SS.3.CG.2.4

Recognize symbols, individuals, documents and events that represent the United States.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: Students will recognize Mount Rushmore, Uncle Sam and the Washington Monument as symbols that represent the United States.

Clarification 2: Students will recognize James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Booker T. Washington and Susan B. Anthony as individuals who represent the United States.

Clarification 3: Students will recognize the U.S. Constitution as a document that represents the United States.

Clarification 4: Students will recognize the Constitutional Convention (May 1787 – September 1787) and the signing of the U.S. Constitution (September 17, 1787) as events that represent the United States.

General Information
Subject Area: Social Studies
Grade: 3
Strand: Civics and Government (Starting 2023-2024)
Date Adopted or Revised: 07/21
Status: State Board Approved

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5021050: Social Studies Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
7721014: Access Social Studies - Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
SS.3.CG.2.AP.4: Identify events that represent the United States.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

The United States Bill of Rights: What Rights Does It Give Us?:

This is lesson #3 in the text unit series for Abraham Lincoln: A Life of Honesty. It is a pre-reading lesson. Students will be reading a Kid Friendly Language version of the Bill of Rights and identifying the central idea of two amendments. Students will then share the central ideas of their amendments with fellow students in a group activity.

This unit will help third grade students explain why the United States Constitution is an important document that protects the rights of American citizens, the responsibilities of the United States government, and how Abraham Lincoln is an important symbol of the United States Government.

Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, central idea, research, expository and opinion writing, and collaboration in groups.

The teacher will facilitate vocabulary instruction, student research, determination of central ideas, student presentation, expository and opinion writing, and group collaboration to help students demonstrate why the United States Constitution is an important document.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Landmarks: Natural or Man-Made:

In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to natural and man-made landmarks. Students will use an interactive notebook that pairs with the teacher’s presentation. Students will write in the interactive notebook while the teacher discusses and shows examples of natural and man-made landmarks that are located in the United States. Teacher will also review landmarks that are symbols which represent the United States. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Regions of the United States:

In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to the five regions of the United States. Students will make connections between the five regions and the origin of symbols, individuals, and events that represent the United States of America. 

Type: Lesson Plan

A Walk Through Significant Resources:

In this lesson plan, students will begin an engagement activity where the teacher shows an image of the Washington Monument and students will be asked it's symbolism. Then students will take a gallery walk of images and discuss what they see or have read and record their information on a worksheet. The teacher will introduce the terms “primary source” and “secondary source” along with the definition for each. The teacher will share examples of both primary and secondary sources and engage students in conversation about the examples. For a review of the lesson, students will be divided into groups of 3 or 4, and each group will be given a deck of cards (source examples) and sort them into primary source or secondary source categories. As a closing, students will discuss how they categorized their cards and to check for understanding of the lesson, students will complete an exit ticket.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sightseeing the U.S. Symbols:

Students will review the details of various trips to landmark destinations in the U.S. and rank the trips from most to least preferred, in this model eliciting activity.

Type: Lesson Plan

Representing Symbols Using Perimeter and Area:

In this integrated lesson, students will create Uncle Sam cards encouraging responsible citizenship, find the dimensions of their card, and then use measurement, addition, and multiplication to solve a real-world task requiring calculation of perimeter and area of a larger space to display all of the student-created Uncle Sam cards. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Mapping Features of the U.S.A:

In this lesson, students will label different geographic features, as well as natural and man-made landmarks and symbols around the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Great Landmark Debate:

The purpose of this lesson is for the students to recognize Mount Rushmore and the Washington Monument as man-made landmarks that are symbols of the United States. The students will write an opinion piece about which landmark, Mount Rushmore or the Washington Monument, most represents the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

Mapping U.S. Landmarks:

In this lesson, students will use map elements to identify six U.S. landmarks on a map. After identifying the landmarks, students will use the map scale to estimate the distance between the six locations.

Type: Lesson Plan

Historical Narrative Letter:

Students will research and write about one of three United States symbols for this integrated lesson. Given a graphic organizer, students will collaboratively collect information on their symbol using text and/or internet resources. Task students with writing a friendly letter from the perspective of a child in the time-period of their symbol’s origin/most significance. Students will be provided with a guiding graphic organizer and a rubric for composing their final product.

Type: Lesson Plan

Symbols, Figures and Documents that represent the USA and Florida:

In this lesson, students will become fluent with recognizing U.S. symbols and documents. Students will play a matching game and at the end of the game students will be more familiar with historical figures, symbols, documents, and current government facts.

Type: Lesson Plan

Plot, Order, and Compare Dates in History:

Students will apply their understanding of place value to plot, order, and compare event descriptions related to key figures in history.  The key figures used in this lesson are James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Booker T. Washington, Susan B. Anthony, William Pope Duval, William Dunn Mosely and Josiah T. Walls.  Students will make connections between using a number line to plot, order and compare numbers, to real-world careers that use timelines for historical purposes in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Student Resources

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Parent Resources

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