Before you start
Four ways to explore your world.
Explore
Map Reader Read a map with a compass rose — which way is North, and how do you get from one place to another? 8-Point Compass Now the corners too — north-east, south-east, south-west, north-west. Read the map to the full compass. Plan the Route Now YOU do the driving! Tap North, East, South, and West to build a path from start to goal — around the pond, the river, and the mud. Map Key Every symbol on a map stands for something. Read the map key to find out what — then count and search the map. 
Trade Sorter Sort things into needs (to live) and wants (nice to have). The start of thinking like an economist. 
Timeline Put events in time order — what happened first, next, then, and last. Thinking like a historian. 
Source Detective Decide if something is a fact you can check or an opinion someone feels. The start of being a smart reader. Quick checks
Which Way? Wants, Needs, Trades Fair Rules & Roles In Time Order Ask & Check Make It Better Community Mix
Mixed practice — revisit what you've learned Meet the cast — the characters who teach this
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Cardi Geography / maps (hero) — a cardinal who reads the map and points the way (N/E/S/W); reading the map IS spatial reasoning -
Traida Economics — a chipmunk who trades acorns and chooses under scarcity; the trade-off IS economics -
Justi Civics — a heron who sets the fair rule and community roles; the fair rule IS civics -
Chrona History / chronology — a tortoise who lines up events oldest → newest; sequencing time IS chronology -
Aska Inquiry — a fox who asks the good question and checks the source; questioning IS inquiry -
Acto Informed action — a honeybee who turns what she learned into a helpful action for the hive; acting IS civic participation -
Mayor Cobb The community-hall keeper (mentor) — a steady beaver who frames each inquiry and never shames a wrong guess