2ndGrade

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 172

MI OPEN BOOK PROJECT

McAnn Bradford, Tami Cronce, Tamara Morris, Vicki


Shearer, Carol Bacak-Egbo, Annie McMahon-Whitlock
Community
Studies
The text of this book is licensed under a Creative Commons
NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC-BY-NC-SA) license as part of
Michigan’s participation in the national #GoOpen movement.

This is version 1.0 of this text, released August 2017.

Information on the latest version and updates are available on the project
homepage: http://textbooks.wmisd.org/dashboard.html

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA
ii
The Michigan Open Book About the Authors - Families and Schools
Project McAnn Bradford
KND Elementary
Kaleva Normon Dickson Schools
Avid lover of all things History and Technology. Loves to find and use new ways to get topics
Project Manager: Dave Johnson,
and information to my students. My goal is that every student learns one thing they didn’t
Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School
know each day! When I am not teaching, I am reading, crafting, traveling, and spending time
District with people .

Second Grade Editor: Carol Egbo

Authors
Tami Cronce
Thomas Edison Elementary
McAnn Bradford - Kaleva Normon Dick-
Port Huron Area Schools
son Schools
Tami received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan with a major in Lan-
guage Arts and a minor in Social Studies. She obtained her Masters Degree from Mary-
Tami Cronce - Port Huron Area Schools grove College. She has taught for the Port Huron School District for 14 years, co-coaches
an after school enrichment STEAM class, helps with the Running Club, and tutors K-2 stu-
Tami Morris - Port Huron Area Schools dents in her spare time. Recently, she was nominated for and accepted a position as ac-
tive board member for the Port Huron Schools Endowment Fund. Her passions include
attending church, watching U of M ball, hiking, Jeep off-roading, and spending time with
Vicki Shearer - Holland Public Schools
her husband Rob and 2 children, Paige and Cam.

Community Studies Readers:

Joseph Baumann Tami Morris


Thomas Edison Elementary
Melissa Kendell Port Huron Area Schools
I earned my bachelors' degree from Western Michigan University in Elementary
Education with minors in elementary education, english, and science. My masters degree
Kelli Simons
is in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. I have been teaching in
Port Huron Area Schools for 26 years, I am a single mom of two children; Ashley and
Matt. When I am not teaching I like to try my hand at photography, hang out with my
kids, friends, or play with my two Yorkies; Elmer and Max.

iii
Vicki Shearer
The Michigan Open Book
Holland West K-7
Holland Public Schools Project
I love my family! My husband, Tom, and I have two sons, Chris and Tim, one daughter Special Thanks to:
in law, Amber, and one future daughter in law, Alina. We love walking on the beach of
Lake Michigan from our house. We can often be seen riding bikes, canoeing, or hiking
trails. We are trying to visit as many National Parks as we can. We feel very blessed to Jannan Cotto
live in the greatest country of the world!
Dorothy Perry
Amanda Weinert
Carol Bacak-Egbo from Little Traverse Bay Bands
Editor of Odawa Indians for their
Oakland University Special Lecturer
Carol Egbo has more than 40 years of experience in education as a teacher, curriculum de- assistance ensuring some of the
veloper, staff development specialist, and social studies consultant. She is currently a spe- cultural inclusiveness of our
cial lecturer in the Teacher Development and Educational Studies Department at Oakland
University, and a contract consultant for the Oakland Intermediate School District. She has
work!
been the project director for two federal Teaching American History Grants, and was the
primary curriculum designer and writer for grades 2-6 of the MC3 Project. She has exten-
sive experience in presenting professional development for teachers including summer in-
stitutes at University of California-Los Angeles, institutes for the Michigan Department of
Education, teacher networks, national and state conferences, teacher seminars sponsored
by Michigan State University, Saginaw Valley State University and Oakland University. She
is the recipient of numerous awards including the MCSS Elementary teacher of the year
award, the MCSS Mentor Award, WDIV/Newsweek Teacher of the Year Award, and the
WXYZ Michigan Teacher of the Year award.
David A. Johnson
Project Manager
Michigan Open Book Project
Dave began his career teaching 8th grade United States History in Mesick, Michigan.
After almost a decade in the classroom, he took a job at Wexford-Missaukee Intermedi-
ate School District (WMISD) as an Instructional Consultant for Social Studies. He is
shared across 11 ISDs in Northern Michigan that form the Northern Michigan Learning
Consortium. He completed his Masters in Educational Leadership through Central
Michigan University in 2011 and is Co-Project Director of the Performance Assess-
ments of Social Studies Thinking (PASST) Project in addition to his duties as the Project
Manager for MI Open Book.
The Michigan Open Book About the Readers - Community Studies
Project Joseph Baumann -
Special Thanks to: Joe joined the Cadillac Footliters in 2016, coming from having performed many times on the stage
with Riverwalk Teater in Lansing, Michigan. Some of his favorite roles have been Lancelot in
Camelot, Captain Scott in Terra Nova, and Nathan Rothschild in the Rothschilds.
Jim Cameron - Michigan
Department of Education

Dr. Phil Gersmehl - Michigan


Geographic Alliance

Melissa Kendell -
Carol Gersmehl - Michigan Melissa has enjoyed performing in productions like Into the Woods and a Christ-
Geographic Alliance mas Story. She’s been a part of various charity performances including the annual
United Way Murder Mystery and Dancing with the Y Stars.
Melissa Kieswetter - Michigan
Department of Civil Rights

Kelli Simons -
Kelli has been in many local theater productions including the Mother in
a Christmas Story, the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Tansy McGinnis in
the Nerd. She comes from a talented theatrical family.
Chapter 1

Why Do
People Live in
Communities?
What is a community?

How are communities alike?

How are communities different?


For Teachers
If you’ve taken time to glance at the Kindergarten “Myself and
Others” book, or its sequel First Grade “Families and Schools”,
you’ll know that the authors of those books envisioned them
being “big books” which were meant to be experienced with the
teacher projecting the materials on a big screen.

This book begins the transition from “big book” to an


individualized tool. It doesn’t mean that the book is meant to be
read without teacher interaction, but this resource was designed
to be in the hands of students in conjunction with daily
classroom instruction.

The first chapter examines the compelling question “Why do


people live in communities?” We recommend asking students
this question on the first day to get a sense of what they may
already know. The compelling question for a chapter should be
on the board during daily instruction as you move through the
book. It is meant to guide student inquiry throughout the chapter
and can serve as a form of a final assessment - allowing students
the opportunity to write about what they’ve learned.

The supporting questions for the chapter appear at the start of


each section. These further support the student inquiry into the
compelling question. Underneath the questions you’ll find the
important terms introduced in the section.

7
In Kindergarten and First Grade these terms are just lists of
words. The teacher introduces the terms while exploring the
reading with the students. This book begins the transition into
later grades where they serve as a place for students to refer
back to in conjunction with the glossary.

Stop and Think boxes appear in every section. These are


opportunities to do just that - stop for a moment and think about
the response to a question. These appear in every MI Open Book
project resource from this point forward. Get students
accustomed to stopping and thinking about their learning.

There is also interactive content throughout this book. It has


been curated and/or created by the authors to enhance a Interactive 1.1 Bug Report
students understanding of certain concepts. In later grades these
appear smaller on the page, but in carefully constructing this
book to be a transition from the early elementary into the upper
elementary we’ve retained the look and feel of the K-2 books by
including them as the graphic for the page they appear on.

