Curriculum Connection

Grade 1
Indiana Academic Standards for Social Studies

• 1.1.1 Compare the way individuals in the community lived in the past with the way they live in the present.

• 1.1.2 Compare past and present similarities and differences in daily life by using biographies, oral histories, and folklore.

Students could conduct a very simple "interview" with parents and grandparents. They could even use some of the questions I used for my inquiry project to gather information and compare their life to the lives of their family to see how things have changed over the years. Students could invite family members into the classroom for a short presentation.

Grade 7
AASL Standards

• 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real world connection for using this process in own life.
• 1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.

These standards can be adapted for any grade level to fit any content area. I chose to single out 7th grade because the 7th graders at our school complete a genealogy research project. Our social studies teacher uses this project to teach students about their history and to make a connection to the reason why history and social studies is taught to them. The following is a few examples of student work for this project. I hope that the teacher uses my project as an example in the future and allows students the option for "digital" submission.















High School
Indiana Academic Standards and AASL Standards

• WH.9.5 Use technology in the process of conducting historical research and in the presentation of the products of historical research and current events.
• 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
  

Students could complete a project exactly like mine. They could gather information from a variety of sources, including primary source documents and personal interviews. They could then use a productivity tool, such as Google Sites, to produce a family tree.