SOCIAL STUDIES PHILOSOPHY
This document contains a set of curriculum standards to guide social studies curricula, teaching,
learning tasks, and assessment identified for students in Adams Twelve Five Star Schools. The
framework of the standards consists of history and geography with economics and civics infused.
These standards define what students should learn in social studies programs in the early grades (K5), middle grades (6-8) and high school (9-12). Grade level and content standards identify
specifically what a student should know and be able to do. They integrate knowledge, skills and
perspectives that will remain useful throughout life.
The identification of separate standards for history and geography is in no way intended to specify
that the content be taught in that manner. Rather, history, geography, civics and economics should be
seen as broadly integrative subjects that serve as the links among the social studies. This perspective
empowers Adams 12 Five Star Schools teachers to make professional choices about when to address
the discrete pieces of individual disciplines and when integration is most appropriate. The Social
Studies Curriculum Framework is integrated in a manner so that students can develop a deep, wellrounded understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
These standards were developed and organized in full collaboration with the Colorado Department of
Education, National Councils for the Social Studies, National Council for Geographic Education,
National Center for History in the Schools, Colorado Council on Economic Education, National
Standards for Civics and Government, social studies educators in the field, and the general public.
Revisions were made because of the valuable input of these individuals and groups.
The informed student understands and applies knowledge gained from study within and between the
social science disciplines. The informed citizen makes decisions based on just such knowledge.
These standards frame what citizens of the 21st Century must know and be able to do.
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SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY CONTENT STANDARDS
I:
Students know how to use maps, globes, and other geographic tools to
locate and derive information about people, places, and environments.
II:
Students know the physical and human characteristics of places and can
use this knowledge to define and study regions for the purpose of
interpreting patterns of change.
III:
Students understand how natural process shape Earth's surface
patterns and systems.
IV:
Students understand how economic, political, cultural, and social
processes interact to shape patterns of human populations,
interdependence, conflict, and cooperation on Earth's surface.
V:
Students understand the effects of interactions between human and
natural systems* and the changes in meaning, use, distribution, and
importance of resources.
VI:
Students apply knowledge of people, places, and environments to
understand the past and present and to plan for the future.
P10-20 (Rev 04/04)
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Use of the Curriculum Frameworks
The Social Studies Curriculum Frameworks contain references to “AT&P” in the third column entitled “Resources.” This refers
to the 1997, 1999, and 2001 editions of the Adventures in Time and Place, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill textbooks.
The newest edition of the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill textbooks is called Social Studies. The resources for this 2003 edition are
currently being prepared. They will be added to the frameworks upon their completion.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY
Adventures in Time and Place - Macmillan/McGraw-Hill
Social Studies, Mcmillan/McGraw-Hill (2003)
Grade 3
CONTENT STANDARD I:
The student knows
and is able to:
Use maps, globes, and
other geographic tools
and technologies.
Students know how to use maps, globes, and other geographic tools to
locate and derive information about people, places, and environments.
Indicators of Performance
Resources
Uses geographical representations of the physical
environment including models, maps and globes,
and other geographic tools.
AT&P:
Map and Globe Skills: G5, G9, G10, G11,
6, 10, 23, 25, 33, 34, 40, 51, 53, 57, 58, 59,
61, 69, 73, 79, 89, 97, 99, 106, 117, 120,
126, 133, 145, 147, 165, 167, 171, 176,
179, 184, 187, 209, 211, 225, 237, 241,
243, 249, 251, 257, 272, 275, 279, 293,
298, 302, 319, 322, 329, R4, R5, R6, R8,
R10.
Chapter 2, Geography Skills: Using
Intermediary Directions, pp. 50-51.
Chapter 2, Geography Skills:
Understanding Hemispheres, pp. 58-59.
Chapter 10, Geography Skills: Reading
Transportation Maps, pp. 248-249.
Identifies characteristics of physical and political
maps.
Compares locations, populations, and physical
regions of various cities.
Designs and interprets map keys/legends.
Develop knowledge of
Earth to locate people,
places, and environments.
Analyze the spatial*
organization of people,
places, and environments
on Earth's surface.
Defines basic geographic vocabulary; e.g.,
location, distance, scale, region, key, legend.
Describes the environment of one’s own
community as it compares to another:

location

direction

distance

geographic features
Introduces absolute (specific) location and relative
(near, far, close to) location.
