This
information has been taken directly from the Accelerate
U - Standards and Resource Guides (with approval) from the K-12
Education, NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT site. No information
in this document has been changed.
Learning Standards for Social
Studies at Three Levels
Standard 2: World History
- Elementary
Students will use a variety
of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major
ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history
and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.
1. The study of world history requires
an understanding of world cultures and civilizations, including
an analysis of important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs,
and traditions. This study also examines the human condition and
the connections and interactions of people across time and space
and the ways different people view the same event or issue from
a variety of perspectives.
Students:
- read historical narratives; myths, legends,
biographies, and autobiographies to learn about how historical
figures lived, their motivations, hopes, fears, strengths, and
weaknesses
- explore narrative accounts of important
events from world history to learn about different accounts
of the past to begin to understand how interpretations and perspectives
develop
- study about different world cultures and
civilizations focusing on their accomplishments, contributions,
values, beliefs, and traditions.
This is evident, for example, when students:
- create a list of characteristics for the
concept of civilization, focusing on the early civilizations
that developed in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley analyze
pictures and maps of the civilizations of Kush and Egypt, including
information about their architectural, artistic, and technological
achievements
- assume the roles of citizens, merchants,
foreign residents, or slaves in ancient Sparta or Athens, describing
life in these city-states, the rights and responsibilities of
a citizen in each city and their social and political roles
- research different kinds of sources (archaeological,
artistic, written) about the civilizations in the Americas before
the coming of the Europeans (Taken from National Standards
for World History)
study about the major cultural achievements
of an ancient civilization (e.g., West African, Japanese, Chinese,
European).
2. Establishing timeframes, exploring different
periodizations, examining themes across time and within cultures,
and focusing on important turning points in world history help
organize the study of world cultures and civilizations.
Students:
- distinguish between past, present, and
future time periods
- develop timelines that display important
events and eras from world history
- measure and understand the meaning of
calendar time in terms of years, decades, centuries, and millennia,
using BC and AD as reference points
- compare important events and accomplishments
from different time periods in world history.
This is evident, for example, when students:
- arrange the events in a historical narrative,
biography, or autobiography in correct chronological order
- group important historic events in world
history according to clearly defined time periods (periodization).
For example, periods might include early civilizations, rise
of empires, age of exploration, the twentieth century
- create, as part of a class, a mural-sized,
illustrated timeline of important achievements, inventions,
and accomplishments of nineteenth century Europe and America
(Adapted from National Standards for World History)
- identify key turning points and important
events in world history and explain their significance
create personal and family timelines to distinguish
between near and distant past and interpret simple timelines that
show a progression of events in world history; create a picture
timeline tracing developments in world history, such as the appearance
of the wheel, making simple tools out of iron (Hittites), building
the pyramids, building Roman aqueducts, inventing paper in China,
astronomical discoveries in the Muslim world, metallurgy advances
in West Africa, and the invention of the steam engine in England.
(Adapted from National Standards for History for Grades K-4)
3. Study of the major social, political, cultural,
and religious developments in world history involves learning about
the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.
Students:
- understand the roles and contributions
of individuals and groups to social, political, economic, cultural,
scientific, technological, and religious practices and activities
- gather and present information about important
developments from world history
- understand how the terms social, political,
economic, and cultural can be used to describe human
activities or practices.
This is evident, for example, when students:
- read historical stories, myths, legends,
and fables to learn how individuals have solved problems, made
important contributions, and influenced the lives of others
- listen to historical narratives about
the history of children and families in different cultures throughout
the world to learn about different family structures; children's,
women's, and men's roles; daily life; religious or spiritual
beliefs and practices; customs and traditions
- read biographies about famous historical
figures, focusing on their personal lives, goals, and accomplishments
and the effects of their achievements on the lives of others
- write historical narratives in the form
of letters, diary accounts, or news reports from the point of
view of a child who lived during a particular historic time
period and who witnessed an important event or development
listen to and participate in classroom debates
and discussions of important myths, legends, people, and events
in world history; determine admirable traits and identify examples
of courage.
4. The skills of historical analysis include
the ability to investigate differing and competing interpretations
of the theories of history, hypothesize about why interpretations
change over time, explain the importance of historical evidence,
and understand the concepts of change and continuity over time.
Students:
- consider different interpretations of
key events and developments in world history and understand
the differences in these accounts
- explore the lifestyles, beliefs, traditions,
rules and laws, and social/cultural needs and wants of people
during different periods in history and in different parts of
the world
- view historic events through the eyes
of those who were there, as shown in their art, writings, music,
and artifacts.
This is evident,
for example, when students:
- explain different perspectives on the
same phenomenon by reading myths from several civilizations,
recognizing the different ways those people explained the same
phenomenon (e.g., how the world was created)
- listen to historical stories, biographies,
or narratives to identify who was involved, what events occurred,
where the events took place, and the outcomes or consequences
- list analytical questions to guide their
investigations of historical documents, pictures, diary accounts,
artifacts, and other records of the past
construct picture timelines that show important
events in their own lives, including descriptions of the events
and explanations of why they were important.4. The skills of historical
analysis include the ability to investigate differing and competing
interpretations of the theories of history, hypothesize about
why interpretations change over time, explain the importance of
historical evidence, and understand the concepts of change and
continuity over time.
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