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Humanities and Social Studies Curriculum for Elementary Level Learners

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Spanish Flu &
COVID-19

What Can History Teach Us? 

UNIT 1 - FROM THE 1918 SPANISH FLU TO COVID-19

COMPLETE UNIT WITH PLANS FOR THREE LESSONS 

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Unit Summary:

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COVID-19 is not the first time that our country has faced a pandemic. Just over 100-years-ago the 1918 Spanish Flu sickened over 105 million Americans and more than 500,000 people died.  In Fresno County Halloween was canceled, schools were closed and masks were mandatory. Thanks to the many historical lessons about the 1918 Spanish Flu the country was able to respond to today’s COVID-19 outbreak with many of the  solutions that were learned at that time. 

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This unit will teach students about the history of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Students will learn about how Fresno County responded to the pandemic and compare and contrast the government and local responses from 100 years ago to the responses of today with COVID-19. Students will also learn about the purpose and value of a historic archive.  How  information and experiences are collected from ordinary citizens, just like them, for historic preservation. Students will understand that Fresno County has its own archive at the Fresno County Historical Society. The unit will culminate with each student recording their own personal COVID-19 experience by completing the My 2020 COVID-19 time-capsule. Each time-capsule will be submitted to the Fresno County Historical Society where it will be preserved for future generations to learn from.

UNIT 1 - LESSON PLAN KITS

COVID-19
US Census

UNIT 2 - EVERYBODY COUNTS: LEARNING ABOUT THE US CENSUS

COMPLETE UNIT WITH PLANS FOR TWO LESSONS 

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Unit Summary:

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Since 1790 there have been 23 censuses taken in the United States. 2020 marks the 24th US census. The census is important both to understand the needs of each individual community throughout the country but also to track changes to population and other changes in our nation, cities and neighborhoods..

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As the country is working to complete the 24th census of the United States in 2020, this unit will help students to learn what the census is and why it is important to our daily lives.  Younger students will have the chance to conduct their own census among family members.  Sixth graders will have the opportunity to see part of the 1860 Census from Fresno County and learn what information it holds and how the questions on the census have changed over time.  All students will be able to explain what the census is and how it is used. 

UNIT 2 - LESSON PLAN KITS 

UNIT 3 - YOUR STORY MATTERS: UNDERSTANDING AND COLLECTING ORAL HISTORY

COMPLETE UNIT WITH  PLANS FOR TWO LESSONS 

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Unit Summary:

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Understand what an oral history is and why it is important to collect and save first person narrative recordings.  Learn how to collect an oral history.

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Oral histories are primary-source first-person narrative recordings that help to round out the story of the past.  At times, an interview may serve as the only source information available about a certain place, event or person.  Oral history helps us understand how individuals and communities experienced life in a specific time and/or dealt with major historic events.  This lesson will introduce students to what an oral history is.  They will have the opportunity to listen to a recorded oral history and learn how to collect an oral history from someone that they know

UNIT 3 - LESSON PLAN KITS 

Oral History
Antique Photos

UNIT 4 - A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Analyzing Historic Images

COMPLETE UNIT WITH  PLANS FOR TWO LESSONS 

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Unit Summary:

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Historic and antique images are a valuable part of understanding history.  They provide the clearest and most accurate depiction of the past.  By studying a photograph, we can draw conclusions about places, people and events that we may otherwise not be able to fully understand.  This unit will teach students local Fresno County history through photographs from the turn of the 20th century as well as helping to improve visual literacy and critical thinking skills. 

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UNIT 4 - LESSON PLAN KITS 

Innovation/Invention

UNIT 5 - Invention & Innovation: The History of Everyday Things

COMPLETE UNIT WITH  PLANS FOR TWO LESSONS 

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Unit Summary:

The everyday things that we rely on in our homes were all created by someone, somewhere.  Most of the items that we use to keep things clean, to communicate and to entertain ourselves today are all innovative advancements on much simpler designs and early inventions.  This unit will examine an early innovation from our history.

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Lesson plans for Kindergarten through third grade will focus on four unique everyday items that have their history in early innovations from the 19th century.  Lessons for fourth though sixth grade classes will focus on the agricultural roots of Fresno County and learn about the development and invention of the Fresno Scraper and how it changed farming in Fresno and beyond. 

UNIT 5 - LESSON PLAN KITS

Curriculum made possible by: 

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