A Typical Social Studies CurriculumAs global barriers continue to fall thanks to the digital age the need for accurate and effective social studies has never been as apparent as it is now. Developing an appropriate social studies curriculum is necessary to properly equip students to conduct business across and around the globe. Deciding on what goes into a social studies curriculum is straight forward consisting of ten basic themes or essentials. This list is a broad overview of the basic elements involved in a social studies curriculum. CULTURE Culture is the collection of societal beliefs, values, and institutions. It governs behaviors, traditions, and the overall way a people conduct their lives. Culture is often irresponsibility overlooked or shoehorned into domestic culture at the expense of proper learning. Culture holds one of the greatest opportunities of miscommunication due to a lack of awareness. Incorporating culture in a social studies curriculum is vital. TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE The time and continuity of a people offers historic perspective and enables students to identify continuities of the overall people involved. This context is necessary to better embrace the culture of the people. PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS The physical world is foundational in determining a people’s culture and history. Understanding the evolving and varied environment offers a deep insight into a people’s culture and history. INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTITY Having a firm understanding of the growth of the individual is vital to a social studies curriculum. Understanding the interactivity of the individual relationship will allow students to establish commonality and understanding for effective communication and commerce and idea sharing. INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS As the study of the individual is necessary so to is the study of the group dynamic. Religion, government, and family groups play a vital role in culture and individual development. Establishing a firm understanding of these formations is critical to evaluating and interacting within the group and with individual elements of a culture or society. POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNACE Students of social studies must have a working knowledge of the hierarchy of the group structure of a society or culture. An appropriate curriculum will also showcase developments of the hierarchal evolution noting points in history for greater context. PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION Cultures and people from around the world produce and want goods. Studying the needs and desires of a culture and the ability to obtain goods in demand offers students a deeper understanding of the driving mechanisms within the society. How the goods are created or obtained and how goods are marketed or purchased should also be elements of the curriculum. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY Science and technology manifest in many incarnations within a society. Appropriate curriculum will explore the varying complexities of science understanding and technology and its impact on the social dynamic. This particular segment of the curriculum is built from preceding segments such as belief and builds off the foundational culture segment. GLOBAL CONNECTIONS A proper social studies curriculum will offer deep insight to evolving global connections. As the internet continues to strip away traditional barriers evolving curriculum will require facilitators to identify the impact outside influences have on indigenous societies and how indigenous societies are affecting outside influences. CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES At the core of any social studies curriculum is the teaching or instruction of how to respectfully and appropriately conduct one’s self with different cultures. A proper social studies curriculum will instruct students on acceptable practices. IN CONCLUSION The preceding list of ten traits is designed as a skeletal framework to offer facilitators and administrators a direction in constructing a social studies curriculum. |