• There are three major units of study.  The “Regions” unit should be taught over the course of approximately two quarters, and the “Illinois” and “National Government” units should each be taught over the course of approximately one quarter.  Teachers should plan to spend at least the minimum suggested amount of time teaching each unit. 
• 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 skills and activities from Explore Our Land have been highlighted in the Resources column.   The activities are particularly recommended for use in the classroom because of their connection to district, state, and national K-12 social studies skill-building goals.    Depending on the scope and focus of a suggested activity and the needs of students, teachers may want to conduct the entire suggested activity, or they may prefer to emphasize the targeted skill through an abbreviated or modified form of the activity.

How does the geography of a region affect its development?                                                 

How has the history of each region influenced the region today?             

How do the characteristics of a region influence its economy?

GENERAL REGIONS AND U.S. GEOGRAPHY OVERVIEW:

Houghton Mifflin, Explore Our Land: 

• Ch 2: Sec 1, 2, 3                       

• Ch 3: Sec 1, 2       

• Ch 4: Sec 1, 2       

• Ch 14: Sec 1          

Houghton Mifflin, If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island 

Nystrom:

• 16” Sculptural Relief Globe

• World Sculptural Relief Map

• Illinois Wall Map

• U.S. Wall Map

• Sculptural Relief Class Pack of U.S. and World Maps

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

•  “Using Latitude and Longitude:  Your World Address Book,” page 20

• “Using Elevation Maps:  High, Low, and In Between,” page 40

• “Writing Outlines:  Put Your Ideas in Place,” page 66

• “Made in the…USA,” page 74

• Read, “If Your Name Was Change at Ellis Island,” page 90

• “Reading Circle Graphs:  A Piece of the Pie,” page 94

• “Why Are Many Americans Moving to Small Cities?” page 102

• “Using Time Zones:  Set Your Watches,” page 394 

NORTHEAST

Houghton Mifflin, Explore Our Land: 

• Ch 6: Sec 1, 2, 3                        

• Ch 7: Sec 1 & 3                      

Houghton Mifflin, The Amazing Impossible Erie Canal 

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

•  “Why Did New England Become a Center for Mills?” page 154

• “Reading Cut-Away Diagrams:  An Inside View,” page 156

• “Drawing Conclusions from Maps:  Getting Around,” page 178

• “Descriptive:  Write an Invitation,” page 183 

SOUTH

Houghton Mifflin, Explore Our Land: 

• Ch 8: Sec 1, 2, 3                            

• Ch 9: Sec 1 & 2 (Sec 4 good to do with Science: Solar System)

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

• “Using Maps to Find Cause and Effect:  The Weather’s Perfect,” page 204

• “Cause and Effect,” page 207

• “Resolving Conflicts:  Can You Change History?” page 216

• “How Did the Boll Weevil Change Southern Farming?” page 222

• “The More the Merrier,” page 236 

MIDWEST

Houghton Mifflin, Explore Our Land: 

• Ch 10: Sec 1, 2, 3                          

• Ch 11: Sec 2 & 3    

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

• “How Did Glaciers Shape the Great Lakes Region?” page 264

• “Making Special Purpose Maps:  Find the Animals,” page 280

• “What is Good Business?” page 294

• “Asking Questions,” page 312 

WEST

Houghton Mifflin, Explore Our Land: 

• Ch 12:  Sec 1, 2, 3

• Ch 13:  Sec 1 & 4

Houghton Mifflin:  The Other Side:  How Kids Live in a California Latino Neighborhood 

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

• “Reading a Satellite Image:  A View from Space,” page 328

• “Conclude,” page 341

• “How Has Arizona Avoided Water Shortages?” page 342

• “Distinguishing Fact from Opinion:  Is That a Fact?” page 363

How did/do geographic, economic, and cultural factors influence the settlement of Illinois?

How has Illinois changed over time?

Why did people come to Illinois in the past?

Gibbs-Smith:  The Illinois Adventure

Note:   
When “Skim” is noted next to a chapter, it is suggested that a teacher briefly and creatively introduce students to the material in the chapter without taking the time to have the class fully read and learn all of the material in the chapter.  

