Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

WISCONSIN STANDARDS FOR

Social Studies

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

WISCONSIN STANDARDS FOR

Social Studies

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Tony Evers, State Superintendent

Madison, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies ii

This publication is available from:

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

125 South Webster Street

Madison, WI 53703

(608) 266-8960

dpi.gov/social-studies

May 2018 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin,

ancestry, pregnancy, marital status or parental status, sexual orientation; or ability and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America

and other designated youth groups.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies iii

Table of Contents

Foreword ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iv

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ v

Section I: Wisconsin’s Approach to Academic Standards ....................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose of the Document ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2

What Are the Academic Standards? ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

Relating the Academic Standards to All Students ............................................................................................................................ 4

Ensuring a Process for Student Success ............................................................................................................................................... 5

References ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Section II: Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies ...................................................................................................................................... 7

What is Social Studies Education? ......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Wisconsin’s Approach to Standards in Social Studies ................................................................................................................... 8

Standards Structure ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10

Definitions ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Social Studies Strands ................................................................................................................................................................................. 12

At-A-Glance .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

Standards, Learning Priorities, and Performance Indicators for Social Studies .................................................................. 15

Section III: Discipline: Social Studies (SS) Standards .................................................................................................................................... 16

Content Area: Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes (Inq) ....................................................................................... 17

Content Area: Behavioral Sciences (BH) ............................................................................................................................................ 22

Content Area: Economics (Econ) ............................................................................................................................................................ 26

Content Area: Geography (Geog) ........................................................................................................................................................... 35

Content Area: History (Hist) .................................................................................................................................................................... 42

Content Area: Political Science (PS) ...................................................................................................................................................... 49

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies iv

Foreword

On May 29, 2018, I formally adopted the Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies (2018). This new set of

academic standards provides a foundational framework that identifies what students should know

and be able to do in social studies.

The adoption of the Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies was part of a concerted effort led by

Wisconsin educators and stakeholders who shared their expertise in social studies and teaching

from kindergarten through higher education. The public and legislature provided feedback for the

writing committee to consider as part of Wisconsin’s Academic Standards Review and Revision

Process.

Social Studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, content, inquiry, concepts, and skills from the fields of

geography, history, political science and civics, economics, and the behavioral sciences. Social studies prepares our young people

to be college, career, and community ready.

The knowledge and skills described in the new standards provide guidance to educators across the state regarding what

students should know and be able to do in each of the four grade bands (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). These standards emphasize the

concept of inquiry in the social studies classroom, and encourage teachers and districts to provide meaningful ways for students

to be civically engaged in their communities.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will continue to build on this work to support implementation of the standards

with resources for the field. I am excited to share the Wisconsin Standards in Social Studies, which aim to build skills, knowledge,

and engagement opportunities in geography, history, political science, economics, and the behavioral sciences for all Wisconsin

students.

Tony Evers, PhD

State Superintendent

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies v

Acknowledgements

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) wishes to acknowledge the ongoing work, commitment, and various

contributions of individuals to revise our state’s academic standards for social studies. Thank you to the State Superintendent’s

Standards Review Council for their work and guidance through the standards process. A special thanks to the Social Studies

Writing Committee for taking on this important project that will shape the classrooms of today and tomorrow. Thanks to the

many staff members across the division and other teams at DPI who have contributed their time and talent to this project,

particularly Kevin Anderson, Sara Baird, Pamela Delfosse, Marci Glaus, Audrey Lesondak, David O’Connor, Julie Palkowski,

David Thomas, and Chris Tiedje. Finally, a special thanks to Wisconsin educators, businesspeople, parents, and citizens who

provided comment and feedback to drafts of these standards.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies Writing Team

