Ohio: Prekindergarten Standards

Article Body

Theme: The Classroom Community

For many young children, the preschool classroom is the first experience they have in a group setting. Within the classroom community, children may explore social studies content in meaningful ways. They learn about themselves and others, and how people live, work, get along, solve problems and contribute to the collaborative cultures of the classroom, the school and the community.

  • History Strand

    • Historical Thinking and Skills

      • 1. Words associated with time are meaningful in the context of daily classroom routines.
      • 2. People develop an awareness of their personal histories.

    • Heritage

      • 3. Personal family stories and traditions support the understanding of heritage.

  • Geography Strand

    • Spatial Thinking and Skills

      • 4. Relative location can be described by words such as up, down, over, under, here, there, front, back, behind and in front.

    • Human Systems

      • 5. People belong to a number of groups and these groups have unique characteristics. Similarities among people are used to define groups.

  • Government Strand

    • Civic Participation and Skills

      • 6. Everyone has responsibilities within a group.
      • 7. Relationships in families, schools and communities benefit from cooperative behaviors and problem-solving skills.
      • 8. Choices have consequences.

    • Rules and Laws

      • 9. Schools and classrooms have rules and routines that govern daily life. Rules exist in families, schools and communities.

  • Economics Strand

    • Scarcity

      • 10. People have wants and must make decisions to satisfy those wants.

    • Production and Consumption

      • 11. Resources are used to satisfy wants.

Colorado: Prekindergarten Standards

Article Body

CO.1. Standard: History

Prepared Graduates:

  1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history

CO.1.1. Concepts and skills students master:

  • Change and sequence over time

Evidence Outcomes

Students can:
  • a. Use words and phrases correctly related to chronology and time. Words to include but not limited to past, present future, before, now, and later.
  • b. Select examples from pictures that illustrate past, present, and future
  • c. Sequence a simple set of activities or events
  • d. Identify an example of change over time on topics to include but not limited to their own growth

21st-century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Inquiry Questions:
  1. How have you grown and changed over time?
  2. What are important events in your past, your family's past,or the past of an adult you know?
Relevance and Application:
  1. Change occurs over time and has an impact on individuals and society.
  2. Sequence and sequencing helps with understanding, such as the sequence of equations in mathematics.
  3. Technology is used to record change and sequence.For example, clocks, calendars, and timelines record change.
Nature of History:
  1. Historical thinkers study and describe past events and change over time in the lives of people.
  2. Historical thinkers organize past events using chronology.

CO.2. Standard: Geography

Prepared Graduates:

  1. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world

CO.2.1. Concepts and skills students master:

  • Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and connections to the world

Evidence Outcomes

Students can:
  • a. Use positional phrasing. Phrases to include but not limited to: over and under, here and there, inside and outside, up and down
  • b. Identify common places to include but limited to home, school, cafeteria, and gymnasium
  • c. Describe surroundings
  • d. Use pictures to locate familiar places
  • e. Use nonlinguistic representations to show understanding of geographic terms

21st-century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Inquiry Questions:
  1. How do you describe your surroundings?
  2. Where is this place located?
  3. What would the playground look like if it were organized in a different way?
  4. What is a geographical term?
  5. What is the importance of location?
Relevance and Application:
  1. Specific vocabulary describes space and locations such as the books are under the table, and the pencil is next to the telephone.
  2. Words can describe surroundings. For example, the dentist is inside her office; the firefighter is on the truck; and the puppy is inside the doghouse.
  3. Knowledge about location through personal experience integrates geographic terms with spatial thinking.
  4. Individuals perform different activities in different places.For example,cooking is done in the kitchen, hiking in the mountains, walking the dog in the park, learning in school, and working in a store.
Nature of Geography:
  1. Spatial thinkers investigate other cultures and how they have been influenced by climate, physical geography, and other cultures in an area
  2. Spatial thinkers understand that space is organized, have personal experiences with their environment, and look for patterns.

