I have this habit of getting interested (read: obsessed) with high-detail, repetative projects where I’m filled with self-doubt because I don’t know if anyone ever will benefit from my effort.

Here is my most recent. It is a map of elementary science and social studies topics from the Ohio state standards documents. I felt compelled to read through them all and boil each one down to just a few words and then put them on a single sheet.

Grade Earth and Space Science Life Science Physical Science History Geography Government Economics
Kindergarten seasons, weather, temperature, precipitation, wind, air, observe the moon, sun, stars observe living things sorting, sound time, personal history, cultures, flag, pledge, anthem maps, individual differences and similarities responsibilities, rules, authority goods and services
Grade One sun and water needs of living things heating and cooling, forces, relative position time, artifacts, changing way of life maps, physical and human characteristics of places common goals, collaboration, rules, fairness scarcity, produce and consume, goods, trade, currency
Grade Two air and water and weather. heating and freezing ecosystems, extinction forces and motion calendars, timelines, artifacts, science and technology changes, biographies maps, regional work, culture develops from environment respect rights, accountabilies, rules bar graphs, resources, goods and services, money, working to earn money
Grade Three soil, rocks, renewable and nonrenewable resources, pollution, recycling life cycles, traits match environment force and motion, states of matter, heat, electrical energy, light, sound, magnetic energy years, decades, centuries, primary and secondary sources, communities change physical and political maps, effect of agriculture and industry and resources on people, effect of people on environment, transportation and communication diversity solve problems, governments, laws line graphs, incentives, trade-offs, markets, cost-benefit, budget
Grade Four Landforms created by weathering, erosion, deposition, flooding, earthquakes, volcano fossils conservation of matter when break, dissolve, phase change; energy transfer to a new place or phase, circuits, electricity and magnetism indians, settlers, immigrants conflict; 13 colonies, revolution, Northwest Ordinance, War of 1812, Underground Railroad; tech innovations maps, Ohio agriculture, industry, natural resources, regions of North, South, West. increasing diversity. transportation systems govt opportunities, laws, US and Ohio constitution, 1st amendment tables and charts, entrepreneurs, saving.
Grade Five solar system, orbits, stars food webs speed, distance, time, force. light, sound BC, AD, BCE, CE; Maya, Inca, Aztec Mississippian had unique governments, social structures, religion, technologies, agricultures. European colonization maps, latitude and longitude, climate, regions. environment affects humans, humans affect environment. indian cultures, tribes, nations, ideas move and creates diversity. culture is language, food, religion, art, music gather, interpret, check info. display data graphically, types of governments circle graph, consequences, specialization, workers improve income by gaining knowledge, skills, experiences