Social Studies - 3rd Grade

Avon Lake Curriculum Framework

Social Studies - 3rd Grade 

 

Content Overview: 

Social Studies in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade is focused around a theme for each grade. In third grade the theme is Communities: Past and Present, Near and Far.  The local community serves as the focal point for third graders as students begin to understand how their communities have changed over time and to make comparisons with communities in other places. The study of local history comes alive through the use of artifacts and documents. They also learn how communities are governed and how the local economy is organized. The units taught throughout the year are Government, History: Past and Present, Economics, and Geography: My School and Nation. Communities: Past and Present; Near and Far is reflected within these units.

 

Textbooks:

Gallopade

 

Assessments: 

Classroom activities and projects

 

Standards/Learning Goals:

Ohio’s Learning Standards in Social Studies consist of 4 strands: History, Geography, Government, and Economics. The content statements listed below state what students should learn and understand in each discipline.

1st Quarter - History

Historical Thinking and Skills 

  • Events in local history can be shown on timelines organized by years, decades and centuries.

  • Primary sources such as artifacts, maps and photographs can be used to show change over time.

Heritage 

  • Local communities change over time.

2nd Quarter - Geography

Spatial Thinking and Skills

  • Physical and political maps have distinctive characteristics and purposes. Places can be located on a map by using the title, key, alphanumeric grid and cardinal directions.

Places and Regions

  • Daily life is influenced by the agriculture, industry and natural resources in different communities.

Human Systems

  • Evidence of human modification of the environment can be observed in the local community.

  • Systems of transportation and communication move people, products and ideas from place to place.

  • Communities may include diverse cultural groups.

3rd Quarter - Economics 

Economic Decision Making and Skills 

  • Line graphs are used to show changes in data over time.

  • Both positive and negative incentives affect people’s choices and behaviors.

Scarcity

  • Individuals must make decisions because of the scarcity of resources. Making a decision involves an opportunity cost, the value of the next best alternative given up when an economic choice is made.

Production and Consumption 

  • A consumer is a person whose wants are satisfied by using goods and services. A producer makes goods and/or provides services.

Markets

  • A market is where buyers and sellers exchange goods and services.

Financial Literacy

  • Making decisions involves weighing costs and benefits.

  • A budget is a plan to help people make personal economic decisions for the present and future and to become more financially responsible.

4th Quarter - Government

Civic Participation and Skills

  • Members of local communities have social and political responsibilities.

  • Individuals make the community a better place by solving problems in a way that promotes the common good.

Rules and Laws

  • Laws are rules which apply to all people in a community and describe ways people are expected to behave. Laws promote order and security, provide public services and protect the rights of individuals in the local community.

Roles and Systems of Government

  • Governments have authority to make and enforce laws.

  • The structure of local governments may differ from one community to another.

 

Revised 

HH 8/25/25