Third Grade History

PEIMS Course Title/Number:
Social Studies 3/02660030

Prerequisite Requirements:
Course completion or grade placement.

Course of Instruction/Lesson Description:
K12’s Grade 3 Social Studies program examines major themes, concepts, and skills in history, geography, civics, and economics. Students learn about life in communities, the biographies of famous men and women, and basic traditions of our own culture and of far-off people and places.

The instructional plan includes readings and activities on a range of topics and skills covering history, geography, civics, economics, and cultural studies.

Major course expectations include the following.

History

• Describe how individuals have shaped the history of various communities.
• Understand concepts of time, chronology, and change over time.
• Identify major characteristics and accomplishments of selected civilizations.
• Associate leaders from history with their major accomplishments.

Geography

• Demonstrate an ability to use a variety of maps to obtain geographical information.
• Understand the concepts of location, distance, and direction.
• On a world map and globe, locate major geographical features, such as the major oceans, the North and South Poles, and the equator.
• Understand patterns and forces that shaped human settlement in places studied.
• Recognize how human technology has helped shape the physical environment and affected life in various communities, past and present (for example, irrigation ditches).

Civics

• Describe and compare various types of government, for example democracy vs. dictatorship.
• Identify the role of governments at different levels and the function of various leaders.
• Discuss the purposes of rules and laws.
• Understand the responsibilities and obligations of good citizenship.
• Discuss how figures from American history—such as Theodore Roosevelt, Jane Addams, and Rosa Parks—have responded to the challenges of good citizenship.

Economics

• Understand concepts such as wants, needs, and scarcity.
• Understand the concept of bartering for goods.
• Understand the necessity of trading with neighboring countries.
• Discuss how trade in certain goods advanced the growth of a civilization.

Culture

• Become familiar with major artistic and architectural achievements from various cultures.
• Understand that civilizations came into contact with and influenced one another through trade, war, and cultural exchanges.
• Compare and contrast the beliefs and values of various cultures studied.
• Use problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking skills to gather, organize, and evaluate information.

Lesson Numbers/Duration:
108 total.

Online Importance:
K12’s elementary Social Studies program provides step-by-step guidance in each lesson. Some activities are presented online, while others are presented offline.

Online lesson content includes “online books” that narrate important events or introduce the lives of significant historical figures. Important activities are available only online, such as animations and slide shows.

The Teacher Guide provides the teacher with an outline of the lesson as well as information about assessment and supplemental material that can help the teacher support each student.

Monitoring Student Progress:
At the end of each lesson, students are asked to write an entry in their History Record Book. This writing journal reinforces learning, serves as a review tool, and helps track student progress.

Most Social Studies lesson includes an assessment, typically a series of questions directly related to the lesson objectives. The assessment helps the teacher gauge whether the student has met the lesson objectives.

Some of these assessments are completed online with results automatically recorded by the K12 Online School, while other assessments are completed with pencil and paper, and then results are entered online.

Students and parents can access student-specific screens to determine (1) progress in the number of lessons completed, (2) the lesson assessment (percentage mastered), (3) the semester assessment (percentage mastered), and (4) the number of times the student has taken the assessment instruments. Families who enroll their children in the eCP program have the benefit of help and guidance from an experienced teacher. The teacher will contact students daily through email and phone conferences. Consistent progress monitoring by the teacher will be utilized throughout the project period.

Schedule for Monitoring Student Progress:
Each teacher will establish a daily contact schedule for their assigned students at a time of day that is reasonably convenient for both parties. Contacts may be asynchronous/synchronous or one-on-one/groups. The avenues of teacher initiated contact will be adjusted as determined by the progress a student makes through their learning plan. Parent- and student-initiated contact with teachers can happen at any time. The Acting Director, or their designee, will monitor the communication logs to ensure that parents are being routinely supported and informed regarding the student’s ongoing progress and participation.

In addition, teachers will monitor progress in mastery of objectives and lesson completion on a weekly basis. Continuous progress monitoring by the assigned teacher ensures that parents are informed on a regular basis regarding progress and participation.

Required Instructional Materials:
Materials K12 provides:

• Online lessons and assessments
• Inflatable globe
• U.S./world map
• National Geographic Map Essentials
• Social Studies textbook

Other materials:

• Arts and crafts supplies for projects
• Notebook

Standardized Assessment Instruments:
End-of-Course Exams developed by Texas Tech, University of Texas or K12 Inc.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Compliancy:
Side-by-side comparisons of TEKS and the content of each course have been developed and reviewed to ensure that the online curriculum meets or exceeds the TEKS.

Grading/Credit Award Criteria:
A course grade in the content areas will be determined by the score on the End-of-Course Exam from either Texas Tech University or the University of Texas. The course grade in art, music, health and PE will be determined by the percentage of lessons completed and mastered. A student will be promoted to the next grade level by passing three of the four End-of-Course Exams administered in a proctored environment, and the average of the four End-of-Course Exams must be at least 70%.