STANDARD COURSE
OF STUDY
STANDARD COURSE
OF STUDYINTRODUCTION ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES (K-5)
The social studies in the elementary grades are crucial if we expect the young people of this state to become active, responsible citizens. Unless children acquire the foundations of knowledge, attitudes, and skills in the early years, it is unlikely that teachers in later years will be successful in preparing them for citizenship in the twenty-first century. The elementary social studies program introduces important concepts and generalizations from history, geography, and other social sciences through an integrated study of children and their families, homes, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. In the early years, children develop a foundation for the entire social studies program and a beginning sense of efficacy as participating citizens. Students begin with their familiar environment and advance to families, homes, schools, neighborhoods, and communities in other environments. This approach enhances students' abilities to examine the perspectives of children in other places and times. Students learn to work in groups, to share, to respect the rights of others, and to care for themselves and their possessions. They acquire knowledge of history to understand the present and plan for the future. Social studies at this level provides students with the skills needed for problem solving and decision making, as well as for making thoughtful value judgments.
The kindergarten and first grade programs revolve around a study of families, neighborhoods, and communities at home and around the world. By widening the scope of the curriculum to families throughout the world, children gain an international perspective. Students learn the ways in which people organize institutions to produce and distribute goods, and to meet human needs including the social rules that govern one's life.
Second graders are ready to learn more about the world in which they live. They begin to learn how important it is for people and groups to work together and to peacefully resolve problems. Children's expanding sense of place and spatial relationships provides readiness for more in-depth geographical studies. Geographical investigations begin with the familiar local regions and expand to locations around the world.
Third graders are ready to learn about historical and contemporary people who made a difference. Students are introduced to people of various races, cultures, and regions who have made a positive contribution to society. Students have the opportunity at this grade to develop an appreciation for history through factual presentations, autobiographical and biographical studies, and historical fiction.
Fourth grade introduces the first formal study of North Carolina, its ethnic diversity, its rich culture, the economic energy of its people, and its geographical regions. Historically, the major focus begins with American Indians and moves to colonization and the events leading to the American Revolution. Students discover that North Carolina's changing history is closely related to the physical geography of its three major regions. Students analyze how different groups of people have made use of the land, depending on their skills, technology and values and how the Piedmont, Coastal Plains, and Mountain regions have developed through physical and human interactions.
Fifth grade presents the development of the United States from colonial beginnings to the present, integrating the neighboring countries of Mexico and Canada, as well as the region of Central America. Students examine the contributions of the different groups that built the American nations. This study includes an introduction to the basic documents of the United States government, especially the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, along with the central concepts embedded in democracy. Students learn about the diverse influences of ethnic groups across North America. These include the contributions in the economic, political, scientific, technological, and cultural arenas.
If the young people of this state are to become effective participants in this society, then social studies must be an essential part of the curriculum starting in the early elementary years. In a world that demands independent and cooperative problem solving to address complex social, economic, ethical, and personal concerns, the social studies are as basic for survival as reading, writing, and computing. Elementary students are prepared for the rigors of such a program.
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