Finally, over the course of the last few years the Open Book
materials have been kept alive by diligent teachers who scout
ahead and report when things have stopped working properly. If
you run into a widget that doesn’t work when going through this
book, return to this page and use the “bug report”. Generally,
when a bug report comes in we have a fix in place within a few
hours. If you leave your email address we’ll contact you as soon If something in this book stops working, return here to
report it! We will get back with you quickly when we’ve
as it is up and running again. got it fixed!

8
Section 1

What is a Family?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You probably learned about families in first grade. A
1. What is a community? family is a group of people who love each other. A
2. How are communities alike?
family is a group of people who take care of each
3. How are communities different?
other. Who are the members of your family?

TERMS

family: a group of people who love


and take care of each other.

basic needs: things people need to People like to live in families. Why
have to live.
do you think that is true?
shelter: another word for house or
home.

community: a place where people


live, work and play together.

9
Interactive 1.2 Different Kinds of Families

All Different Kinds of Families

Complete the interactive above. How was your family like your partner’s family? How
was it different? Was it the same size as your family? Families come in all different
sizes! Some are small. Even two people can be a family! Some families are large. They
might have many people.
10
Families and Basic Needs

Families help people meet their basic needs. Basic needs are things that
all people need. Food is a basic need. Clothing is a basic need.
Shelter is a basic need. Shelter is another word for house or
home. Your family provides food, clothing and shelter for you.

Interactive 1.3 Meet Some Special Families

Click to see some family photographs. These show the families of the people who helped write this book! How
are they alike? How are they different?

11
Families Live in Communities

Does your family grow all its own food? Probably


not! Does your family make all its own clothing?
Probably not! That is why families live in
communities. A community is a place where
people live, work and play together. A community
helps families meet their basic needs. A
community has places to help them get food and A community is a place where people live, work, and

clothing. play together. Image credit: Olesia Bilkei Shutterstock

Where does your family go to buy food in


your community? Where does your family
go to buy clothing in your community?

12
You will be learning all about communities in this book. You will learn how important
they are to families.

Interactive 1.4 Time to Review

Click here to review some of the big ideas in this section.

13
Section 2

How Are Communities Alike?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that a community is a place


1. What is a community? where people live, work and play together. How are
2. How are communities alike?
communities alike? Keep reading to find out!
3. How are communities different?

TERMS

factory: a place where people make


things like toys or cars
People like to live in communities!
characteristic: a way to describe
something Why do you think that is true?
natural characteristics: things that
were not made by humans

human characteristics: things that


were made by humans

humans: another word for people

14
Communities Have Places Where People
Live

All communities have places where people


live. People might live on a street with lots of
houses. People might live in a building with
many families. Where do people live in your
community?
Image source: VJ Matthew/Shutterstock

Image source: ND700/Shutterstock


15
A factory. Image source: Sergey Mihilovich/Shutterstock

Communities Have Places Where People Work

All communities have places where people work. People might work in a factory. A
factory is where people make things like toys. People might work in a store. People
might work in a school. Where do people work in your community?

16
Communities Have Places Where People
Play

All communities have places where people


play. People might play at a park. People
might play at a ball field. People might play
at a pool. Where do people play in your
Where do people play in your community? Image source: Trong
community?
Nguyen/Shutterstock

Interactive 1.5 Live, Work, Play

Test your knowledge here! 17


Communities Have Natural
Characteristics

A characteristic is a way to
describe something. People have
characteristics. What are some of
your characteristics? What color is
your hair? What color are your
eyes? Communities have
characteristics, too! A heron in a tree in a city park. Image source: Iolya/Shutterstock

All communities have natural characteristics. These are things that were
not made by people. Trees are natural characteristics. Rivers are natural
characteristics. What are some of the natural characteristics of your
community?

18
Communities Have Human Characteristics

All communities have human characteristics. These are things that were
made by people. Humans and people mean the same thing! Your school is
a human characteristic. Bridges are human characteristics. Roads are
human characteristics. What are some of the human characteristics of your
community?

Look at the picture below. What is a natural characteristic in the picture? What is a
human characteristic?

19
Image source: Radoman Durkovic/Shutterstock
Interactive 1.6 Human and Natural Characteristics

Can you tell the difference between a natural characteristic and a human characteristic??? Click
here to find out!

Something is Missing!

You have learned that all communities have places to live. They all have places to
work. They all have places to play. They all have natural characteristics such as trees.
They all have human characteristics such as buildings. Something very important is
missing!
20
Interactive 1.7 What is another thing all communities have?

Think about it for a minute, then click here to learn the answer! Did you have the same answer?

21
Image source: ET1972/Shutterstock

You have learned that communities are alike in many ways. Next, you will learn how
they are different.

22
Section 3

How Are Communities Different?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that a community is a place


1. What is a community? where people live, work and play together. You
2. How are communities alike?
have also learned that communities are alike in
3. How are communities different?
many ways.

TERMS

city: a community with many people


and many buildings What is one way communities are
town: a community with fewer people alike? Think of an answer and then
and buildings than a city
share it with a partner.
village: a community with fewer
people and buildings than a town

desert: a dry place where there is little


water

23
Look at these pictures of three communities. Can you see any differences? What are
some of the differences?

Image source: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Image source: Andrey Bayada/Shutterstock

24
Image source: Igor Link/Shutterstock
Interactive 1.8 Discovering Differences

How are communities different? Click on this interactive to do an activity.

Communities Can Be Different Sizes

You just learned that communities can be different sizes. Some are very big. They
have many people. They have many buildings. They have many roads. This kind of
community is a city. Some communities are small. They have fewer people than a
city. They have fewer buildings. They have fewer roads. This kind of community is a
town. Some communities are even smaller than a town. This kind of community is a
village.

25
City Town Village

Communities Can Be in Different Places.

Some communities are near a river. Some


communities are near a lake. Is your
community near water? Why do you think
people build communities near water?

View of Ketchikan Street, Alaska. Image source: Teo Dominguez/


Shutterstock 26
A desert is a dry place where there is little water. Image source: Martina Roth/Shutterstock

Some communities are not near water. They are in dry places. A desert is a dry place
where there is little water.

27
Look at the pictures of two communities. One is near water. One is near a desert.

A city near a lake. Image source: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock A city in a desert against a backdrop of mountains. Image source
Turtix/Shutterstock

These communities are different. This is because they are in different places.

28
Interactive 1.9 Communities Around the World

The world has many different kinds of communities. Click on the interactive above to
visit some!

29
Every Community is Special

It does not matter if your community is big or small. It does not matter if your
community is near water or near a desert. Your community is special to you. It is
special to everyone who lives there.

Interactive 1.10 Drawing App

Draw a picture of your favorite place in your community. This place makes your community special to you!

30
You have learned that communities are
different. They are different sizes.
Some are big. Some are small. They
are in different places. Some may be
near water. Some may be near a
desert.

It does not matter what size a


community is. It does not matter
Image source: BlueRingMedia/Shutterstock
where a community is. Every
community is special!

31
Chapter 2

What Are Some Ways


People Interact With the
Natural Characteristics
of Their Community?

How can we show where things are located inside


communities?

How can we compare communities?

How do people use the environment of their


community?

