LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Social Studies — Grade 3

Goal 5: The learner will apply basic economic principles to the study of communities.

Objective 5.05. Distinguish and analyze the economic resources within communities.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

Tobacco bag stringing: Elementary activity one
This activity for grades 3–6 will help students understand what tobacco bag stringing was and why it was important to communities in North Carolina and Virginia. Students will read and analyze an adapted introductory article about tobacco bag stringing.
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Social Studies)
By Pauline S. Johnson.
Tobacco bag stringing: Elementary activity four
In this activity for grades 3–5, students will read and evaluate a primary source letter from the Tobacco Bag Stringing collection. This should be done after Activity one, which is the introductory activity about tobacco bag stringing. Students will investigate the influence of technology, and its lack, on the tobacco bag stringers. They will do a role play/debate in which they will assume the roles of owners of companies and other people that were involved in the issue.
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Social Studies)
By Pauline S. Johnson.

Resources on the web

Your town in the past, present, and future
This Xpeditions lesson illustrates one way that the study of geography can be applied to planning for the future. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3 and 5 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Who pays for city hall?
Students learn that city governments provide goods and services by collecting taxes from citizens. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 1–3 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Council on Economic Education
"On The Road Again": Moving people, products, and ideas
In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students learn to identify modes of transportation and communication for moving people, products, and ideas from place to place. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Nomads: Where Boundaries Move
In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore nomadic pastoralism. Focusing on Central Asia, students investigate the way humans have adapted to regions that do not sustain communities through agriculture and the influence this has both on how they live and... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Mystery workers
Students review the concepts of goods, services, and producers. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Council on Economic Education
Marketplaces of Asia
In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore kinds of marketplaces and view goods as a reflection of the characteristics of a region. This lesson is one in a series developed in collaboration with The Asia Society, with support from the Freeman Foundation. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
The Little Red Hen
“The Little Red Hen” is a classic story for nearly all adults, and many children. In this lesson from EconEdLink, it is retold and enhanced in order to provide a framework for illustrating and reviewing the concepts of productive resources and... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 2–5 Social Studies)
Provided by: EconEdLink
Hey, mom! What's for breakfast?
In this lesson students working in cooperative groups will to discuss food items they consume for breakfast. Using maps, they will locate countries and investigate elements of foreign culture, particularly food. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Social Studies)
Provided by: EconEdLink
An entreduction
This lesson illustrates the differences between inventions and innovations. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Council on Economic Education