This is the crossover document that includes the 2008 revisions to the 2001 Curriculum Framework.

Words and phrases added in the 2008 revision are red.

Content deleted in 2008 is crossed out and brown.

Test adminstered in spring 2010 will continue to follow the 2001 standards, but will include field-test items from the 2008 revision.

The following year (spring 2011), tests will be based upon the 2008 revision.

Among the few significant changes to the third grade 2008 Curriculum care:

 

Terms to know

Contribution:
The act of giving or doing something
Direct democracy:
A government in which people vote to make their own rules and laws
Representative democracy:
A government in which people vote for (elect) a smaller group of citizens to make their the rules and laws for everyone
What styles in architecture used today came from ancient Greece and Rome?
The architects of ancient Greece and Rome used columns and arches in the construction of their buildings. Ancient examples still exist today:
  • Greece—The Parthenon (columns)
  • Rome—The Colosseum and aqueducts (arches)
What principles of government from ancient Greece and Rome are part of our government?
The Government of the United States is based on the ideas developed in ancient Greece and Rome.
  • Greece: Birthplace of democracy (government by the people); a direct democracy
  • Rome: Republican (representative) form of government; a representative democracy
What sporting events today came from ancient Greece?
Olympic games of today are modeled after the games of ancient Greece.
Why were storytellers so important in the empire of Mali?
Africa was the home to several great empires. One of the most prosperous was the empire of Mali.
Many storytellers in Mali passed on traditions and stories from one generation to the next.
What do we know about the leaders of the empire of Mali?
The kings of Mali were rich and powerful men who controlled trade in West Africa. Mali became one of the largest and wealthiest empires in the region and was an important trade center.
Why was the empire of Mali so wealthy?
Mali lay across the trade routes between the sources of salt in the Sahara Desert and the gold region/mines of West Africa. For the people of the desert, salt was a natural resource. People used salt for their health and for preserving foods. Miners found gold in Western Africa. Therefore, salt was traded for gold.
Timbuktu was an important city in Mali. It had a famous university with a large library containing Greek and Roman books.

Terms to know

Explorer:
A person who travels seeking new discoveries
European:
A person from one of the countries in Europe
Who were some of the important European explorers from Spain, England, and France? What were their motivations and their successes?
 
Explorers Country (Sponsor) Reason for Exploring Successes/Achievements
Christopher Columbus Spain To find a western sea route to Asia First European to discover a sea route to America; discovered (New World) Western Hemisphere (landed at San Salvador)
Juan Ponce de León Spain To discover riches and land to conquer First European to land in Florida (near St. Augustine); gave Spain claim to Florida
Jacques Cartier France To colonize the New World Explored the St. Lawrence River Valley (near Québec, Canada) and gave France a North American claim
Christopher Newport England To discover riches To find a western route to Asia To colonize Virginia Arrived at present day Jamestown; made four additional voyages bringing more people to Jamestown; was one of the first men to reach the Fall Line of the James River
What were the effects of European explorations on American Indians?
Impact of European exploration on American Indians:
  • Deadly diseases were introduced
  • Exploration later led to settlement.
  • The settlements led to relocation of the American Indians from their homeland.Exploration later led to settlement.
Where were ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the empire of Mali located?
Ancient Greece and Rome were located on land near the Mediterranean Sea. The empire of Mali was located in the western region of the continent of Africa.
What were the physical and human characteristics of ancient Greece and Rome and West Africa (Mali)?
Physical characteristics
  • Ancient Greece: Located on a peninsula with many islands, mountains and hills, surrounded by Mediterranean Sea and limited rich soil
  • Ancient Rome: Located next to a river; city built on many hills; limited rich soil
  • Empire of Mali: Located in West Africa; near rivers; desert-like conditions; gold mines
Human characteristics
  • Ancient Greece: Farmers, shipbuilders, and traders
  • Ancient Rome: Farmers, road builders, and traders
  • Empire of Mali: Farmers, miners, and traders
How did the people of ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and Mali adapt to and change their environment to meet their needs?
Ways they adapted to their environments
  • Ancient Greece: They farmed on hillsides; trading took place on the Mediterranean Sea; small independent communities developed because of the many mountains.
  • Ancient Rome: They farmed on hillsides; trading took place on the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Empire of Mali: Salt was an important natural resource for people in the desert; salt was traded for gold.

Terms to know

Hemisphere:
Half of a sphere (globe) created by the prime meridian or the equator
Equator:
An imaginary line around the middle of the earth that divides the globe into the northern and southern hemispheres
Prime meridian:
An imaginary line that divides the globe into the eastern and western hemispheres
Regions:
Places that have common characteristics
Where are the seven continents and the five oceans located on a world map?
The seven continents are North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Anarctica. The five oceans are Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific and Southern. Students should be able to identify the continents by their shapes and by their positions on a globe or world map. Students should be able to identify the oceans by their positions on a globe or world map
What imaginary lines are used to create hemispheres?
The equator and the prime meridian are used to create the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Hemispheres.
What are the names of the four hemispheres?
The four hemispheres are Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western.
On which continents are England, Spain, France, and the United States located, and where are these countries located on a world map?
England, Spain, and France are located on the continent of Europe. The United States is located on the continent of North America.
Where are the regions (general areas) of San Salvador in the Bahamas; St. Augustine, Florida; Québec, Canada; and Jamestown, Virginia located on a map?
San Salvador is located in the general area of the Bahamas. St. Augustine is located in northern Florida. Québec is located in Canada. Jamestown is located in Virginia.
How is a simple letter-number grid system used to locate places on maps?
The letter (left) and number (bottom) coordinates of a grid system identify the exact approximate location of a place.
 

