The purposes of the K to grade 5 standards are to:
promote respect for people of diverse backgrounds and human rights, and develop students’ understanding of characteristics of leadership and informed action;
build students’ conceptual knowledge of history, geography, civics, and economics;
encourage inquiry, questions, and development of reasoning and research skills;
build content knowledge about the geography and history of students’ cities and towns, state, and nation; and
build content knowledge about the narratives of United States history, including the interactions of Native Peoples, Europeans, and African Americans in the colonial, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Reconstruction, and 20th century Civil Rights periods.
Standards for History and Social Science Practice, Pre-K–12
The seven Standards for History and Social Science Practice encompass civic knowledge, dispositions, and skills and the range of disciplinary skills often used by historians and social scientists. They focus on the processes of inquiry and research that are integral to a rich social science curriculum and the foundation for active and responsible citizenship.
Demonstrate civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions.
Develop focused questions or problem statements and conduct inquiries.
Organize information and data from multiple primary and secondary sources.
Analyze the purpose and point of view of each source; distinguish opinion from fact.
Evaluate the credibility, accuracy, and relevance of each source.
Argue or explain conclusions, using valid reasoning and evidence.
Determine next steps and take informed action, as appropriate.
Leadership, Cooperation, Unity, and Diversity
In first grade, students learn about leadership on many levels, the meaning of citizenship, and interpreting and making a range of map types. They explore how the concepts of unity and diversity shape life in the United States, and how people make choices about purchasing goods and services. They study these topics by exploring guiding questions such as, “What makes a good community member?” and “How do we contribute to our community?”
Topic 1: Civics: Communities, Elections, and Leadership
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What does it mean to belong to or lead a group?
Topic 2: Geography: Places to Explore
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How can maps help people locate places and learn about them?
Topic 3: History: Unity and Diversity in The United States
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What does the motto, “Out of Many, One” mean and why is it a good motto of the United States?
Topic 4: Economics: Resources & Choices
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How do the resources of an area affect inductries and jobs?
Resources to Support Social Studies Learning
PBS Learning Media: You, Me, and Community
Common Sense Education: Social Studies Apps and Websites (by grade span)