How do people change the environment of their


community?
For Teachers
This second chapter covers the geography standards for second
grade. Now that students have a firm understanding of what a
community is, we move into the study of communities by getting
students into exploring maps. In Kindergarten and First grade we
had teachers construct a classroom box. This activity was
designed by Dr. Phil Gersmehl and his wife Carol and is based
upon some of the work they did in Harlem New York. In this
chapter we once again revisit the idea of a classroom in a box,
and present to you here instructions for making your own.

We use two Michigan based communities for comparison in this Interactive 2.1 Making a Classroom Map
chapter. The idea is that you can potentially bring a third to the
table.

The chapter closes with a discussion on how we impact the


environment. We hope you’ll find many good connections to
science in this chapter.

Printable PDFs with many of the images you may choose to use
in your classroom model are available here:

Doors and Cubbies


Greenboards and Clocks
Posters and Map
Rug and Flowers
Window Book Cases This presentation by Dr. Phil Gersmehl provides a brief overview of the
North,South, East, West model as well as the science reasoning behind it.

Greenboards
Section 1

How Can We Show Where Things are Located Inside Places?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that communities have places
1. How can we show where things are where people live. Communities have places where
located inside communities?
people work. Communities also have places where
2. How can we compare communities?

3. How do people use the environment


people play. How can you find where those places
of their community? are located in a community? You could use a map!
4. How do people change the
environment of their community?

TERMS
Have you ever seen someone use a map?
map: a picture or drawing of a place
What did they use it for? Have you ever
symbol: something that stands for
something else. For example, a curvy used a map? What did you use it for?
line on a map can stand for a river.

map key: tells what the symbols on a


map mean

directions: north, south, east, west

34
What is a Map?

A map is a picture or drawing of a place. Maps can show us where things are located
in a place. This means maps can show us where to find things. What if you wanted to
show where things are in your classroom? What could you do? You could make a
map!
Interactive 2.2 Making a Classroom Map

How do you make a classroom map? Click here to see


how some students did it!

Image source: Soloviova Liudmyla/Shutterstock

35
Now, it is your turn! You probably don’t have a Super Shrinking Machine. You might
not have time to make a model of your classroom, however, you can still make a map!
Here’s how:

36
What are the Parts of a Map?

Look at the map below. How do you know it is a map of a classroom? Maybe it is a
map of a bedroom!

How do you know? It says it is a classroom map! It has a title: My Classroom Map.
The title of a book tells you what the book is about. The title of a map tells you what
the map is about!
37
What are the brown rectangles in the map? Are they book shelves? Are they desks?
These brown rectangles are called symbols. A symbol is something that stands for
something else. The brown rectangles could stand for
bookshelves. They could stand for desks? How would we
know?

This map needs a map key. A map key tells what the symbols
on a map mean. Maps need a title and a map key.

38
Look again at the classroom map. What else does it have? It has compass direction
words! You learned about compass direction words when you saw how the class
made its map earlier. The class used compass direction words to name the walls in
the classroom. Compass direction words include north, south, east and west.

Directions help us find things in a place. Where are the bookshelves in the classroom
shown on the map? Use directions to help you answer!
39
The bookshelves are near the east wall. Are
the walls in your classroom named? If not, ask
your teacher to help you name them!

How would a map of the community be


helpful?

40
You have learned that maps help us find where things are in a place. They have a title.
They have a map key. They have directions. These map parts help us understand the
map.

Interactive 2.3 Map Review

Click here to practice your map reading skills.

41
Section 2

How Can We Show Where Things Are Located Inside


Communities?
QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that maps help us find where
1. How can we show where things things are in a place. You learned how to show
are located inside communities?
where things are in your classroom by making a
2. How can we compare
communities? map. Communities are much bigger than
3. How do people use the classrooms! How can maps help you find places
environment of their community?
inside a community?
4. How do people change the
environment of their community?

TERMS:

bird’s eye view: looking down on a Think about your community. What
place from above two things would you put on a map of
state: one of the 50 parts of our your community?
country

Michigan: the state you live in

42
Learning About a Special Place in a Community

Look at the pictures below. They show a special place in a community. What kind of a
place do they show?

Image source: Carol Egbo Image source: Carol Egbo

Did you guess that these pictures show a school playground? If you did, you were
right!

43
What if you wanted to make a map of the playground? It would be hard to put it in a
Super Shrinking Machine! It would be hard to make a model of it.
Interactive 2.4 Making a Map of a Playground

How would you make a map of something as big as a playground? Click here to find
out.
How do you make a map of a big place? You look at a bird’s eye view of the place! A
bird’s eye view is when you look down on a place from above.

44
Exploring a Community Map

Now you know how to read a playground map. It’s time to explore a map of a bigger
place. It’s time to explore a map of a community!
Interactive 2.5 Exploring a Community Map

Click here to explore a map of a community!

45
Maps of Bigger Places

You just learned how to read a map of Beal City. You learned the elementary school
was inside of Beal City. The hardware store was inside of Beal City. The school and
the hardware store were smaller than Beal City.

Interactive 2.6 Exploring a Map of a State

What is bigger than Beal City? What is Beal City inside of? Click here to
find out!

46
You just learned that Beal city is inside the state of Michigan. A state is one of the 50
parts of our country. Michigan is inside our country.

What are some of the other states that


are inside of our country? Find a
partner. Try to think of some together.

Maps show a bird’s eye view of a community. They show what the community looks
like from above. Maps can be used to find things inside of communities.

Maps can show what is inside bigger places also. Maps can show what is inside of a
state.

47
Work with your teacher and your class to
locate your community on this map of
Michigan.

48
Section 3

How Can We Compare Communities?


QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY

1. How can we show where things Maps show a bird’s eye view of a community. They show
are located inside communities? what the community looks like from above. Maps can be
2. How can we compare
used to find things inside of communities.
communities?

3. How do people use the


environment of their community? You can use maps to learn about what is
4. How do people change the inside of places. What else can you use
environment of their community? them for?

How Can We Use Maps to Compare Communities?

How do you compare things? You try to find how the


things are different. You also try to find how the things are
alike. You can use maps to compare communities.

49
You learned that maps can help you compare communities. They can help you
compare where communities are located inside of Michigan. They can help you
compare the size of communities. What else can you use to compare communities?

How Can We Use Photographs to Compare Communities?

Look at the two photographs below. One shows the community of Holland from
above. One shows the community of Beal City from above. What differences do you
see?

Holland Michigan from above Beal City Michigan from above

50
The photographs show that Holland has many more buildings. It has many more
roads. It is a much larger community than Beal City.

Holland Michigan from above Beal City Michigan from above

51
How Can We Use Words to Compare Communities?

Read the words in the two boxes. Look for ways Holland and Beal City are alike. Look
for ways Holland and Beal City are different.

What is one way Holland is different from


Beal City? What is one way Holland is like
Beal City?

52
We can use maps to compare communities. We can use photographs to compare
communities. We can use words to compare communities.

Work with your teacher and your class to


compare your community to either Holland
or Beal City. Make a Venn diagram showing
your comparison.

