This Roadmap is a remix of Michigan Open Book, MC3 and GIANTS all in one place. In this lesson students connect geography to economics as they explore how natural resources are used to produce goods and services in Michigan. They use specific examples such as the use of fertile soil to grow major crops. Students then use a Michigan product to dissect the resources necessary for production. In exploring Michigan products, the concept of entrepreneurship is introduced.

The Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3 and GIANTS all in one place. This lesson begins with a scenario showing how scarcity results from the tension between limited resources and unlimited wants. Students then participate in a simulation involving economic decisions, choice, and opportunity costs. During the simulation, incentives such as sales are introduced. Students then apply these concepts to economic choices made in the state of Michigan by looking at how businesses and industries are affected by scarcity, choice and incentives.

This Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3 and GIANTS all in one place. In this lesson students continue to explore the concepts of scarcity, choice, and productive resources as they examine different types of economic activities in Michigan. They begin by identifying goods and services produced in their own local communities. Next, they explore a wide variety of Michigan products by playing a simple game and then categorizing the Michigan products according to economic activities such as manufacturing, agriculture, and mining. Next they take a brief look at service industries and tourism as well as research and development. Throughout the lesson, they use their knowledge of Michigan’s physical and human geography to answer the question: “Why is this economic activity located here?”

This lesson begins with students connecting back to second grade and brainstorming reasons that people specialize (e.g., they have a special skill or talent, availability of productive resources, etc.). They then examine how specialization results in trade with others as they complete a graphic organizer depicting the relationship among specialization, trade, and interdependence. They expand their thinking as they consider how states and countries also specialize and are interdependent through an exploration of Michigan imports and exports.

This lesson involves students using what they have learned about Michigan’s economic activities to explore Michigan’s economic future. Students are introduced to the importance of business development and entrepreneurship for Michigan’s economic future through a short, simplified newspaper article on a small company producing wind turbines. Next, they explore why wind turbine production and wind farms may become a vital part of Michigan’s economic future.

Between 1856 and 1860, America would see a breakdown in many of its political processes that had developed over the last eight decades. The great compromisers of the early 19th century — Daniel Webster, Henry Clay and John Calhoun — were gone, and their leadership in avoiding disunion were gone as well. Forces on the extremes were becoming more and more powerful, reducing the influence of moderates and crippling the spirit of reconciliation. Front and center was the issue of slavery. Could the country be saved, or was it on an irrevocable path toward disunion?

From the 1780s, the question of whether slavery would be permitted in new territories had threatened the Union. Over the decades, many compromises had been made to avoid disunion. But what did the Constitution say on this subject? This question was raised in 1857 before the Supreme Court in case of Dred Scott vs. Sandford. Dred Scott was a slave of an army surgeon, John Emerson. Scott had been taken from Missouri to posts in Illinois and what is now Minnesota for several years in the 1830s, before returning to Missouri. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 had declared the area including Minnesota free. In 1846, Scott sued for his freedom on the grounds that he had lived in a free state and a free territory for a prolonged period of time. Finally, after eleven years, his case reached the Supreme Court. At stake were answers to critical questions, including slavery in the territories and citizenship of African-Americans. The verdict was a bombshell.

In 1858, as the country moved ever closer to disunion, two politicians from Illinois attracted the attention of a nation. From August 21 until October 15, Stephen Douglas battled Abraham Lincoln in face to face debates around the state. The prize they sought was a seat in the Senate. Lincoln challenged Douglas to a war of ideas. Douglas took the challenge. The debates were to be held at 7 locations throughout Illinois. The fight was on and the nation was watching.

On October 16, 1859, John Brown led a small army of 18 men into the small town of Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His plan was to instigate a major slave rebellion in the South. He would seize the arms and ammunition in the federal arsenal, arm slaves in the area and move south along the Appalachian Mountains, attracting slaves to his cause. He had no rations. He had no escape route. His plan was doomed from the very beginning. But it did succeed to deepen the divide between the North and South.

With four candidates in the field, Lincoln received only 40% of the popular vote and 180 electoral votes — enough to narrowly win the crowded election. This meant that 60% of the voters selected someone other than Lincoln. With the results tallied, the question was, would the South accept the outcome? A few weeks after the election, South Carolina seceded from the Union.

The force of events moved very quickly upon the election of Lincoln. South Carolina acted first, calling for a convention to secede from the Union. State by state, conventions were held, and the Confederacy was formed.

The Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3 and pieces of the GIANTS all in one place. This lesson expands on students’ understanding of the concept of government which was introduced in grade 2. It begins with a small group activity where students explore what a community would be like without a government. After examining some of the important purposes of government, students study specific ways the Michigan state government works to fulfill these purposes.

This Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3 and GIANTS all in one place. This lesson serves as an introduction to the concept of levels of government. It begins with a review of the purposes of government. Students then explore the similarities and differences of state and local governments. Finally, they draw conclusions as to why state governments are needed.

The Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3, and GIANTS all in one place. Through a brief introduction to the concept of a republic, students learn that in our system of government, the power resides with the people. During the lesson, students identify their state representative and state senator.

The Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3 and GIANTS all in one place. In this lesson students explore how the Michigan constitution limits the power of government by separating power. Students begin by creating a graphic organizer illustrating the organization of their local government. Students then examine how power is separated among the three branches of Michigan government and construct an organizer illustrating the branches.