A Brief Look at the Ohio Social Studies Program

By: Lori NelsonEd 417

Winter 2000

Introduction

Social Studies should be a very important part of the elementary school program. A firm foundation given while children are young can yield the most responsible of United States, and world citizens.

This presentation will take a brief look at the elements of this foundation, organized around the six strands of the Ohio Model. American Heritage People in Societies World Interactions Decision Making and Resources Democratic Processes Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

All of these strands are present at every grade level. It would be impossible to do justice to all grade levels in this brief presentation, so I will concentrate on Social Studies in the fourth grade.

The emphasis in fourth grade is Ohio, so most of my activities will reflect this.

Presentation Goal:

The goal of this presentation is to give the viewers a basic idea of what should be present in a social studies program at the fourth grade level.

Presentation Objective:

After the presentation, the viewers should be able to state at least four activity ideas and their corresponding strands for fourth grade Social Studies

American Heritage

The first strand

This strand focuses on our country’s past. Among topics examined here are common American traditions and experiences. Also looked at are the influence of our country’s political and economic systems, and even our geography, on America’s famous people and events.

Activities

Study Simon Kenton. Take a field trip to Midwestern Ohio, where Kenton explored. Selected non-graphic portions of The Frontiersmen can be read aloud to students in class, to give a clear picture of Ohio frontier life.

Talk about the effect of geography on people’s lives. Look back at the founding of the class’s hometown. Did it grow because it was close to water? What type of people typically lived near arable land?

Study state history: brainstorm important Ohio events, with teacher prompting as needed. Have students place these events on a time line with brief descriptions.

Assign a report on the life of the Wright brothers. This can take many forms: a character monolouge, even a filmed news broadcast.

Look at the significance of political boundaries. Have students contact local officials to see what the function of cities, villages, and townships are.

For more information and ideas:

http://lcwebz.loc.gov/amhome.html http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/

oahom/index.html http://www.ncss.org http://history.hanover.edu/texts.html http://www.dol.gov/dol/asp/public/

programs/history/main.htm

People In Societies

The Second Strand

This strand examines just what its title implies: the contributions of people of many races and ethnicities, and both genders. This strand looks at how all people live together in society, with many interacting perspectives.

Activities

Study the Underground Railroad in Ohio. What people used it? What people made safe havens for the passengers?

Contact officials to determine the overall ethnic makeup of Ohio. Celebrate some of the traditions of more unfamiliar ethnic groups. Compare these to more familiar practices.

Study cultural divisions in Ohio’s job market. Discuss inequalities, and possible ways to correct them.

Look at Ohio how Ohio legislation addresses different cultural groups. Have students draft a law they thing would improve cross-cultural relations in Ohio.

Look at Ohio immigration history. Were people from a particular group more likely to come to Ohio during specific time periods?

For more information and ideas:

http://www.lam.mus.ca.us/webmusems http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/

AS.html http://coombs.anu.edu.aw/WWWBL-

AsianStudeis.html http://www.cs.cmu.edu/Unofficial/Canadiana/

README.html http://www.csuohio.edu/history/japan/index.html

World Interactions

The Third Strand

This strand looks at how things that happen in America effect people in other countries, and how events in other countries effect Americans. People make connections across countries as they try to solve common problems, and the World Interactions strand examines this as well.

Activities

Have students contact local companies. Do these companies have locations in other countries? Why are they in the countries they are in? Do this in groups of four to five students, and have the groups report their findings to the class.

As a class, write to the governor. Ask him/her how international relations figure into governing Ohio. Has th e governor ever made a business trip to another country? Read the reply to the class, and post it in the room.

Have students research Ohio made products. Why can Ohio produce these, when other places cannot?

Study maps to become familiar with map concepts. Have students create a map of the community, complete with detailed map key.

Study products that are imported into Ohio. Is there some reason that Ohio cannot produce these, ie enviornmental or resource-wise?

For more information and ideas:

http://www.frw.ruun.nl/nicegeo.html http://www.gsn.org http://usgs.gov.education http://www.hammondmap.com/start40.html http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu

Decision Making and Resources

The Fourth Strand

This strand addresses what people have to take into account when they make decisions. The resources available to satisfy wants are looked at, as well as other possible limits to people’s decisions.

Activities

Trace the life of a shirt. What is the demand for the shirt? How does this demand affect the demand for the material the shirt is made of?

Give students an assigned “income”. Have them spend this on various needs and wants. Grade them on how practical and creative they have been.

Discuss why prices are what they are. Have students determine, with teacher help, the cost of production of a selected item, figuring in such things as cost of labor.

Talk about energy students use. Have students determine at least four ways the electricity their Nintendos use could be used for social benefit.

In groups, have students select a product- any will do. Have them list EVERYTHING needed to produce the product. In this light, have the students decide if this product is worth making.

For more information and ideas:

http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu http://www.plattsburg.edu/richardrobbins/

legacy http://www.canada.com/converter/classic http://www.landmark.project.com/eco-

market http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu

Democratic Processes

The Fifth Strand

This strand examines how a democracy works. It looks at what the reasons for democracy are, and examines whether or not the United States is truly a democratic society.

Activities

Give students a list of Ohio laws, making sure to have one of them be questionable in fairness. Have the students determine on their own if all the laws shown are acceptable. If they are not, have the students tell why, and offer suggestions for changing that law.

Examine Ohio’s constitution for rights the state garuntees people. Are these rights fair? What other rights do the students think should be included?

Have students attend a local council meeting. How did this meeting show democratic principles at work?

Compare the three branches of Ohio’s government to the three branches of the national government. What are the differences in state and national responsibilities?

Brainstorm ways that the state government protects people. (Patrols, National Guard, etc.) Have each student select one, and report on it for the class.

For more information and ideas:

http://www.onlinetech.net http://www.piperinfo.com http://www.ohio.gov http://findlaw.com http://liberty.uc.wlu.edu/law/v-lib/

lawindex.htm

Citizenship Rights & Responsibilities

The Sixth Strand

This strand looks at how adults function in public life. What are the things they must do? The strand examines why it is important for people to actively contribute to the society they live in.

Activities

Look at a campaign ad. Which statements in the ad are facts? Which are opinions? Have students determine why a canidate may use both when running for office.

Look into a state issue of current interest. Have the students research it, and determine why it is controversial. Also, require the students to form and support their own opinion on the issue.

Have student read the front page of their local newspaper for one week. The students will write brief summaries of the articles they see there.

Contact the local board of elections to get information on canidates in a local race. Present this information in an unbiased manner to students, and have them make a choice between the two.

Have students look at their community as a whole. What do they think should be changed? Have them write a law to make things the way students think they should be.

For more information and ideas:

http://208.56.96.251 http://www.epn.org/ideacentral http://kidsvoting.usa.org http://edcen.ehbs.cmkh.edu/ins/serv http://www.co.logan.oh.us/

The EndStrand information and ideas for some activities

came from:

The Ohio Model Competency-Based Program.

Ohio Department of Education, 1999