Exploring People, Places, and Environments: A Second-Grade Social Studies Unit for Engaged Learning

This capstone presentation showcases a thoughtfully designed second-grade social studies unit aligned with Michigan state standards. The unit - People, Places, and Environments, introduces young learners to foundational geography concepts through fifteen engaging lessons. The presentation will highlight the unit's instructional approach, including a pre-assessment, hands-on activities, differentiation strategies for diverse learners (such as ELLs and students with autism), assessment methods to measure student understanding, and post assessment. Attendees will gain insights into effective lesson planning that fosters curiosity and real-world connections in early social studies education.