Social Studies: Module Overview
Social Studies is the first in a series of four modules in the Thinking With Data unit. It provides students with a context for the entire unit (water issues in the Tigris-Euphrates watershed). Students also get an opportunity to explore data sets in order to gain data literacy skills and prepare them for learning about proportional reasoning in Math, understanding U.S. water issues in Science, and creating data-based arguments in English Language Arts.
Preparing to Teach the Social Studies Module
Because Social Studies is the first module in the Thinking With Data unit, it sets students up for learning in the modules that follow, especially for learning in the Mathematics module. As such, it is important to review all lessons in the Social Studies module at least one week ahead of time to get a sense of the scope and sequence, and each lesson should be carefully reviewed the day before implementation.
In addition, the Social Studies and Mathematics modules are closely connected, as the Mathematics module will provide students with answers that they will not get from Social Studies. Therefore, a brief review of the Mathematics module as well as the resources related to PFL in the teacher overview section of this website will aid in the preparation for teaching the Social Studies module.
A computer, projection device, and a projection surface will also be needed for all lessons in the module. Student computers with Internet access will be needed as well, especially for Parts 1-4 (head phones would be helpful as well). These will most likely need to be reserved well ahead of time too.
All worksheets and related materials are available on this website. Students can complete work electronically (make provisions for students saving files) or on paper (decide who will print out the materials). Depending on how you will have students create posters in Part 4, you will need the appropriate supplies for that activity.
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Content In the Social Studies module students investigate water issues in the Tigris-Euphrates watershed, specifically as these issues relate to the countries of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Students use their understanding of the water cycle to study issues of water access and availability in the region. By analyzing a variety of data, students will come to understand that not everybody in the region has fair and equitable access to water as proposed by the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses. Student groups will create water profiles for individual countries, and negotiate a water treaty between the three countries that is "reasonable and equitable". |
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Data Literacy In the Social Studies module students are introduced to the importance of context when analyzing data. While diving deeply into the context, students also have an opportunity to work with data, tools, and representations, and are introduced to the use of data-based evidence to back up claims. |
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PFL Social Studies forms the "P" Part of PFL, it prepares students for future learning in Math, and to a lesser extent in Science and English Language Arts. Because the social studies is considered preparation, students will most likely not be able to use and apply a sophisticated set of quantitative analyses by the end of social studies. They will, however, be more prepared for the other modules, where such sophisticated analyses will be expected. |
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Argumentation In the Social Studies module students are asked to use data and data representations to support arguments regarding the sharing of water by Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. The purpose of doing this is twofold: 1. to show them the importance of having relevant data to back up your arguments, and 2. to prepare them for similar activities in English Language Arts. |