Co-Chairs: Corey Thompson, Cardinal Stritch University

Che Kearby, Kenosha Unified School District

DPI Liaison: Kris McDaniel, Social Studies Consultant, DPI

Jacob Bertagnoli, Lincoln HS

Sandra Brauer, North Woods

International School

Kimberly Cade, Viroqua Elementary

Carrie Carlson, North HS

Joel Chrisler, Sauk Prairie HS

Craig Clauson, Edgewood HS

Tony DeVine, Dr. Rose Minoka-Hill

School

Lyman Elliott, Madison

Metropolitan School District

Matt Fry, Lancaster MS

Tom Fugate, Homestead HS

E-Ben Grisby, West HS

Dr. Jennifer Hafer, UW-River Falls

Anne Hasse, Wakanda Elementary

Pam Kaiser, Osceola HS

Mike Ketola, Northwestern MS

Todd Kornack, Chippewa Falls HS

Sara Kreibich, Somerset HS

Emily Lovell, Holmen MS

Jodi Mallak, Wittenberg Elementary

Andrew Martin, James Madison

Academic Campus

Matthew Mauk, Oshkosh West High

Parisa Meymand, Central HS

Sherri Michalowski, Wisconsin Hills

Connie Michaud, Fairview School

Jennifer Morgan, West Salem MS

David Olson, James Madison

Memorial HS

Erin Patchak, Bay View MS

Kevin Podeweltz, Riverside

Elementary

Vicki Porior, Carl Traeger MS

Andy Riechers, Belmont Jr/Sr HS

Amber Seitz, Wisconsin Bankers

Association

Kyle Smith, Superior HS

Chuck Taft, University School of

Milwaukee

Ann Viegut, John Muir MS

Jen Wachowski, Mishicot HS

Michelle Wade, Milwaukee Public

Schools

Paul Walter, Slinger MS

Rhonda Watton, Templeton MS

Michael Yell, Hudson MS

Brent Zinkel, Wausau East HS

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies vi

Department of Public Instruction, Academic Standards

• John W. Johnson, Director, Literacy and Mathematics, and Director for Academic Standards

• Meri Annin, Lead Visual Communications Designer

• Marci Glaus, Strategic Communications Consultant

• David McHugh, Education Consultant for Strategic Planning and Professional Learning

Department of Public Instruction Leaders

• Scott Jones, Chief of Staff, Office of the State Superintendent

• Sheila Briggs, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Academic Excellence

• Rebecca Vail, Director, Content and Learning Team

Section I

Wisconsin’s Approach to Academic Standards

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 2

Purpose of the Document

The purpose of this guide is to improve Social Studies education for students and for communities. The Wisconsin Department of

Public Instruction (DPI) has developed standards to assist Wisconsin educators and stakeholders in understanding, developing,

and implementing social studies course offerings and curriculum in school districts across Wisconsin.

This publication provides a vision for student success and follows The Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning

(2011). In brief,

the principles are:

Every student has the right to learn.

Instruction must be rigorous and relevant.

Purposeful assessment drives instruction and affects learning.

Learning is a collaborative responsibility.

Students bring strengths and experiences to learning.

Responsive environments engage learners.

Program leaders will find the guide valuable for making decisions about:

• Program structure and integration

• Curriculum redesign

• Staffing and staff development

• Scheduling and student grouping

• Facility organization

• Learning spaces and materials development

• Resource allocation and accountability

• Collaborative work with other units of the school, district and community

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 3

What Are the Academic Standards?

Wisconsin Academic Standards specify what students should know and be able to do in the classroom. They serve as goals for

teaching and learning. Setting high standards enables students, parents, educators, and citizens to know what students should

have learned at a given point in time. In Wisconsin, all state standards serve as a model. Locally elected school boards adopt

academic standards in each subject area to best serve their local communities. We must ensure that all children have equal

access to high-quality education programs. Clear statements about what students must know and be able to do are essential in

making sure our schools offer opportunities to get the knowledge and skills necessary for success beyond the classroom.

Adopting these standards is voluntary. Districts may use the academic standards as guides for developing local grade-by-grade

level curriculum. Implementing standards may require some school districts to upgrade school and district curriculums. This may

result in changes in instructional methods and materials, local assessments, and professional development opportunities for the

teaching and administrative staff.

What is the Difference between Academic Standards and Curriculum?

Standards are statements about what students should know and be able to do, what they might be asked to do to give evidence

of learning, and how well they should be expected to know or do it. Curriculum is the program devised by local school districts

used to prepare students to meet standards. It consists of activities and lessons at each grade level, instructional materials, and

various instructional techniques. In short, standards define what is to be learned at certain points in time, and from a broad

perspective, what performances will be accepted as evidence that the learning has occurred. Curriculum specifies the details of

the day-to-day schooling at the local level.

Developing the Academic Standards

DPI has a transparent and comprehensive process for reviewing and revising academic standards. The process begins with a

notice of intent to review an academic area with a public comment period. The State Superintendent’s Standards Review Council

examines those comments and may recommend revision or development of standards in that academic area. The state

superintendent authorizes whether or not to pursue a revision or development process. Following this, a state writing

committee is formed to work on those standards for all grade levels. That draft is then made available for open review to get

feedback from the public, key stakeholders, educators, and the Legislature with further review by the State Superintendent’s

Standards Review Council. The state superintendent then determines adoption of the standards.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 4

Aligning for Student Success

To build and sustain schools that support every student in achieving success, educators must work together with families,

community members, and business partners to connect the most promising practices in the most meaningful contexts. The

release of the Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies provides a set of important academic standards for school districts to

implement. This is connected to a larger vision of every child graduating college and career ready. Academic standards work

together with other critical principles and efforts to educate every child to graduate college and career ready. Here, the vision

and set of Guiding Principles form the foundation for building a supportive process for teaching and learning rigorous and

relevant content. The following sections articulate this integrated approach to increasing student success in Wisconsin schools

and communities.

Relating the Academic Standards to All Students

Grade-level standards should allow ALL students to engage, access, and be assessed in ways that fit their strengths, needs, and

interests. This applies to the achievement of students with IEPs (individualized education plans), English learners, and gifted and

talented pupils,

consistent with all other students. Academic standards serve as the foundation for individualized programming

decisions for all students.

Academic standards serve as a valuable basis for establishing concrete, meaningful goals as part of each student’s developmental

progress and demonstration of proficiency. Students with IEPs must be provided specially designed instruction that meets their

individual needs. It is expected that each individual student with an IEP will require unique services and supports matched to

their strengths and needs in order to close achievement gaps in grade-level standards. Alternate standards are only available for

students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Gifted and talented students may achieve well beyond the academic standards and move into advanced grade levels or into

advanced coursework.

Our Vision: Every Child a Graduate, College and Career Ready

We are committed to ensuring every child graduates from high school academically prepared and socially and emotionally

competent. A successful Wisconsin student is proficient in academic content and can apply their knowledge through skills such

as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. The successful student will also possess critical habits such as

perseverance, responsibility, adaptability, and leadership. This vision for every child as a college and career ready graduate

guides our beliefs and approaches to education in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 5

Guided by Principles

All educational initiatives are guided and impacted by important and often unstated attitudes or principles for teaching and

learning. The Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning (2011

) emerge from research and provide the touchstone for practices

that truly affect the vision of Every Child a Graduate Prepared for College and Career. When made transparent, these principles

inform what happens in the classroom, direct the implementation and evaluation of programs, and most importantly, remind us

of our own beliefs and expectations for students.

Ensuring a Process for Student Success

For Wisconsin schools and districts, implementing the

Framework for Equitable Multi-Level Systems of Supports

(2017)

means providing equitable services, practices, and resources to

every learner based upon responsiveness to effective

instruction and intervention. In this system, high-quality

instruction, strategic use of data, and collaboration interact

within a continuum of supports to facilitate learner success.

Schools provide varying types of supports with differing levels

of intensity to proactively and responsibly adjust to the needs of

the whole child. These include the knowledge, skills, and habits

learners need for success beyond high school, including

developmental, academic, behavioral, social, and emotional

skills.