CO.3. Standard: Economics

Prepared Graduates:

  1. Understand the allocation of scarce resources in societies through analysis of individual choice, market interaction, and public policy
  2. Acquire the knowledge and economic reasoning skills to make sound financial decisions (PFL)

CO.3.1. Concepts and skills students master:

  • People work to meet wants and needs

Evidence Outcomes

Students can:
  • a. Explain that people work (produce) for an income
  • b. Discuss that money is used to buy items that the student or family wants
  • c. Give examples to distinguish spending from saving

21st-century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Inquiry Questions:
  1. What might happen if no one worked?
  2. What do we buy and why?
  3. How do people use income?
  4. Why do you save income?
Relevance and Application:
  1. Working enables people to meet wants. For example, a parent works to receive income used to purchase items such as food, cars and vacations.
Nature of Economics:
  1. Economic thinkers analyze the connection between working and earning income.
  2. Economic thinkers recognize that people use income to meet needs and wants.

CO.3.2. Concepts and skills students master:

  • Recognize money and identify its purpose (PFL)

Evidence Outcomes

Students can:
  • a. Recognize coins and currency as money
  • b. Identify how money is used as a medium of exchange
  • c. Discuss why we need money

21st-century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Inquiry Questions:
  1. Why do people use money?
  2. What are the different forms of money?
Relevance and Application:
  1. Recognition of units of money aids in making purchases. For example, a parent pays for an item using correct change.
  2. Knowledge of coins and currency ensures accurate transactions.Forexample,you can check that a cashier gave you the right amount of change.
  3. Money is a medium of exchange.
Nature of Economics:
  1. Financially responsible individuals use money wisely.

CO.4. Standard: Civics

Prepared Graduates:

  1. Analyze origins, structure, and functions of governments and their impacts on societies and citizens
  2. Analyze and practice rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens

CO.4.1. Concepts and skills students master:

  • Individuals have unique talents and work with others in groups

Evidence Outcomes

Students can:
  • a. Recognize membership in family, neighborhood, school, team, and various other groups and organizations
  • b. Name groups to which they belong and identify the leader(s)
  • c. Identify examples of times when people can play different roles and bring unique talents to a variety of groups

21st-century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Inquiry Questions:
  1. What makes an individual unique?
  2. Why would a person want to belong to a group?
  3. How can differences among group members make groups better?
Relevance and Application:
  1. People join groups based on similar interests and talents such as dance groups, Boy Scouts, or play groups
  2. Groups have common purposes such as cleaning up a street, helping students learn, or playing a sport.
  3. There are different roles in groups including leaders and team members.
Nature of Civics:
  1. Responsible community members know the roles of individuals vary by the purpose of the group.
  2. Responsible community members study citizen participation and structures that bring security and stability to community life.
  3. Responsible community members identify qualities of leadership and effective action.

CO.4.2. Concepts and skills students master:

  • Rules and their purpose in allowing groups to work effectively

Evidence Outcomes

Students can:
  • a. Explain that groups have rules
  • b. Recognize interpersonal boundaries
  • c. Exert self-control
  • d. Interact positively with others
  • e. Give examples of some rules that are
    permanent and some that change

21st-century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Inquiry Questions:
  1. What happens when people do not work cooperatively?
  2. What personal boundaries are common?
  3. What happens if there are no rules?
Relevance and Application:
  1. Actions affect us and others. For example, fighting may result in injury and punishment.
  2. Rules are different in different settings.For example, school rules may be different from home rules.
  3. Situations may be fairer because of rules such as taking turns on playground equipment.
Nature of Civics:
  1. Responsible community members identify the effects of rules on individuals and groups.
  2. Responsible community members investigate the causes of inequities that exist within and among groups.
  3. Responsible community members study the tension between preserving security, and order and liberty.

New Jersey: Prekindergarten Standards

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(Note: By the completion of prekindergarten, New Jersey students are expected to master the following standards.)

Social Studies Standard 6.1—U.S. History: America in the World

All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.

  • A: Civics, Government, and Human Rights

    Citizenship begins with becoming a contributing member of the classroom community.

    • 6.1.P.A.1: Demonstrate an understanding of rules by following most classroom routines.
    • 6.1.P.A.2: Demonstrate responsibility by initiating simple classroom tasks and jobs.
    • 6.1.P.A.3: Demonstrate appropriate behavior when collaborating with others.

  • B: Geography, People, and the Environment

    Everyone is part of a larger neighborhood and community.

    • 6.1.P.B.1: Develop an awareness of the physical features of the neighborhood/community.
    • 6.1.P.B.2: Identify, discuss, and role-play the duties of a range of community workers.

  • C: Economics, Innovation, and Technology

    • No standards for prekindergarten.

  • D: History, Culture, and Perspectives

    Individuals and families have unique characteristics. There are many different cultures within the classroom and community.

