What Is Social Studies for Kids?

Social studies teaches kids about important people in history.

Social studies includes a variety of subject areas, such as history, government, economics, geography and current events. Often these subject areas overlap, allowing teachers and students to connect ideas across topics. Social studies teaches children about the world they live in and how to be a member of society.

Government

Kids learn about Congress in Social Studies.

Kids learn about their government in Social Studies. They study the three branches of government, the job of the government officials, and the processes that occur within the government. They expand on the different levels of government (city, state, and federal) and the responsibilities of each one. Kids might learn about the President and his duties. You can introduce the Constitution and the process by which a bill becomes a law. Kids also learn about the responsibilities of citizens, including the right to vote.

History

Kids explore history in Social Studies. They learn about important wars in United States history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the First and Second World Wars. They study about the process of independence from England and the thirteen original colonies, as well as the beginnings of American government. Teachers may also instruct on important events and eras in U.S. history, such as the Great Depression and the Cold War. Kids learn about World History, including ancient Egypt and Greece and Indian civilizations such as the Mayans, Incans and Aztecs.

Geography

Kids learn about the global landscape.

Kids learn about geography in Social Studies. They study the fifty states and noteworthy natural landmarks, such as the Rocky Mountains and the Great Lakes. Other points of interest include deserts, wetlands, coastal regions and rivers. Kids learn about maps and how to use graphs to illustrate geographic observations. They can also do projects on a certain state, examining the specific geography of that state. They look at migration patterns among groups of people.

Current Events

Learning about current events in Social Studies can help kids understand the issues in today's world. They learn about local, state, national and global events. Teachers explain how government, history, geography and economics relate to these events. Some sponsors donate newspapers to classrooms in order to give students a resource for learning about current events. Kids read an article and write about the issues surrounding the event.

Economics

Kids study economics in Social Studies. They are introduced to basic terms and trends such as supply and demand and interest rates. They learn how to read simple graphs that illustrate economic trends. They also make their own graphs to display data.

References

• Social Studies for Kids: US Government
• Online Learning Haven: Social Studies for Kids
• National Geographic Xpeditions: Geography Standards