Four Disciplines
Social studies offers a coordinated, systematic, and integrative study of the world. Social studies integrates the humanities and the social sciences in three areas that prepare students for life in a complex world: 1) the development of skills; 2) the acquisition of knowledge; and 3) the cultivation of intellectual curiosity. These three elements help foster the ability to negotiate multifaceted issues, solve difficult problems, and make informed and productive decisions, thereby grounding a lifetime of informed civic engagement.
Generally, social studies is comprised of four major subject areas: history (local, state, national and world), civics, economics, and geography. At the high school level, it may include courses in anthropology, archaeology, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, but the focus of this resource is the four major subject areas, particularly state history and civics.
All four major subject areas of social studies are interconnected and are cross-curricular. They all rely on evidence and primary sources to craft claims about society and the way it functions. The key question for all four subject areas is WHY?
All four subject areas also seek to balance:
- Facts
- Perspectives
- Opinion
- Narrative
All they all offer opportunities for high-level critical thinking and creativity.
History Why did things happen in specific ways and at specific times and places? And how did these events, people, movements affect society? Historical thinking skills include an understanding of what is known as the 5 Cs: chronology, causation, contextualization, complexity, and contingency. | Geography Why are things located where they are, and how are places connected to one another? How has the location of things affected society? Geographical thinking skills center around spatial thinking, and an understanding of patterns/trends and interrelationships. |
Economics Why do people make the economic decisions they make? How have these decisions impacted society? Economical thinking skills focus on rationality and incentives, trade-offs and opportunity costs, and equilibrium analysis. | Civics How do people make decisions about how to live with one another? Civic thinking skills generally encompass five areas: foundational principles, core background knowledge (i.e., history), policies and processes, civic behaviors, and political participation. |