History and Social Studies Grade Expectations – PreK-K

Social and Historical Questioning

H&SSPK-K:1

Students initiate an inquiry by…

· Developing a question by completing prompts, “I wonder…?”,

“Why…?”, “How is this like…?”.

Hypothesis/Research Statement

H&SSPK-K:2

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?).

Research Plan

H&SSPK-K:3

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.

Conducting Research

H&SSPK-K:4

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.

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. i

· Differentiating among fact, opinion, and interpretation

when sharing stories or retelling events, especially those

that relate to family and friends. i

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).

· Identifying an important event in their lives.

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 – yard, playground, sidewalk, roads.

· Describing or identifying a map or globe.

· Using vocabulary which defines location in space (e.g.

near, far, above, below).

· Using a simple map to find something.

· Creating a simple map showing the student in relation to

some other meaningful place (e.g., using a flannel board to

show the location of the student’s desk in the classroom).

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).

H&SSPK-K:14

Students act as citizens by…

· Identifying various groups that they belong to (e.g., I’m a

part of a family, I’m a part of a class, I’m 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.).

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., farmers’ 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.