• Ch 1 Natural Illinois

• Ch 2 The First People

• Ch 4  Illinois Changes Hands—Skim 

• Ch 5 Becoming a State

• Ch 6 Journey to Illinois – Skim 

• Ch 7 Settling Illinois—Skim

• Ch 8 Time of Troubles

• Ch 9 Growth of Chicago—Skim

• Ch 10 A New Century

• Ch 11 Taking our Place in the World—Skim

• Ch 12 Our State Government

• Ch 13 Making a Living in Illinois  

Note on Skill-Building using The Illinois Adventure: 
The “Activity” section at the end of each chapter, the “Interdisciplinary Activities” for each chapter (in the Teacher’s Resource Package) and the Student Activity Pages (in the Teacher’s Resource Package) contain many suggestions for skill-building activities.  However, they also contain many activities that just ask students for basic recall information instead of asking them to problem solve and think critically.  In choosing from these activities, try to choose the true skill-building activities as much as possible.   

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

• “Research Activity,” page 65

• “Cultures:  Research One Group,” page 93

Houghton Mifflin: Explore Illinois, pp. 10, 14, 16

Houghton Mifflin:  Corn Belt Harvest 

Enslow Publishers:  Mary Todd Lincoln: Tragic First Lady of the Civil War 

Heinemann:  America in the Time of Abraham Lincoln

Kids Discover:  Lincoln

National Geographic:  Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington:  1837-1865 and Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days, 1809-1837

Nystrom:  Illinois Wall Map

What would it be like to live in a country with no government?

How does our national government work?

Why should citizens have responsibilities in a democracy?

Why is the Bill of Rights so important in the United States?

Heinemann Library: National Government: Kid’s Guide 

Unit 4 Teacher Created Packet:  A Balanced Literacy Approach to Teaching About Our National Government  

Houghton Mifflin:  Explore Our Land, Ch 5, Sections 1, 2, and 3 

Recommended Skill-Building Activities from Explore Our Land:

• “Using Encyclopedias:  Straight to the Source,” page 120

• “Compare and Contrast,” and “Narrative:  Write a Letter,” page 129 

• “Resolving Conflicts:  How Do Laws Help You?’ page 130

All regions:                                               
14.5.11 Identify the expansion of U.S. territory from the American Revolution to the U.S. Civil War and identify the nations or groups from which the territory was acquired (e.g. Native American tribes, Mexico, and France) and ways in which territories were acquired (e.g. conquest, purchase, etc.).
15.5.01  Identify the functioning of a free market economy in which producers make the goods and services that consumers want.
15.5.04  Define free enterprise; understand that markets exist wherever buyers and sellers exchange goods and services. 
15.5.07: Define the concept of supply and demand and describe how changes in supply and demand affect prices of specific products.
15.5.09  Identify the impact of changes in the price of goods/services on the quantity purchased (demand).
15.5.10: Identify the productive resources (human, natural, and capital) used in the production of goods and services.
16.5.03: Interpret tables, charts and graphs that represent simple historical, social, political, geographic and economic data.                                                 
16.5.14 Identify the basic facts and implications of the Louisiana Purchase.
16.5.20: Identify early western migration from the perspective of settlers and Native Americans.
16.5.29:  Identify railroads, population growth, and natural resources as factors that helped the United States economy to grow faster than that of any other country in the late 19^th century; describe conditions in America’s farmlands and cities during the growth of the industrial age.
16.5.32  Identify the reasons why many people came to America in the late 19^th century and describe the discrimination, hardships, and new opportunities faced by many; explain the meaning of America as a “land of opportunity; know the meaning of e pluribus unum.
16.5.94: Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable resources.
17.5.01: Use map and globe skills to compare the physical characteristics of places.
17.5.02  Use maps and other geographic representations and instruments to identify: the continents, the oceans, major American rivers and lakes, the 50 states and their capitals and major world capitals.
17.5.03  Identify map features and evaluate the usefulness of different geographic representations for different purposes.
17.5.07: Locate places using cardinal directions.
17.5.09: Define and distinguish among rural, urban, and suburban areas.
17.5.10  Understand how and why people alter the physical environment to meet their needs by: tree-cutting, mining and raising food.
17.5.12: Understand how the physical geography of a place can help of hinder the development of human settlement or civilization.
17.5.14  Identify the historical, cultural, economic and geographic factors that led to the formation of distinct regional identities in the United States.

