Social Studies

The City’s Social Studies program has as its foundation the New York State Social Studies Core Curriculum. Through explorations of history, geography, economics, government, and civics, students learn about the people, places, eras, and events near and far that shaped our world.

In grades K-2, students begin to develop awareness about self, family, neighborhoods, and communities large and small. In grades 3-5, they are introduced to the diversity of world communities, the historic development of New York State, and the similarities and differences among the nations that make up the Western hemisphere (North, Central and South America and the Caribbean).

Middle school students study the complexities of the Eastern hemisphere nations (Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia) in grade 6 and enhance their historical knowledge of the United States in grades 7 and 8.

When students enter high school they take on the demands of in-depth studies of American History, Global History, and Government.

To graduate from high school, students must earn at least 8 Social Studies credits (4 in Global History, 2 in American History, 1 in Economics, and 1 in Participation in Government). To fulfill the Social Studies requirements towards a Regents Diploma, they must score at least 65 on two Regents exams: Global History and Geography and U.S. History and Government.

The Department has developed a K-8 Social Studies Scope and Sequence, which went into effect during the 2008-09 school year along with a Scope and Sequence for high school.

The Core Curriculum Initiative, a New York City standard program that aims to provide a common core of rigorous, high-quality curricula and instructional materials to NYC classrooms, introduced core curriculum social studies materials to grades four and seven in 2008-09. Schools have the option of utilizing a text book program or a trade book program and supplement these materials with primary source kits, maps, atlases, and realia. Social Studies core curriculum is rolling out for grades five and eight in 2009-10. Grades three and six will follow in the 2010-11 school year.

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