GSD meets the following National Social Studies standards:

I. Culture

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity, so that the learner can:

a. explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns;

b. give examples of how experiences may be interpreted differently by people from diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;

d. compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions;

e. give examples and describe the importance of cultural unity and diversity within and across groups.

II. Time, Continuity, & Change

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time, so that the learner can:

a. demonstrate an understanding that different people may describe the same event or situation in diverse ways, citing reasons for the differences in views;

e. demonstrate an understanding that people in different times and places view the world differently;

f. use knowledge of facts and concepts drawn from history, along with elements of historical inquiry, to inform decision-making about and action-taking on public issues.

III. People, Places, & Environments

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments, so that the learner can:

g. describe how people create places that reflect ideas, personality, culture, and wants and needs as they design homes, playgrounds, classrooms, and the like;

IV. Individual Development & Identity

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity, so that the learner can:

a. describe personal changes over time, such as those related to physical development and personal interests;

b. describe personal connections to place— especially place as associated with immediate surroundings;

d. show how learning and physical development affect behavior;

e. identify and describe ways family, groups, and community influence the individual’s daily life and personal choices;

f. explore factors that contribute to one’s personal identity such as interests, capabilities, and perceptions;

g. analyze a particular event to identify reasons individuals might respond to it in different ways;

V. Individuals, Groups, & Institutions

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions, so that the learner can:

b. give examples of and explain group and institutional influences such as religious beliefs, laws, and peer pressure, on people, events, and elements of culture;

d. identify and describe examples of tensions between and among individuals, groups, or institutions, and how belonging to more than one group can cause internal conflicts;

e. identify and describe examples of tensions between individual’s beliefs and government policies and laws;

f. give examples of the role of institutions in furthering both continuity and change;

g. show how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good, and identify examples of where they fail to do so.

VI. Power, Authority, & Governance

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance, so that the learner can:

a. examine the rights and responsibilities of the individual in relation to his or her social group, such as family, peer groups, and school class;

g. explore the role of technology in communications, transportation, information-processing, weapons development, or other areas as it contributes to or helps resolve conflicts;

h. recognize and give examples of the tensions between the wants and needs of individuals and groups, and concepts such as fairness, equity, and justice.

VII. Production, Distribution, & Consumption

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, so that the learner can:

a. give examples that show how scarcity and choice govern our economic decisions;

f. describe the influence of incentives, values, traditions, and habits on economic decisions;

VIII. Science, Technology, & Society

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of relationships among science, technology, and society, so that the learner can:

a. identify and describe examples in which science and technology have changed the lives of people, such as in homemaking, childcare, work, transportation, and communication;

c. describe instances in which changes in values, beliefs, and attitudes have resulted from new scientific and technological knowledge, such as conservation of resources and awareness of chemicals harmful to live and the environment;

IX. Global Connections

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global connections and independence, so that the learner can:

a. explore ways that language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements may facilitate global understanding or lead to misunderstanding;

b. give examples of conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations;

d. explore causes, consequences, and possible solutions to persistent, contemporary, and emerging global issues, such as pollution and endangered species;

f. investigate concerns, issues, standards, and conflicts related to universal human rights, such as the treatment of children, religious groups, and effects of war.

X. Civic Ideals & Practices

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic, so that the learner can:

c. locate, access, organize, and apply information about an issue of public concern from multiple points of view;

j. recognize and interpret how the “common good” can be strengthened through various forms of citizen action.