A.
Exploration, Settlement, and Culture: Grade 3
Week State Social Studies Standard Social Lesson Idea and Alignment
Studies
Theme
Week Time, Students will watch the video “Why
Maryland Students shall inquire Continuity,
One Do People Settle Where They
Standard about the role of and Change Settle?”:[Link]
3.0 culture, technology,
Hw?si=WVvg5A_hDgKFPrw3.
Geography and the environment
Students will then investigate the
in the location,
resources and physical characteristics
distribution, and
where we live. Then we will look at a
impact of human
activities using population density map to discuss in
groups why people in densely
geographic tools and
populated places might have settled
spatial thinking in
there. This relates to the theme
order to demonstrate
because over time changes happen to
a significance of
the environment and social setting
place.
that would influence why people
would move and settle in a different
location.
Week People, The students will determine the
Maryland Students shall inquire
Two Places, and different reasons why people explore
Standard about the role of
Environme or end up settling where they settle.
3.0 culture, technology,
nt Students will review several
Geography and the environment
explorers and in table groups
in the location,
determine their reasons for exploring
distribution, and
and write it down in the attached
impact of human
organizer. Students will decide if
activities using
each explorer explored for land,
geographic tools and
knowledge, or resources and trade.
spatial thinking in
order to demonstrate
a significance of
place.
This relates to the theme because the
class will be researching explorers
from the United States or explorers
that have settled in the United States
and look into the reasons why this
has happened whether it be the
people or knowledge available, the
resources available or places, or the
environment/land.
Week Global Students will read the article “Human
Maryland Students shall inquire Connections
Three Settlement” found at the link:
Standard about the role of
[Link]
3.0 culture, technology,
e/human-settlement/630861. The class
Geography and the environment
will then use a map to locate areas
in the location,
where people have moved away from
distribution, and
because of their geographical
impact of human
environment and then where they might
activities using
have moved to based on the reason
geographic tools and
humans settle in certain places. This
spatial thinking in
relates to global connections and the
order to demonstrate
culture, environment, and technology of
a significance of
a location because settlers might move
place.
across the work because of global
connections or better resources such as
technology or environment.
Week Culture Students will read the article About
Maryland Students shall inquire
Four Maryland's features found on the
Standard about significant
National Geographic website for kids:
5.0 events, ideas, beliefs,
[Link]
History and themes to
eography/states/article/maryland.
identify patterns and
Then the class will discuss what
trends and to analyze
culture is. The class will then
how individuals and
popcorn read about culture. Students
societies have
will recall architecture/buildings,
changed over time to
celebrations/holidays, food, art and
make connections to
literature, language, environment and
the present in their
clothing that were explored
communities,
throughout the unit so far. Students
Maryland, the United
will then compare two countries'
States, and the world.
cultures they learned about from
around the world. They will have the
choice of comparing their own
culture to a different culture or
comparing two different cultures that
they explored. And then towards the
end of the week they will research
cultures presented in Maryland.
Week Individual, The students will recall different
Maryland Students shall inquire
Five Groups, cultures present in Maryland. They
Standard about civics,
and will then select a specific culture to
6.0 Skills geography,
Institutions research. Students will find
and economics, history,
information on the the seven aspects
Processes and people and
of culture that they chose which
include: architecture/buildings,
nations of the world
celebrations/holidays, food, art and
using disciplinary
literature, language, environment,
literacy skills and
and clothing. Then with a partner,
processes to critically
students will create a poster on the
evaluate content
culture that they chose to research,
through a variety of
while including information with
source materials
pictures about each of the seven
across disciplines and
aspects of culture. Once everyone is
use reading, writing,
done, each group will present their
and other forms of
posters to the rest of the class.
communication to
Students will use their knowledge
develop, defend, and
about culture on individuals, groups,
critique arguments in
order to take and institutions to research using
their literacy skills and process to
informed action.
evaluate adequate resources. They
will then use this information and use
their writing skills to create their
posters to present to the class.
B. Social Studies Field Trip
Field Trip Element Description
Field Trip Maryland Center for History and Culture
located in Baltimore, Maryland
Alignment with Social Studies Standard Maryland Standard 5.0 History: Students shall
inquire about significant events, ideas, beliefs,
and themes to identify patterns and trends and to
analyze how individuals and societies have
changed over time to make connections to the
present in their communities, Maryland, the
United States, and the world.
Alignment with Central Focus The class will learn about the different types
of literature, food, religion, art, celebrations,
and clothing that has helped shape Maryland
into the state it is today. We will explore
why people settled in Maryland, what
different cultures were brought to Maryland
throughout the years, and why explorers
decided to explore Maryland.
