Alignment of Benchmarks and Indicators
SOCIAL STUDIES
3 - 5



History Standard
People in Societies Standard

.Geography Standard

Economics Standard

Government Standard

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Standard

Social Studies Skills and Methods Standard

History Standard

Students use materials drawn from the diversity of human experience to analyze and interpret significant events, patterns and themes in the history of Ohio, the United States and the world.
 
Benchmark A: Construct time lines to demonstrate an understanding of units of time and chronological order.
 Grade Three
Chronology
 1. Define and measure time by years, decades and centuries.
 2. Place local historical events in sequential order on a time line.
 Grade Four
Chronology
 1. Construct time lines with evenly spaced intervals for years, decades and centuries to show the order of significant events in Ohio history.
 Grade Five
Chronology
 1. Create time lines and identify possible relationships between events.

 Benchmark B: Describe the cultural patterns that are evident in North America today as a result of exploration, colonization and conflict.
 Grade Three
 No indicators present for this benchmark.
 Grade Four
Settlement
 2. Describe the earliest settlements in Ohio including those of prehistoric peoples.
 3. Explain the causes and effects of the frontier wars of the 1790s, including the Battle of Fallen Timbers, on American Indians in Ohio and the United States.
 Grade Five
Settlement
 2. Explain how American Indians settled the continent and why different nations of Indians interacted with their environment in different ways.
 3. Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America.
 4. Describe the lasting effects of Spanish, French and English colonization in North America including cultural patterns evident today such as language, food, traditions and architecture.
 5. Explain how the United States became independent from Great Britain.
 
Benchmark C: Explain how new developments led to the growth of the United States.
 Grade Three
Growth
 3. Describe changes in the community over time including changes in:
a. Businesses;
b. Architecture;
c. Physical features;
d. Employment;
e. Education;
f. Transportation;
g. Technology;
h. Religion;
i. Recreation.
 Grade Four
Growth
 4. Explain how Ohio progressed from territory to statehood, including the terms of the Northwest Ordinance.
 5. Explain how canals and railroads changed settlement patterns in Ohio and Ohio’s economic and political status in the United States.
 6. Explain the importance of inventors such as the Wright Brothers, Charles Kettering, Garrett Morgan, Granville Woods and Thomas Edison.
 Grade Five
Growth
 6. Explain the impact of settlement, industrialization and transportation on the expansion of the United States.
 

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People in Societies Standard

Students use knowledge of perspectives, practices and products of cultural, ethnic and social groups to analyze the impact of their commonality and diversity within local, national, regional and global settings.
 
Benchmark A: Compare practices and products of North American cultural groups.
 Grade Three
Cultures
 1. Compare some of the cultural practices and products of various groups of people who have lived in the local community including:
a. Artistic expression;
b. Religion;
c. Language;
d. Food.
  2. Compare the cultural practices and products of the local community with those of other communities in Ohio, the United States and countries of the world.
 Grade Four
Cultures
 1. Describe the cultural practices and products of various groups who have settled in Ohio over time:
a. The Paleo Indians, Archaic Indians, Woodland Indians (Adena and Hopewell) and Late Prehistoric Indians (Fort Ancient);
b. Historic Indians of Ohio (Ottawa, Wyandot, Mingo, Miami, Shawnee and Delaware);
c. European immigrants;
d. Amish and Appalachian populations;
e. African-Americans;
f. Recent immigrants from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Grade Five
Cultures
 1. Compare the cultural practices and products of diverse groups in North America including:
a. Artistic expressions;
b. Religion;
c. Language;
d. Food;
e. Clothing;
f. Shelter.
 
Benchmark B: Explain the reasons people from various cultural groups came to North America and the consequences of their interactions with each other
 Grade Three
Interaction
 3. Describe settlement patterns of various cultural groups within the local community.
 Grade Four
Interaction
 2. Describe the impact of the expansion of European settlements on American Indians in Ohio.
 3. Explain the reasons people came to Ohio including:
a. Opportunities in agriculture, mining and manufacturing;
b. Family ties;
c. Freedom from political and religious oppression.
 Grade Five
Interaction
 2. Compare life on Indian reservations today with the cultural traditions of American Indians before the reservation system.
 3. Describe the experiences of African-Americans under the institution of slavery.
 4. Describe the waves of immigration to North America and the areas from which people came in each wave.
 5. Compare reasons for immigration to North America with the reality immigrants experienced upon arrival.

