SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM

At Evergreen the Social Studies Curriculum provides the opportunity for each student to acquire knowledge and develop skills necessary for social, political and economic participation in a diverse, interdependent and changing world. The skills that enhance the students’ abilities to learn, to make decisions, and to develop as competent, self-directed citizens are shared with other parts of the curriculum but are powerfully taught through social studies. These skills include:

• Communication skills such as writing and speaking
• Research skills such as collecting, organizing, and interpreting data
• Thinking skills such as hypothesizing, comparing, and drawing inferences
• Decision-making skills such as considering alternatives and consequences
• Interpersonal skills such as seeing others’ points of view, accepting responsibility, and dealing with conflict
• Reading skills such as reading pictures, books, maps, charts, and graphs.

The social studies curriculum provides students with opportunities to engage in rigorous authentic activities that make connections between skills, content and concepts from past to present. With the implementation of the Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES Integrated Social Studies/ ELA Curriculum Project, lessons are aligned to the New York State Social Studied Framework and include Common Core Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Grade K

In kindergarten, students study “Self and Others”. The course is organized into 3 units that include Individual Development and Cultural Identity; Civic Ideals and Practices; Geography, Humans, and the Environment; Time, Continuity, and Change; and Economic Systems. These units represent unifying themes of social studies and may be presented in any order. Each unit helps students study themselves in the context of their immediate surroundings. Students will learn about similarities and differences between children, families and communities and about holidays, symbols and traditions that unite us as Americans. Students learn about respect for others, respect for the environment, and the rights and responsibilities of individuals.

Grade 1

“My Family and Other Families, Now and Long Ago” is organized around the same units of study that organize kindergarten Social Studies—Individual Development and Cultural Identity; Civic Ideals and Practices; Geography, Humans, and the Environment; Time, Continuity, and Change; and Economic Systems. These units represent unifying themes of social studies and may be presented in any order. Students examine families and develop an awareness of cultural diversity within the American culture. Responsible citizenship is introduced as well as the role of authority to make rules and laws. The students will increase their geography skills through the use of maps and directions. Family history provides the basis for examining sources of information and organizing that information. Economic terminology and principles are introduced in the context of family resources as well as making economic decisions.

Grade 2

“My Community and Other Communities” is organized into four units of study that include Individual Development and Cultural Identity; Civic Ideals and Practices; Geography, Humans, and the Environment; Time, Continuity, and Change; and Economic Systems. These units represent unifying themes of social studies and may be presented in any order. Students study their local community and learn about characteristics that define urban, suburban, and rural communities. Democratic principles and participation in government are introduced. Interaction with the environment and changes to the environment and their impact are examined. The concept of change over time and examining cause and effect are introduced. Students will examine the availability of resources and the interdependence within and across communities.

Grade 3

In “Communities around the World” students learn about communities around the globe and global citizenship. Students bring with them knowledge about their community. In this course, students make comparisons across time and space, examining different communities and their cultures. Culture includes social organization, customs and traditions, language, arts and literature, religion, forms of government, and economic systems. Students are introduced to the concepts of prejudice, discrimination and human rights, as well as social action. Students participate in an extensive study of the United States, Brazil, China and Kenya. These communities represent different regions of the world, types of communities (urban, suburban, and rural), and governmental structures. 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 the social studies practices may be presented in any order.

Grade 4

Grade 4 Social Studies is focused on New York State and local communities and their change over time, incorporating the study of geography, history, economics, and government. Teachers make and teach local connections throughout the course. The course is divided into seven Key Ideas that span the state’s history from before the European colonial era to the modern period. The key ideas allow teachers to make connections to present-day New York and the local community.