Northeast:                                 
15.5.05 Define specialization; understand that markets exist wherever buyers and sellers exchange goods and services.
15.5.06: Understand that consumers make choices in an environment of limited resources and understand why people are both consumers and producers.
15.5.19  Identify governments as the providers of public goods and services (e.g., schools, roads, and fire protection).

South:                                 
14.5.12  Identify the policy of Indian removal and be able to define “trail of tears” as it relates to the resettlement of the Cherokee Indians.
16.5.05:  Identify the introduction of slavery into America, the harsh conditions of the middle passage, the responses of slave families, the struggles between proponents and opponents of slavery and the institutionalization of slavery.                               
16.5.06  Identify the social characteristics of the northern, middle, and southern colonies, and describe major individuals associated with their founding.
16.5.24 Identify the basic or primary causes of the U. S. Civil War, including: conflicting interpretations of state and federal authority and the geographical and economic differences between the North and South.

Midwest:
16.5.08  Identify competing nations and their interests in North America before the American Revolution.
16.5.15  Identify the basic facts and implications of the Louisiana Purchase.
16.5.16  Identify significant accomplishments of individuals, groups , or events and their impact on early westward expansion of the nation, including: the Lewis and Clark expedition, Daniel Boone, “mountain men,” pioneers, and the Gold Rush.
16.5.20  Identify early western migration from the perspective of settlers and Native Americans.

West:
16.5.16  Identify significant accomplishments of individuals, groups , or events and their impact on early westward expansion of the nation, including: the Lewis and Clark expedition, Daniel Boone, “mountain men,” pioneers, and the Gold Rush.
18.5.06: Identify the basic features of significant social movements and events from history.

14.5.22  Identify the significance of key American symbols, including national symbols (e.g., U.S. flag, bald eagle, Statue of Liberty, White House, U.S. Capitol, and Liberty Bell) and state symbols (e.g., state flag, motto, and location of state capital); demonstrate understanding of proper care and handling of the U.S. flag.
14.5.25: Identify roles and functions of Illinois state and local governments.
14.5.26  Identify the rights of Illinois citizens.
14.5.27  Identify how individuals can change Illinois government policies.
15.5.06  Understand that consumers make choices in an environment of limited resources and understand why people are both consumers and producers.
15.5.07  Define the concept of supply and demand and describe how changes in supply and demand affect prices of specific products.
15.5.13  Understand the impact of changes in the quantity or goods/services supplied (supply) on its price.
15.5.14  Understand the impact of changes in price of a good/service on the quantity supplied (supply).
15.5.15  Identify how entrepreneurs take risks in order to produce goods or services and make a return on an investment. 
15.5.19: Identify governments as the providers of public goods and services (e.g. schools, roads, and fire protection).
15.5.21  Know that governments establish and use budgets.
15.5.23  Understand how the law of supply and demand affects prices for Illinois industrial and agricultural products.
15.5.24  Identify goods and services produced in Illinois.
15.5.25  Identify division of labor and interdependence in the Illinois economy.
15.5.26  Understand how decisions about education and careers reflect incomes in Illinois. 
16.5.16  Identify significant accomplishments of individuals, groups , or events and their impact on early westward expansion of the nation, including: the Lewis and Clark expedition, Daniel Boone, “mountain men,” pioneers, and the Gold Rush.
16.5.41  Understand the origins and course of the Civil Rights movement, including the roles of individual American citizens in the civil rights movement, including: federal intervention in Little Rock, Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
16.5.92: Identify the environmental factors that drew settlers to Illinois and the surrounding region.
16.5.95  Identify significant historical events and individuals in Illinois history, including: the Illini; French colonization; the French and Indian War; George Rogers Clark and the American Revolution; Jean-Baptist-Point DuSable and the origins of Chicago; the War of 1812 and the Massacre at Fort Dearborn; Erie Canal immigration; the Blackhawk War of 1832; the introduction of railroads; Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and the Civil War; the founding of University of Illinois in 1867; the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; Cyrus McCormick; John Deere; Jane Addams' Hull House; the 1893 World's Fair; Illinois citizens see the world in World War I; Prohibition and crime in the Roaring 20s; Depression; Illinois industry and the atomic bomb in World War II; ; the Illinois experience with the civil rights movement; highway, rail, and air transportation in Illinois; the global economy; the development of Chicago as a major center for trade.
17.5.15: Analyze how the physical features of IL have affected the settlement patterns of the state.