53
Section 4

How and Why Do People Change the Natural Environment of their Community?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that people like to live in
1. How can we show where things communities. Communities help people meet their
are located inside communities?
basic needs. Basic needs include food, clothing
2. How can we compare
communities? and houses. Communities have places where
3. How do people use the people can live. Communities have places where
environment of their community?
people can play. Communities have places where
4. How do people change the
environment of their community? people can work.
TERMS

natural environment: everything What do you like best about your


around you that is not made by
community? Think of an answer and then
humans
share it with a partner.
forest: an area covered with trees

swamp: an area of low ground filled


with water

54
All Communities have a Natural
Environment

You learned that communities have


human characteristics. These are
things made by people. You also
learned that communities have natural
characteristics. These are things that
were not made by people. What
natural characteristics are in this
Image source: Artens/Shutterstock.com
photograph?

The flowers in the photograph are natural characteristics. The trees are natural
characteristics. The river is a natural characteristic. The grass is a natural
characteristic. The dirt the grass is growing in is a natural characteristic. There is even
a natural characteristic that you can’t see! What is it? Air is a natural characteristic.
You can’t see air!
55
All these natural characteristics make up the natural environment of a place. The
natural environment is everything around you that is not made by humans.

Image source: cgterminal/Shutterstock


56
The natural environment is very important to a community. It gives people air to
breathe. It gives people water to drink. It gives people trees to build houses.

Interactive 2.7 Changing the Natural Environment

Do people sometimes change the natural environment of their community? How would
they do that? Why would they do that? Click here to find out.

57
Changing the Natural Environment of a Community

What did people do to build the community of Holland? They changed the natural
environment of their community. People cut down trees. People filled in swamps. This
made space for roads. This made space for houses. This made space for farms.

Image source: Syrytsyna Tetiana/Shutterstock.com 58


Good things can happen when you change the environment. When
people cut down trees they were able to build houses. When people
drained swamps they were able to start farms.

People changed the environment so they could build the community of


Holland. This was a good thing. Do you think any bad things happened
when they changed the environment? What were they?

Many times bad things also happen when you change the environment.
What happened to the animals that were living in the forests? What
happened to the animals that were living in the swamps? They lost their
homes.

59
Bad things can happen when you change the natural environment. Cutting down too
many trees changes the environment. It causes problems.

Image source: Antonina Potapenko/Shutterstock.com

60
Dumping garbage in a river changes the natural environment. It hurts the river.

Image source: De Visu/Shutterstock.com

61
Making Good Choices

People in a community often have to change the environment. They might need to cut
down trees to make space for houses. How many trees should they cut down? How
can they make good choices?

Interactive 2.8 Making Good Choices

How can you make good choices about changing the environment? Click here to find
out!

62
People often have to change the natural environment of their community. This can
cause good things to happen. This can also cause bad things to happen. That is why
people need to make good choices when they change the environment.

Work with your teacher and your class to


learn how people have changed the
environment of your community. Then,
make a chart like the one below. Show a
good thing that happened. Show a bad
thing that happened.

63
Chapter 3

How Do People
Work Together in
a Community?

How does scarcity affect people?

How can people make good economic choices?

How do people use resources to produce goods


and services?

Why do people trade?


For Teachers
Now that we’ve spent time talking about what a community is
and then exploring them, the conversation of this chapter is
focused around the compelling question “How do people work
together in a community?” On the one hand, this question
appears rooted in civics, but the content we cover is rooted in
economics. Students have already learned about needs and
wants, and consumers and producers in earlier grades, and now
we introduce an economic term “scarcity”. You may choose to
review the concepts of needs vs wants before introducing this
term.

Economics is about choices, and our second section walks


students through how consumers can make good choices. Our
third section walks students through how people use resources
to make goods. There is great overlap between this section and
previous ones from the geography chapter.

Finally, we review and deepen our knowledge of trading by


exploring now why we trade in the local community - including
what is traded. A fantastic interactive on specialization closes
the chapter.

65
Section 1

What is Scarcity?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that communities have places
1. How does scarcity affect people? where people live. Communities have places where
2. How can people make good
people work. Communities have places where
economic choices?

3. How do people use resources to


people play. They also have places where people
produce goods and services? can buy things.
4. Why do people trade?

TERMS:
Where are the places in your community where
goods: things we buy that we can
touch or hold
your family buys things? Make a list or draw a
picture showing some of these places.
services: things that others do for you

scarcity: when there is not enough

choice: when people choose one


thing and give up other things

66
Goods and Services

People want many things! That is why communities have many places where you can
buy things. Sometimes people want to buy goods. Goods are things we buy that we
can touch or hold. A bike is a good.

Image source: Gena73/Shutterstock

67
Sometimes people want to buy services. Services are things that others do for you.
When you pay for a haircut you are buying a service.

Image source: Chubykin Arkady/Shutterstock.com

68
Interactive 3.1 Goods and Services

Do you know the difference between a good and a service? Click here to show
what you know.

People Want Many Goods and Services

People want many goods and services! What about you? What would you like to be
able to buy? What are some goods? What are some services?

69
Interactive 3.2 If You Give A Pig A Pancake

Listen to this book about a pig. What did the pig want?

What happened when the pig was given one thing? It wanted another thing! People
are a lot like the pig! Pretend you buy a new gaming station. Now what do you want?
Games to play on it!

70
Image source: Mix3r/Shutterstock

Why Can’t We Have Everything We Want?

People want a lot of things! Why can’t they have everything they want? They can’t
because of scarcity. Scarcity means there is not enough. Think about that gaming
station again. What if it is a good that many, many people want? It will be hard to find
in a store. There will not be enough of them. There will be a scarcity of that kind of
gaming station.
71
What would you do if you could not buy the
gaming station you wanted?

Making Choices

What would you do? Would you buy a different kind of gaming station? Would you
wait until you could buy the one you wanted? Would you buy something different like
a bike? You would have to make a choice. A choice is when people choose one thing
and give up other things.

What if you chose to buy a bike instead? You would have to give up the gaming
station.
72
Interactive 3.3 Section 1 Review

Click to review what you have just learned.

People want many goods and services. Because of scarcity they cannot have
everything they want. Scarcity means not enough. Scarcity means people have to
make choices.

73
Section 2

How Can People Make Good Choices?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY People cannot have all the goods and services they
1. How does scarcity affect people? want. Why? Because of scarcity! Scarcity is when
2. How can people make good
there is not enough. Because of scarcity people
economic choices?

3. How do people use resources to


have to make choices.
produce goods and services?

4. Why do people trade?

TERMS:

opportunity cost: the second Think about a time when you had to make a choice
thing you want most when you when you were buying something. What were the
make a choice
things you wanted? Which one did you choose?

74
What is an Opportunity Cost?

Sometimes it is hard to make a choice. It is hard because once you make your choice,
you have to give something up. Every time you make a choice there are other things
that are not chosen.

Interactive 3.4 Making a Choice

Click here to practice making a choice

75
You just learned that an opportunity cost is the second thing you want most when
you make a choice. What was your opportunity cost? Was it the paint set? Was it the
candy? Was it the kite?

How Can You Make Good Choices?

Think about the choice you just made. How did you decide between the kite, the paint
set and the candy?

Do you think it is important to make good choices?


Why or why not?

76
You will have to make many choices in your life! It is important to make good ones!
Interactive 3.5 Making Good Choices

How can you make a good choice? Click here to find out!

Which pet did you choose? Did you choose the fish? Did you choose the kitten? Did
you choose the dog? How did the chart help you make a good choice?

77
Because of scarcity people have to make choices. It is important to make good
choices!

Do people in communities sometimes have to make


choices? What kind of choices do they have to
make?

