Content Area: Social Studies

 

Index: 6.5B Grade 4 CPI 2

 

Standard: 6.5 - Economics

 

Strand: B -  Economics and Society

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 2 -  The student will describe products and services that are developed, manufactured, or grown in New Jersey.

 

Grade: 4

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        Students select a crop species (such as Jersey tomatoes, Idaho potatoes, or Nebraska corn) and outline the steps in its production from seedling to final product. Students use this activity as an opportunity for further map study. They create their own tomato or potato map, tracing the path from the raw material stage to the distribution of the final product and purchase by a consumer in a market somewhere in the United States. At each point, they determine how the geography of the area is significant. The library media specialist introduces the use of atlases and teaches students how to use standard atlases for the study of climate and topography.

 

·        Students develop a retrieval chart matching products and places. The chart has columns for characteristics of products and of places, climate, and other necessary conditions for the products (e.g., the soil in Cuba for cigars or in Colombia for coffee). Why is Cuban tobacco better than any other tobacco for cigars but it is not great for cigarettes? Why is Virginia tobacco great for cigarettes but not for cigars? These are fascinating topics for research as students learn about the uniqueness of places and products.

 

Kidspiration Activities:

 

·        Simple Cycles

·        Use symbols and links to create concept maps that explore sequence and process.

·        Use symbols and links or SuperGrouper categories to create a chart.