Social Studies

Benchmarks/Performance Indicators

Social Studies Skills A-M

Grade 2

9-05

 

Civics and Government

 

A. Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation

Students will understand the rights and responsibilities of civic life and will employ the skills of effective civic participation.  Students will be able to:

 

1. Identify and practice classroom rights and responsibilities (e.g. participate in a process

 to determine classroom rules that protect the rights and property of each student in the class and establish guidelines for individual and cooperative learning).

 

a.     Participate in brainstorming a list of student behaviors.

 

 

Civics and Government

 

B. Purpose and Types of Government

Students will understand the types and purposes of governments, their evolution, and their relationships with the governed.  Students will be able to:

 

1.     Understand that all nations have governments.

 

 

Civics and Government

 

C. Fundamental Principles of Government and Constitutions

Students will understand the constitutional principles and the democratic foundations of the political institutions of the United States.  Students will be able to:

 

 1. Understand that the United States has a constitution.

 

Civics and Government

 

D. International Relations

Students will understand the political relationship among the United States and other nations.  Students will be able to:

 

1.  Recognize that there are other nations with different traditions and practices.

 

 

 

 

History

A. Chronology

 

Students will use the chronology of history and major eras to demonstrate the relationships of events and people.  Students will be able to:

 

2. Distinguish similarities and differences among historical events.

 

History

 

B. Historical Knowledge, Concepts, and Patterns

Students will develop historical knowledge of major evens, people, and enduring themes in the United States, in Maine, and throughout world history.   Students will be able to:

 

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the similarities between families now and in the past, including daily life today and in other times.
    1. Compare and contrast the lives of children in past and present.
    2. Explain why the student would have liked to live in a certain historical time. 

 

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural origins of customs and beliefs in several places around the world.
    1. Identify some of the customs of another country.
    2. Explain the origins of those customs.

 

Geography

 

A. Skills and Tools

Students will know how to construct and interpret maps and use globes and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, regions, and environments. Students will be able to:

 

  1. Use and construct maps and other visuals to describe geographic location, direction, size, and shape.
    1. Construct various maps (classroom, school, home).
    2. Use a map key to interpret symbols and cardinal directions.
    3. As a class, locate areas on class maps/globes as books are read and topics are discussed.
    4. Locate and name the continents and oceans.

 

 

 

Geography

 

B. Human Interaction With Environments

Students will understand and analyze the relationship among people and their physical environment.  Students will be able to:

 

1.     Describe the human and physical characteristics of the immediate environment.

a.     Construct a map of the playground.

b.     List physical characteristics of the area.

c.     Describe how the physical characteristics of the local area affect their life.

 

 

Economics

 

A. Personal and Consumer Economics

Students will understand that economic decisions are based on the availability of resources and the costs and benefits of choices.  Students will be able to:

 

  1. Identify goods and services, giving examples.
    1. Define the terms good and services
    2. Give examples of goods and services.

 

Economics

B. Economic Systems of the United States

Students will understand the economic system of the United States, including its principles, development, and institutions.  Students will be able to:

 

1.     Explain the terms consumer and product.

 

Economics

D. International Trade and Global Interdependence

Students will understand the patterns and results of international trade.  Students will be able to:

 

            1. Explain where products come from and how we use them.