78
Imagine your community has to make a choice between buying these three things:
new playground equipment for the park, a new police car, a small swimming pool for
the park. Work with your teacher and your class to make a good choice by completing
the chart below.

Class Activity

79
Section 3

How Do People Use Resources to Make Goods?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that people need and want
1. How does scarcity affect people? goods. Goods are things people buy that they can
2. How can people make good economic
touch or hold. How do people make goods? People
choices?

3. How do people use resources to produce


use resources to make goods.
goods and services?

4. Why do people trade?

TERMS:
What does it take to make a wooden
resource: something people use to make
goods pencil? Think of two different things then

natural resources: things in nature that


share with a partner.
people use to make goods

human resources: workers who make goods

capital resources: goods that used to make


other goods

businesses: places that make or sell goods


and services 80
What are Natural Resources?

To make a wooden pencil you need a tree! A tree is a


natural resource. Natural resources are things in
nature that people use to make goods. Water is
another natural resource.

Image source: Javid Kheryrabaldi/Shutterstock


What are Human Resources?

How does the tree turn into a pencil? You need a


person to cut down the tree! A person is a human
resource. Human resources are workers who make
goods.

81
Image source: Visual Generation/
What are Capital Resources?

Wait! Is that all you need to make a wooden


pencil? A tree and a person? What else do
you need? The person would need a saw to
cut down the tree! The saw is a capital
resource. Capital resources are goods that
used to make other goods.

Putting Resources Together to Make


Goods
Image source: Rvector/Shutterstock

To make a pencil you need a tree. The tree is


a natural resource. To make a pencil you a person to cut down the tree. The person is
a human resource. To make a pencil you need a saw. The saw is a capital resource.

82
Interactive 3.6 How to Make a Pencil

Is that all it makes to make a pencil? A tree, a tree cutter and a saw??? Click here to find out.

You just saw that it takes a lot of resources to make a pencil. You saw many machines
in the video. What kind of resource are machines? Are they natural, human or capital
resources?

83
Image source: AntartStock/Shutterstock

Let’s think this out! Machines were made by people. So they can’t be a natural
resource. Machines are NOT people. So they can’t be a human resource. Machines
must be a capital resource. A capital resource is a good used to make other goods!

84
Interactive 3.7 Lemonade Stand

Time to Practice! What resources do you need to make lemonade? Click to show
what you know!

What Do Businesses do?

Businesses are a very important part of communities. Businesses are places that
make or sell goods. Think about that wooden pencil again. Where might you go to buy
one in your community?

85
Image source: Michael C. Gray/Shutterstock

Think about the lemonade again. Could you open your own lemonade business in
your community? You would be making and selling a good.

86
Interactive 3.8 A Community Business

Click here to learn about a business in the community of Detroit.

People want many goods. Goods are made with resources. There are three kinds of
resources. There are natural, human and capital resources. Businesses in a
community use resources to make goods. Businesses also sell goods.

87
Work with your teacher and your
class to make a list of businesses in
Class Activity your community. Use the chart
below to make the list. Then, invite
someone who owns a business to
visit your class!

88
Section 4

Why do People Trade?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY You have learned that people want many goods.
1. How does scarcity affect people? You have also learned that goods are made with
2. How can people make good economic
resources. There are three kinds of resources.
choices?

3. How do people use resources to produce


There are natural, human and capital resources.
goods and services? You have also learned about businesses.
4. Why do people trade?

TERMS:
What do businesses do in a community?
specialization: when people produce, or Why are they important?
make, certain kinds of goods or services

trade: to exchange one thing for another


.

89
Businesses in a community use resources to make goods. Businesses also sell
goods. Businesses are an important part of a community.

How Can Businesses Help You Build a


Wooden Car?

Meet Anthony! He won an award in a


pinewood derby contest! He worked
hard to build his car.

90
Image source: Vicki Shearer
Interactive 3.9 Making a Wooden Car

What did Anthony need to build his car? Click here to find out.

Why did Anthony and his Dad have to go to some many places? They went to three
different businesses. Why couldn’t they just go to one?

91
Anthony needed many things for his car. He needed a piece of wood and sandpaper.
He needed wheels. He needed paint and brushes. No business in his community had
all those things. That is why he had to go to three different businesses.

92
What is Specialization?

Most businesses choose certain things to make or sell. This is called specialization.
Specialization is a big word! But it is easy to understand. Specialization is when
people produce, or make, certain kinds of goods or services.

You wouldn’t go to a pizza place to have your hair cut! You would go to a business
that specializes in cutting hair. You wouldn’t go to a shoe store to buy candy. You
would go to a candy store. You would buy your shoes from the shoe store.

93
Image source: MilkyM/Shutterstock
Interactive 3.10 Specialization

How does specialization work? Click here to find out!

Why Do People Trade?

Mrs. Lewis wanted the wooden toy train for her toy shop. How did she get it? She
traded with Mr. Chavez for it! She traded money for the toy. What did Mr. Chavez do
with the money? He traded it for the paint!

94
People specialize. They might make a certain good.
They might provide a certain service. They earn money
for the work they do. Then, they trade the money for
the things they need and want.

Interactive 3.11 Time to Review

Click here to show what you know

95
Chapter 4

How do people
get along
together in a
community?
Why Do People Need Community Governments?

What Do Community Governments Do?

How are Community Governments Organized?

What Responsibilities do Citizens Have in a


Community
For Teachers
Chapter 4 is all about civics. While many teachers may be
tempted to do this chapter first, it is placed here for a reason.
Many of the concepts introduced in Chapters 1-3 are revisited
here. Some of the content from 1st grade may serve as a great
review at the start of the year.

Our compelling question is “How do people get along together in


a community?”

To illustrate this point we create, much as we do in the third


grade book, a fictional location. This fictional place is called
Lawless Town. You can probably guess what it’s like there!
Lawless town is the way we explore the supporting question
“Why do people need community governments?” and “Why are
laws so important in a community?”

From there we continue our studies by introducing how


community governments are organized. This is important ground
work for later grades as we explore the three branches of state
and federal government in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.

No civics chapter would be complete without a discussion on the


responsibilities of citizenship. Our final section asks students to
consider “What responsibilities do citizens have in a
community?” before looping back again to the compelling
question.

97
Section 1

Why Do People Need Community Governments?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


You have learned that a community is a place
1. Why Do People Need Community
Governments? where people live, work and play together. In order
2. What Do Community Governments Do?
to do those things people need to get along
3. How are Community Governments
Organized? together! In first grade you learned about how
4. What Responsibilities do Citizens Have in a
Community?
people get along together in classroom. You
TERMS: learned about how people get along together in a
laws: what rules are called in a community
school. Now it is time to learn about how people
government: a group of people chosen to make
laws and choices for a community get along together in a community!
community services: things that a community
government does for people living in a
community

What is one way people in your classroom


get along together?

98
People Need Rules!

In first grade you learned that rules


help you get along in a classroom.
Rules help keep you safe. Rules help
keep things fair.

People want to feel safe in their


community. People want things to be
fair. People want to get along together
in their community. For all these
reasons communities need rules.

We give another name to rules in a community. We call them laws. Laws are what
rules are called in a community.

99
Interactive 4.1 Lawless Town

What would it be like to live in a community without any laws? Click here to find out!

