Ohio Social Studies Content Standards Famous Americans

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Ohio Social Studies Content StandardsFamous
Americans

• By Sara Messner
• ED 317 01

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Table of Contents

• Content Standard 1 History
• Content Standard 2 People in Societies
• Content Standard 3 Geography
• Content Standard 4 Economics
• Content Standard 5 Government
• Content Standard 6 Citizen Rights and
  Responsibilities
• Content Standard 7 Social Studies Skills and
  Methods

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History
4
History Activities

• Students will make a timeline of the life of a
  famous American (e.g. an inventor, an explorer,
  political or social leader).
• Read a biography of Thomas Edison and explain how
  he made a difference in others lives.
• Read a book about George Washington. Discuss
  what daily life was like in Washingtons day.
• Research Alexander Graham Bell on the internet.
  Draw pictures of how people communicated before
  the telephone was invented.
• In chronological order, list the birthdays of all
  of the presidents.

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History Websites

• http//www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/index
  .html
• http//www.smithsonian.kids.us/
• http//www.whitehouse.gov/kids/history/
• http//www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
• http//www.cr.nps.gov/colherit.htm

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People in Societies
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People in Societies Activities

• Read a biography of Henry Ford. Discuss how he
  influenced the culture of the United States.
• Watch a movie about the Underground Railroad.
  After watching the movie, discuss with students
  how Harriet Tubman and others made an impact on
  the culture of the United States.
• Research on the internet a famous American who
  has made major contributions to the United States
  of America.
• Take a trip to the library. Research an
  inventor. Write a paragraph about the inventor
  highlighting major events in their life and their
  contributions to society.
• Have students dress up as a famous American.
  Have each student give an oral report about how
  their famous American made significant
  contributions to the United States.

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People in Societies Websites

• http//kids.msfc.nasa.gov/
• http//www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa
  
• http//www.educationalsynthesis.org/famamer/Second
  .html
• http//www.teachersfirst.com/share/states/famous-m
  ain.cfm
• http//www.gardenofpraise.com/leaders.htm

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Geography
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Geography Activities

• Students will construct a map of the United
  States. On the map, students will show the
  birthplaces of all the U.S. presidents.
• Students will read about George Washington and
  take notice of the physical environment (e.g.
  roads) in his day. Discuss how people have
  changed the physical environment since his time
  (e.g. paved streets).
• Provide a list of world explorers for the
  students. Have the students map out which
  continent each explorer is from. The students
  will recognize that the United States is in the
  continent of North America.

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Geography Activities Continued

• Locate the capital of the United States on a map.
  Discuss what buildings and landmarks are located
  there. Also discuss what important people live
  in the nations capital.
• Students will make a model of a map of the United
  States. On the map, they will included where
  important landmarks that are named after famous
  Americans are located.

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Geography Websites

• http//factfinder.census.gov/home/en/kids/funfacts
  /funfacts.html
• http//nationalatlas.gov/
• http//interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/explorer/
  topic_map.htm
• http//www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas
  /
• http//www.nationalgeographic.com/geospy/

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Economics
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Economics Activities

• Have American currency available for the students
  to look at. Ask them who is on the quarter,
  dime, nickel and penny. Also ask about the
  dollar bill, five dollar bill, ten dollar bill
  and the twenty dollar bill. Discuss other
  countries currency what or who is on the
  currency.
• Have students choose a famous American. Then
  have the students decide if their occupation
  produced a good or service. For example, the
  presidents of the United States provide a service
  and produced a good.

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Economics Activities Continued

• Have students research Benjamin Franklin. Have
  students make a list of all of the ways we use
  electricity. Students will learn that we use
  electricity in a variety of ways.
• Have students research American political
  leaders. Students will recognize through their
  research that these political leaders produced a
  service for our nation.
• Research Bill Gates on the internet. Have
  students determine who he is and how he became
  famous.

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Economics Websites

• http//www.fdic.gov/about/learn/learning/index.htm
  l
• http//www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?Filecontents
  /kids/timemachine/index.cfm
• http//www.moneyfactory.com/
• http//www.kidsbank.com/index_2.asp
• http//library.thinkquest.org/3901/

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Government
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Government Activities

• Research an important landmark that is named
  after a famous American. What does the landmark
  represent? Make a model or drawing of the
  landmark.
• Read a biography about George W. Bush. Discuss
  how he became president.
• Make a diagram of how a person is elected
  president. Include the following nominating
  conventions, campaigning, Election day and
  inauguration day.
• Read a book about United States Presidents.
  Discuss the importance of the president and
  government.
• Have students list symbols of our nation. Have
  the students create a symbol that represents our
  nation. Have students share their symbols with
  the class.

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Government Websites

• http//www.whitehouse.gov/government
• http//bensguide.gpo.gov/index.html
• http//www.takeyourkidstovote.org/youth/elementary
  .htm
• http//www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/kidsk5th.htm
• http//www.epa.gov/kids/

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Citizen Rights and Responsibilities
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Citizen Rights and Responsibilities Activities

• Read a book about patriotism. Ask students to
  list ways in which they display patriotism toward
  our country. Also discuss why patriotism is
  important.
• Research Abraham Lincoln in books and on the
  internet. Have the students find out how many
  times he ran for public office and failed.
  Students will learn it is important to have
  persistence.

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Citizenship Rights Responsibilities Activities
Continued

• Read about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln.
  Ask students how the Civil War ended and how
  Lincoln contributed. Students will learn that
  Lincoln respecting the rights of others.
• Read a book about the American flag. Discuss how
  Betsy Ross demonstrated the citizenship trait of
  patriotism by creating a symbol for the United
  States
• Read a book about Martin Luther King Jr.
  Students will learn that he possessed the
  character trait of persistence.

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Citizen Rights and Responsibilities Websites

• http//www.hud.gov/kids/
• http//special.msn.com/weeklyreader/gradek2/defaul
  t.armx
• http//www.kidsvotingohio.org/
• http//www.actsofkindness.org/
• http//bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/citizenship/responsib
  ilities.html

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Social Studies Skills and Methods
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Social Studies Skills and Methods Activities

• Have students obtain information through
  researching a president on the internet. Have
  students write a paragraph about the president
  researched.
• Have students ask their parents or grandparents
  what they remember about a significant historical
  event. For example, the first person to walk on
  the moon, the assassination of JFK.
• Have a guest dress up as Abraham Lincoln or any
  famous American Have students interview him to
  find out about his life.
• Have students gather information in books at the
  school library about an inventor. Have students
  present findings to the class.
• Have students write a newspaper article about an
  event that changed the United States (e.g.
  invention).

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Social Studies Skills and Methods Websites

• http//yahooligans.yahoo.com/
• http//www.pocanticohills.org/wright/wright.htm
• http//www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/flag/be
  tsy/page1.htm
• http//www.funbrain.com/who/
• http//www2.lhric.org/pocantico/franklin/franklin.
  htm