Public learning track
Massachusetts Towns and Cities: Past and Present
10 lessons
Goal
Investigate how local communities were founded, how diverse populations shaped them over time, and how historical inquiry helps us learn about community life.
10 lessons
0 of 10 done
- How Massachusetts Towns Were FoundedUp next
- Comparing Urban, Suburban, and Rural CommunitiesNot started yet
- Early Settlers and Free and Enslaved People in Town HistoryNot started yet
- Changing Populations: 19th-Century Immigration to MassachusettsNot started yet
- Immigrant Communities in 20th- and 21st-Century MassachusettsNot started yet
- Cultural Traditions and Community FestivalsNot started yet
- Learning from Primary Sources: Photographs and ArtifactsNot started yet
- Conducting an Oral History InterviewNot started yet
- How Work and Businesses Changed Over TimeNot started yet
- Building a Community TimelineNot started yet
Standards Covered
- 3.T1.2Massachusetts Social Studies Standards · Social Studies · Grade 5 (target) · Grade 5Research the demographic origins of the town or city (e.g., the Native People who originally lived there or still live there, the people who established it as a colonial town, its founding date, and the free, indentured, and enslaved women and men who contributed to the well-being of the town). Explain that before the mid-19th century most of the settlers were of Native American, Northern European, or African descent; describe the current population and immigrant groups of the 20th and 21st centuries and interview family members, friends, and neighbors to obtain information about living and working there in the past and present.
- 3.T1.1Massachusetts Social Studies Standards · Social Studies · Grade 5 (target) · Grade 5On a current map of Massachusetts, use cardinal directions, map scales, legends, and titles to locate and describe the city or town where the school students attend is located, its local geographic features and historic landmarks, and their significance.
- 3.T3.3Massachusetts Social Studies Standards · Social Studies · Grade 5 (target) · Grade 5Explain how any one of the explorers described the Native Peoples and the new lands, and compare an early 17th century map of New England with a current one.
Curriculum Framework
2nd Grade · Social Studies · US-MA-SS
1
10 lessons
Map Skills and Massachusetts Geography
Use essential map tools and spatial thinking to locate Massachusetts, explore local communities, and identify key geographic features.
2
10 lessons
Geography of New England and North America
Locate the Northeast region, identify the six New England states, and analyze major physical landforms and bodies of water.
3
11 lessons
Native Peoples of Massachusetts and New England
Understand the history, culture, seasonal ways of life, territories, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous nations in Massachusetts and New England.
4
10 lessons
Massachusetts Towns and Cities: Past and Present
Investigate how local communities were founded, how diverse populations shaped them over time, and how historical inquiry helps us learn about community life.
5
10 lessons
Local Government and Civic Life in Massachusetts
Explain why communities need government, how city and town governments in Massachusetts are organized, and how public services are funded.
6
9 lessons
Active Citizenship and Community Action
Explore how citizens participate in civic life, stay informed, voice opinions at public meetings, and volunteer to improve neighborhoods.
7
10 lessons
European Exploration of the Northeast
Trace early European voyages across the Atlantic, evaluate explorers' motives and maps, and analyze first contacts with Indigenous peoples.
8
10 lessons
The Plymouth Colony, Pilgrims, and Native Communities
Analyze the Pilgrims' journey, the Mayflower Compact, colonial settlement challenges, and complex alliances and relationships with the Wampanoag.