The ten thematic strands defined by the National Council for the Social Studies are basic to social studies. These strands are developed through age-appropriate activities throughout and across all four grade levels of Exploring Where & Why.
10 Thematic Strands of the NCSS Standards
- Culture
- Time, Continuity, and Change
- People, Places, and Environments
- Individual Development and Identity
- Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
- Power, Authority, and Governance
- Production, Distribution, and Consumption
- Science, Technology, and Society
- Global Connections
- Civic Ideals and Practices
National Council for the Social Studies, Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, NCSS, Washington, D.C., 1994 |
Geography is fundamental to social studies at every grade level as students learn to think conceptually about the world - the world around them today, the world far away, and the world long ago. EWW integrates the themes and essential elements listed below.
Five Themes of Geography
- Location
- Place
- Human/Environment Interaction
- Movement
- Regions
Joint Committee on Geographic Education, Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools, Washington, D.C., 1984. |
Six Essential Elements of Geography
- The World in Spatial Terms
- Places and Regions
- Physical Systems
- Human Systems
- Environment and Society
- The Uses of Geography
Geography Education Standards Project, Geography for Life: National Geography Standards, National Geographic Research Exploration, Washington, D.C., 1994. |