Connecting to Content: Wisconsin Academic Standards

Within this vision for increased student success, rigorous,

internationally benchmarked academic standards provide the

content for high-quality curriculum and instruction and for a strategic assessment system aligned to those standards. With the

adoption of the standards, Wisconsin has the tools to design curriculum, instruction, and assessments to maximize student

learning. The standards articulate what we teach so that educators can focus on how instruction can best meet the needs of each

student. When implemented within an equitable multi-level system of support, the standards can help to ensure that every child

will graduate college and career ready.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 6

References

The Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning. 2011. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved from

https://dpi.wi.gov/standards/guiding-principles

Framework for Equitable Multi-Level Systems of Supports. 2017. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Retrieved from https://dpi.wi.gov/rti

Section II

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 8

What is Social Studies Education?

Social studies is the integrated study of economics, geography, history, political science, and the behavioral sciences of

psychology, sociology, and anthropology to promote civic competence. The standards outlined in this document provide an

important foundation to prepare students to become engaged, informed participants committed to the ideas and values of our

democratic republic, able to apply the skills of inquiry, collaboration, decision making, and problem solving (adapted from the

National Council for the Social Studies definition).

The Vision for Wisconsin Social Studies was written in 2015 by the State Superintendent’s K-12 Social Studies Advisory

Committee:

Wisconsin students will become civically-engaged problem-solvers who critically examine their roles in local, regional,

state, national, and global communities. Through the study and application of the individual disciplines of social studies

(behavioral sciences, economics, geography, history, and political science), students become lifelong learners able to

collaborate and thrive in our interdependent world.

Wisconsin’s Approach to Standards in Social Studies

The Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies were written by a committee of educators, professors, and business people from across

the state. This team was tasked with outlining what content, practices, and ways of thinking are critical for Wisconsin students to

be college, career, and community ready upon high school graduation.

These standards articulate end-of-grade level expectations. Some students - including students who receive special education

services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), students with gifts and talents, and English language learners - may

benefit from additional supports or challenges. Some barriers to learning and engagement can be minimized through Universal

Design for Learning (UDL). In addition, learning can be personalized through collaboration between educators, school staff,

families, and students.

The foundational documents and supports for this group include:

• National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), 2013. The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies

State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History. Silver Spring, MD: NCSS.

• National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). 2010. National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Silver Spring, MD: NCSS.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 9

Specific content standards were referenced from national organizations, including:

• American Psychological Association. 2011. National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula. Washington, DC:

American Psychological Association.

• Council for Economic Education (CEE). 2010. Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics. New York: CEE.

• Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP). 2012. Geography for Life: National Geography Standards.

Silver Spring, MD: GENIP

• National Center for History in the Schools (NCHS). 1996. National Standards for History. Los Angeles: University of

California Los Angeles (UCLA Department of History Public History Initiative).

State Social Studies Standards were referenced, including:

• Arizona Department of Education. 2017. Academic Standards K-12 Social Studies (draft). Phoenix, AD: Arizona Department

of Education,

• The College Board (Advanced Placement). 2016. Historical Thinking Skills. New York: The College Board.

• Delaware Department of Education. 2016. Delaware State Standards for Social Studies. Dover, DE: Delaware Department of

Education,

• Harvey, Stephanie. 1997. Nonfiction Matters. Portsmouth, NH: Stenhouse Publishers.

• Harvey, Stephanie and Harvey Daniels. 2009. Comprehension & Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann

• Illinois State Board of Education. 2016. Social Science Learning Standards. Springfield, IL: Illinois State Board of Education,

• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Fox Valley Writing Project (additional resource material).

• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. 1998. Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards for Social Studies. Madison,

WI: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 10

Standards Structure

The Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies follow a

specific structure.

Standards Formatting

• Content Area (Strand): History

• Standard: Broad statement that tells what

students are expected to know or be able

to do

• Learning Priority: Breaks down the broad

statement into manageable learning pieces

• Performance Indicator by Grade Band:

Measurable degree to which a standard

has been developed and/or met

Content areas for social studies in this code structure include:

• Inq—Inquiry

• BH—Behavioral Sciences

• Econ—Economics

• Geog—Geography

• Hist—History

• PS—Political Science

Grade Bands

All new Wisconsin standards are formatted to a common template to support educators in reading and interpreting them.

