The New Hampshire Historical Society promotes high-quality social studies education that balances historical thinking skills with robust content knowledge. It is only through the combination of skills and content that students can attain the foundational understanding that will allow them to develop their social studies comprehension in later grades.
The Society created these standards to supplement the state standards in New Hampshire, as the state standards are intended to provide only broad ideas for the study of history, civics, economics, and geography. The "Moose on the Loose" standards offer the guidance, intellectual rigor, or internal cohesion required to support meaningful social studies instruction at the elementary level. Although “Moose on the Loose” certainly aligns with the state frameworks—and will be revised to align with the new state frameworks when they are completed—the "Moose" is built to a higher standard that will better serve Granite State kids and lay the foundation for them to become active, well-informed citizens.
The “Moose on the Loose” content standards outline what a student in the upper elementary grades in New Hampshire should learn in social studies. These content standards are separate from the skills standards, which outline what a student in the upper elementary grades should be able to do by the end of this phase of their education. The standards incorporate critical thinking and research skills, as well as skills specific to the four primary areas of social studies—history, civics, economics, and geography.
The Society has made great efforts to examine diverse perspectives in the “Moose on the Loose” and to enable students to hear all voices tell their stories. We acknowledge that perception of events is affected by race, ethnicity, culture, religion, education, economic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and personal experience. We hope the "Moose on the Loose" will help students in New Hampshire better understand all viewpoints and to appreciate that the Granite State’s diversity has made it a better, more culturally rich place to live.