This document provides guidance for planning an integrated thematic social studies curriculum unit. It discusses including relevant history/social science and Common Core standards. Themes should be developmentally appropriate and hook students' interests. Lessons should integrate different subjects and develop understanding. Sample California themes are provided for grades 3-6. Guidance is given for selecting themes, developing essential understandings, involving students, and assessing learning through authentic final projects. Lessons should incorporate a variety of activities, intelligences, and depth of knowledge levels.

1. Planning an Integrated Thematic
Social Studies Curriculum Unit
EDMU 523

2. History/Social Science Standards
• What History/Social Sciences academic
content standards are addressed in the unit?
• Include the standard number and description for
each standard addressed in the unit in history/social
sciences, science, visual and performing arts, health,
and/or P.E.
• Focus on one grade level only.
• What Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
in English Language Arts and Mathematics are
also addressed in this unit?

3. Appropriate Themes
• Can I give my students direct experience of
this topic?
• Think of possible fieldtrip – either real or virtual.
• Reflect children’s interests, abilities and
issues of concern: How will I hook them in?
• Involve concepts and skills at the right level
of challenge for the age group
• Topic should be complex and interesting
enough to be explored at some depth

4. Thematic Planning
• Organize curriculum around a California
Social Studies theme
• Umbrella overarching interest area – Big Picture
• Integrates different developmental and subject areas
• Contributes to child’s growing understanding of
his/her place in time and space
• Provides opportunities for child to learn by doing and
have direct experiences with the topic
• Helps students understand that learning is connected to
their lives.

5. California
Social Studies Themes
Grades 3-6
• Grade Three—Continuity and Change
• Grade Four—California: A Changing State
• Grade Five—United States History and
Geography: Making a New Nation
• Grade Six—World History and Geography:
Ancient Civilizations

6. Continuity and Change
• Our Local History: Discovering Our Past and Our
Traditions
• Our Nation’s History: Meeting People, Ordinary and
Extraordinary, Through Biography, Story, Folktale, and
Legend
Consider your own local community history, legends,
geography, economy, significant leaders, local Native
American tribes, etc.
3

7. California: A Changing State
• The Physical Setting: California and Beyond
• Pre-Columbian Settlements and People
• Exploration and Colonial History
• Missions, Ranchos, and the Mexican War for
Independence
• Gold Rush, Statehood, and the Westward Movement
• The Period of Rapid Population Growth, Large-Scale
Agriculture,
• and Linkage to the Rest of the United States
• Modern California: Immigration, Technology, & Cities
4

8. United States History and Geography:
Making a New Nation
• The Land & People Before Columbus
• Age of Exploration
• Settling the Colonies –The Virginia Settlement
• Life in New England –The Middle Colonies
• Settling the Trans-Appalachian West
• The War for Independence
• Life in the Young Republic
• The New Nation’s Westward Expansion
• Linking Past to Present: The American People, Then &
Now
5

9. World History and Geography:
Ancient Civilizations
• Early Humankind and the Development of Human
Societies
• The Beginnings of Civilization in the Near East and
Africa:
• Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush
• The Foundation of Western Ideas: The Ancient
Hebrews and Greeks
• West Meets East: The Early Civilizations of India
and China
• East Meets West: Rome
6

10. Assignment Requirements
• Create a two week history-social science based unit that
integrates a majority of subject areas.
• Unit should reflect the content standards for the grade
level selected
• Unit should include lessons that utilize a:
• Variety of intelligences
• Different levels of thinking (Depth of Knowledge - DOK)
• The unit should be designed for one grade level 3-6.
• The unit needs to include
• At least 8 lessons – 4 fully developed
• A performance-based final assessment with a rubric.

11. Criteria for Theme Selection
• Topic must provide active learning and direct, hands-
on experiences
• Children can explore it with their senses.
• Concept is developmentally appropriate
• Concept can be organized to move from:
• Simple to complex
• Concrete to abstract
• Interesting, meaningful, and worth knowing about.
• Helps children acquire understanding and appreciation of
themselves, others, and the world in which they live.

12. More Criteria for Theme Selection
• Generates a variety of activities and learning
in all areas of development and in a broad
range of subject areas.
• Realistic in terms of resources (funds,
technology, materials, people, places that are
available)
• Allows for and encourages family input and
participation.
• Consistent with family and community
values.
• Allow for a public showing of the capstone
product, production, performance,
publication, etc.

13. “Major Understanding” of the Theme
• What important ideas you wish students to
acquire? Essential Question?
• Brainstorm the purpose and goals
• Gather the resources and materials
• Create a curriculum map
• Ask the children:
• What do you already know about this topic?
• What do you still want to know about this topic?
• What would you like to learn?