Discipline

Content

Area

Grade

Band

Learning

Priority

SS. Hist 1. A. e

Standard Statement

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 11

Grade bands of K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 align to typical elementary (e), intermediate (i), middle (m), and high school (h) levels. Each

row of learning priorities shows a progression of indicators across the grade bands.

Each performance indicator is associated with a suggested grade level within the elementary and intermediate grade bands; the

code for the performance indicator notes the appropriate grade level at the end. These grade levels are recommended to offer

guidance and assistance to districts, and to support consistency across the state, state standardized assessment preparation, and

student transfers between districts. For example, SS.Econ1.a.1 refers to the developmentally appropriate understanding of

economic decision making for the K-2 grade band, and it is suggested that this content be learned in grade 1. With local control,

districts can assign performance indicators to elementary grade levels that best fit their needs. If an indicator uses the term “e”

or “i”, it is appropriate to use at all grade levels in a band.

Performance indicators at the middle and high school grade bands are not associated with suggested grade levels, so the codes

are simply “m” for middle school, and “h” for high school.

Some performance indicator boxes are intentionally left blank where it is not developmentally appropriate to teach a particular

social studies topic at that grade band level.

Definitions

The use of “i.e.” and “e.g.” in the indicators is in the manner of the original Latin. The abbreviation “i.e.”, from the Latin id est,

means “that is”, and is used as a definition (required information). The abbreviation “e.g.” is from the Latin exempli gratia, and

means “for example” (suggested information).

Inquiry: A systematic investigation with five distinct parts: questioning, research, analysis, communication of results, and civic

engagement.

Market: A place (actual or virtual) where the forces of supply and demand operate, and buyers and sellers meet to exchange

goods and services for money or barter.

Mental Map: A person’s perception of a place, including physical attributes and attributes; in K-12 Geography, it aligns to

constructing (on paper or digitally) a map from memory.

Technology: The sum of the ways in which social groups provide themselves with the material objects of their civilization.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 12

Appendices for the standards document may provide more guidance for curriculum work and should be referenced when

starting a revision cycle.

Social Studies Strands

Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes

Advances in human knowledge come about not because people can memorize factoids or are great at filling out

worksheets in school; rather, they come about when people ask questions and pursue those questions in

reasoned self-critical ways. This is the essence of inquiry, beginning with questions to be answered and the work

needed to begin to answer them, and is the reason that the social studies C3 document, developed by 15

professional social studies and content area associations, is built around the “inquiry arc” (developing questions, students

learning to use disciplinary tools and concepts, evaluating sources and using evidence, communicating conclusions).*

Teaching our social studies content incorporating the inquiry arc offers students the opportunity to investigate questions in a

deep and engaging manner, and offers our students the opportunity to work collaboratively, as well as individually, on significant

questions within the social studies disciplines. Inquiry can and should be used within all social studies disciplines and, as such, is

an “umbrella strand” covering all content strands.

Teaching with the inquiry arc is a process that can move from teacher-structured inquiries

to guided individual inquiry. The proper use of the inquiry arc within our classrooms, along

with other thoughtful social studies strategies, will help our students build the intellectual

habits of mind that will be with them long after the content is forgotten. It can create in our

students the confidence in their own skills to make sense of an increasingly complex world.

* National Council for the Social Studies, Social Studies for the Next Generation: Purposes, Practices, and Implications

of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards (Silver Spring, MD: NCSS, 2013).

“Nobody works harder at

learning than a curious kid.”

—Thomas Friedman (The

World is Flat: A Brief History

of the Twenty-First Century)

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 13

Behavioral Sciences Strand

Learning about the behavioral sciences helps students understand people in various times and places. By

examining cultures, students are able to compare our ways of life and those of other groups of people in the past

and present. As citizens, students need to know how institutions are maintained or changed and how they

influence individuals, cultures, and societies. Knowledge of the factors that contribute to an individual’s

uniqueness is essential to understanding the influence on self and on others.

