1. New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework
Stephen LaMorte
Director of Testing, City School District of Rochester
Patricia Polan
Associate in Instructional Services, Social Studies
Office of Curriculum and Instruction
This work begin shortly after the adoption of the Common Core Learning Standards by New York State in There had been consideration of just taking the existing Core Curriculum and Resource Guide and develop lessons that demonstrate how common core practices could be used in social studies. However, a decision was made to be sure to clearly articulate the social studies skills and practices. The social studies disciplines require different skills beyond reading, writing, speaking and listening.
The Board of Regents asked that the Global History and Geography course be split into two distinct courses. This necessitated looking carefully at how the course was currently taught, asking the field for recommendations on how to split the course and finally making a decision with a chronological course of study that is focusing on the “modern era” (post 1750) for grade 10.
Another challenge to this work was to incorporate the important events since the last published guide, which did not include 9/11 or the election of President Obama. However, the incorporation of additional material necessitated a critical look at what could be deleted, as the intent was also to offer students an opportunity to delve deeper into content.

2. Same 5 NYS Social Studies Learning Standards
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York
Standard 2: World History 
Standard 3: Geography
Standard 4: Economics
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government
The New York State Learning Standards which were approved in 1996 still serve as the foundation for the social studies program. These cover the major disciplines in social studies: history, geography, economics and civics (as identified by the C3 framework)
1. Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.
2. Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.
 3. Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live—local, national, and global—including the distribution of people, places, and environments over Earth’s surface.
4. Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.
5. Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental systems of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

3. Course of Study Remains Same
Grade
Course of Study
Kindergarten
Self and Others
Grade 1
My Family and Other Families, Now and Long Ago
Grade 2
My Community and Other Communities
Grade 3
Communities around the World
Grade 4
Local History and Local Government
Grade 5
The Western Hemisphere
Grade 6
The Eastern Hemisphere
Grade 7
United States and New York History – I
Grade 8
United States and New York History – II
Grade 9
Global History and Geography – I
Grade 10
Global History and Geography – II
Grade 11
United States History and Government
Grade 12
Participation in Government
Economics and Economic Decision Making
The course of study and the topics for each grade remain the same; we are taking a new approach to the content within each grade to align it more to the demands of the Common Core. There have been very limited changes to the course titles: Grade 2 dropped US communities, Grade 3 dropped the subtitle: People and Places learning, Grade 5 had identified specifically the United States, Canada and Latin America; for better alignment it is now referred to as The Western Hemisphere

4. New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework
Using the Inquiry Arc as a model for instructional change, the Framework specifically intends to see this instructional change by integrating:
Key ideas/conceptual understandings with the supporting content specifications AND
Common Core Literacy Skills with
Social Studies Practices

5. The Foundation: Key Ideas, Conceptual Understandings & Content Specifications
Interdependent
CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDINGS
Relationship of content and structure of this work. When the work began, the first approach had been to look at the existing Core Curriculum and Resource Guide and determine what types of activities could be designed that embraced the Common Core Learning Standards. Then, discussion was opened to a broader look at the social studies curriculum. There had been consideration of revamping the course sequence; however, it was decided that schools had enough change going on that we couldn’t introduce major change to social studies.
Instead, the first attempt was to do “less” and hence the first draft was just key ideas and conceptual understandings. From survey responses, it became evident that teachers wanted more guidance. The content specifications were developed to serve as “runway lights” to guide teacher’s thinking in developing curriculum.
Keeping to “less” grade 5 and grade 6 have only 7 key ideas.
Grade 7 – has 8 key ideas –from Native Americans, colonial development, independence, constitution development; constitution in practice (New York State Constitution), Westward movement, reform movements and civil war.
Grade 8 – 9 key ideas: Reconstruction, a Changing society (industrialization and immigration), Expansion and Imperialism, WWI and roaring 20’s; Great Depression, WWII, Foreign Policy; Demographic Change; Domestic Policy and Reform
CONTENT
SPECIFICATIONS