Would you like to live in Lawless Town? Why or why not?

100
People Need to Be Safe

People want to feel safe in their community. Would you feel safe in a car in Lawless
Town? Probably not! Laws help keep people safe. Lawless Town needs some laws
about driving!

What is a Community Government?

Who makes the rules in your family?


Who makes the rules in your
classroom? Who do you think makes
the laws in a community?

In a community laws are made by a


government. A government is a
group of people chosen to make laws
and choices for a community.

101
Interactive 4.2 Characteristics of Community Government Leaders

You learned that characteristics are ways to describe something. What characteristics do you think community government leaders
should have? Click here to decide!

102
People Need Community Services

Community governments make laws. Community governments keep people safe.


Community governments also provide community services.

In chapter 3 you learned that a service is something


someone does for you. Community services are
things that a community government does for
people living in a community.

Lawless Town needed a law about speeding.


Would a law be enough? Who would stop the people
who were driving too fast? Lawless Town would also need
police officers. They could stop the people who were driving too fast. Police officers
are a community service. A community government provides police officers.
103
If your house was on fire. You
would call 911. The fire station
would send firefighters to put
out the fire. Firefighters are
another community service. A
community government
provides firefighters.

What is another community service your


community provides?

104
People Need Help Solving Problems

In your classroom your teacher helps solve problems. In a community the community
government helps solve problems.

In Lawless Town people were throwing garbage


everywhere. Pretend you lived in Lawless Town.
What if you didn’t like all that garbage?
What could you do? You could go to
the community government. You could ask
the community leaders to help
you solve the problem. Maybe
they could pass a law about
garbage. Maybe they could
have a town clean-up day.

105
People in a community need laws. Laws help people feel safe in a community. A
community government is a group of people chosen to make laws for a community. A
community government helps keep people safe. A community government also
provides services. It provides police officers. It provides firefighters. A community
government also helps people solve problems.

Interactive 4.3 Time to Review

Click here to show what you know!

106
Section 2

Why Are Laws so Important in a Community?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


You need rules in your classroom. People in a
1. Why Do People Need Community
Governments? community need rules, too! In a community rules
2. What Do Community Governments Do?
are called laws.
3. How are Community Governments
Organized?

4. What Responsibilities do Citizens Have in a


Community?

TERMS

common good: what is best for everybody What is one important rule in your
individual rights: things a person is allowed to classroom? Why do you have that rule?
have or to do.

107
Why Do Communities Make Laws?

Students in Mr. Johnson’s room were


leaving the classroom a mess. Everyday
Anita and Susan stayed behind to clean
it up. Mr. Johnson thought that wasn’t
fair. Mr. Johnson made a new rule.

Everyone has to help clean up the classroom at


the end of the day.

Why did Mr. Johnson make the new rule?

108
Mr. Johnson made the rule in order to solve a problem. What was the problem?
Students were leaving the classroom a mess. Two students had to clean the mess up.

The same thing happens in communities. Communities make laws in order to solve
problems. Read the community law below. What problem do you think the community
had?
It is the responsibility of the owner of any dog to
keep the dog on the owner's property.

Why did the community need this law? The


community had a problem with dogs running
loose. The loose dogs were in other people’s
yards. They sometimes bit people. The loose
dogs were sometimes in danger. Cars came
close to running into them.

109
Interactive 4.4 Garbage in Lawless Town

How did Lawless Town try to solve the garbage problem? Click here to find out!

110
Should Laws Protect People’s Rights?

Do you think Mr. Jones liked the new Garbage Law? He probably
didn’t! He felt it was his right to throw his garbage on his lawn!

When communities make laws they do need to think about


the rights of people. These rights are called individual rights.
Individual is another name for one person. Individual
rights are things a person is allowed to have or to do.

What About the Common Good?

When communities make laws they also have to think about the common
good. The common good is what is best for everybody. Most people in
Lawless Town felt the garbage law would be best for everybody.

111
Think about a seesaw, or a teeter totter. It can be hard to balance each side. That’s
why making laws can be hard. A community needs to balance the common
good and individual rights. It needs to protect individuals. It also needs to do
what is best for everybody.

People in a community make


laws to solve problems.
Communities have to balance
the common good and
individual rights. Laws have to
do what is best for everybody.
Laws also have to protect
individual rights.

112
Work with your teacher and your
Class Activity class to find some of your
community laws. Work together to
figure out what problems they
were trying to solve.

Class Activity

113
Section 3

How are Community Governments Organized?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


You learned that laws are very important in a
1. Why Do People Need Community
Governments? community. Laws help keep people safe. Laws help
2. What Do Community Governments Do?
people get along together. Who makes the laws in a
3. How are Community Governments
Organized? community? Read on to find out!
4. What Responsibilities do Citizens Have in a
Community?

TERMS

election: to choose government leaders by Who makes the rules in your family? Who
voting
makes the rules in your classroom?
council: a group of people who make the laws in
a community

enforce: to make sure people follow laws

mayor: the leader in a community who enforces


the laws

interpret: to explain what something means

court: a place where leaders interpret laws and


decide the punishment for breaking laws

114
Who Makes the Laws in a Community?

You learned that Lawless Town had a new law about garbage. Who made the law?

Interactive 4.5 Making Laws in Lawless Town

Who made the garbage law? Click here to find out!

115
The people of Lawless Town held an election. They voted on five
people to make their laws. Your community also has a
group of people who make your laws. In many
communities this group is called a council. A council is a
group of people who make the laws in a community.

Lawless Town has laws now! It needs a new


name! Come up with a new name, then, make a
welcome sign for the town!

116
Who Makes Sure People Follow the Laws in a Community?

Communities have a group of people who make the laws. Is that enough to just make
laws? What if people don’t follow them?

You have rules in your classroom. Who makes sure you follow them? Your teacher!
Your teacher reminds you about the rules. Your teacher enforces the rules. Enforce
means to make sure people follow rules or
laws.

Communities have a leader who enforces the


rules. In many communities this leader is called
a mayor. A mayor is a leader who enforces the
rules in a community.

A mayor is in charge of the police department


in a community. Police officers help the mayor
enforce the rules.

117
What Happens if People Don’t Understand a Law?

The garbage law in Lawless Town was easy to


understand:

People in Lawless Town have to put their


garbage in a garbage can.

Sometimes laws in a community can be very hard to understand. Look at this law:

It shall be unlawful for any person to


accumulate or permit to accumulate upon any
public or private property within the
Municipality, any garbage, rubbish, bulky
waste, or any other municipal or residual solid
waste except in accordance with the provision
of this Ordinance, and any Department rules
and regulations adopted pursuant to Act 97 and
Act 101.

118
Wow! That law has a lot of big words. Who helps people in a community understand a
law like this? Who interprets the law for them? Interpret means to
explain what something means.

Communities have courts. A court is a place where leaders


interpret laws. They help people understand what laws
mean.

Courts have another important job in a community. A court is


also a place where leaders decide the punishment for
breaking laws.
Interactive 4.6 The Three Parts of Community Government

Click here to review the three parts of community government. 119


Why Do Community Governments Need Three Parts?

Why can’t one group do everything in a community? They could make the
laws. They could enforce the laws. They could interpret the laws.

Wait! Why can’t one person do everything? That person


could make the laws. That person could enforce the laws.
That person could interpret the laws.

