Third Grade - History/Social Studies

Diverse group of people embracing each other

Overview

Third-grade students in SFUSD engage in an average of 45 minutes (through both integrated and stand-alone units) of social studies instruction from 4-5 days a week. There will be three 5 week stand-alone units that alternate with Science units during the year.

The first of these units has been developed and graciously provided by our SFUSD Indian Education Program to understand how indigenous cultures have persisted through time and continue to be a vital part of our community today. The next 2 units Explore the reasons that people migrate and settle in particular places and how they influence(d) the environment by changing landscapes to access and use natural resources. Students can analyze how successive groups of people have made different uses of the land, depending on their skills, technology, and values.

Each unit provides opportunities for students to deepen their self-identity through the exploration of diverse family structures. Students continue examining the ways that individuals can influence larger systems and create change through biographies and research in their local community. Students focus on developing and understanding citizenship, civic engagement, and the basic structure of government by using the integrated ELA 3rd grade Spiral 3 Interactive Read Alouds Unit.

Determine ways students can work together to build a better community rooted in the SFUSD Humanizing Values (knowledge of self, solidarity, and self-determination) and core concepts of Ethnic Studies.

Priority Standards

What students will know, what students will do, and what thinking skills students will develop to apply and transfer History/Social Studies/Ethnic Studies understandings that endure within the discipline, leverage deeper understandings, and/or support readiness for success at the next grade level.

In third grade, students focus on these critical areas:

California Indian Unit - presented by SFUSD Indian Education Progam

This unit was made as a fourth-grade unit but covers the CA HSS standards for 3rd grade and can be used at this grade level. The focus of this unit is the Ohlone people who have never ceded the land that is now known as San Francisco. We are using this unit as we adopt/adapt a new H/SS curriculum for our district. Any questions regarding this unit should be addressed to:
MaryHelen Sherman at shermanm1@sfusd.edu

"California Landforms" by Calsidyrose is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Landforms, Resources, & Development (Example)

Students explore the major landforms found in California and the natural resources found throughout the state. They examine how people have interacted with and used these resources over time. They research concepts of immigration/migration and settlement by investigating where people have established major cities in California. Students go further by comparing and contrasting ways the environment has changed over time and investigating their impact on the land today -- gaining an understanding of the interdependence and influence between their community and the natural environment around them.

Important Issues in Our Community (Example)

Students investigate the ways that communities determine what issues are important. They examine how community issues are addressed and begin to analyze the intersection between economics, power, and decision-making now and in the past. They also examine how the immigration/migration of different groups has influenced the decision-making policies in their communities and how perspectives change about what issues are important. Students find correlations between local, state, and federal government and how each addresses the important issues of the community. Students deepen their understanding of the 3 branches of government in conjunction with an integrated ELA unit. They evaluate different laws or the contributions of individuals to determine what they find historically significant. Students synthesize what they have learned to reflect on their own values and how they can influence their community at large.

Instruction: Signature Elements

Below are signature elements of SFUSD History/Social Studies instruction that students should experience regularly throughout third grade as they develop as historians & social scientists.

Community Responsive Teaching

Adapt lessons, units, etc to reflect and honor the experiences and community of your students. Making humanizing connections to personal/community/cultural experiences

Inquiry

Students engage in authentic cycles of inquiry: developing questions & planning inquiry, applying disciplinary tools & concepts, evaluating sources & using evidence, and communicating conclusions & taking informed action.

Historically Responsive Literacy

Create lessons that use various resources (visual, oral, and written) that represent a wide range of diverse people that contribute to our communities

Taking Informed Action

Students take action in their community based on the information they have gathered throughout their inquiry. (Check out the next two and a half minutes of the video for an explanation.)

Materials

Beyond the Third-Grade Unit Overview, there are no required materials.

