pages 119A-B 

Candlewick Press:  When Jessie Came Across the Sea 

Scholastic:  The Memory Coat

How do rules and laws help us?

What is the purpose of government?

What groups help make decisions in our country?

How can we be responsible citizens?

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Citizenship Handbook Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin: Work Together, Theme 6:  Our Government

Recommended Theme 6 Lessons from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

Lesson 1:  Rules and Laws
Lesson 2:  Our Nation’s Government
Lesson 3:  Being A Good Citizen
Lesson 4:  Our Nation’s Symbols 

Recommended Theme 6  Skill-Building Activities from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

• “Looking at Laws,” page 197A

• “Interactive Charts,” page 199A

• “Qualities of Good Leaders,” page 203A

• “All Groups Have Rules,” page 203B

• “Difficult Choices,” page 205A 

Houghton Mifflin Paper Back Plus:  City Green

*See additional resources listed in Theme Planning Guide 191A-B

How do people contribute to the development of a community?

How are people’s economic wants met in communities?

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Citizenship Handbook Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Geography Atlas Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin: Work Together, Theme 3:  People At Work

Recommended Theme 3  Lessons from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

Lesson 1:  People Have Needs
Lesson 2:  Jobs in Our Community
Lesson 3:  Making Goods for Everyone
Lesson 4:  Goods on the Move 

Recommended Theme 3  Skill-Building Activities from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

•  “Set Up a Classroom Bank,” page 89A

• “Voting is a Right,” page 89B

• “A Job Toolbox,” and “Adding Up Jobs,” page 95A

• “Money and Trading,” page 95B

• “Transportation Mural,” and “Look at a Label,” page 109A

• “Using a Map Scale,” page 109B 

Houghton Mifflin Paper Back Plus:  Abuela’s Weave, Something from Nothing

*See additional resources listed in Theme Planning Guide Pages 83A-B 

Rigby:  Money, Money, Money!

Heinemann:  Money

Newbridge:  Let’s Visit the Bank

**Correlates with Math Money Unit

How do contributions of people past and present influence us?

What makes someone a hero?

How do events influence the decisions of a leader/hero?

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Citizenship Handbook Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin:  Our Geography Atlas Big Book 

Houghton Mifflin: Work Together, Theme 5:  America’s People 

Recommended Theme 5 Lessons from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

Lesson 1:  Family Stories, Past and Present
Lesson 3:  Heroes 

Recommended Theme 5  Skill-Building Activities from Work Together: Teacher’s Book:

• “Family Stories,” and “Far, Farther, Farthest,” page 169A

• “Welcome to the United States,” page 169B

• “Comparing Names,” page 173A

• “A Mobile of Heroes,” page 183A

• “Time Capsule Survey,” page 185A 

Houghton Mifflin: Let’s Read Biographies

• Eleanor Roosevelt

• Christa McAuliffe

• Barbara Jordan

• Benito Pablo Juarez

• Benjamin Franklin

• I.M. Pei 

*See additional resources listed in Theme Planning Guide Page 161B

Houghton Mifflin: Let’s Read Biographies

• Antonia Novello 

Children’s Press:

• George Washington Carver:  Scientist and Teacher

• Rachel Carson:  Friend of Nature

• Rachel Carson:  Pioneer of Ecology

Holiday House:  A Picture Book of George Washington Carver 

Millbrook Press:

• Artist of the Wild:  John James Audubon

• John Muir:  Saving the Wilderness

Places on Earth Past and Present

17.A.1a   Identify physical characteristics of places, both local and global (e.g., locations, roads, regions, bodies of water).
17.A.1b   Identify the characteristics and purposes of geographic representations including maps, globes, graphs, photographs, software, digital images and be  able to locate specific  places using each.
17.C.1a  Identify ways  people depend on and  interact with the  physical environment  (e.g., farming, fishing,  hydroelectric power).
17.C.1b  Identify  opportunities and  constraints of the  physical environment.
17.D.1   Identify changes in geographic characteristics of a  local region (e.g.,  town, community).

Our Nation and Government Past and Present

14.A.1   Describe the fundamental principles of government including representative government, government of  law, individual rights  and the common good.
14.B.1  Identify the  different levels of  government as local,  state and national.
14.C.1   Identify concepts of responsible citizenship including respect for the law, patriotism,  civility and working  with others.
14.D.1   Identify the roles of civic leaders  (e.g., elected leaders, public service leaders
14.F.1  Describe  political ideas and  traditions important to  the development of the  United States including  democracy, individual  rights and the concept  of freedom.
16.A.1a  Explain the  difference between  past, present and  future time; place  themselves in time.
16.A.1c  Describe how  people in different  times and places  viewed the world in  different ways.
18.A.1  Identify folklore  from different cultures  which became part of  the heritage of the  United States.
18.B.1a  Compare the  roles of individuals in  group situations (e.g.,  student, committee  member,  employee/employer).

People At Work

14.E.1   Identify relationships that the federal government establishes with other nations.
15.A.1b  Describe how  wages/salaries can be  earned in exchange for  work.
15.B.1  Explain why  consumers must make  choices.
15.C.1a  Describe how  human, natural and  capital resources are  used to produce goods  and services.
15.D.1a   Demonstrate the benefits of simple voluntary exchanges.
15.D.1b  Know that  barter is a type of  exchange and that  money makes exchange easier.

Famous People Past and Present

16.A.1b  Ask historical  questions and seek  out answers from  historical sources  (e.g., myths,  biographies, stories,  old photographs,  artwork, other visual or  electronic sources).
16.A.1c  Describe how  people in different  times and places  viewed the world in  different ways.
16.B.1b (US)  Explain  why individuals,  groups, issues and  events are celebrated  with local, state or  national holidays or  days of recognition  (e.g., Lincoln’s  Birthday, Martin Luther  King’s Birthday,  Pulaski Day, Fourth of  July, Memorial Day,  Labor Day, Veterans’  Day, Thanksgiving).
16.B.1 (W)    Explain  the contributions of  individuals and groups  who are featured in  biographies, legends,  folklore and traditions.