Five Strands of Social Studies

What is Social Studies? The study of how people over time have interacted with each other and their environment. In social studies, we have “five strands” of social studies. A strand is an area of study.

What is Social Studies? Answers the burning question of “WHY?”. Why do people live there? Why do they speak that way? It combines the study of cultures, geography, history, economics, and government and their impact on our lives today … and tomorrow.

Five Strands (or pieces) to the Social Studies Puzzle They are… Economics Geography Government Culture History Each strand is COMBINED to create the identity of a region, a nation, and a person.

The study of people, places and the environment Physical features: Continents, oceans, and landforms Longitude & Latitude Geography Climate: weather over a period of time Political features: countries & cities The study of people, places and the environment

Art & Recreation Religion & Traditions Culture Food, Dress, & Greetings Language The beliefs, customs, laws, art, and ways of living of a group of people.

History A record of the past We learn history from 2 sources: Events that changed the way people live today We learn history from 2 sources: Primary source: document, person, or object from the actual time Secondary source: document, person, or object that interprets or analyzes primary sources History People who changed society A record of the past

Personal freedom Citizen participation Government Structure of the government Type of government The people and groups within a society that have the authority to make laws, to make sure they carried out, and to settle disagreements about them.

Economics Natural, Capital, and Human resources Economic systems: traditional, market, command, and mixed Economics Trade barriers, money, exchange rates Entrepreneurs The study of how people manage their scarce (limited) resources by producing, exchanging, and using goods and services.

Geography How does where you live affect how you live? How does the physical geography and climate affect how people live, work, and travel? What are the physical and political features of a region? How have humans changed the environment?

Culture How does cultural diffusion change the region in which you live? What is the belief system of the people and how does it affect the region? How does language affect the region? How does local culture affect the traditions of the region?

History How does the past shape the present? How have people and events changed society? How have influences of other, more powerful countries, affected countries today? What factors caused European countries to colonize the world?

Government How does citizen satisfaction impact the government? How much can a citizen participate in their government? Who has the power to make laws and policies for a nation? How many levels does the government have? (national, regional, and local)

Economics What factors influence a country’s standard of living? Who decides what, how, and for whom things are made? (gov’t, people, traditions) What is the role of entrepreneurs in the economy? How does free and restricted trade affect countries?