What do you think? Why do community


governments need three parts?

120
Letting one person do everything would give that person a lot of power. That might be
a problem. That person might become a bully. That person might make unfair laws.

Letting one group do everything would give that group a lot of power. That might be a
problem. That group might become a group of bullies. That group might make unfair
laws.

That is why community


governments need three parts.
People don’t want their leaders to
become bullies!

121
Work with your teacher and your
class to find out how your
Class Activity
community government is
organized.

122
Section 4

What Responsibilities do Citizens Have in a Community?


Communities need a government. A government is a
QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY

1. Why Do People Need Community group of people chosen to make laws and choices for
Governments?

2. What Do Community Governments Do?


a community. A community government has a lot of
3. How are Community Governments responsibilities. The government has to make laws.
Organized?

4. What Responsibilities do Citizens Have in a


The government has to keep people safe. The
Community?
government has to provide services like police
TERMS

responsibilities: things people are supposed to


officers. The government has to help solve problems.
do

personal responsibilities: things individual


people are supposed to do What are some of your responsibilities at
civic responsibilities: things citizens are home? What are some of your
supposed to do
responsibilities at school?
citizen: a member of a community, state or
country

What about the rest of the people in a community?


Do they have any responsibilities? Read on to find
out! 123
What is the Difference Between Personal Responsibilities and Civic
Responsibilities?

In first grade you learned about


personal responsibilities. Personal
responsibilities are things an
individual person is supposed to
do. Brushing your teeth is a
personal responsibility. Feeding
your pet is a personal responsibility.
Helping keep your home clean is a
personal responsibility. Everybody
in a community has personal
responsibilities.

124
People in a community also have civic responsibilities. Civic responsibilities are
things a citizen is supposed to do. A citizen is a member of a community, state or
country. Helping keep the community clean is a civic responsibility.

125
What are Some Important Civic Responsibilities?

The community government is responsible for making laws.


What civic responsibility do citizens have when it comes to
laws? Do citizens need to sing a song about the laws? Do
citizens need to paint a picture of the laws?

Of course not! Citizens need to obey, or follow,


the laws. Obeying the laws is a civic
responsibility.

Why do you think obeying the laws is an


important civic responsibility?

126
Voting is another important civic responsibility. Remember how the people of Lawless
Town used voting to choose their leaders. In your community people choose leaders
by voting too!

Interactive 4.7 Voting

Why is voting such an important civic responsibility?

127
You just learned that it is not enough to just vote. You need to vote wisely. You need to
learn about the people you are voting for. You need to vote for the person you think
will do the best job.

Interactive 4.8 Review

Time to show what you know! Click here to sort civic and personal responsibilities!

128
Chapter 5

How and Why Do


Communities Change
Over Time?

What is History?

How can we learn about the past?

What role do people play in creating history?

What changes in a community over time?


For Teachers
Our final chapter in 2nd grade is all about history - how we study
it and how we learn about places - especially our community.
The authors recognized early on that it would be impossible for
us to write a community history for every community in Michigan,
so we continue with our study of two - a small town and a larger
town. Our hope is that you’ll have students make connections
between these two featured communities and their own. How
are they alike? How are they different?

To that end, our compelling question for the chapter is “How and
why do communities change over time?” With the basic
overview we provide we hope you will find many opportunities to
compare where you live with Beal City and Holland.

This chapter is also a great bridge from community history into


what students will study in third grade with the History of
Michigan.

130
Section 1

What is History?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


You have learned that all communities have places
1. What is History?

2. How can we learn about the past?


where people live, work and play together. All
3. What role do people play in creating communities have businesses. All communities
history?

4. What changes in a community over time?


have a government. In this chapter you will learn
that all communities have a history. But, what is
TERMS, PLACES, PEOPLE
history?
past - a thing that has already happened

history - things that happened in the past

historian - someone who studies the past


What do you think of when you hear the
word ‘history?’ - Jot down two ideas.

131
What is history?

The present is what is


happening now. The past is
what has happened before.
History is all about the past.
History is the events that
happened in the past.

132
You have a history! What are some important events that happened in your past? Do
you have photographs that show your history? Do you have a toy that you have had
for a long time?

133
Your school has a history! How old is
your school? How has it changed
over time? How could you learn more
about the history of your school? As
you can see history is filled with
questions!

134
What do historians do?

A historian is someone who studies the past. Historians ask a lot of questions.

Interactive 5.1 Being a


Historian

How do historians find answers to those questions? They


study old photographs. They look at old maps. They talk to
people about the past. They read books about the past.
What is it like to be a historian?
Click here to find out!

135
Audio 5.1 The
Aldrich Family
(Click to Listen)

You just worked like a historian! You studied old photographs. You learned about the
past! You learned that families in the past often listened to the radio.

Historians often compare the past and the present. This helps them understand how
things have changed. Families don’t often listen to the radio together anymore. What
do they do now?

136
What are some of the things your family
likes to do together?

137
Work with your teacher and your class
to find out about the history of your
school. Try to find old photographs.
Talk to people who worked at your
school in the past. Talk to people who
went to your school in the past.

138
Section 2

How Can We Learn About the Past?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


You have learned that history is the events that
1. What is History?

2. How can we learn about the past?


happened in the past. You have a history. Your
3. What role do people play in creating family has a history. Your school has a history. Your
history?

4. What changes in a community over time?


community has a history. How can we learn about
history? How can we learn about the past? Read
TERMS, PLACES, PEOPLE
on to find out!
artifact: something from the past that is left for
us to study

museum: a building where artifacts are stored


and displayed How could you help someone understand something
about your past? Is there something you could tell
them? Is there something you could show them?

139
Learning about the past from
photographs

You learned about the past when


you studied this photograph. You
learned that families in the past
often listened to a radio. Why are
photographs helpful in teaching us
about the past?

140
Photographs show us pictures of
the past. They show us the
clothes people wore. They show
us what homes were like. They
show us the things people liked
to do.

141
People have been taking photographs for over 150 years. We can use these
photographs to learn about communities in the past.

142
This photograph shows what the community of Holland looked like about 100 years
ago. Study the photograph. What can you learn about Holland in the past?

143
This photograph shows what the community of Beal City looked like about 100 years
ago. Study the photograph. What can you learn about Beal City in the past?

144
Learning about the past from artifacts

An artifact is something from the past that is left for us


to study. What if you found an old radio? The radio
would be an artifact. You could study it. You could touch
it. You could try to find out how it worked. Studying
artifacts is a great way to learn about the past.

145
You can visit a historical museum if you want to see artifacts from the past. A
museum is a building where artifacts are stored. The artifacts are put on display so
people can see them.

146
Interactive 5.2 Putting
artifacts in Order
Studying artifacts can help us understand how things have
changed. Long, long ago people cleaned their floors with
brooms. Then, vacuum cleaners were invented. These worked
when you plugged them in. They made it easier to clean a floor.
Today some people use a robotic vacuum cleaner. It is a Time to be a historian again! Click
to put artifacts in the right order.
machine that cleans a floor all by itself!

147
Interactive 5.3 The Ox-Cart Man

Click here to learn about what life was like long, long ago.

Learning about the past from books

You can learn about the past with photographs and artifacts. You can also read books
to learn about the past. Books can help you understand what life was like in the past.