Introduces absolute and relative location of place
within their community; e.g., absolute: river,
lakes; relative: shopping centers, schools.
Describes how places are connected by movement
of goods and services; e.g., ideas and people.
*see glossary
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AT&P:
Chapter 2, Lesson 1: Our Country’s
Geography, pp. 36-43.
Uses own community.
AT&P:
Chapter 1, Lesson 1: Looking at
Community, pp. 8-13.
Uses own community.
AT&P:
Chapter 11, Lesson 1: Jobs and Money, pp.
274-278.
Chapter 11, Global Connections: Life in
Japan, pp. 292-295.
Chapter 12, Global Connections: Partners
in Trade, pp. 320-323.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY
Grade 3
CONTENT STANDARD II:
The student knows
and is able to:
Explain the physical and
human characteristics of
places.
Students know the physical and human characteristics of places and
study regions for the purpose of interpreting patterns of change.
Indicators of Performance
Describes the physical features and human
characteristics of the community; e.g., physical:
grass, trees, hills and; human: buildings, streets,
boundaries.
Resources
AT&P:
Chapter 1, Lesson 1: Looking at a
Community, pp. 8-13.
Uses own community.
Explain how and why
people define regions.
Introduces regions as an area with unifying
geographic characteristics.
Introduces the characteristics of a political region
(community) including: population, boundaries,
and government.
Explain how culture and
experience influence
people's perception of
places and regions.
P10-20 (Rev 04/04)
Introduces two political regions including:
population, boundaries, government, and cultural
groups.
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AT&P:
Chapter 2, Lesson 1: Our Country’s
Geography, pp. 36-43.
Uses own community.
AT&P:
Chapter 1, Lesson 2: Communities Across
the United States, pp. 16-21.
Chapter 5, Lesson 1: The Geography of
San Antonio, pp. 118-121.
Chapter 9, Lesson 2: Coming to America,
pp. 218-223.
Chapter 9, Lesson 4: Immigration Today,
pp. 232-236.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY
Grade 3
CONTENT STANDARD III:
Students understand how natural process shape Earth's surface*
patterns and systems.
The student knows and is
able to:
Indicators of Performance
Explain the natural processes that
shape Earth's surface patterns.
See Science Curriculum Framework
Content Standard IV
Explain the characteristics and
distributions of natural systems of
land, air, and water.
See Science Curriculum Framework
Content Standard IV
Apply the concept of ecosystems to
understand environmental issues.
No indicators of performance at this
level.
*see glossary
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Resources
Units which support Science Content
Standard IV
AT&P:
Chapter 2, Lesson 2: Caring for Our
Natural Resources, pp. 46-49.
Chapter 12, Lesson 1: On the Farm, pp.
300-305.
Chapter 12, Lesson 2: Mining the Land, pp.
308-311.
Chapter 2, Global Connections: A Fishing
Community in Peru, pp. 52-57.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY
Grade 3
CONTENT STANDARD IV:
The student knows
and is able to:
Explain the characteristics,
location, distribution, and
migration of human
populations.
Students understand how natural economic, political, cultural, and
social processes interact to shape patterns of human populations,
interdependence, conflict, and cooperation on Earth's surface.
Indicators of Performance
Identifies on a map and discusses the
population distribution of the local
community.
Introduces migration and identifies the
causes of migration.
Defines immigration and identifies the
causes.
Explain the nature and
spatial distribution of
cultural patterns.
Explores examples of how culture in a
community affects people; e.g., Cinco de
Mayo, farmer’s markets, ethnic restaurants.
Explain the patterns and
networks of economic
interdependence.
Identifies goods and services provided in the
community.
Identifies and explains scarcity.
Identifies and explains opportunity cost*;
e.g., choose to go to a movie instead of
doing your homework, your opportunity cost
is getting a good grade.
Recognizes the three economic questions:
What produced; How produced; For whom
produced.
Recognizes the market economy* which is
used to produce, distribute, and exchange
goods and services.
Explain the processes,
patterns, and function of
human settlement.
Constructs a model or a map of the
community indicating specified areas where
people live, shop, and play, and which they
use for recreation.
Lists the types of transportation and
communication used in the local
community; e.g., bike, car, plane;
telephone, television, newspapers, fax.