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Geography Standard

Students use knowledge of geographic locations, patterns and processes to show the interrelationship between the physical environment and human activity, and to explain the interactions that occur in an increasingly interdependent world.
 
Benchmark A: Use map elements or coordinates to locate physical and human features of North America.
 Grade Three
Location
 1. Use political maps, physical maps and aerial photographs to ask and answer questions about the local community.
 2. Use a compass rose and cardinal directions to describe the relative location of places.
 3. Read and interpret maps by using the map title, map key, direction indicator and symbols to answer questions about the local community.
 4. Use a number/letter grid system to locate physical and human features on a map.
 5. Identify the location of the equator, Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, North Pole, South Pole, Prime Meridian, the tropics and the hemispheres on maps and globes.
 Grade Four
Location
 1. Use a linear scale to measure the distance between places on a map.
 2. Use cardinal and intermediate directions to describe the relative location of places.
 3. Describe the location of Ohio relative to other states and countries.
 4. Use maps to identify the location of major physical and human features of Ohio including:
a. Lake Erie;
b. Rivers;
c. Plains;
d. The Appalachian Plateau;
e. Bordering states;
f. The capital city;
g. Other major cities.
 Grade Five
Location
 1. Use coordinates of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute location of points in North America.
 2. Use maps to identify the location of:
 a. The three largest countries of North America;
b. The 50 states of the United States;
c. The Rocky and Appalachian mountain systems;
d. The Mississippi, Rio Grande and St. Lawrence rivers;
e. The Great Lakes.
 
Benchmark B: Identify the physical and human characteristics of places and regions in North America.

 Grade Three
Places and Regions
 6. Identify and describe the landforms and climate, vegetation, population and economic characteristics of the local community.
 Grade Four
Places and Regions
 5. Describe and compare the landforms, climates, population, vegetation and economic characteristics of places and regions in Ohio.
 6. Identify manufacturing, agricultural, mining and forestry regions in Ohio.
 7. Explain how resources, transportation and location influenced the development of cities and industries in Ohio including major industries such as oil, steel, rubber and glass.
 Grade Five
Places and Regions
 3. Describe and compare the landforms, climates, population, culture and economic characteristics of places and regions in North America.
 4. Explain how climate is influenced by:
a. Earth-sun relationships;
b. Landforms;
c. Vegetation.
 5. Explain, by identifying patterns on thematic maps, how physical and human characteristics can be used to define regions in North America.
 6. Use distribution maps to describe the patterns of renewable, nonrenewable and flow resources in North America including:
 a. Forests;
b. Fertile soil;
c. Oil;
d. Coal;
e. Running water.
 7. Analyze reasons for conflict and cooperation among regions of North America including:
a. Trade;
b. Environmental issues;
c. Immigration.
 
Benchmark C: Identify and explain ways people have affected the physical environment of North America and analyze the positive and negative consequences.

 Grade Three
Human Environmental Interaction
 7. Identify ways that physical characteristics of the environment (i.e., landforms, bodies of water, climate and vegetation) affect and have been modified by the local community.
 Grade Four
Human Environmental Interaction
 8. Identify how environmental processes (i.e., glaciation and weathering) and characteristics (landforms, bodies of water, climate, vegetation) influence human settlement and activity in Ohio.
 9. Identify ways that people have affected the physical environment of Ohio including:
a. Use of wetlands;
b. Use of forests;
c. Building farms, towns and transportation systems;
d. Using fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides;
e. Building dams.
 Grade Five
Human Environmental Interaction
 8. Explain how the characteristics of different physical environments affect human activities in North America.
 9. Analyze the positive and negative consequences of human changes to the physical environment including:
a. Great Lakes navigation;
b. Highway systems;
c. Irrigation;
d. Mining;
e. Introduction of new species.
 
Benchmark D: Analyze ways that transportation and communication relate to patterns of settlement and economic activity.
 Grade Three
Movement
 8. Identify systems of transportation used to move people and products and systems of communication used to move ideas from place to place.
 Grade Four
Movement
 10. Use elevation, natural resource and road maps to answer questions about patterns of settlement, economic activity and movement.
 Grade Five
Movement
 10. Use or construct maps of colonization and exploration to explain European influence in North America.

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Economics Standard

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Government Standard

Students use knowledge of the purposes, structures and processes of political systems at the local, state, national and international levels to understand that people create systems of government as structures of power and authority to provide order, maintain stability and promote the general welfare.
 