Learning Experience and Student The Maryland Center for History and
Engagement Culture depicts an authentic look into the
(Must include each of the following different cultures and history of settlers in
methods of engagement: researching, Maryland. During our trip students will
analyzing, and evaluating) examine and assess each of the seven aspects
of what makes up culture: literature, foods,
religion, art, celebrations/holidays, clothing
and architecture/buildings. When doing so,
students will also compare, contrast, and
evaluate the different cultures in Maryland
as opposed to their own culture. Once we
return from the Maryland Center for History
and Culture, students will use art materials
to recreate or illustrate a cultural scene from
their learning experience/field trip. Each
illustration should include at least three
cultural aspects from the seven cultural
aspects that we learned about:
architecture/buildings, celebrations/holidays,
food, art and literature, language,
environment, or clothing.
C. Inquiry-based, Integrative lesson
Lesson Description
Element
State Social Maryland Students shall inquire about the people of the United States
Studies Standard 2.0 and the world using a historically grounded,
Standard
Peoples of the multidisciplinary approach in order to recognize multiple
Nations and narratives and acknowledge the diversity and commonality
World of the human experience.
Additional RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring
K-6 explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Standard
Learning The students will create 2 questions of their own that can be answered within the
Objective text, “Maryland State History”, found at
[Link]
The students will also be able draw pictures to add to the timeline at the end of the
text. They will recreate the timeline on their own piece of paper to include pictures
representing what each important showcases.
Integrative Students will partner read the text and each partner will come up with 2 questions
Lesson that can be answered within the text and then each partner will answer the other
Description partner's questions. Then the partner groups will work together to recreate the
timeline at the end of the text on their own paper to include pictures that represent
what the important event is referencing.
Student Group Differentiated Instruction Description
Gifted and Talented Students that are considered gifted and talented will
create a poster based on a specific culture represented
in Maryland like the rest of the class. However, along
with their poster they will include a research paper
based on what they chose to present their poster on.
Once the students are done with their poster, the
addition of the research paper will allow their time to
be filled with a task while also staying engaged with
the topic while they wait for the other students to finish
up their posters.
English Learner (EL) English learners (EL) will be given vocabulary cards
such as those below for relevant words to the unit that
will be necessary to their understanding of the unit.
They will also be given texts in their language if
needed. They will also be given frequent check-ins
with the teacher to further develop understanding when
needed. Examples of vocabulary words given are as
follows:
Culture Language,
customs,
ideas, And
art of a
particular
group of
people
Customs Ways of
acting that
are usual or
accepted for
a person or
social group
Student with Special Education Students with Special Education exceptionalities, such
Exceptionality as students that have an IEP for ADHD, will have
frequent check-ins with the teacher to ensure that their
specialized goals and objectives are being followed.
During the unit these students will be in a small group
when texts are being read to further help with their
understanding and to try and help keep them on task.
These students will receive vocabulary cards with
definitions and pictures about important words that we
are referencing and talking about during the unit.
These students will also join a small group with the
teacher when researching and coming up with
questions for the text, “Maryland State History”. This
will help the students stay focused, on task, and to
have the ability to get help when needed fairly quickly.
D. Summative Assessment and Student Outcomes
Student Learning Evaluation Student Outcomes
(formative or summative)
Students will be given a summative assessment that Before the test is given out, as a class we will
has a total of 20 questions. These questions will review with a game of Kahoot and Quizlet Live.
consist of fill in the blank, true/ false, written After the game, the teacher will pass out the tests to
response, and multiple-choice. Students will need each student along with a pencil and then instruct
at least 85% to pass. Included in the test will be the students to do their best on the test and if they
vocabulary, written response on cultures, the have any questions to raise their hand or come to
ability to recognize why people move to certain the teacher's desk. The teacher will also inform
places using visual elements and be able to be able them that every 10 minutes the teacher will walk
to identify the cultural reasons people explore or around to check on how everyone is doing.
settle in different places, and the ability to
recognize and explain how cultures are similar and Students will have a good understanding of the
different. reasons that cause people to explore or settle in
different places and about cultures. This will be
shown on the assessments when the students will
be able to complete the assessment with at least an
85%.
The outcomes from the assessment will be used to
see if the class needs to spend a little more time on
the unit or if the class can move onto the next unit.
E. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content
that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
• [Link]
• Why Do People Explore? Organizer: [Link]
5382-why-do-people-explore-group-activity
• [Link]
• [Link]
• Maryland Center for History and Culture website:
[Link]
• [Link]
