REGIONAL OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

Allendale ~ Ho-Ho-Kus ~ Northern Highlands ~ Upper Saddle River

A VISION FOR SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION

Social studies is a fundamentally interdisciplinary field of study involving critical engagement of

systems of knowledge – civics, economics, geography, and history - in order to foster informed
thinking and action in a culturally diverse, democratic society and interdependent world. To apply
these fields well in social studies, we encourage our students to think critically with a healthy
skepticism of often-accepted truths. Moreover, akin to life, social studies as a field, draws upon
countless perspectives, multiple answers to every question, and several solutions to every problem,
hoping our students realize life is made up of a confounding number of choices and information in a
complex world.

In social studies classes, there is more to learn beyond disciplinary knowledge and applications of
knowledge, however. We take a view that students are intimately concerned and responsive to the
issues of the world today, evoked from the past and connected to the future. The participatory
nature of social studies and citizenship education reveals itself through a range of civic pedagogical
explorations in which students experience and reflectively inquire about the rich content from their
classrooms. Walter Parker (2010) conveys the value of true enactment of social studies, simply as:
“It matters, for without social understanding, there can be no wisdom” (p. 3). With these ideas in
mind, we present attributes essential for our students in becoming informed and active participants
in their various communities:
 Ask authentic questions for inquiry in the academic and social realm.
 Appreciate and consider multiple points of view and assume a global perspective when
looking at one’s self and his or her place in the world.
 Evaluate information and sources of knowledge with a critical lens, and use evidence when
making judgments or coming to a conclusion.
 Value and engage in the democratic processes of deliberation, discussion, and decision-
making.

Questions are the basis for learning. When formulated and carefully engaged by students, good
questions can elicit students’ application of crucial knowledge contextualized to their studies and
trigger critical thinking and serious examination of multiple sources. These attributes are the
foundation for social studies education. We offer, as exemplars, secondary level questions
grounded in four major disciplines in social studies that are intended to elucidate learning or
provoke compelling thought. These questions are modeled for curriculum writing, classroom
discussion, or extended investigations.

CIVICS

Grade Level Compelling Questions Supporting Questions

7th grade Should public safety (interest)
ever take priority over
individual rights?
8th grade What role should citizens have
in their own government? What
does good citizenship mean?
9th grade Why does government exist?
What is constitutionality? What are
its various interpretations across
history?
How can an individual make a
difference in shaping public policy or
lawmaking?
What ideologies drive the creation
and sustainability of government?
 REGIONAL OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Allendale ~ Ho-Ho-Kus ~ Northern Highlands ~ Upper Saddle River

ECONOMICS

Grade Level Compelling Questions Supporting Questions

5th grade What determines the value of a
good or service?
7th grade To what extent are economics
and ethics interrelated?
8th grade How do we know if our economy
is doing well or poorly?
Why did trade of natural resources
become an important part of ancient
civilizations?
Why did the global slave trade take
place?
What factors can lead to prolonged
economic downturns?

GEOGRAPHY

Grade Level Compelling Questions Supporting Questions

6th grade Why is physical space a source
of conflict between people?
9th grade Will New York City eventually be
underwater?
11th grade Is location the most critical
geographic determinant of a
nation’s global role and
experiences?
What geographic factors contributed
to the fall of Rome?
How do people respond when faced
with changes to the earth and its
resources?
How does geography influence the
formation of global alliances?

HISTORY

Grade Level Compelling Questions Supporting Questions

5th grade How did we get here?
8th grade What role should government
have in regulating society?
9th grade Can a culture be wrong?
11th grade How can we distinguish between
historical myth and historical
fact?
What are the core stages of human
development?
How has government changed its
role based on changes to technology
in society?
Why did the custom of footbinding
occur for so long in China?
What impact did the Pequot War
have on shaping the Massachusetts
Bay Colony?

Reference:

Parker, W. (2010). Social studies today. New York: Routledge

 REGIONAL OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Allendale ~ Ho-Ho-Kus ~ Northern Highlands ~ Upper Saddle River