Third Graders study Introduction to History, Family History, a Native American Unit (Algonquin/Iroquois), and a Comparing City Unit: the evolution and importance of a city - with emphasis on comparing the past and present of New York City and Tokyo, Japan). We learn about primary sources, cultural universals, research skills, geography, using a map, globe, and atlas, and current events.
Cultural Universals
Politics/Government - How humans relate to government and governing
* Decision making
* Choosing Leaders
* Making laws
* Being a good citizen
Beliefs/Traditions - Convictions held by a community, group, or individual
* Religion
* Rituals
* Holidays
* Celebrations
Economics - Decision making about:
* Natural resources - what the earth gives to us
* Production: what we make, use, and sell with our resources
* Goods and services, buy and sell
* Needs and wants
* Exchange of money
Aesthetics/Cultural Arts - How humans create, express, and appreciate beauty
* Art
* Music
* Dance
* Literature
Social Aspects - How humans live together in communities and groups
* Daily Life
* Family Life
* Education
* Recreation
Class Rules - 3sh 9/9/13
* Treat people nicely.
* Use nice words and actions.
* Tell a teacher where you're going.
* Maintain eye contact with people when they're talking, and let them finish.
* Respect all people.
* Include people in your activities.
* Find a way to help people.
* Raise your hand instead of calling out when you want to share an idea in a discussion.
* Push in your chair when you get out of your seat.
* Walk in line on right side of hall without talking, and keep hands at your sides.
* Wait in line quietly.
Reading Nonfiction Questions
* What do you expect this article or book will teach you?
* What have you learned about ______________that seems important?
* What is the main idea of the section I just read to you or you just read?
* What questions or wonderings do you have based on what you have read so far?
* What are the main ideas and supporting evidence in this section?
* What is this article making you think or realize?
* Summarize this article in a way that teaches others the main ideas and supporting information for those ideas. Use these transition words: in the beginning, next, then, after that, and in the end.
Map Websites:
You can use this site for general information about world locations:
Fact Monster
Information about Thanksgiving from Different Perspectives can be found below:
Japan
You can find information on Tokyo and see how it compares to New York City. Think about what cultural universal the topic is related to. Write down some details in your own words about the topic and add big,juicy questions.
Here are links for some research on Japan:
Kids Web Japan
Japan - TFK
National Geographic - Japan
Japanese Myth - Scholastic
Japanese Sumi-e Painting
New York City
New York Underground - a great site taking the kids under the streets of NY to show how various services like water, gas, etc. are delivered
Use this website to learn about early Dutch New York and beyond. You can get information through reading, looking at pictures, analyzing documents, and watching a video.
Big Apple History
History of Chinatown
Brief History of Each Borough
Geography of 5 boroughs with maps
Government of NYC
How NYC gets its water and the NYC water supply system - in brief that kids can understand
Con Ed for Kids
History of FDNY
New York Underground -
a great site taking you under the streets of NY to show how variousservices like water, gas etc. are delivered)
Thanksgiving 
Thanksgiving Teaching Kit from Scholastic
Notes from a Wamponoag Child
Native Americans
Categories to research for Iroquois, Algonquin, Haudenosaunee
clothing, how made, shoes, hair-Lauren
Condolence Ceremony, death, burials, funerals - Marcus
knowing the date, telling time, life during the different seasons - Rikka
family, roles, jobs - Sabrina
foods, how grown, three sisters, eating utensils, how cooked - Stella
games, sports, fun, special games for celebrations, special meanings - Noam
government, Iroquois League, Council members - Alex
the Great Law of Peace - Bryan (Tree of Peace)
holidays
homes, longhouses, life inside - Peter
hunting prey, materials, and weapons-Frederick
Iroquois Trail
language, words, communication within tribes and with others - Abby
medicine, herbs, prevention, sickness, shaman - Adam
owning land
punishments
religion, beliefs, traditions, celebrations, shaman - Evelyn
school, teachers, learning, education, what children had to do - Julia
transportation, canoes, by foot, when and why - Aaron
values, what was right and wrong, how they thought about land and environment, selling vs. sharing, if someone sick - Christian
wampum, uses, how made, jewelry, trade, colors and meanings - Zoee
work of men, women, boys, and girls - Moises
Other topics:
trading
clothing
wampum
hunting, prey, materials, weapons
traditions, beliefs
special days, holidays
shelter, housing
nursing, taking care of the sick, babies, shaman
activities, responsibilities, recreation, fun
toys
money
sports
school
bedtime, sleeping materials
relationships, how families were connected
government. peace league, council, how people helped each other
tree of peace, war, peace maker
tribes
clans
role of women, jobs
role of men, jobs
role of children
animals
what each part of a hunted animal was used for
transportation
dream catcher
Iroquois women http://www.iroquoisdemocracy.pdx.edu/html/iroquoiswoman.htm
How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun http://ftp.ntct.edu.tw/%E7%A0%94%E7%BF%92%E6%95%99%E6%9D%90/%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E%E5%84%AA%E8%B3%AA%E7%92%B0%E5%A2%83%E6%88%90%E6%9E%9C%E5%88%86%E4%BA%AB/Lesson%20Units/RT%20scripts/ReadingA-Z/raz_rtlk_grandmaspider.pdf
Oneida Nation
Native Americans
Social Studies in Third Grade
Encyclopedia Britannica - Iroquois
Black History
Underground Railway
Good Sources of News for Kids
Websites on Elections, Voting, Current Events, Primary Sources:
Jerri Crisci's Websites
Primary Sources
Life Photo Archives
Scholastic News
Weekly Reader
Library of Congress
Kids Newsroom
American History - Voting
Kids Click
Yahoo! Kids
Time for Kids
KidsPost
PBS Kids Democracy Project
New York Times Education
National Geographic for Kids
PBS News Hour
2012 Presidential Election Links
Holidays
Countries
Poland
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Third Graders study Introduction to History, Family History, a Native American Unit (Algonquin/Iroquois), and a Comparing City Unit: the evolution and importance of a city - with emphasis on comparing the past and present of New York City and Tokyo, Japan). We learn about primary sources, cultural universals, research skills, geography, using a map, globe, and atlas, and current events.Cultural Universals