Elementary Social Studies
Philosophy
The Elementary Social Studies Program aims to develop concepts and skills needed to promote and maintain democratic values.
Objectives are geared to develop good citizens who understand the function of government.
An essential focus of the Altoona Area School District's Social Studies curriculum is to encourage pride and respect for Democratic ideals and heritage. Respect for the rights and opinions of others, cooperation, and responsibility are crucial concepts and skills inherent in the teaching of Social Studies.
Children should be aware of the fact that each group of people is unique and that heritage and environment play a major role in how people meet their needs and wants. A knowledge of economics is essential.
It is particularly important for students to realize that man's way of living and working in a particular place changes from time to time due to a new law, a new invention, or the depletion or discovery of a natural resource.
The Social Studies curriculum also aims to promote an understanding that past people and events have contributed greatly to the present, but that America still needs young people to understand, analyze, evaluate, and create new ideas.
Goals
- Explore how geography influences people and how people, in turn, affect their environment.
- Compare and contrast different environments and ways of life across the nation and the world.
- Understand how events of the past shape our lives today, including the development of governments and economies.
- Recognize and appreciate the contributions of diverse groups to the quality of life.
- Grasp how various government and economic systems work, including the importance of economic interdependence.
- Value and apply the responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society.
- Understand the importance of family and schools.
- Gather, analyze, and evaluate information to make informed decisions.