Economics Strand

Individuals, families, businesses, and governments must make complex economic choices as they decide what

goods and services to provide and how to allocate limited resources for distribution and consumption. In a global

economy marked by rapid technological change, students must learn how to be better producers, consumers, and

economic citizens.

Geography Strand

Students gain geographical perspectives of the world by studying the earth and the interactions of people with

places where they live, work, and play. Knowledge of geography helps students to address the various cultural,

economic, social, and civic implications of life in earth’s many environments.

History Strand

Students need to understand their historical roots and those of others, and how past events have shaped their

world. In developing these insights, students must know what life was like in the past and how things change and

develop over time. Reconstructing and interpreting historical events provides a needed perspective in addressing

the past, the present, and the future.

Political Science Strand

Knowledge about the structures of power, authority, and governance and their evolving functions in

contemporary society is essential if young citizens are to develop civic responsibility. Young people become more

effective citizens and problem solvers when they know how local, state, and national governments and

international organizations function and interact.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 14

At-A-Glance: Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies

Wisconsin students will...

Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes

1. Construct meaningful questions that initiate an inquiry.

2. Gather and evaluate sources.

3. Develop claims using evidence to support reasoning.

4. Communicate and critique conclusions.

5. Be civically engaged.

Behavioral Science

1. Examine individual cognition, perception, behavior, and

identity (Psychology).

2. Investigate interactions between individuals and groups

(Sociology).

3. Assess the role that human behavior and cultures play in

the development of social endeavors (Anthropology).

4. Examine the progression of specific forms of technology

and their influence within various societies.

Economics

Use economic reasoning to understand issues.

Analyze how decisions are made and interactions occur

among individuals, households, and firms/businesses

(Microeconomics).

Analyze how an economy functions as a whole

(Macroeconomics).

Evaluate government decisions and their impact on

individuals, businesses, markets, and resources (Role of

Government).

Geography

1. Use geographic tools and ways of thinking to analyze the

world.

2. Analyze human movement and population patterns.

3. Examine the impacts of global interconnections and

relationships.

4. Evaluate the relationship between identity and place.

5. Evaluate the relationship between humans and the

environment.

History

1. Use historical evidence for determining cause and effect.

2. Analyze, recognize, and evaluate patterns of continuity and

change over time and contextualization of historical events.

3. Connect past events, people, and ideas to the present, use

different perspectives to draw conclusions, and suggest

current implications.

4. Evaluate a variety of primary and secondary sources to

interpret the historical context, intended audience,

purpose, and/or author’s point of view (Historical

Methodology).

Political Science

1. Identify and analyze democratic principles and ideals.

2. Examine and interpret rights, privileges, and responsibilities

in society.

3. Analyze and evaluate the powers and purposes of political

and civic institutions.

4. Develop and employ skills for civic literacy.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 15

Standards, Learning Priorities, and Performance Indicators for Social Studies

The Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies outline what students should know and be able to do upon graduation from a Wisconsin

public high school to prepare for college, career, and community life. The standards are divided into six strands: Social Studies

Inquiry Practices and Processes, Behavioral Sciences, Economics, Geography, History, and Political Science. Each strand has four

or five standard statements that are divided into learning priorities and performance indicators that progress across the grade

bands.

The strands in social studies are meant to be used together; for

example, although trade and movement of goods and services is an

important aspect to the study of human geography, indicators on

trade will mostly be found in the economics strand. It will be helpful

to educators and districts conducting a curriculum review to unpack

the standards in every strand to see where they are best met in the

local district. Research in social studies education supports this;

studies have shown that students recall and understand themes and

topics better if the social studies strands are integrated and not

taught in isolation.

The Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes provide a key

aspect of social studies teaching and learning. They emphasize how

students should engage in accessing all courses and strands of social

studies and is supported by the work of the College, Career, and Civic

Life Ready Framework for State Social Studies Standards, published by

the National Council for the Social Studies in 2013.

The visual shows how the strands of social studies should be

integrated into the curriculum and how the inquiry arc surrounds

the content.

Section III

Discipline: Social Studies (SS) Standards

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 17

Content Area: Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes (Inq)

Inquiry Practices and Processes can and should be used within all social studies disciplines and, as such, is an

“umbrella strand” covering all content strands.

Standard SS.Inq1: Wisconsin students will construct meaningful questions that initiate an inquiry.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Inq1.a: Develop

questions based

on a topic

SS.Inq1.a.e

Explain why or how a

teacher- or text-provided

question is important to a

topic or issue.

SS.Inq1.a.i

Develop a list of open- and

closed-ended questions on

a topic or issue.

SS.Inq1.a.m

Formulate open-ended

questions for further

research within one of the

social studies disciplines.

SS.Inq1.a.h

Frame researchable,

complex, and open-ended

questions, integrating

multiple social studies

strands that call for

investigation.

Inq1.b: Plan an

inquiry

SS.Inq1.b.e

When provided with a

question, determine what

other questions are needed

to support the research (i.e.,

“What more do we need to

know?”).

SS.Inq1.b.i

Develop a list of questions

that support the research

through discussion and

investigation to guide

inquiry.

SS.Inq1.b.m

Identify additional

questions that support the

research and possible

resources to guide the

inquiry.

SS.Inq1.b.h

Construct questions that

support the research and

identify the sources that

will be used in the student-

developed research

proposal.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 18

Content Area: Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes (Inq)

Standard SS.Inq2: Wisconsin students will gather and evaluate sources.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Inq2.a: Gather

diverse sources

(electronic,

digital, print, and

other mass

media)

applicable to the

inquiry

SS.Inq2.a.e

Brainstorm what resources

would be valuable to guide

the inquiry.

SS.Inq2.a.i

Gather a variety of

resources into categories to

guide the inquiry.

SS.Inq2.a.m

Explore evidence from

multiple reliable sources

representing a range of

perspectives and media that

have been selected through

research to guide the

inquiry.

SS.Inq2.a.h

Explore evidence

discovered through

personal research through a

variety of disciplinary

lenses (e.g., economics,

history, political science)

and multiple perspectives

(e.g., race, gender, ethnicity,

language, ability, sexual

orientation, family

background, and/or family

income) with a variety of

sources including primary

and secondary sources and

media resources.

Inq2.b: Evaluate

sources

SS.Inq2.b.e

Review and ask questions

about books, photos,

artifacts, websites, and

other sources that will give

insight into the inquiry.

SS.Inq2.b.i

Evaluate resources to

determine which best

support the inquiry and

supporting questions.

SS.Inq2.b.m

Determine credibility and

applicability of a source by

considering a variety of

factors through the lens of a

social studies strand.

SS.Inq2.b.h

Analyze and weigh

relevance of a source

through a disciplinary lens

to determine how the

author, context, audience,

and purpose affect the

reliability, limitations, and

usefulness of a source.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 19

Content Area: Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes (Inq)

Standard SS.Inq3: Wisconsin students will develop claims using evidence to support reasoning.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Inq3.a: Develop

claims to answer

an inquiry

question

SS.Inq3.a.e

With prompting and

support, state a claim to

answer a question that the

class is considering.

SS.Inq3.a.i

Create a thesis statement

based on evidence found in

sources to make a claim.

SS.Inq3.a.m

Develop a debatable and

defensible claim based upon

the analysis of sources.

SS.Inq3.a.h

Develop a defensible claim

to provide focus for an

inquiry that is based upon

the analysis of sources.

Inq3.b: Cite

evidence from

multiple sources

to support a

claim

SS.Inq3.b.e

Determine which evidence

in teacher-provided sources

support a claim that

answers a compelling

question.

SS.Inq3.b.i

Select appropriate evidence

from sources to support a

claim.

SS.Inq3.b.m

Support a claim with

evidence from multiple

reliable sources

representing a range of

media (electronic, digital,

print, and other mass

media).

SS.Inq3.b.h

Support a claim with

evidence using sources

from multiple perspectives

and media (electronic,

digital, print, and other

mass media).