Benchmark A: Identify the responsibilities of the branches of the U.S. government and explain why they are necessary.

Grade Three
Role of Government
 1. Explain the major functions of local government including:
a. Promoting order and security;
b. Making laws;
c. Settling disputes;
d. Providing public services;
e. Protecting the rights of individuals.
 2. Explain the structure of local governments and identify local leaders (e.g., township trustees, county commissioners, city council members or mayor).
 3. Identify the location of local government buildings and explain the functions of government that are carried out there.
 4. Identify goods and services provided by local government, why people need them and the source of funding (taxation).
 5. Define power and authority.
 6. Explain why the use of power without legitimate authority is unjust (e.g., bullying, stealing).
 Grade Four
Role of Government
 1. Explain major responsibilities of each of the three branches of government in Ohio:
a. The legislative branch, headed by the General Assembly, makes state laws.
b. The executive branch, headed by the governor, carries out and enforces laws made by the General Assembly.
c. The judicial branch, headed by the Ohio Supreme Court, interprets and applies the law.
 2. Explain why elections are used to select leaders and decide issues.
 Grade Five
Role of Government
 1. Explain major responsibilities of each of the three branches of the U.S. government:
a. The legislative branch, headed by Congress, passes laws.
b. The executive branch, headed by the president, carries out and enforces the laws made by Congress.
c. The judicial branch, headed by the Supreme Court, interprets and applies the law.
 2. Explain the essential characteristics of American democracy including:
a. The people are the source of the government’s authority.
b. All citizens have the right and responsibility to vote and influence the decisions of the government.
c. The government is run directly by the people or through elected representatives.
d. The powers of government are limited by law.
e. Basic rights of individuals are guaranteed by the Constitution.
 
Benchmark B: Give examples of documents that specify the structure of state and national governments in the United States and explain how these documents foster self-government in a democracy.

 Grade Three
 No indicators present for this benchmark.
 Grade Four
Rules and Laws
3. Explain the purpose of a democratic constitution:
a. To provide a framework for a government;
b. To limit the power of government;
c. To define the authority of elected officials.
4. Explain that the Ohio Constitution tells how the state government should be organized and guarantees the rights of individuals.
 Grade Five
Rules and Laws
 3. Explain the significance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
 

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Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Standard

Students use knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in order to examine and evaluate civic ideals and to participate in community life and the American democratic system.
 
Benchmark A: Explain how citizens take part in civic life in order to promote the common good.

 Grade Three
Participation
 1. Describe how people help to make the community a better place in which to live including:
a. Working to preserve the environment;
b. Helping the homeless;
c. Restoring houses in low-income areas;
d. Supporting education;
e. Planning community events;
f. Starting a business.
 2. Demonstrate effective citizenship traits including:
a. Civility;
b. Respect for the rights and dignity of each person;
c. Volunteerism;
d. Compromise;
e. Compassion;
f. Persistence in achieving goals;
g. Civic-mindedness.
 Grade Four
Participation
 1. Describe the ways in which citizens can promote the common good and influence their government including:
a. Voting;
b. Communicating with officials;
c. Participating in civic and service organizations;
d. Performing voluntary service.
 Grade Five
Participation
 1. Explain how an individual acquires U.S. citizenship:
a. Birth;
b. Naturalization.
 
Benchmark B: Identify rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States that are important for preserving democratic government.
 Grade Three
Rights and Responsibilities
 3. Describe the responsibilities of citizenship with emphasis on:
a. Voting;
b. Obeying laws;
c. Respecting the rights of others;
d. Being informed about current issues;
e. Paying taxes.
 Grade Four
Rights and Responsibilities
 2. Explain why personal responsibilities (e.g., taking advantage of the opportunity to be educated) and civic responsibilities (e.g., obeying the law and respecting the rights of others) are important.
 3. Explain the importance of leadership and public service.
 4. Explain why characteristics such as respect for the rights of others, fairness, reliability, honesty, wisdom and courage are desirable qualities in the people citizens select as their leaders.
 Grade Five
Rights and Responsibilities
 2. Explain the obligations of upholding the U.S. Constitution including:
a. Obeying laws;
b. Paying taxes;
c. Serving on juries;
d. Registering for selective service.
 3. Explain the significance of the rights that are protected by the First Amendment including:
a. Freedom of religion;
b. Freedom of speech;
c. Freedom of the press;
d. Right of petition and assembly.

