Social+Studies+Standards

History 3.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient Greece and Rome have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, government (direct and representative democracy), and sports. 3.2 The student will study the early West African empire of Mali by describing its oral tradition (storytelling), government (kings), and economic development (trade). 3.3 The student will study the exploration of the Americas by a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport; b) identifying the reasons for exploring, the information gained, the results of the travels, and the impact of the travels on American Indians. Geography 3.4 The student will develop map skills by a) locating Greece, Rome, and West Africa; b) describing the physical and human characteristics of Greece, Rome, and West Africa; c) explaining how the people of Greece, Rome, and West Africa adapted to and/or changed their environment to meet their needs. 3.5 The student will develop map skills by a) positioning and labeling the seven continents and five oceans to create a world map; b) using the equator and prime meridian to identify the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Hemispheres; c) locating the countries of Spain, England, and France; d) locating the regions in the Americas explored by Christopher Columbus (San Salvador in the Bahamas), Juan Ponce de León (near St. Augustine, Florida), Jacques Cartier (near Quebec, Canada), and Christopher Newport (Jamestown, Virginia); e) locating specific places, using a simple letter-number grid system. 3.6 The student will read and construct maps, tables, graphs, and/or charts. Economics 3.7 The student will explain how producers in ancient Greece, Rome, and the West African empire of Mali used natural resources, human resources, and capital resources in the production of goods and services. 3.8 The student will recognize that because people and regions cannot produce everything they want, they specialize in what they do best and trade for the rest. 3.9 The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the idea of opportunity cost (what is given up when making a choice). Civics 3.10 The student will recognize the importance of government in the community, Virginia, and the United States of America by a) explaining the purpose of rules and laws; b) explaining that the basic purposes of government are to make laws, carry out laws, and decide if laws have been broken; c) explaining that government protects the rights and property of individuals. 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by a) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law; b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez; c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms, d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation. 3.12 The student will recognize that Americans are a people of diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, who are united by the basic principles of a republican form of government and respect for individual rights and freedoms.