Explain how the forces of
cooperation and conflict
among people influence the
division and control of
Earth's surface.
Explains how conflict and cooperation affect
a community; e.g., city elections and city
planning, land use, boundaries and location
of schools and roads.
Identifies a variety of products which use
similar resources that can be used in
alternate ways; e.g., land used for a
shopping center rather than a park.
Describes consequences of choices.
*see glossary
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Resources
AT&P:
Chapter 9, Lesson 2: Coming to America, pp. 218223.
Chapter 9, Lesson 3: Moving to Northern Cities, pp.
224-229.
Chapter 9, Lesson 7: Immigration Today, pp. 232236.
Uses own community.
AT&P:
Chapter 11, Lesson 1: Jobs and Money, pp. 274278.
Chapter 11, Lesson 2: People at Work, pp. 280-289.
Chapter 12, Lesson 1: On the Farm, pp. 300-305.
Chapter 12, Lesson 2: Mining the Land, pp. 308311.
Chapter 12, Lesson 3: On the Assembly Line, pp.
312-318.
Uses own community.
Economics Unit: Choices and Changes: Colorado
Council of Economics.
Mini Society: Colorado Council of Economics.
AT&P:
Chapter 10, Lesson 1: On the Go, pp. 242-247.
Chapter 10, Geography: Reading Transportation
Maps, pp. 248-249.
Chapter 10, Lesson 2: Keeping in Touch, pp. 250255.
Uses own community.
AT&P:
Chapter 2, Lesson 2: Caring for Our Natural
Resources, pp. 46-49.
Chapter 5, Citizenship: Making a Difference, p. 123.
Chapter 8, Lesson 2: Citizens in Action, pp. 192199.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY
Grade 3
CONTENT STANDARD V:
The student knows
and is able to:
Explain how human actions
modify the natural
environment.
Students understand the effects of interactions between human and
natural systems and the changes in meaning, use, distribution, and
importance of resources.
Indicators of Performance
Identifies changes that have taken place in
the environment of the local community in
the past decade.
Resources
AT&P:
Chapter 2, Lesson 2: Caring for Our Natural
Resources, pp. 46-49.
Chapter 2, Global Connections: A Fishing
Community in Peru, pp. 52-57.
Uses own community.
Explain how natural
systems affect human
systems.
See Science Curriculum Framework
Content Standard IV “Air and Weather”
Explain the changes that
occur in the meaning, use,
location, distribution, and
importance of resources.
Identifies one natural physical and human
resource in the local community and
explains how that resource is being used
now and how it was used in the past (a
decade or more in the past); e.g., land,
water, oil, trees.
Lists characteristics of renewable and
nonrenewable resources.
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AT&P:
Chapter 12, Lesson 1: On the Farm, pp. 300-305.
Chapter 12, Lesson 2: Mining the Land, pp. 308311.
Uses own community.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GEOGRAPHY
Grade 3
CONTENT STANDARD VI:
The student knows and is able
to:
Apply geography to understand the
past.
Students apply knowledge of people, places, and environments to
understand the past and present and to plan for the future.
Indicators of Performance
Describes how the community has changed
over time in terms of its physical
environment.
Resources
AT&P:
Chapter 2, Lesson 1: Our Country’s
Geography, pp. 36-43.
Uses own community.
Apply geography to understand the
present and plan for the future.
Investigates how the community has
changed over time.
AT&P:
Chapter 1: Legacy, pp. 14-15.
Uses own community.
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GLOSSARY
aerial (air) photograph: a photograph of part of Earth's surface usually taken from an airplane.
accessibility: the relative ease with which a place can be reached from other places.
database: a compilation, structuring, and categorization of information (print or electronic) for
analysis and interpretation.
environmental: everything in and on Earth's surface and its atmosphere within which organisms,
communities, or objects exist.
market economy: an economic system where most goods and services are exchanged through
transactions between households and businesses.
opportunity cost: the highest valued alternative that must be given up when another option is
chosen.
physical system: climates, land forms, and soils are examples of natural or physical systems.
region: an area with one or more common characteristics or features, which give it a measure of
homogeneity and make it different from surrounding areas.
spatial: pertains to space on Earth's surface.
surface: Earth's natural or physical process.
system: a collection of entities that are linked and interrelated, such as hydrologic cycle, cities, and
transportation modes.
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