    • 6.1.P.D.1: Describe characteristics of oneself, oneís family, and others.
    • 6.1.P.D.2: Demonstrate an understanding of family roles and traditions.
    • 6.1.P.D.3: Express individuality and cultural diversity (e.g., through dramatic play).
    • 6.1.P.D.4: Learn about and respect other cultures within the classroom and community.

Social Studies Skills

Essential Question:

What are effective strategies for accessing various sources of information and historical evidence, determining their validity, and using them to solve a problem or find a solution to a public policy question?

  • Construct timelines of the events occurring during major eras.
  • Explain how major events are related to one another in time.
  • Select and use various geographic representations to compare information about people, places, regions, and environments.
  • Use maps and other documents to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and growth of economic and political systems.
  • Compare and contrast differing interpretations of current and historical events.
  • Assess the credibility of sources by identifying bias and prejudice in documents, media, and computer-generated information.
  • Select and analyze information from a variety of sources to present a reasoned argument or position in a written and/or oral format.

Vermont: Prekindergarten Standards

Article Body

(Note: By the completion of kindergarten, Vermont students are expected to master the following standards.)

Vermont Academic Content Standards: History and Social Sciences

  • Inquiry

    • H&SSPK-K:1—Social and Historical Questioning

      Students initiate an inquiry by:

      • Developing a question by completing prompts, "I wonder . . . ?", "Why . . . ?", "How is this like . . . ?".

    • H&SSPK-K:2—Hypothesis/Research Statement

      Students develop a hypothesis, thesis, or research statement by:

      • Sharing ideas about possible answers to questions (e.g., What might we see on a field trip to a factory?).

    • H&SSPK-K:3—Research Plan

      Students design research by:

      • Identifying resources for finding answers to their questions (e.g., books, videos, and people).
      • Explaining what their jobs will be during an inquiry investigation (e.g., drawing pictures after a field trip).
      • Identifying ways they will show what they have learned.

    • H&SSPK-K:4—Conducting Research

      Students conduct research by:

      • Following directions to complete an inquiry.
      • Asking questions and observing during the investigation process.
      • Recording observations with words, numbers, symbols, and/or pictures (e.g., drawing or labeling a diagram, creating a title for a drawing or diagram, recording data provided by the teacher in a table).

    • H&SSPK-K:5

      Students develop reasonable explanations that support the research statement by:

      • Organizing and displaying information (e.g., pictograph, bar graph, chart, building blocks).
      • Analyzing evidence (e.g., sorting objects, justifying groupings, role playing).

    • H&SSPK-K:6

      Students make connections to research by:

      • Discussing if their findings answered their research question.
      • Proposing solutions to problems and asking other questions.

    • H&SSPK-K:7

      Students communicate their findings by:

      • Speaking, using pictures (e.g., sharing ideas or artifacts with classmates) or writing a story or letter by dictating ideas to a teacher.

  • History

    • H&SSPK-K:8

      Students connect the past with the present by:

      • Recognizing objects from long ago and today (e.g., a slate was used long ago and a computer is used today).
      • Describing ways that family life has both changed and stayed the same over time (e.g., chores in the past vs. chores today).
      • Identifying how events and people have shaped their families (e.g., How does life change when one starts school?).

    • H&SSPK-K:9

      Students show understanding of how humans interpret history by:

      • Collecting information about the past by interviewing a parent or grandparent for family or personal history.
      • Differentiating among fact, opinion, and interpretation when sharing stories or retelling events, especially those that relate to family and friends.

    • H&SSPK-K:10

      Students show understanding of past, present, and future time by:

      • Placing events from their lives in their correct sequence.
      • Constructing a time line of events in their own lives.
      • Differentiating between broad categories of historical time (e.g., long, long ago; yesterday, today, tomorrow; past, present, and future).

  • Physical and Cultural Geography

    • H&SSPK-K:11

      Students interpret geography and solve geographic problems by:

      • Verbalizing their names and addresses.
      • Recognizing that neighborhood spaces are defined by boundaries ñ yard, playground, sidewalk, roads.

    • H&SSPK-K:12

      Students show understanding of human interaction with the environment over time by:

      • Identifying ways in which they take care of or hurt the environment (e.g., recycling vs. littering, planting trees and flowers).
      • Identifying ways in which they adapt to their physical environment (e.g., dressing for seasonal weather, outdoor play opportunities).

