Social Studies
Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator Contact Information
Name: Derek Wright
email: dwright@crsd.org
Phone: 215-944-1385
Primary Location of Coordinator: Council Rock North High School
Social Studies Curriculum Overview
Council Rock School District’s Social Studies Program is rooted in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for History, Civics and Government, Economics, and Geography. The school district’s comprehensive social studies program provides all students with the tools they need to become independent learners in the 21st Century. Our program promotes critical thinking enabling students to analyze the change and continuity in the human condition.
Social Studies K-6: The primary grade elementary program, Kindergarten through Grade 2, focuses on students' learning on issues of citizenship. Additional explorations involve communal and individual classroom responsiveness and basic geography skills. The students will study about people who make a difference in their lives and people who made a difference in the past. Third graders will study the importance of the land upon which they live, the communities in which they live, as well as the basics of government and economics. The Grade 4 program has a focus on Pennsylvania and the five geographical regions of the United States. The Grade 5 program has a focus on colonization, the settlement of North America, and the American Revolution. In Grade 6, students will study the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, the Yellow and Nile Rivers, as well as the Aztec, Mayans, and Incas.
Social Studies 7-8:Middle school students explore World History in Grade 7 and United States History in Grade 8. Grade 7 is a study of the development of civilization beginning with the Greeks and culminating with the development of European nation states. Historical, geographic, economic, and political dynamics fuel discussion. Grade 8 is a chronological study from the Revolutionary War period through Reconstruction. The course will emphasize the study of economics, government, geography, and history. The content and skills of both courses enable students to demonstrate an understanding of chronological development and historical comprehension. Critical thinking skills develop with analytical and interpretive activities.
Social Studies 9 – 12: Grade 9 examines American history from the Gilded Age to post-World War II. Grade 10 continues with the emergence of modern America from post-World War II to the present day. Grade 11 emphasizes global/area studies. In the required courses, Grade 9 through Grade 11, historical content is the vehicle used for integrating various social studies disciplines. Skills of the courses focus on historical comprehension and chronological development with an emphasis on writing and reading. Further, the curriculum lends itself at all grades and levels to refining research skills.
Council Rock offers a variety of elective courses that are associated with the categories of history: government, diplomacy, economics, art/music/literature, social sciences, and technology. Included in the elective course offerings are Introduction to Economics, Honors Economic Theory, Current Issues, Gender Studies, Introduction to Psychology, Accelerated Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Honors U.S. Government And Politics. Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings consist of AP European History, AP United States History, AP World History, and AP Psychology.
Social Studies Special Programs and Related Events
Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society: Recognizing excellence in the field of Social Studies is this organization’s mission and purpose. With chapters at both CR North and CR South, eligible juniors and seniors engage in a variety of activities that promote civic engagement and community service.
Content Area Standards
Social Studies Priority Standards
Standards Aligned System (SAS)
Social Studies Textbooks By Grade and Course
Social Studies Curriculum Unit Pacing Guide
Social Studies Curriculum Unit Pacing Guide
Middle Level and High School Course Content Guides
Middle School Program Planning Guide