Department of Social Sciences K-5 Learning Logs · K-5 Learning Logs The K-5 Social Studies Learning Logs provide opportunities for teachers and their students to have ongoing discussions

1

Department of Social Sciences K-5 Learning Logs

The K-5 Social Studies Learning Logs provide opportunities for teachers and their students to have ongoing discussions about what students are learning relevant to the social studies curriculum. Specifically, they show the “big picture” of each grade level’s curriculum, the content standards and benchmarks. Furthermore, students can reflect about their learning. Why is this important? Strategies for metacognition, “thinking about my thinking” and “thinking about my learning”, provide students with significant benefits as the process of reflection is integral to the learning process.

Some ideas and tips for using the K-5 Social Studies Learning Logs are as follow:

ü Introduce the Learning Logs as a tool for students to ‘keep track” of their learning in an interactive way through conversations with the teacher and classmates.

ü Individual copies of the Learning Log may be kept in the students’ social studies folders. ü Students’ thinking should be guided through teacher modeling (think alouds), such as:

o How do I know that I understand this? o What evidence (student work or oral responses) do I have that I understand? o Why is it important to know this? How will it help me? o Besides my teacher, which classmate(s) may share their knowledge about this benchmark? o It’s OK if I don’t know this right away, I can continue learning by asking questions, reading again,

talking to a classmate, etc. ü Students can select pieces of work and also discuss their thinking as evidence of how they perceive

their progress. ü Since instruction for the content benchmarks is repeated throughout the year, teachers may revisit a

benchmark and students may revise their rating. Students may write the dates next to the ratings for the same benchmark and chart their learning in this manner.

ü Learning Logs may be shared with parents during conferences. ü Learning Logs should encourage discussion and questions to motivate students for the ongoing

learning of socials studies.

2

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like a Good Citizen

How I Think I’m Doing (ü)

Can I explain why we need rules and laws in school and in the community?

Can I explain the rights and responsibilities that my classmates and I have in school?

Can I name things that people do to be good citizens in school?

Got it! ____________

I can learn more ____________

I don’t understand ____________

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



3

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like a Good Citizen How I Think I’m Doing (ü)

How can I show respect and kindness to people and to animals?

Can I give examples of people in my school and community of who:

o make rules and laws? o make sure that rules and laws are

followed?

Can I give examples of some uses of power without authority:

o in school? o in the community?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



4

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like a Good Citizen How I Think I’m Doing (ü)

Can I explain fair ways to: o make decisions? o solve conflicts?

Can I explain what students can do to make the school and the community better?

Can I name some people and symbols that stand for America?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



5

My Name is _______________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like a Geographer


Can I find the parts of maps and globes?

Can I make a map with cardinal directions and map symbols?

Can I use different types of maps to find places in Florida?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



6

My Name is _________________________________________________________________________



Can I show land, water or other features on a physical map and on a globe?

Can I find Florida, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico on a map and globe?

Can I explain how my community’s location, weather and physical environment affect how we live?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



7

My Name is ________________________________________________________________________



Can I tell what the four directions on maps are?

Got it! ____________



8

My Name is: ________________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like a Historian


Can I compare how life is today with how life was in the past by giving examples?

Can I explain what history is?

Can I use words that describe the order of how events happened?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



9

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________



Can I make a timeline using primary sources to show events in my life or those that happened in my school?

Can I explain the reasons for celebrating national holidays?

Can I name some people from the past who were honest, courageous, responsible or did good things for the country?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



10

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________



Can I tell if stories about the past are true or not true?

Can I explain what a primary source is?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



11

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like an Economist How I Think I’m Doing (ü)

Can I tell apart different examples of good and services

Can I tell how money is used to exchange for good and services?

Can I tell the difference between people who are buyers, sellers and producers of goods and services?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



12

My Name is__________________________________________________________________________

I Can Think and Learn Like an Economist How I Think I’m Doing (ü)

Can I explain what “opportunity cost” means?

Can I explain why saving money to buy things in the future is important?

Can I explain what to do when there is not enough of something (scarce resources)?

Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Got it! ____________



Documents

Department of Social Sciences K-5 Learning Logs · K-5 Learning Logs The K-5 Social Studies Learning Logs provide opportunities for teachers and their students to have ongoing discussions