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Social Studies Skills and Methods Standard

Students collect, organize, evaluate and synthesize information from multiple sources in order to draw logical conclusions. Students communicate this information using appropriate social studies terminology in oral, written or multimedia form and apply what they have learned to societal issues in simulated or real-world settings.

Benchmark A: Obtain information from a variety of primary and secondary sources using the component parts of the source.
 Grade Three
Obtaining Information
 1. Obtain information about local issues from a variety of sources including:
a. Maps;
b. Photos;
c. Oral histories;
d. Newspapers;
e. Letters;
f. Artifacts;
g. Documents.
  2. Locate information using various parts of a source including:
a. The table of contents;
b. Title page;
c. Illustrations;
d. Keyword searches.
 Grade Four
Obtaining Information
 1. Obtain information about state issues from a variety of print and electronic sources, and determine the relevance of information to a research topic:
a. Atlases;
b. Encyclopedias;
c. Dictionaries;
d. Newspapers;
e. Multimedia/Electronic sources.
  2. Use a glossary and index to locate information.
  3. Use primary and secondary sources to answer questions about Ohio history.
  4. Describe how archaeologists and historians study and interpret the past.
 Grade Five
Obtaining Information
 1. Obtain information from a variety of print and electronic sources and analyze its reliability including:
a. Accuracy of facts;
b. Credentials of the source.
  2. Locate information in a variety of sources using key words, related articles and cross-references.
  3. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources.
 
Benchmark B: Use a variety of sources to organize information and draw inferences.
 Grade Three
Thinking and Organizing
 3. Identify possible cause and effect relationships.
 4. Read and interpret pictographs, bar graphs and charts.
 Grade Four
Thinking and Organizing
 5. Identify main ideas and supporting details from factual information.
 6. Distinguish between fact and opinion.
 7. Read and interpret pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs and tables.
 8. Formulate a question to focus research.
 Grade Five
Thinking and Organizing
 4. Read information critically in order to identify:
a. The author;
b. The author’s perspective;
c. The purpose.
 5. Compare points of agreement and disagreement among sources.
 6. Draw inferences from relevant information.
 7. Organize key ideas by taking notes that paraphrase or summarize.
 
Benchmark C: Communicate social studies information using graphs or tables.
 Grade Three
Communicating Information
 5. Communicate information using pictographs and bar graphs.
 Grade Four
Communicating Information
 9. Communicate relevant information in a written report including the acknowledgement of sources.
 Grade Five
Communicating Information
 8. Communicate research findings using line graphs and tables.
 
Benchmark D: Use problem-solving skills to make decisions individually and in groups.
 Grade Three
Problem Solving
 6. Use a problem-solving/decision-making process which includes:
a. Identifying a problem;
b. Gathering information;
c. Listing and considering options;
d. Considering advantages and disadvantages of options;
e. Choosing and implementing a solution.
 Grade Four
Problem Solving
 10. Use a problem-solving/decision-making process which includes:
a. Identifying a problem;
b. Gathering information;
c. Listing and considering options;
d. Considering advantages and disadvantages of options;
e. Choosing and implementing a solution;
f. Developing criteria for judging its effectiveness.
 Grade Five
Problem Solving
 9. Use a problem-solving/decision-making process which includes:
a. Identifying a problem;
b. Gathering information;
c. Listing and considering options;
d. Considering advantages and disadvantages of options;
e. Choosing and implementing a solution;
f. Developing criteria for judging its effectiveness;
g. Evaluating the effectiveness of the solution.

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Early Learning Writing
K - 2 Writing
3 -4  Writing
5 - 7  Writing 8 -10  Writing
11 - 12Writing
Early Learning Reading
K - 3 Reading
4 -7  Reading
8 -10  Reading
11 -12 Reading

Early Learning Math
K - 2 Math 3 - 4 Math 5 - 7  Math
8 -10 Math
11 - 12 Math
Early Learning Social  Studies
K -2 Social  Studies 3 - 5 Social  Studies
6 - 8 Social  Studies
9 -10 Social  Studies
11 - 12 Social  Studies
Early Learning Science
K -2 Science 3 -5  Science
6 -8  Science
9 -10 Science
11 - 12 Science


All of the information on this site is available in pdf and/or Word format at  the  Ohio Department of Education Web Site at http://www.ode.state.oh.us/  

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