14. Possible Activities
Maps
Field Trips Simulations
Drama
Geography
Family
Activities
GamesMusic/
Dance
Books and
Poems
Visual Arts
Hands-on
Activities
THEME

15. K-W-L Chart
K
What do
you
KNOW?
W
What do
you
WANT
to
know?
L
What did
you
LEARN?

16. Activities
• Introduction
• How will you introduce the study to children?
• What activities will you do to determine prior knowledge?
• How will you tap into their curiosity and hook them in?
• Activities to build understanding
• Activities that encourage exploration
• Activities that build skill
• Activities that develop understanding
• Hands-on Capstone Activities
• Activities help children express and show what they learned
• Activities to bring closure to the unit

17. Outline for an Integrated Thematic
Lesson Plan
• Title: kid Grabbing Topic
• Concept: What is the big idea
from social studies you want
students to understand?
• Rationale/Relevance:
• Why is this important for
students to know?
• Why are the outcomes of
this unit important in the
real world?
• Unit Objectives: Major
Understandings
• Resources: Books, Articles,
Websites, Multimedia, etc.
• Content Standards and
Common Core State
Standards

18. Lesson Plans
• The first lesson should hook students into the topic
and connect to their prior knowledge. (Prezi Next)
• Focus on the history-social science curriculum
strands in knowledge and cultural understanding
(history, geography, economics, culture, politics,
ethics, or democratic understanding and civic values).

19. Lesson Plans
• 6 Lessons (4 fully developed lesson plans)
• One lesson should address visual arts or
performing arts standard(s).
• At least one lesson should make connections
with primary sources and CCSS ELA
standards.

20. Lesson Plan Activities
• Use primary sources (physical or
virtual)
• Finding Primary Sources:
Library of Congress
• Library of Congress Themed
Resources
• Integrate literature (books, stories,
poems, plays) and informational text
(nonfiction writing in narrative or non-
narrative form that is intended to
inform.)
• Incorporate the use of technology and
digital media for research, publication,
or presentation.
• Include hands-on student learning
activities.

21. Lesson Planning with Common Core
State Standards
• At least one of the lessons should integrate Common Core
State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts
• Primary Sources Lesson and Capstone project-based
learning (PBL) lesson.
• Use of Informational Text – Content-Rich Non-fiction
• Student Research Using the Internet
• Use of Media and Technology
• Multimedia Publishing, Video, Presentations, Brochures,
Performances, etc.
• One of the lessons should integrate CCSS in
Mathematics or NGSS in Science.

22. Capstone Project-Based Lesson
• What is the big picture or essential
question for this unit?
• What can students make, do, produce,
or create to build knowledge and
demonstrate their learning?
• Students complete a hands-on student
learning activity (in partners, group, or
individual): project, presentation, art,
publication, or performance.
• How will students celebrate their
learning and share their final product
with the public?

23. 5th Grade Project

24. Project Based Learning (PBL)
• Students gain knowledge and skills by working
for an extended period of time to investigate
and respond to an authentic, engaging and
complex question, problem, or challenge. (BIE -
https://www.bie.org/about/what_pbl)

25. Additional PBL Design Elements

26. Higher Level Critical Thinking
Depth of Knowledge Levels (DOK)

27. DOK Levels for All Lessons

28. Curriculum Map – Week 4
• Shows the sequence of lessons, content areas addressed
in each lesson, multiple intelligences utilized, and level
of depth of knowledge.
• Lessons should progress in a logical sequence and
connect with unit objectives
• Lessons should reflect a variety of content areas,
multiple intelligences, and levels of depth of knowledge.

29. Assessment
• How do you document children’s
learning?
• How do you know if children understand
the big ideas of your unit?
• Documentation
• Observation notes, portolios, journals, etc.
• Photography or videos
• Collection of student work samples
• A class book, newsletter, scrapbook, brochure,
presentation, poster, video, infographics, etc.
• Social event where student work is shared with
parents, administrators, teachers, students.

30. Final Authentic Assessment
• Describe the assessment tool (project, presentation,
performance, publication, product, brochure, etc…).
• Do Not use a test!
• Develop a rubric that will be used to evaluate student
performance on the final assessment.
• Make sure you design an assessment that is aligned to the
standards and learning objectives of the unit.
• The project-based final lesson should include the summative
authentic assessment rubric with multiple criteria.
• Include specific criteria in your rubric assessment based on
the thematic unit topic and project-based lesson activity.
• Do not use a generic rubric.

