Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards 3rd Grade Social Studies Activities

MD.1.0. Political Science: Students will understand the historical development and current status of the democratic principles and the development of skills and attitudes necessary to become responsible citizens.

1.A. The foundations and function of government

1.A.1. Explain the role of individuals and groups in creating rules and laws to maintain order, protect citizens, and provide services

1.A.1.a. Identify local government leaders, such as the mayor, county council members or commissioners, and county executive and explain their role in protecting citizens and maintaining order

1.A.1.c. Describe the selection process and duties of local officials who make, apply, and enforce laws through government

1.A.2. Explain how certain practices are connected with the democratic principles (skills, attitudes, and dispositions) of being a citizen

1.A.2.a. Identify and explain democratic principles, such as individual rights and responsibilities, patriotism, common good, justice and equality

1.A.2.b. Describe practices such as voting, following rules, volunteering, and recognizing national holidays associated with democratic principles

1.B. Individual and group participation in the political system

1.B.1. Explain how people and events have contributed to the American political system.

1.B.1.a. Describe the contributions of local government leaders such as county executives, county council, mayor and city council

1.B.1.b. Describe the contributions of people who contributed to the common good of society

1.B.2. Analyze the role of individual and group participation in creating a supportive community

1.B.2.a. Explain the decision making process used to accomplish a community goal or solve a community problem

1.B.2.b. Explain the roles and responsibilities of effective citizens in a political process

1.B.2.c. Describe the actions of people who have made a positive difference in their community, such as community and civic leaders, and organizations

1.C. Protecting rights and maintaining order

1.C.1. Explain the rights and responsibilities of being a member of the school and the community

1.C.1.a. Describe the responsibilities of being an effective citizen, such as cleaning up your neighborhood, being informed, obeying rules and laws, participating in class decisions, and volunteering

MD.3.0. Geography: Students will use geographic concepts and processes to understand location and its relationship to human activities.

3.A. Using geographic tools

3.A.1. Use geographic tools to locate and construct meaning about places on earth

3.A.1.a. Describe the purposes of a variety of maps and atlases, such as transportation maps, physical maps, and political maps

3.A.1.b. Construct and interpret maps by using elements, such as title, compass rose, simple grid system, scale, legend/key, date, and author

3.A.1.c. Identify the location of communities, major cities in Maryland, and United States using a globe, maps, and atlases

3.B. Geographic characteristics of places and regions

3.B.1. Compare places and regions around the world using geographic characteristics

3.B.1.a. Compare places and regions using geographic features

3.B.1.b. Identify natural/physical and human-made features of places and regions

3.B.1.c. Describe population distribution of places and regions such as rural and urban

3.C. Movement of people, goods and ideas

3.C.1. Describe how transportation and communication networks link places through the movement of people, goods, and ideas

3.C.1.a. Explain how transportation and communication networks connect places, people, and ideas

3.D. Modifying and adapting to the environment

3.D.1. Explain how people modify, protect, and adapt to their environment

3.D.1.a. Describe how people in a community modify their environment to meet changing needs for transportation, shelter, and making a living

3.D.1.c. Compare ways that people adapt to the environment for food, clothing, and shelter

MD.4.0. Economics: Students will identify the economic principles and processes that are helpful to producers and consumers when making good decisions.

4.A. Scarcity and economic decision-making

4.A.1. Explain that people must make choices because resources are limited relative to unlimited wants for goods and services

4.A.1.a. Explain why people must make economic choices

4.A.1.b. Identify and apply the steps in the decision-making process

4.A.1.c. Identify the opportunity cost of a choice or decision

4.A.2. Examine the production process

4.A.2.b. Give examples of when limited resources affect the decisions producers make

4.B. Economic systems and the role of government in the economy

4.B.1. Describe different types of markets

4.B.1.b. Describe how countries around the world trade in the global market

4.B.2. Identify goods and services provided by the government and paid for by taxes

4.B.2.a. Classify goods and services according to who produces them such as, the government, business, or both

4.B.3. Describe how consumers acquire goods and services

4.B.3.a. Develop a budget indicating income and expenses

4.B.3.b. Develop a plan that shows how money is obtained, such as selling things, getting a gift, and getting allowance

MD.5.0. History: Students will use historical thinking skills to understand how individuals and events have changed society over time.

5.A. Individuals and societies change over time

5.A.1. Examine differences between past and present time

5.A.1.b. Explain the relationship among events in a variety of timelines

5.A.2. Investigate how people lived in the past using a variety of primary and secondary sources

5.A.2.a. Collect and examine information about people, places, or events of the past using pictures, photographs, maps, audio or visual tapes, and or documents

MD.6.0. Social Studies Skills and Processes: Students shall use reading, writing, and thinking processes and skills to gain knowledge and understanding of political, historical, and current events using chronological and spatial thinking, economic reasoning, and historical interpretation, by framing and evaluating questions from primary and secondary sources.

6.A. Read to learn and construct meaning about social studies

6.A.1. Use appropriate strategies and opportunities to increase understandings of social studies vocabulary

6.A.1.a. Acquire and apply new vocabulary through investigating, listening, independent reading and discussing a variety of print and non-print sources

6.A.1.b. Identify and use new vocabulary acquired through study of relationships to prior knowledge and experiences

6.A.1.c. Use context clues to understand new social studies vocabulary

6.A.1.d. Use new vocabulary in speaking and writing to gain and extend content knowledge and clarify expression

6.A.2. Use strategies to prepare for reading (before reading)

6.A.2.a. Identify the characteristics of informational texts, such as print features, graphic aids, informational aids, organizational aids, and online features

6.A.2.b. Preview the text by examining features, such as the title, pictures, maps, illustrations, photographs, charts, timelines, graphs, and icons

6.A.2.c. Set a purpose for reading the text

6.A.2.d. Ask questions and make predictions about the text

6.A.2.e. Make connections to the text using prior knowledge and experiences

6.A.3. Use strategies to monitor understanding and derive meaning from text and portions of text (during reading)

6.A.3.a. Identify and use knowledge of organizational structures, such as chronological order, cause/effect, main ideas and details, description, similarities/differences, and problem/solution to gain meaning

6.A.3.b. Reread slowly and carefully, restate, or read on and revisit difficult parts

6.A.3.d. Look back through the text to search for connections between and among ideas

6.A.3.e. Make, confirm, or adjust predictions about the text

6.A.3.f. Periodically summarize or paraphrase important ideas while reading

6.A.3.g. Visualize what was read for deeper meaning