6. How to Read the Framework
4.5 IN SEARCH OF FREEDOM AND A CALL FOR CHANGE: Different groups of people did not have equal rights and freedoms. People worked to bring about change. The struggle for rights and freedoms was one factor in the division of the United States that resulted in the Civil War.
(Standards: 1, 5; Themes: ID, TCC, SOC, CIV)
4.5a There were slaves in New York State. People worked to fight against slavery and for change.
Students will examine life as a slave in New York State.
Students will investigate people who took action to abolish slavery, including Samuel Cornish, Fredrick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Harriet Tubman.
Key
Idea
Conceptual
Understanding
Key ideas—the central organizing feature for each grade—
represent the essential and enduring content understandings that should be the focus of teaching and learning for each grade.
Conceptual Understandings—more specific statements that support the key idea
Content specifications—identify particular social studies content that helps to illuminate the conceptual understandings, providing examples within the context of “student will” statements in order to suggest broad instructional activities.
Content Specifications

7. Social Studies Practices
1. Gathering, Using, and Interpreting Evidence 2. Chronological Reasoning and Causation 3. Comparison and Contextualization 4. Geographic Reasoning 5. Economics and Economics Systems 6. Civic Participation
SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HISTORICAL THINKING SKILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! … Practices and Common Core BUILD SKILL….part of same red band on arc.
The Social Studies Practices represent the social science and historical thinking skills that students should develop throughout their K-12 education in order to be prepared for civic participation, college, and careers. Similar to the Mathematical Practices within the Common Core Learning Standards, the Social Studies Practices should be infused with the Social Studies content contained within the Key Ideas and Conceptual Understandings. The Practices were created based on the existing New York State Social Studies Learning Standards, the National Geography Standards, the historical thinking skills articulated within the new Advanced Placement World History Curriculum Framework, the National Council for the Social Studies Standards, and the Habits of the Mind published by the National Council for History Education.

8. Common Core Standards Reading Writing Speaking and Listening
Key Ideas and Details
Craft and Structure
Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
Range of Reading & Text Complexity
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
Production and Distribution of Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Range of Writing
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
The Framework imbeds the Common Core Skills for each grade level K-8, and for 9-10 and These align closely to the Common Core Learning Standards.
Note: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT TO READING A TEXT……INTEGRATING SKILL AND CONTENT

9. Common Core Literacy Skills
Reading
Key Ideas and Details
Craft and Structure
Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
Range of Reading & Text Complexity
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
Production and Distribution of Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Range of Writing
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
The Framework imbeds the Common Core Skills for each grade level K-8, and for 9-10 and These align closely to the Common Core Learning Standards.
Note: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT TO READING A TEXT……INTEGRATING SKILL AND CONTENT

10. Unifying Themes Individual Development & Cultural Identity
Development, Movement & Interaction of Cultures
Time, Continuity & Change
Geography, Humans and the Environment
Development and Transformation of Social Structures
Power, Authority & Governance
Civic Ideals
Creation, Expansion and Interaction of Economic Systems
Science, Technology and Innovation
Global Connections and Exchange

11. Published by the National Council for the Social Studies in September 2014, this work was reviewed and elements of it were added to the framework.

12. C3 Inquiry Arc What is the C3 Framework? Inquiry Arc
Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts (Civics, Economics, Geography, and History)
Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action
The dimensions of the Inquiry Arc as presented in the C3 Framework are:
Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts
Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
Communicating Conclusion and Taking Informed Action

13. NY Social Studies Framework 3 Instructional Shifts
Focus on Conceptual Understanding.
Foster Student Inquiry, Collaboration, and Informed Action.
Integrate Content and Skills Purposefully.
As the C3 framework was published, it became evident that the shifts we have identified align closely to what the authors of the C3 intend.

14. C3 Framework Shifts Craft questions that matter.
Establish a collaborative context to support student inquiry.
Integrate content and skills meaningfully.
Articulate disciplinary literacy practices and outcomes.
Provide tangible opportunities for taking informed action.

15. Instructional Shift #1: Focus on Conceptual Understanding
Transfer and Connections
Facts
Breadth of Topics
Depth within Topics
From
Recall
Concepts and Content Knowledge To
????
????
This is the time for audience participation:
Facts to ?? Concepts and Content Knowledge
Breadth of Topics to Depth within Topics
Recall to Transfer and Connection
????