    • H&SSPK-K:13

      Students analyze how and why cultures continue and change over time by:

      • Identifying ways culture is expressed in their families (e.g., celebrations, food, and traditions).
      • Understanding and appreciating that he or she is alike and different from other people in many different ways (e.g., personal physical characteristics, likes and dislikes).

  • Civics, Government and Society

    • H&SSPK-K:14

      Students act as citizens by:

      • Identifying various groups that they belong to (e.g., Iím a part of a family, Iím a part of a class, Iím a part of a school, etc.).
      • Demonstrating positive interaction with group members (e.g., sharing play space).
      • Contributing to the life of the class and the school.

    • H&SSPK-K:15

      Students show understanding of various forms of government by:

      • Identifying the need for rules in a variety of settings, and demonstrating appropriate behavior in a variety of settings (e.g., classroom, playground, field trip).
      • Explaining that rules are established for the benefit of individuals and groups.
      • Identifying authority figures who make, apply, and enforce rules (e.g., at home, in the family, school personnel, police, firefighters, etc.), and how these people help to meet the needs of the people in the community.

    • H&SSPK-K:16

      Students examine how different societies address issues of human interdependence by:

      • Practicing communication skills with individuals and groups.
      • Identifying feelings that might lead to conflict (e.g., what happens when two people want the same thing?).

    • H&SSPK-K:17

      Students examine how access to various institutions affects justice, reward, and power by:

      • Naming various social, economic, and governmental institutions in their community (e.g., schools, churches, post office, grocery store, etc.).

  • Economics

    • H&SSPK-K:18

      Students show an understanding of the interaction/interdependence between humans, the environment, and the economy by:

      • Participating in activities as a buyer or seller (e.g., bake sale, school store, etc.).
      • Identifying economic activities that use resources in the local region (e.g., farmersí markets).
      • Identifying jobs people do in the home and school.

    • H&SSPK-K:19

      Students show understanding of the interconnectedness between government and the economy by:

      • Describing ways in which people exchange money for goods.

    • H&SSPK-K:20

      Students make economic decisions as a consumer, producer, saver, investor, and citizen by:

      • Recognizing the differences between the basic needs and wants (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, and affection vs. toys and sweets).
      • Explaining why people earn, spend, and save.

Connecticut: Prekindergarten Standards

Article Body

Content Suggestion:

The Individual and his/her immediate and familiar environment, including home, school and community. Use opportunities from the lives of children and significant others to explore the wider world.

Standard 1: Content Knowledge

Knowledge of concepts, themes, and information from history and social studies is necessary to promote understanding of our nation and our world.

1.1 – Significant events and themes in United States history.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 1. Sequence events and describe time periods using terms such as morning, afternoon, night, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving Skills
Civic Literacy
NCSS 2 “Time, Continuity and Change”

1.2 – Significant events in local and Connecticut history and their connections to United States history.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 2. Sequence events and describe time periods using terms such as morning, afternoon, night, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving Skills
Civic Literacy
NCSS 2 “Time, Continuity and Change”

1.3 – Significant events and themes in world history/international studies.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 3. Recognize that there are other cultures with different languages, foods, art, music, customs, and forms of shelter.
Correlations

Global Awareness
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Social and Cross-Cultural Understanding
NCSS 1 “Culture”
I&TL: 3

1.4 – Geographical space and place.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 4. Place familiar objects in appropriate geographical locations (e.g. bed in a bedroom, slide on playground, etc.).
  • 5. Describe locations using positional words (e.g. on, under, behind, next to, between).
Correlations

Global Awareness
Contextual Learning Skills
NCSS 3 “People Places and Environment”

1.5 – Interaction of humans and the environment.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 6. Investigate one’s impact on the environment (e.g. why we need to pick up toys).
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Social and Cross-Cultural Understanding
Contextual Learning Skills
NCSS 3 “People Places and Environment”

1.6 – Patterns of human movement across time and place.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 7. Describe different means of transportation one has experienced.
Correlations

Global Awareness
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Contextual Learning Skills

1.7 – The purpose, structures and functions of government and law at the local, state, national and international levels.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 8. Follow classroom rules with prompts.
  • 9. Explain some reasons for classroom rules.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
NCSS 6 “Power, Authority, and Governance”

1.8 – The interactions between citizens and their government in the making and implementation of laws.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 10. Work collaboratively to develop their classroom rules (with adult prompting and guidance).
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Collaboration Skills
NCSS 10 “Civic Ideals and Practices”