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Units

Units for Third-Grade History/Social Studies/Equity Studies are currently in development. See below for guidance and examples of how you might structure your own units. (Click here for the same information below in an easy-to-read format: Overview and Examples for 3rd Grade Units)

Unit Design

Incorporation of the Four Dimensions of the Inquiry Arc Across the Three Bends of a Unit

Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries	Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts	Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence	Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action
A compelling question supported by Investigation questions	Investigate the ideas, tools, and concepts of Geography History Civics Economics	Gather evidence from reliable sources	Do something with the knowledge and skills acquired
Inquiry	Investigation		Informed Action

Units

Here are some practical examples. Each class may go on a slightly different path (culturally/community-relevant) but are still likely headed in the same general content-driven direction. Students engage with a compelling question. Students learn more through exploring media (books, videos, etc), interviews, field trips, etc..(historically responsive literacy). Students generate new questions based on what they learned, explore more (inquiry), and eventually and/or during the process create artifacts that represent their learning and/or contribute to their community in some fashion (informed action).

California Indian Unit
Provided Unit	Outline & Resources
Do this first: 2 week Launch Please click here to access this unit This unit was made as a fourth-grade unit but covers the CA HSS standards for 3rd grade and can be used at this grade level. The focus of this unit is the Ohlone people who have never ceded the land that is now known as San Francisco. We are using this unit as we adopt/adapt a new HSS curriculum for our district. Any questions regarding this unit should be addressed to: MaryHelen Sherman	Do this first: 2 week Launch Curriculum outline Lessons 1.1 - 1.4: Who are the Ohlone? Where did they live? Lessons 2.1 - 2.4: Ohlone Culture & Identity Lessons 3.1 - 3.4: Ohlone Stories Lessons 4.1 - 4.4: Student reflections Additional Resources These lessons are based on the curriculum written by Beverly R. Ortiz, Ph.D. Ohlone Curriculum and Introduction to Delta Yokuts. Complete Curriculum Guide Student Resources Supplemental Resources HSS Department Resources More can be found on the Elementary HSS Elementary Webpage including: Land acknowledgment American Indians in Children’s Literature - AICL
Unit 2: Landforms, Natural Resources, & Community Development (Example)
Inquiry	Possible Investigations	Possible Informed Actions
Compelling Question: How has the land we live on changed over time and influenced the way people live today? This should lead to investigative questions from the students. Here is a possible way to elicit those questions: Get some different kinds of maps of California and do a See Think Wonder. Some sites for maps: Orangesmile travel maps California Tourist Guide GIS Geography California, in maps	Identify different regions/landforms throughout the state Identify the natural resources that are found throughout our state and how climate and landforms affect their availability. Foothill Library Resource Research how natural resources have determined where people have lived in our state Locate the proximity of major cities in the state to natural resources Investigate how people have used natural resources in different areas and times Determine the ways that people have changed the physical characteristics of different landforms throughout history (dams, reservoirs, mining…) Find old pictures and maps that show how the landscape in this area has changed over time San Francisco used to be full of creeks and lagoons, here's where they ran San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection San Francisco Bay Area's Landscape Legacy Bird’s Eye of San Francisco circa 1864 Gifford, Charles B. Compare and contrast the ways different people throughout history have interacted with the natural resources and landforms within the local environment Take a field trip to the Academy of Sciences to learn how our human world is connected to the natural resources in our area Habitat Earth Field Trip Explore the ways in which we impact the environment today Take a virtual tour of the Recology Transfer Station Register here for an in-person field trip at SF Recology Look here for hands-on activities and field trips provided by the San Francisco Environmental Education Program \| sfenvironment.org	Create a 3D model of California and identify major landforms, resources and cities Create a presentation of man made modifications to the environment, the reasons it was done and the impact on the environment and people of the area (both positive and negative) Small groups create a slideshow presentation of how different cities in California have changed over time and then present to the rest of the class, other grade level, parents or to the school Students focus on San Francisco and create a book that shows the way people have changed the land over time Students create a service project that addresses ways we can preserve the environment around us while still meeting the needs of the city.