What visual aids are used to gather, display, and classify information?
Maps, tables, graphs, charts, and pictures are visual aids used to gather, and display, and classify geographic information.
Parts of a map:
  • Map title
  • Map legend
  • Compass rose
Maps may include a compass rose with intermediate directions of northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest.

Terms to know

Natural resources:
Materials that come from nature (water, soil, wood, coal)
Human resources:
People working to produce goods and services
Capital resources:
Goods made by people and used to produce other goods and services (machines, tools, buildings)
Producers:
People who use resources to make goods and/or provide services
Goods:
Things that people make or use to satisfy needs and wants
Services:
Activities that satisfy people’s needs and wants

How do producers use natural, human, and capital resources to produce goods and services?
Ancient Greece and Rome had access to the sea (natural resource), so they used their human and capital resources to produce ships (goods) which they used for transportation (service) in trading.
Mali used human and capital resources to mine gold (natural resource).
In ancient Greece, Rome and the West African empire of Mali, what resources (natural, human, capital) were used, and what goods and services were produced?
  • Ancient Greece was located on a peninsula, with mountains and hills and was surrounded by many islands and the Mediterranean Sea. Greece had limited rich soil. The people of ancient Greece built ships, fished, made pottery, and farmed.
  • Ancient Rome was located next to a river. The soil was limited for farming. A variety of trees grew in ancient Rome. The people of ancient Rome built ships, fished, made pottery, and farmed.
  • The West African empire of Mali was located in Africa. Gold was a natural resource. The people of the West African empire of Mali traded gold for salt.
What is economic specialization?
Specialization occurs when people focus on the production of selected kinds of goods and services.
Why do those who specialize have to depend on others?
People and regions often specialize in the production of certain goods and services. Specialization encourages trade because people want goods and services that they do not have.
Why do people trade?
People trade when individuals or groups benefit from the trade.

Economic specialization and interdependence existed in the production of goods and services in the past and exist in our present-day communities.


Terms to know

Economic specialization:
Focusing on one product or service
Economic interdependence:
Two or more people depending on each other for goods and services
What is economic interdependence?
How did economic specialization and interdependence exist in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the empire of Mali?
Economic specialization and interdependence of communities in the past
  • Ancient Greece and Rome both focused on building ships, farming, and making pottery. (Specialization)
  • Greeks and Romans traded their goods with Egypt and other nearby communities. (Interdependence)
  • In the empire of Mali, some people specialized in protecting the empire, while others specialized in growing food for the empire. (Specialization)
  • The people of Mali traded (gold for salt) with other people. (Interdependence)
Does economic interdependence exist in our present day community?
Economic specialization and interdependence in the present
  • Virginia is known for its expertise in shipbuilding. (Specialization)
  • Virginia sells its coal to other countries but depends on other countries for oil. (Interdependence)

Terms to know

Economic choice:
The choice of or decision among alternatives or possibilities
Opportunity cost:
The next best choice that is given up when a decision is made
Why does an economic choice involve giving up something else?
People make choices because they cannot have everything they want.
All choices require giving up something (opportunity cost).
Economic decision-making requires comparing both the opportunity cost and the monetary cost of choices with benefits.
Economic Choices
Choices Choices made Choices given up
(opportunity cost)
Ice cream or popcorn Ice cream Popcorn
Toy or favorite video Favorite video Toy
Spend now or save
for the future		 Spend now Save for the future

Terms to know

Community:
A place where people live, work, and play
Rules:
What people must or must not do
Laws:
Rules people live by Important rules written and carried out by the government
What is government?
A group of people who make rules and laws, carry out rules and laws, and decide if rules and laws have been broken
What are the basic purposes of government?
The purpose of government is to make laws, carry out laws, and decide if laws have been broken. The purpose of rules and laws is to keep people safe and maintain order. let people know how they should act or behave.
Why is government necessary?
Governments are necessary because they develop the laws and protect the rights and property of individuals.
What are some basic principles commonly held by American citizens?
Basic principles
  • Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are privileges that people are born with and that cannot be taken away.
  • Equality under the law means that all people are treated fairly.
How did American citizens work to defend American principles?
Many people worked to defend the basic principles that formed the foundation of a republican form of government.
Citizens who defended basic principles
  • George Washington: He was the first President of the new nation. He worked under the new republican form of government. He helped put the basic principles into practice for the new nation.
  • Thomas Jefferson: He was born in Virginia. He was the third President of the United States. He wrote the Declaration of Independence, which states that people have certain rights. He was a leader who helped develop the country.
  • Abraham Lincoln: He was the United States President when the country was divided over the issue of equality for all people. He helped free African American slaves.
  • Rosa Parks: She is was an African American woman who refused to give up her seat on a public bus as was required by law many years ago. She helped to bring about changes in laws and worked so that all people would have equal rights.
  • Thurgood Marshall: He was a lawyer who defended people at a time when not all people had equal rights. He was the first African American justice of the United States Supreme Court.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.: He was an African American minister who worked for equal rights for all people. He helped bring about changes in laws through peaceful means.
  • César Chávez: He was a Mexican American who worked to improve conditions for farm workers.
Why do we recognize Veterans Day and Memorial Day?
  • Veterans Day: This is a day for the recognition of and respect for Americans who served in the military. It is observed in November.
  • Memorial Day: This is a day for the recognition of and respect for Americans who died in wars while they were serving their country. It is observed in May.
How do people serve their community, state, and nation?
Some of the ways that people can serve their community, state, and nation include:
  • Being a volunteer
  • Getting involved in community projects
  • Serving as a government official
  • Joining the military
  • Voting

Terms to know

Republican form of government:
A representative democracy
What unites the people of the United States?
The American people come from different ethnic origins and different countries, but are united as Americans by the basic principles of a republican form of government, including individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law.
What are some benefits of diversity in the United States?
Benefits of diversity
  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Music