SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS - Grades K-3

U.S. HISTORY

A. *Family Life Today and In the Past

Standard: The student will understand how families live today and in earlier times, recognizing that some aspects change over time while others stay the same.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will compare family life in his or her community from earlier times and today.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will compare family life in at least three distant places and times.		X	X
3. Students will compare technologies from earlier times and today, and identify the impact of invention on historical change.	X	X

B. *Famous People and Events in U.S. History

Standard: The student will recognize people and events that made significant contributions to U.S. history.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Student will know individuals and groups associated with key turning points in U.S. History.	X	X	X	X

C. *Many Peoples and Cultures Meet in the Making of North America

Standard: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the people who settled in North America.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will understand that large and diverse American Indian nations were the original inhabitants of North America.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of European exploration and settlement of the North American continent and the resulting interaction with American Indian nations.	X	X	X	X

WORLD HISTORY

A. *Family Life Today and in the Past

Standard: The student will understand how families live today and in earlier times, recognizing that some aspects change over time while others stay the same.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will compare family life in their own communities from earlier times and today.	X	X		X
2. Students will compare family life in at least three distant places and times.				X
3. Students will compare technologies from earlier times and today, and identify the impact of invention on historical change.	X	X

B. *Civilizations in World History

Standard: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of past cultures around the world.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of past cultures around the world.				X

C. *Famous People in World History

Standard: The student will recognize individuals or groups that have shaped the world.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will become familiar with people who have made cultural (scientific, artistic, literary and industrial) contributions to world history, and analyze the significance of their contributions.		Queen Isabella	Lenardo DiVinci

HISTORICAL SKILLS

A. *Concepts of Time

Standard: The student will demonstrate chronological thinking.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will define and use terms for concepts of historical time.			X	X
2. Students will place events in chronological order.	X	X	X	X

GEOGRAPHY

A. *Concepts of Location

Standard: The student will use directional and positional words to locate and describe people, places and things.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will describe the location of people, places and things by using positional words.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will use maps and globes to locate places referenced in stories and real life situations.	X	X	X	X
3. Students will explain that an address locates a specific place.	X	X	X	X
4. Students will name and use directional words to describe locations of places in the school and community. Students will locate places by using simple maps and understand that maps are drawings of locations and places as viewed from above.	X	X	X	X
5. Students will use the equator and poles as reference points to describe locations.	X	X	X	X
6. Students will compare distances between two or more places shown on a map with simple terms, such as farther and closer.	X	X	X	X

B. *Concepts of Location

Standard: The student will demonstrate working knowledge of the cardinal directions.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will use cardinal and intermediate directions to locate places.		X	X	X

C. *Maps and Globes

Standard: The student will use and create maps and globes to locate people, places and things.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will locate places by using simple maps and understand that maps are drawings of locations and places as viewed from above.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will recognize and locate the outline shape of the state of Minnesota on a map/globe.		X	X	X
3. Students will create and interpret simple maps using the map elements of title, direction, symbols and a map key or legend.		X	X	X
4. Students will locate the continents and oceans on a map of the world and a globe.		X	X	X
5. Students will recognize the outline shape of the contiguous United States.		X	X	X

D. *Physical Features and Processes

Standard: The student will distinguish between physical and human-made features of places on the Earth’s surface.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will name and locate physical features of the United States, including places about which they have read.		X	X	X

ECONOMICS

A. *Economic Choices

Standard: The student will understand that economic choices are necessary in life.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will identify the difference between basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) and wants (things people would like to have).	X	X	X	X
2. Students will explain that money can be used to buy goods and services.		X	X	X
3. Students will understand and explain that the concept of scarcity means that one cannot have all the goods and services that one wants.		X	X	X
4. Students will understand and explain that as producers they can earn money (income) that can be spent or saved as they choose.			X	X

GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENSHIP

A. *Civic Values, Skills, Rights and Responsibilities

Standard: The student will describe civic values, rights and responsibilities in a republic.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Student will demonstrate knowledge of civic values that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in a civic life.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will explain the rights and responsibilities of people living in a democracy, including the principle of majority rule and minority rights.	X	X	X	X

Standard: The student will understand the importance of participation in the civic life and demonstrate effective civic skills.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will explain the importance of participation and cooperation in a classroom and community and explain how people can make a difference in others’ lives.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will describe how they can influence school rules by studying and discussing issues and presenting their concerns to the people in authority.	X	X	X	X
3. Students will explain the importance of voting and how one vote can make a difference.	X	X	X	X
4. Students will explain that people have diverse viewpoints and that speaking and listening to others is important.	X	X	X	X

B. *Beliefs and Principles of United States Democracy

Standard: The student will understand the role of government, rules and law and why we have them.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will give examples of rules in the classroom/school and community, provide reasons for the specific rules and know the characteristics of good rules.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will explain that rules and laws apply to everyone and describe consequences for breaking the rules or laws.	X	X	X	X

Standard: The student will know key symbols, songs and locations that represent our nation and state.

Benchmarks	Kindergarten	Gr. 1	Gr. 2	Gr. 3
1. Students will recognize the symbols, songs, locations that uniquely identify our nation.	X	X	X	X
2. Students will recognize symbols that are significant for the state of Minnesota.		X	X	X
3. Students will describe key national holidays and explain why people celebrate them.