Unit 3: Important Issues in Our Community (Example)
Inquiry	Possible Investigations	Possible Informed Actions
Compelling Question: How do communities determine what issues are important? This should lead to investigative questions from the students. Here is a possible way to elicit those questions: Instead of sharing ideas, have them come up with questions and stop and jot as a class between mingling sessions Mingle Pair Share \| Inquiry Lesson Plan Strategy	Discuss the difference between community wants/needs Brainstorm some wants Brainstorm some needs Determine if there are overlaps Research important local issues from the past Determine who and how it was decided that these issues were important Investigate if all members of the community were represented in these decisions If not, was there a negative impact for a segment of the community Look at photographs of San Francisco from different decades Look in particular at famous landmarks Discuss the reasons that some of these landmarks exist Who built them and why? What is the process of city development? Take a field trip across the Golden Gate Bridge Research the history of Golden Gate Park DeYoung Museum as a building Conservatory of Flowers as a Building Take a field trip to learn the history of some of the major buildings in San Francisco Transamerica Building Pyramid Dreams Field Trip Palace of Fine Arts Determine how community issues are addressed today Examine how economic issues (land use, access to natural resources, jobs, the distribution of wealth…etc.) influence decisions regarding important issues Determine who has been harmed and who has benefited from decisions in the past and now How will (or have) these decisions impact(ed) the environment Examine the ways that the immigration/migration of different groups of people over time have changed the perspective what are important issues in our local community and in our state Investigate the correlations between local, state and national decision making bodies and they types of issues they address Research the 3 branches of government and how they are interdependent Learning Video: The 3 Branches of Government - Kids Academy Mayor, governor, president Board of Supervisors, State legislators, Senators and House of Representatives Judiciary courts Take a field trip to City Hall to see where local decisions are made Call 415-554-6139 for a reservation Please try to keep groups 25 or less Fridays are NOT advisable Invite a local community leader come into the classroom as a guest speaker Investigate different community groups that are addressing local issues Determine ways that students can safely address those issues in partnership with local groups/leaders **This unit could be used at the same time or after ELA Spiral 3 Unit 3.3 Read Aloud Lesson Plans that discuss the 3 Branches of Government to help integrate student studies and deepen understanding	In small groups, figure out a realistic plan to address an important issue in our community In small groups, make a slideshow about an important issue in our community and ways that other students can help address it in their daily lives Invite local leaders to participate in a panel discussion of local issues and create interview questions for them. Identify school issues that are important to students and determine ways to address them as a class Design a building with a purpose for San Francisco Write a persuasive argument to detail why it is needed and how it will benefit the community. Find opportunities to volunteer in our local community and decide as a class on which opportunity to take Students write a persuasive essay to convince others to address an important community issue Students debate whether a current local issue is a want or a need Brainstorm a set of important local issues Narrow the choices to a top 3 Vote on which issue they want to address as a class Find/Create a service project to address the issue Here is a graphic organizer to help with Persuasive writing

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Planning Guide

Many elements of third-grade History/Social Studies can and should be integrated across the day and year. That being said, three periods of roughly five weeks are set aside each trimester for more intensive History/Social Studies learning. Through these units, Third-grade students will learn ...

1st Trimester	2nd Trimester	3rd Trimester
1 week Community Building then California Indian Unit	Landforms, Resources and Development	Important Issues in Our Community
16 lessons	5 weeks of 4 lessons per week	5 weeks of 4 lessons per week

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Reflection Questions

How are students' developmental needs, communities, and experiences being reflected and honored, or how could they be?
What opportunities do you see for developing equitable access & demand, inquiry, collaboration, and assessment for learning?
What are the implications for your own practice? What strengths can you build upon? What will you do first?

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Standards

California History & Social Studies Framework

More Resources

Contact the HS/SS/ES Team

Maria Elena Romero -- Elementary H/SS TSA

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