This inquiry engages third graders in expanding their understandings of our increasingly interconnected world. The compelling question “Is sharing and trading across cultures always a good thing?” is intellectually respectful of third graders who have personal experience with sharing and trading and typically have been told that sharing and trading are positive ways to interact. This inquiry explores that assumption in ways that allow students to engage with several social studies disciplines as students uncover political, economic, and social connections across cultures and analyze the implications of those connections.
Compelling Question:
Is Sharing and Trading Across Cultures Always a Good Thing?
Staging the Question:
Survey the class to see where personal items were manufactured.
1
Supporting Question What is globalization?
Formative Task Using information on their labels, identify the countries of origin of three products.
Sources Source A: World Political Map
Source B: “Lizzie’s Morning”
Source C: Teacher-supplied collection of daily-use items
2
Supporting Question What are some opportunities created by globalization?
Formative Task Make a claim about the opportunities resulting from globalization.
Sources Source A: “Chinese Educators Come to America”
Source B: Image bank: Companies selling goods around the world
3
Supporting Question What are some challenges created by globalization?
Formative Task Make a claim about challenges resulting from globalization.
Sources Source A: “The First Greenmarket in New York City”
Source B: Image bank: Political cartoons
Summative Performance Task
Argument: Is sharing and trading across cultures always a good thing? Construct an argument with evidence that addresses the compelling question.
Taking Informed Action
Act: Choose one of the challenges of globalization and take steps towards reducing its impact locally (e.g., working to clean up fast-food litter).