Jordyn's Blog

As a first grade teacher it is so easy to get caught up in the importance of teaching reading and math. I will not sugar coat it, teaching first grade can be difficult. I want to make sure my little friends leave my classroom feeling loved and happy. I want them to be able to read - first graders are expected to go from reading very basic CVC words to reading chapter books by the end of the year. I want them to be able to add double digits. The demands are high, and I work in a Title I school where many students are at an economic disadvantage. I have many students who come to school to have their basic needs met. So when I think of social studies instruction my first thought is often - if my student doesn't have a snack and cannot read or add - how can I worry about Social Studies? I still believe that is a fair question but my current course has allowed me to research and think about this in a way I had not previously had an opportunity to do.  Social Studies can be incorporated ...

  My first social studies lesson this year will be based around the learning goal: I can show good citizenship. My first learning target or objective is for students to be able to explain why we need rules. I anticipate my students struggling with language such as citizen or responsible. In my pre-assessment for this unit many students verbally expressed that they did not know what the word citizen meant. Many students also did not know what responsible meant. I will be proactive about addressing these struggles. I will refer to the The Art and Science of Teaching / Six Steps to Better Vocabulary Instruction for addressing these vocabulary words. Morzano says     1. " Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term. 2.  Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. 3. Ask students to construct a picture, pictograph, or symbolic representation of the term. 4.  Engage students periodically in activities th...

  5 strands and 10 themes of social studies-  Reflect on what you have learned about the 5 strands of social studies through your readings and research and through the lens of K-8 learners and their learning needs in today's world. The 5 Content Strands or subject areas for social studies are: Civics and Government Economics Geography NH and US History World History and contemporary issues  the K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Framework organized in three parts, part 1 includes the 10 themes of social studies: 1. Conflict & Cooperation 2. Civic Ideals, Practices, and Engagement 3. People, Places and Environment 4. Material Wants and Needs 5. Cultural Development, Interaction, and Change 6. Global Transformation 7. Science, Technology, and Society 8. Individualism, Equality and Authority 9. Patterns of Social and Political Interaction 10. Human Expression and Communication I will be focusing on #1, Civics and Government for my social studies unit.  SS:CV:2:1.1: Comp...