16. Instructional Shift #2: Foster Student Inquiry, Collaboration, and Informed Action
From To
Teacher as Disseminator
Students Learn Facts from Textbook
Students Retell Interpretations
Students Investigate the Social Sciences Using Multiple Sources
Teacher as Facilitator of Investigation
Students Construct Interpretations and Communicate Conclusions
????
????
Teacher as Disseminator to Teacher as facilitator of investigation
Students Learn Facts from Textbook to Student investigate the social sciences using multiple sources
Students retell interpretations to students construct interpretations and communicate conclusions
????

17. Instructional Shift #3: Integrate Content and Skills Purposefully
FROM A Social Studies Classroom Where…
TO A Social Studies Classroom
Where…
Students experience an additional nonfiction reading class or textbook focused instruction
Students learn to read, discuss, and write like social scientists
Students develop literacy skills and social studies practices separately
Students develop disciplinary literacy skills and social science practices in tandem
Students learn content knowledge
Students integrate and apply concepts, skills, and content knowledge
????
????
Students experience an additional nonfiction reading class or textbook focused instruction TO
Students learn to read, discuss and write like social scientists
Students develop literacy skills and social studies practices separately TO
Students develop disciplinary literacy skills and social science practices in tandem
Students learn content knowledge TO
Students integrate and apply concepts, skills and content knowledge.
????

18. A new paradigm for social studies
In content-rich subjects, traditionally it has been facts first, thinking later
…and it hasn’t worked.
* * * * *
The C3 Inquiry Arc starts with thinking with a purpose
…answering a compelling question
From S.G. Grant’s work
Time to read article

19. Compelling questions
Intellectually meaty
Kid friendly

20. Intellectually meaty
Reflects an enduring issue, concern, or debate in the field
Demands the use of multiple disciplinary lenses and perspectives

21. Kid friendly
Reflects a quality or condition that we know children care about
Honors and respects children’s intellectual efforts

22. Did Reconstruction Really Free African Americans?
Intellectually meaty?
Kid friendly?
NOTE: Work on the field guide began with this. However, it has been revised to “Did African Americans gain their freedom during the era of Reconstruction?

23. Compelling…or not so compelling?
Why do we need rules?
What are the five largest sources of oil for U.S. markets?
Why is Albany the capital of New York?
Who are our community helpers?
Can Canada and the US be friends forever?
Who won the Cold War?

24. NYS K-12 Social Studies Resource Toolkit Project
To marry the global vision of the C3 Framework to the content specifics of the NYS Framework in a way that honors, supports, and extends teachers’ and students’ best classroom ambitions
Partnership with SUNY Binghamton; collaboration with C3 authors
Develop Toolkit to equip teachers and districts to design curriculum and instruction
To marry the global vision of the C3 Framework to the content specifics of the NYS Framework in a way that honors, supports, and extends teachers’ and students’ best classroom ambitions
Partnership with SUNY Binghamton; collaboration with C3 authors –SG Grant, John Lee and Kathy Swan
Develop Toolkit to equip teachers and districts to design curriculum and instruction

25. The toolkit project What…and When
Resources —14 Annotated Inquiries (1 per grade) and 70 Abridged Inquiries/(5 per grade) July 2014-August, 2015
Professional Development—District, State-Level, and National/July 2014-August 2015
Assessment—Assistance with design of new Regents exams/Spring 2015-Spring 2018/19

27. Why inquiries rather than units…
Inquiries are not fully-developed content units or modules
Inquiries enable pedagogical coherence
An inquiry need not necessarily cover an entire key idea
A Key Idea (e.g., Native Americans in New York) may necessitate several inquiries
Teacher expertise and agency is key

28. What should teachers do NOW?
Review Social Studies Practices for Grade Level
Evaluate current instructional practices
Professional Development Readings
Professional Organizations:
Council for the Social Studies (national, state & local)
New York State Elementary Classroom Teachers Associations
New York Geographic Alliance
Read Introduction to the Framework
Review Social Studies Practices for Grade Level
Evaluate current instructional practices – are you filling up their heads? are you making connections to today—their world?
Professional Development Readings – (handout)
Professional Organizations
New York State Council for the Social Studies
National Council for the Social Studies
New York Geographic Alliance

29. A Program that Supports Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Final Slide