The Heart of the Social Studies Curriculum

An integrated and multidisciplinary study

An integrated and multidisciplinary study of people, their societies, environments, cultures, and traditions is social studies. The social studies accomplish this with the aid of academic fields including geography, psychology, anthropology, political science, economics, and sociology. The ten social studies themes—culture, time continuity and change, people, places, and environments, individual development and identity, people, groups, and institutions, power, authority, and governance, production, distribution, and consumption—as well as science, technology, and society, global connections, and civic ideals and practices—should be covered in the social studies curriculum. This places history at the core of the social studies curriculum, taking into account the themes (National Council for the Social Studies, n.d.).

History is the heart of the social studies curriculum

History is the heart of the social studies curriculum because it enables the students to understand the past, change, and continuity of humanity. Humans have different cultures and traditions which in turn make different institutions. “The historical experiences of societies, peoples, and nations reveal patterns of continuity and change” (National Council for the Social Studies. (n.d)) thus historical analysis guides the students to identify the past and continuity of the institutions. This in turn influences invention and innovation of new ways and ideas.

Appreciating historical perspectives

History is also the heart of the social studies curriculum because when it is integrated the students get to appreciate the different historical perspectives of humans, societies, and institutions as well as events. This enables them to utilize the historical inquiry method which equips them with skills to the historical views of other scholars. It also enables them to understand and compare the past and current power, authority, governance, and technology. For instance, technology has resulted in a great social change in the 21st-century generation compared to the 19th-century generation. It is through history which is integrated into the curriculum which enables the students to be aware of this.

Understanding changes and continuity

History is the heart of the social studies curriculum. This is because it enables students to understand the past. It also enables students to appreciate the historical perspectives of other scholars and understand the changes and continuity of cultures, society, and institutions.

Reference

National Council for the Social Studies. (n.d.). National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: Chapter 2—the Themes of Social Studies | National Council for the Social Studies. Retrieved from https://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands.