Social Studies

 

In order to become college and career ready, Tennessee students must have a strong background in social studies. It is through social studies that students prepare for their futures by opening doors to a more diverse, competitive workforce and responsible citizenry. Teachers should center instruction on inquiry-based models, which require students to engage in critical thinking, self-assessment, reasoning, problem-solving, collaboration, and investigation in order to make connections in new and innovative ways as they progress through social studies education. Our current students are our future leaders, and, as such, they need to be able to understand the complexity of the world. Students should be aware of the changing cultural and physical environments of Tennessee, the United States, and the world; know and understand the past; read, write, and think deeply; and act in ways that promote the common good. Social studies offers the critical knowledge necessary to create a framework for understanding the systems of society and becoming college, career, and civics ready.

The Tennessee Social Studies Standards lay out a vision of these vitally important disciplines and describe what all students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade/course level. The diverse committee of educators involved in the review and development of the social studies standards came together from across the state of Tennessee and focused on ensuring that the standards are: