SOCIAL STUDIES
Interdependence:Making A Difference In Our World
The Second Grade program encourages students to develop a connection with people�both past and present � by learning about how people make contributions to society. Through the integration of civic awareness, geography, history, and basic economic concepts, these connections can be achieved. Students will be involved in using good research, reading and hearing relevant literature, working in cooperative groups, and participating in related arts education activities. A special emphasis is placed on the role of the individual in an increasingly independent world.
The curriculum for second grade social studies is very diverse. We establish
a base of map and globe skills, including being able to locate the oceans
and continents. In addition, we study our community and broaden the
perspective to our nation. We also discuss family traditions a great
deal, especially during the holidays. We not only study American
family traditions, but also those of other cultures to expose our children
to the diverse world around them. An emphasis is placed on famous
Americans in the month of February. All of these topics are listed
in the Alabama Course of Study. Below are some ways you can expand
on what we discuss in the classroom.
1.Watch the news with your child, both local and national. Discuss
with them the major topics and how they affect you at home. Locate
the areas they report on a map or globe.
2.
If a place is mentioned in a book you and your child are reading, locate
that place on a map or globe.
3.
Discuss your family history with your child. Are any of your relatives
Veterans? Did any relatives establish businesses in small towns?
Did any relatives work with the Von Braun team? Scrapbooks are wonderful
springboards for these discussions! Don't forget to involve grandparents
in this! It is important for children to establish a sense of who
they are and who they want to be through family histories.
4.
When purchasing books for your child, do not forget non-fiction books and
biographies. Also, traditional encyclopedias and CD-Rom encyclopedias
(such as Encarta) are excellent in teaching about historical figures.
|