Standard 5: Geography

SST-03.5

BPSS-SST logoStandard 5:

Concepts of Geography

Students understand and apply concepts of geography.

 Narrative for the Concepts of Geography

Through active learning experiences, third grade students gain knowledge and process information about their local community from a variety of resources. They identify important historical events, places, and persons from the past and make connections with their present community. Third grade students explore their own community, including its geographic location.  Students begin to understand other communities in the state and the world through simple comparative studies. Through group work and projects, students should increase communications and decision-making skills and build civic values relating to responsible community citizenship. Skills to receive special emphasis include: (1) using cardinal and intermediate directions and common map symbols; (2) locating their community, major land and water forms, and reference points on maps and globes.

Calculation Method for Standards

Standards are larger groups of related benchmarks. The Standard Grade is a calculation of all the related benchmarks. Click on the benchmark name below each Standard to access the learning targets and proficiency rubrics for each standard's related benchmarks.


SST-03.5.01

BPSS-SST geography concept logo3rd Grade (SST) Social Studies Targeted Benchmarks
Standard 5: Geography

SST-03.5.01 Identify the physical characteristics (e.g., landforms, bodies of water, vegetation, wildlife and climate) of the local community.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can identify the physical characteristics of my community including landforms, water, and climate.
  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can 

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can 

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...

(1) Beginning

  • demonstrates very limited new academic knowledge and skill for this grade level. The student performs retrieval skills. The student can determine whether provided information is accurate, inaccurate or unknown.

(2) Developing

  • demonstrates some academic knowledge and skills for this grade level. The student can identify the critical or essential elements of knowledge.

(3) Proficient

  • demonstrates proficiency in academic knowledge and skills for this grade level by showing his/her understanding through a PBL project, quick write using reliable sources/maps or reference maps to locate the physical features.

(4) Advanced

  • demonstrates in-depth understanding of academic knowledge and skills for this grade level beyond what was taught in the classroom through independent research to learn and share about landforms, climate and bodies of water.

Resources


SST-03.5.02

BPSS-SST geography concept logo3rd Grade (SST) Social Studies Targeted Benchmarks
Standard 5: Geography

SST-03.5.02 Identify the seven continents, four oceans, and major nations of the world (i.e. United States, Canada, Mexico; i.e. China, Brazil, Russia).

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can identify the seven continents.
  • I can identify the four oceans
  • I can identify the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other major countries of the world.

Reasoning Targets

  • I can use directions to make decisions about location of continents on a map.

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can use a map to identify the continents and oceans.

Product Targets

  • I can 

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...

(1) Beginning

  • identifies one of the following categories: all seven continents, four oceans or major countries of the world.

(2) Developing

  • identifies two of the following categories: all seven continents, four oceans and major countries of the world.

(3) Proficient

  • identifies all three categories: all seven continents, four oceans and major countries of the world.
    The teacher will provide maps to the student to use while identifying the continents, oceans and major countries.

(4) Advanced

  • in addition to a proficient score of 3.0, the student demonstrates in-depth understanding and application of knowledge regarding more complex material.

Resources

Vocabulary

  • continent
  • ocean
  • nation
  • world
  • Asia
  • North America
  • South America
  • Australia
  • Antarctica
  • Europe
  • Africa

SST-03.5.03

BPSS-SST geography concept logo3rd Grade (SST) Social Studies Targeted Benchmarks
Standard 5: Geography

SST-03.5.03 Describe ways (e.g., the development of transportation, communication, industry, and land use) geography has affected the development of the local community over time.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can 

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can 

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...

(1) Beginning

  • with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes and some of the more complex ideas and processes.

(2) Developing

  • demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes.

(3) Proficient

  • demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations "the standard".

(4) Advanced

  • demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.

Resources