6-8. 6-8 Social Studies Indicators Develop questions through investigations. Apply disciplinary concepts and tools. Evaluate sources and use evidence Communicate conclusions and take informed action. Civics Economics Distinguish the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups and the media. Explain specific roles played by citizens (such as voters, jurors, taxpayers, members of the armed forces, petitioners, protesters, and Examine the origins, purposes, and impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements. Explain the powers and limits of the three branches of government. Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions, and selected other systems of government. Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as a means of addressing public problems. Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies and promoting the common good. Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society. Evaluate alternative approaches or solutions to current economic issues in terms of benefits and costs for different groups and society as a whole. Explain the roles of buyers and sellers in product, labor, and financial markets. Explain how changes in supply and demand causes changes in prices and quantities of goods, and services, labor, and credit. Analyze the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in a market economy. Describe the roles of institutions such as corporations, non-profits, and labor unions in a market economy. Explain how inflation, deflation, and unemployment affect different groups. Explain barriers and benefits to trade and how they affect individuals, businesses, and society. Geography History and Literacy Construct maps to represent and explain the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics. Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and changes in their environmental characteristics. Use paper based and electronic mapping and graphing techniques to represent and analyze spatial patterns of different environmental and cultural characteristics. Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant. Analyze multiple factors that influences people’s perspectives during different historical eras. Analyze how people’s perspectives have changed and how those perspectives have influenced what information is available in the historical sources they created. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to identify further areas of inquiry and additional sources.
spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics. Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their political, cultural, and economic dynamics. Analyze relationships and interactions within and between human and physical systems to explain reciprocal influences that occur among them. Evaluate how past political and economic decisions have influenced cultural and environmental characteristics of various places and regions. Evaluate the impact of human settlement activities on the environmental and cultural characteristics of specific places and regions. Explain how changes in transportation and communication technology influence the spatial connections among human settlements and affect the diffusion of ideas and cultural practices. Analyze the reciprocal nature of how historical events and the spatial diffusion of ideas, technologies, and cultural practices have influenced migration patterns and the distribution of human population. Evaluate how economic globalization and the expanding use of scarce resources contribute to conflict and cooperation within and among countries. Evaluate the effects of human-made and natural catastrophes on global trade, politics, and human migration. circumstances of time and place as well as broader historical contexts. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to assess how the significance of their actions changes over time and is shaped by the historical context. Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives. Analyze the ways in which the perspectives of those writing history shaped the history that they produced. Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. Analyze the relationship between historical sources and the secondary interpretations made from them. Detect possible limitations in various kinds of historical evidence and differing secondary interpretations. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to pursue further inquiry and investigate additional sources. Critique the validity of the historical sources used in a secondary interpretation. Distinguish between long-term causes and triggering events in developing a historical argument. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past. Critique the central argument in secondary works of history on related topics in multiple media in terms of their historical accuracy. Read and comprehend history/social studies texts at or above grade level text complexity band independently and proficiently. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events. Conduct short, as well as more sustained, research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the
grant, cost of attendance). Explore the application process for student loan qualifications and the repayment process. SS.C.31 Evaluate income, lifestyle, and career opportunities based on education and financial aid decisions. Differentiate the annual income of a college graduate compared to a high school graduate. Differentiate between gross and net income (e.g., taxes, insurance and pension plans). Explore how earning a degree impacts lifestyle, lifelong earning potential, and personal wants versus needs. Investigate the consequences of personal choices in relation to finances. Construct, utilize, and monitor a budget for a recent high school graduate. Construct, utilize, and monitor a budget for a recent college graduate. Compare and contrast the budgets of a high school graduate and a recent college graduate. Explore how benefits packages, unions, and professional organizations impact lifestyle and career choices. SS.C.32 Examine the expectations and benefits of potential careers and their impact on lifelong earning potential SS.C.33 Examine general workforce preparedness skills. Develop a resume showing skills, experiences and education that can be used when applying for a job, a scholarship, or college. Participate in mock job interviews. Identify workplace expectation, including prompt attendance, timeliness and efficiencies. SS.C.34 Examine the causes of bankruptcy and how to avoid them. SS.C.35 Complete Federal and State income tax forms and examine other state and local taxes. SS.C.36 Examine the advantages and disadvantages of different types of consumer debt to make sound financial decisions (e.g., home loans, credit card debt, automobile loans, pay-day loans and rent-to-own). SS.C.37 Develop the knowledge and practices of a savvy consumer who knows consumer rights and responsibilities, can identify and avoid fraudulent practices and guard against identify theft. SS.C.38 Utilize traditional and online banking services as well as examining fees, services and hidden costs of checking, savings, debit cards, Certificates of Deposit, etc. SS.C.39 Examine financial habits that promote economic security, stability and growth: investments (e.g., stocks, mutual funds, certificates of deposits and commodity trading) insurance (e.g., life insurance, health insurance, automobile insurance, home and renters insurance and retirement plans). Geography SS.C.40 use census data and public records to identify patterns of change and continuity to understand the impact of the following on society: zoning migration ethnicity