1.9 – The rights and responsibilities of citizens.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 11. Dramatize roles of authority figures (e.g. responsibilities of citizens. teacher, firefighter, police officer).
  • 12. Understand and discuss why certain responsibilities are important (e.g. cleaning up, caring for pets).
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Creativity and Innovation Skills
Communication Skills
NCSS 6 “Power, Authority, and Governance”
NCSS 10 “Civic Ideals and Practices”
I&TL: 3, 6

1.10 – How limited resources influence economic decisions.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 13. Participate in discussions related to the benefits of sharing.
  • 14. Resolve conflicts related to limited resources with teacher support.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Communication Skills

1.11 – How different economic systems organize resources.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 15. Identify and role-play different jobs using associated materials.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Creativity and Innovation Skills
NCSS 7 “Production, Distribution, and Consumption”
I&TL: 3

1.12 – The interdependence of local, national and global
economies.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 16. Dramatize the difference between purchasing and selling items.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
NCSS 7 “Production, Distribution, and Consumption”
NCSS 9 “Global Connections”

1.13 – The characteristics of and interactions among culture, social systems and institutions.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 17. Identify similarities and differences in personal and physical characteristics of self and others.
Correlations

Global Awareness
Social and Cross-Cultural Understanding
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
NCSS 1 “Culture”
NCSS 5 “Individual, Groups, and Institutions”

Standard 2: History/Social Studies Literacy

Competence in literacy, inquiry, and research skills is necessary to analyze, evaluate, and present history and social studies information.

2.1 – Access and gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including electronic media (maps, charts, graphs, images, artifacts, recordings and text).

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 1. Gather information using various senses.
  • 2. Name or access one source of information (e.g. an adult, a book, the Internet).
Correlations

ICT Literacy
Information and Media Literacy
CCSS Not Identified
I&TL: 1, 2, 5, 6

2.2 – Interpret information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including electronic media (e.g. maps, charts, graphs, images, artifacts, recordings and text).

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 3. Share information gathered from senses, print or media sources in a variety of ways (e.g. retell a story, create a simple graph with assistance, draw a picture to represent an experience).
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
ICT Literacy
Information and Media Literacy
CCSS Not Identified
I&TL: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

2.3 – Create various forms of written work (e.g. journal, essay, blog, Web page, brochure) to demonstrate an understanding of historyand social studies issues.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 4. Express personal events related to social studies topics using pictures and letter-like approximations.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Information and Media Literacy
Creativity and Innovation Skills
Communication Skills
CCSS Not Identified
I&TL: 4, 5, 6, 7

2.4 – Demonstrate an ability to participate in social studies discourse through informed discussion, debate and effective oral presentation.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 5. Share personal experiences through group discussions and dramatization.
Correlations

Communication Skills
CCSS Not Identified
I&TL: 3

2.5 – Create and present relevant social studies materials using both print and electronic media (e.g. maps, charts, models, displays).

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 6. Represent geographic or community locations using classroom materials (e.g. use blocks to build a school, make a hill out of sand, draw a picture of one’s house).
Correlations

Information and Media Literacy
Creativity and Innovation Skills
Communication Skills
CCSS Not Identified
I&TL: 4, 5, 6, 7

Standard 3: Civic Engagement

Civic competence in analyzing historical issues and current problems requires the synthesis of information, skills, and perspective.

3.1 – Use evidence to identify, analyze and evaluate historical interpretations.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 1. Identify basic emotions in self and others.
Correlations

Creativity and Innovation Skills
Communication Skills
NCSS 4 “Individual Development and Identity”
I&TL: 3

3.2 – Analyze and evaluate human action in historical and/or contemporary contexts from alternative points of view.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 2. Describe similarities of their feelings with those of others.
Correlations

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Social and Cross-Cultural Understanding
Information and Media Literacy
NCSS Appendix “Literacy Skills"

3.3 - Apply appropriate historical, geographic, political, economic and cultural concepts and methods in proposing and evaluating solutions to contemporary problems.

Grade Level Expectations
Students will be able to:

  • 3. Participate in teacher-led discussion to generate solutions to classroom problems or situations
  • Correlations

    Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
    Information and Media Literacy
    Creativity and Innovation Skills
    Communication Skills
    I&TL: 4, 6, 7
    NCSS Appendix 1 “Personal Interaction and Civic Engagement”

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