148
Think about the family in the story. What were some of the things they did during the
year? What was their home like? Think about the community in the story. What was
the community like?

Learning about the past from


people

What is one of the best ways to


learn about the past? People!
People can tell you what their life
was like in the past. People can
tell you what your community
was like in the past.
image source: http://www.northporthistorical.org/education

If you wanted to know more about your family’s past


who would you ask? What would you ask them?

149
There are many ways to learn about the past. You can look at old photographs. You
can study artifacts. You can read a book. You can talk to people about the past. When
you do these things you are being a historian!

Work with your teacher and your class


to create your own museum. Have
everyone in your class bring an artifact
from their past to share. It might be an
old toy. It might be a baby blanket.

150
Section 3

Investigating a Community From Long, Long Ago

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


In Chapter 2 you learned that long ago a group of
1. What is History?

2. How can we learn about the past?


people came to a place on the west side of
3. What role do people play in creating Michigan. They were known as the Dutch. They
history?

4. What changes in a community over time?


began a
community
TERMS, PLACES, PEOPLE
called Holland.
Anishinaabek: some of the first people in
Michigan The community
grew into a big
city.

The early community of Holland was very different


from the big city of Holland today. What is one way
you think it was different?

151
An Anishinaabek community of long, long ago

Holland was not the first community to be in that place. There had been an
Anishinaabek village there for many, many years. The Anishinaabek were some of the
first people in Michigan. They had been in Michigan for thousands of years before the
Dutch came. They had been living along the lake. They had been living near the
swamps and forests.

Interactive 5.4 The


Beginning

How did the Anishnaabek


community begin? Click here to
find out!

Why do you think the Anishnaabek had two villages?

152
The Anishinaabek summer village was close to Lake Michigan. People could fish in
the lake. They could grow things like corn near the lake. In the winter this place was
very cold. It was very windy. That is why they traveled to their winter village in the
south.

Life in the Anishinaabek village

The Anishinaabek lived in houses called wigwams. They were


made of birch bark. They used birch trees for other things
also. They made their boats, or canoes, out of birch bark.
They also made things like baskets.

153
The Anishinaabek ate fish they caught from Black Lake. They ate corn they had stored
from summer. They ate berries. They hunted for deer and other animals. They made
maple sugar from maple trees in the forest. They used cattail plants from the swamp
to make sleeping mats.

154
The land gave them everything they needed. They did not think of their home as just
the wigwam they lived in. They saw all the land as home.

Interactive 5.5 Living in an


Anishnaabek Village

What was it like for a child living in


the Anishnaabek village? Click
here to find out!

155
A change comes to the village

Chief Joseph Waukazoo had led his people for many years. He was a wise and great
leader. He guided them from the summer village to the winter each year. He helped
them solve problems. He helped them work together. Sadly when he was quite old he
died.

His son became leader. He was also named Joseph. He became known as Young
Chief Joseph Waukazoo. He decided it was time for a change. He decided it was time
to stay in one place. It was time to have just one village. The people agreed. They
began to stay at Black Lake for the whole year.

156
The Dutch come and begin
another community

As you have learned the Dutch came


to the same area. They began
another community. They began to
make changes. They filled in the
swamps. They cut down many trees.
They did these things to make space
for farming and their community.

How do you think the Anishinaabek felt about these


changes? Why?

157
The Dutch and the Anishinaabek saw things in different ways. Read these two
descriptions. How are they different?

158
Another change

The Anishinaabek and the Dutch stayed in the same area for a few years. They got
along but there were problems. As you just learned they sometimes viewed things in
different ways.

There was a bigger problem for the


Anishinaabek, however. The Dutch had
brought some diseases with them. These were
diseases like measles and small pox. These
made the Anishinaabek very sick. Many died
from the diseases. They decided it was time to
move back to the north. They moved back
along the shores of Lake Michigan.

159
How do we know about the Anishinaabek village?

The Anishinaabek village was there long, long ago. We do not have photographs of it.
We do not have writing they left behind. However, there are stories about the village.
These stories have been passed down through the years. We also have historians
who can teach us about the Anishinaabek and their village.

160
Meet a Historian

Eric Hemenway is a historian. He is from the area where Chief Waukazoo’s summer
village was located. He is one of many Anishinaabek people who still live in Michigan.
He has been studying about his people for a long time. What does Mr. Hemenway
think about history? Read on to find out!

Think about what you would like to know about the


Anishnaabek. What are two questions you would like
to ask Mr. Hemenway?
161
Section 4

What Changes in a Community Over Time?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY


In Chapter 2 you learned about the community of Beal
1. What is History?

2. How can we learn about the past?


City. You learned it is a very small community. Why is
3. What role do people play in creating such a small community called Beal City? A city is a
history?

4. What changes in a community over time?


large community with many people!

What if you learned about


TERMS, PLACES, PEOPLE

timeline: a number line that shows the order in


the history of Beal City?
which things happened in the past
Would that help you answer
the question? Read on to
find out!

Why do you think such a small community is called


Beal City? What’s your idea?

162
Learning about the history of Beal City from Photographs

The Anishinaabek community you learned about began long, long ago. There are no
photographs of that community. Beal City is a newer community. It was started about
140 years ago. There are photographs that show the past in Beal City.

Interactive 5.6 The History of Beal


City

What can photographs tell you about the


history of Beal City? Click here to find out.

163
Did you have trouble keeping track of the years as you learned about the history of
Beal City? Did you have trouble keeping track of what was happening? Historians use
a tool to keep track of time. The tool is called a timeline. A timeline is a number line
that shows the order in which things happened in the past.

Interactive 5.7 Timelines

How can a timeline help you learn about the past? Click here to find out!

164
Learning about the history of Beal City from a book

When Beal City turned 100 years old there was a big celebration there. It was like a
birthday party for the community! As part of the celebration a book was written about
the history of Beal City.

Here is a short part from the book. What can it tell you about the history of Beal City?

These words describe what happened the day the first store
opened. There were no cars. Mr. and Mrs. Beal went for a
ride in a horse and buggy!

The book is an important artifact from the past. But, it had a


spelling mistake! Can you find it?

165
Mr. and Mrs. Beal took a ride up and
down the road! This word was
misspelled in the book! You might have
trouble with spelling sometimes. But
don’t give up! Spelling can be tricky!
Sometimes words are even misspelled in
books!

166
Learning about the history of Beal City from a special
person

Meet Edna “Dolly” Rau! She was born in Beal City almost
100 years ago. He father owned the store that had been
built by Nicholas Beal. Dolly worked at the store. After she
married Walt Rau, she and Walt took over the store. They
ran it for many years.

167
What was it like to own the store? Read Dolly’s answer:

168
Solving problems in the past

You have learned that people in communities have to work together to solve
problems. It was the same in the past. The Anishinaabek lived where winters were
very cold and snowy. That was
a problem! How did they solve
it? They built a winter village in
a warmer area.

Think about Beal City. What


was one problem the people of
Beal City had to solve?

169
The first church built in Beal City burned. That was a problem! The church was gone.
How did the people solve it? They built a new church! Then, lightning hit that second
church and it burned down. The people may have given up. But, they did not! They
built a third church! That church is still standing in Beal City!

170
Work with your teacher and your class
to find out about the history of your
community. Talk to people who know
about the history. Try to find old
photographs. Visit a community
museum if you have one. Look for a
book about your community.

171

You might also like