31. • Allows teacher to focus on what expectations
he/she have for student work
• Provides alternative grading system for
performance assessment, portfolios, projects,
web assignments, etc.
• Can measure a variety of categories in any
content area
• Teacher can determine criteria and scale - rather
than be subject to standardized testing scores.
Rubrics for Assessment

32. Rubric Table

33. Example
Categories Excellent = 4 Good = 3 Satisfactory = 2 Needs Improvement = 1
Category 1 Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
excellent. List several criteria
present that justify an excellent
rating.
Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
good, but indicate what
is lacking that prevents it from
being rated as excellent.
Give the student a clear idea of
what is missing or inadequate in
this category. Specify which
criteria was met - but indicate
what is lacking that prevents it
from being scored higher.
List specific criteria that was not
met with regards to this category
and present reasons why the
assignment can not be graded as
satisfactory. What would you
consider inadequate for this
category?
Category 2 Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
excellent. List several criteria
present that justify an excellent
rating.
Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
good, but indicate what
is lacking that prevents it from
being rated as excellent.
Give the student a clear idea of
what is missing or inadequate in
this category. Specify which
criteria was met - but indicate
what is lacking that prevents it
from being scored higher.
List specific criteria that was not
met with regards to this category
and present reasons why the
assignment can not be graded as
satisfactory. What would you
consider inadequate for this
category?
Category 3 Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
excellent. List several criteria
present that justify an excellent
rating.
Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
good, but indicate what
is lacking that prevents it from
being rated as excellent.
Give the student a clear idea of
what is missing or inadequate in
this category. Specify which
criteria was met - but indicate
what is lacking that prevents it
from being scored higher.
List specific criteria that was not
met with regards to this category
and present reasons why the
assignment can not be graded as
satisfactory. What would you
consider inadequate for this
category?
Category 4 Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
excellent. List several criteria
present that justify an excellent
rating.
Give the student a clear idea of
what you expect in order to
consider this category to be
good, but indicate what
is lacking that prevents it from
being rated as excellent.
Give the student a clear idea of
what is missing or inadequate in
this category. Specify which
criteria was met - but indicate
what is lacking that prevents it
from being scored higher.
List specific criteria that was not
met with regards to this category
and present reasons why the
assignment can not be graded as
satisfactory. What would you
consider inadequate for this
category?

34. BIE Project Design Rubric
https://www.bie.org/object/document/project_design_rubric

35. BIE Project Design Rubric
https://www.bie.org/object/document/project_design_rubric

36. Student Self Assessment

37. Fieldtrip Ideas
• Design a fieldtrip related to your thematic unit.
• Provide the title and the location or web address
of your fieldtrip location.
• Summarize the experience
• How will you prepare them for their fieldtrip
experience?
What will students do?
• How will you organize the real or virtual
experience?
• Describe student learning activities and essential
questions to be investigated.
• Describe the key history-social science concepts
that you think this virtual experience addresses.

38. Annotated Bibliography of Resources
• Resource Books
• Literature Connections- At least 1 literature
book or stories/poems that connect to the theme
• Informational Text Connections - At least 1
informational text that connect to the theme
• Primary Sources
• Videos/DVDs or other media
• Digital Resources and Websites (At least 5
sites)
• Possible Guest Speakers

39. Curriculum Map Checklist
6 Lessons with Topic and Learning Objective
One Grade Level Social Studies Strand and Standard/s
(Including # and text of standards)
Same Grade Level CCSS (ELA) standard/s
Same Grade Level Integrated Subject Matter :(Including # and
text of standards)
 Standards:(Including # and text of standards)
Fully Developed Lesson Plans – Using Required Template
Primary Sources Lesson Plan with CCSS (ELA) Required
Visual and/or Performing Arts Required
CCSS ELA Math Lesson or NGSS Science Required
Final Capstone Project-based Lesson Plan with CCSS (ELA) and Rubric
Assessment

40. Curriculum Map Strategies and
Assessments Checklist
Multiple Intelligences and Adaptations for EL (SDAIE
Strategies) and Students with Special Needs (Universal
Design for Learning - UDL)
Google Classroom Technology Integration - Required
Literature and Digital Texts
Multimedia - Video, Audio, Apps, Websites, etc.
Assessments – Rubric, Exit Slips, Student Self Assessments
Fieldtrip, Prezi, and Flipped Video Lessons
Learning Activities including higher level DOK thinking
levels
Formative Assessments, Final Summative Rubric
Assessment, Student Self Assessment

41. Signature Assignment in LiveText
• Submit in LiveText: http://www.livetext.com
• Options for Creating Unit Plan:
• Create one complete document (preferably pdf) and
submit that pdf as the LiveText assignment
• Create multiple documents and files and submit all of
them one by one in LiveText
• Create your thematic unit in LiveText by copying the
template. Insert files in appropriate sections and
submit the LiveText document
• Tutorial: https://sites.google.com/site/livetexttutorials/copying-a-
livetext-project-template-to-your-computer