1. (a) Introduction. The Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies is the result of the contributions of social studies educators, representatives of higher education, Tribal representatives, and community members. This document reflects a balanced synthesis of the work of all members of the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies Writing and Review Committees. The standards specify what students should know and be able to do as learners of social studies at the end of each grade level or social studies course. The order of the standards at any grade level is not meant to imply a sequence of topics and should be considered flexible for the organization of any course.
2. (b) Standards Overview.
3. (1) Having a literate citizenry rests on a commitment to and practice of democratic values and the practice of them. It requires the ability to use knowledge about one’s community, nation, and world, apply critical thinking and reasoning practices, and employ skills of data analysis, collaboration, decision-making, and problem-solving. Young people who are knowledgeable, skillful, and committed to democracy are necessary to sustain the democratic way of life.
4. (2) The Oklahoma Academic Social Studies Standards will provide students with a vigorous social studies education, encouraging and enabling each student to acquire a core of basic knowledge, an array of useful skills, and a way of thinking drawn from its related academic disciplines. Thus equipped, students are prepared to become informed and contributing citizens in this constitutional republic – the United States of America.
5. (3) The standards are composed of two primary components: Content Standards and Social Studies Practices. The Content Standards designate specific learning targets at each grade level or course. These Content Standards are derived from the major disciplines of the social sciences: Civics, History, Geography, and Economics. The Social Studies Practices define basic skills and interdisciplinary tools to prepare students for college, career, and civic life. These Practices are meant to be integrated with the instruction of Content Standards at each grade level.
6. (c) Social Studies Content Strands Overview. Social Studies is a systematic and coordinated discipline designed to promote civic competence by drawing upon four content strands: Civics, History, Geography, and Economics. These strands draw from all fields of study related to the social sciences to provide a framework used in the development of the content standards for social studies. They are to be addressed through an integrated program from grades Pre-K through 12, as appropriate at each level. While at some grades and for some courses, specific strands will be more dominant than others, all strands are represented and interrelated in the standards for each grade and course.
7. (1) Strand 1: Civics. Civics is defined as the study of the rights, responsibilities, and duties of citizens, including an understanding of their role in American government. This strand helps students understand the essential principles and workings of their political system, as well as the relationship of American leadership and influence in world affairs. The goal of civics is to develop literate, informed, competent, and responsible citizens who are politically aware and committed to the fundamental values and principles of American constitutional democracy.
8. (2) Strand 2: History. History focuses on the written record of human experience revealing how individuals and societies developed institutions, philosophies, and cultures, as well as how they resolved their problems. A balanced study of history helps students understand the how and why of the challenges and successes of past societies. By studying the choices and decisions of the past, students can confront today’s problems with a deeper awareness of alternatives and likely consequences.
9. (3) Strand 3: Geography. The study of Geography emphasizes the asking of geographic questions in order to understand the relationship of humans to their environment. Geography examines the study of the Earth’s surface, the connections between people and places, and the ways people both adapt to and modify their environment. As a discipline, geography provides the necessary skills to help students answer questions about the influence of the environment on human development in the past, present, and future.
10. (4) Strand 4: Economics. Economics provides students with an understanding of how individuals, communities, states, and nations allocate both scarce and abundant resources. A clear understanding of economics enables students to comprehend the various competing economic ideas and forces that affect them every day, measure the impact of each, and evaluate the consequences of personal decisions and public policies. As a discipline, economics provides an understanding of how a market economy effectively functions, while preparing them to be producers, consumers, and citizens.
11. (d) Social Studies Practices Overview. The Social Studies Practices reflect the key skills and disciplinary tools to prepare students for college, career, and civic life. The practices are meant to be integrated with the instruction of content standards and are designed to support student mastery of the content through a progression of skills K-12. These four practices are defined broadly below and further delineated in each grade level, as well as presented in a grade-band table (see Appendix).
12. (1) Engage in Democratic Processes. Understanding the importance of critical questioning to solve real world problems.
13. (A) Students will develop and respond to essential and supporting questions to frame independent investigations of the past and present.
14. (B) Students will gain knowledge of the principles and foundations of American democracy to participate in civic processes.
15. (2) Disciplinary-Based Practices to Acquire, Apply, and Evaluate Evidence. Understanding and using strategies to analyze evidence in the four disciplines (strands) of the social studies.
16. (A) Students will evaluate civic, historical, geographic, and economic information related to major social studies topics.
17. (B) Students will draw conclusions from factual information to formulate informed decisions, essential to participating as responsible citizens.
18. (3) Read Critically and Interpret Information Sources. Understanding the purpose of engaging with text.
19. (A) Students will evaluate written text, identifying purpose and point of view as presented in a variety of primary and secondary sources.
20. (B) Students will read historical and contemporary texts to engage in collaborative discussion, while applying learned principles and ideas.
21. (4) Engage in Evidence-Based Writing. Understanding the multiple purposes of the writing process.
22. (A) Students will develop written products designed for a variety of social studies-related investigations.
23. (B) Students will research and integrate evidence to demonstrate their understanding and support their opinion.

Added at 36 Ok Reg 755, eff 7-25-19

Amended at 42 Ok Reg, Number 21, effective 7-26-25