What is Social Studies?

The subject area commonly referred to as social studies is a collection of academic disciplines such as history, geography, civics, and economics. It also includes social sciences such as psychology, anthropology, and sociology. The integration of these fields in primary and secondary education occurred to various degrees, across the nation in the early 20th Century and has remained a common practice to this day. In the state of Virginia, the social studies standards are mostly comprised of traditional history objectives. For this reason, it is more accurate to say that our students study history and the social sciences in grades K-12.

Teachers of the social studies at the secondary level usually carry a teaching license in History and the Social Sciences, although occasionally a teacher may be licensed to teach history but not the other social sciences. The comprehensive course work required of those licensed to teach History and the Social Sciences is excellent preparation for teaching at the secondary level and includes study in economics, political science, geography, and much more. The nature of instruction at the elementary level requires a broader base of knowledge but often includes social science course work in human development as well as basic American history courses.

The study of social studies is critical to maintaining our democracy and preserving our cultural heritage. Proper instruction in social studies can help students better understand the concepts of change over time, cause and effect, and it also helps us to understand ourselves and others through exposure to a variety of people, events and places that broaden our understanding of our world. Through the study of social studies, students develop writing, argumentative and critical reasoning skills that will serve them a variety of professional fields to include: law, journalism, medicine, business, education and many other areas.

Click here for a PowerPoint overview of the PWCS Social Studies Program.