Social Studies Curriculum

Students will understand that:

Physical environments shape the development of all facets of society.

1. How does technology help people to change or control their environment?
2. How can unintended changes result from societies attempting to control their environment?
3. How do geographic factors (climate, location, topographic features, natural boundaries, political boundaries, etc.) sculpt societies?

Geography:
A1, 3, 4, 5, 6
B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
C1, 3
D1-4
E 1-6
F 1, 5, 6

Historiography

Students will understand that:

1. How might history be interpreted differently depending upon the perspective of the source?

2. To what extent can the reliability of a source be evaluated?

3. How can primary, secondary and tertiary documents be utilized within the study of history?

History:
A 1-9
C 1-4

Economics

Students will understand that:

The economic principle of scarcity shapes the success or failure of societies.

1. How does a society decide the four basic economic questions of production?

2. How does the economic system impact society and its government?

3. How does scarcity drive trade, migration and exploration?

4. How is trade important in the diffusion of technology and ideas?

Geography:
D 1-4
E1
F3

History:
B1b

Sociology/ Anthropology

Students will understand that:

1. How is culture continually being recreated by changes in society?

2. How is an individual’s role impacted by society/culture?

3. How can individuals impact society?

4. To what extent is continuity or change within society critical to cultural evolution?

5. How are cultural values adopted or adapted by contemporary or future societies?

History:
A 5,6,8,9
B 1a, c, e

Government

Students will understand that:

1. How is opposition to government spawned and how does it manifest itself?

2. How is authority obtained or granted and how is it legitimized?

3. How do government, cultural philosophy, society and religion interact?

History:
A 7,8,9
B 1a,b,c,e,2,3
C

Religion/ Philosophy

Students will understand that:

An interdependent relationship exists between religions / philosophies and the society.

1. To what extent do differing factors within a society make the development of religions and philosophies possible?

2. In what ways are religion and philosophies reflected in the humanities?

3. How do religions and philosophies influence government?

4. In what ways do religion/philosophy relate to or influence ideas concerning death, gods, and codes of conduct?

5. How do differing factors within a society cause religions and philosophies to branch, change and spread?

History:
B1c, d, 4

Science and Technology

Students will understand that:

Science and technology greatly impact the direction and development of societies.

1. How has innovation impacted society?

   1. To what extent is the spread of technology linked to trade and exploration?

   2. How does society encourage or inhibit innovation?

   3. How do scientific discoveries have both positive and negative impacts?

   4. How does technology foster the development of new ideas?

History:
B1b
D6

Humanities/ art

Students will understand that:

Humanities are an expression of a society’s influence and values.

1. How do societies use the humanities to express their culture and heritage?

2. How are the humanities used by societies to convey values?

3. How have the humanities affected contemporary and subsequent societies?

History:
A5, 8,9
C2