Inq3.c: Elaborate

how evidence

supports a claim

SS.Inq3.c.e

Explain how evidence

supports a claim for a class

inquiry.

SS.Inq3.c.i

Assess how evidence

supports a claim.

SS.Inq3.c.m

Analyze the extent to which

evidence supports or does

not support a claim, and if it

does not, adjust claim

appropriately.

SS.Inq3.c.h

Analyze the extent to which

evidence supports or does

not support a claim, and if it

does not, modify the claim

appropriately.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 20

Content Area: Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes (Inq)

Standard SS.Inq4: Wisconsin students will communicate and critique conclusions.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Inq4.a:

Communicate

conclusions

SS.Inq4.a.e

Communicate conclusions.

SS.Inq4.a.i

Communicate conclusions

from a variety of teacher-

provided presentation

options.

SS.Inq4.a.m

Communicate conclusions

using a variety of media (i.e.

video or online,

documentaries, exhibits,

research papers, or web

pages).

SS.Inq4.a.h

Communicate conclusions

while taking into

consideration that

audiences from diverse

backgrounds (e.g., gender,

class, proximity to the event

or issue) may interpret the

information in different

ways).

Inq4.b: Critique

conclusions

SS.Inq4.b.e

Respond effectively to

questions about their

inquiry.

SS.Inq4.b.i

Evaluate the strength of a

claim, evidence, and

communication using

criteria established by both

teacher and student.

SS.Inq4.b.m

Analyze and evaluate the

logic, relevance, and

accuracy of others’ claims,

taking into consideration

potential bias.

SS.Inq4.b.h

Examine a claim’s strengths

and weaknesses, including

an evaluation of supporting

evidence, taking into

consideration cultural,

social, economic, political,

geographic, and historic

influences that inform these

perspectives.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 21

Content Area: Social Studies Inquiry Practices and Processes (Inq)

Standard SS.Inq5: Wisconsin students will be civically engaged.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Inq5.a: Civic

engagement

SS.Inq5.a.e

Explore opportunities for

personal or collaborative

civic engagement with

community, school, state,

tribal, national, and/or

global implications.

SS.Inq5.a.i

Explore opportunities for

personal or collaborative

civic engagement with

community, school, state,

tribal, national, and/or

global implications.

SS.Inq5.a.m

Explore opportunities for

personal or collaborative

civic engagement with

community, school, state,

tribal, national, and/or

global implications.

SS.Inq5.a.h

Explore opportunities,

informed by the knowledge

and methods of the social

sciences, for personal or

collaborative civic

engagement with

community, school, state,

tribal, national, and/or

global implications.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 22

Content Area: Behavioral Sciences (BH)

Standard SS.BH1: Wisconsin students will examine individual cognition, perception, behavior, and identity

(Psychology).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

BH1.a:

Individual

cognition,

perception, and

behavior

SS.BH1.a.2

Understand we are

individuals influenced by

our relationships and

environments.

SS.BH1.a.4

Describe how a person's

understanding, perceptions,

and behaviors are affected

by relationships and

environments.

SS.BH1.a.m

Identify patterns such as

culture, prior knowledge,

family, peers, school,

communities, and personal

interests that influence a

person’s cognition,

perception, and behavior.

SS.BH1.a.h

Analyze biological and

environmental factors that

influence a person’s

cognition, perception, and

behavior.

Explain the interaction of

biology and experience (i.e.,

nature and nurture) and its

influence on behavior.

Using scientific practices,

conduct research related to

a problem or issue affecting

individuals and/or society.

BH1.b: Personal

identity and

empathy

SS.BH1.b.2

Identify situations and

places that impact a

person’s emotions.

SS.BH1.b.4

Describe how culture,

ethnicity, race, age, religion,

gender, and social class can

help form self-image and

identity.

SS.BH1.b.m

Analyze how culture,

ethnicity, race, age, religion,

gender, and social class

affect a person's self-image

and identity and

interactions with others.

SS.BH1.b.h

Examine the effects of

discrimination on identity.

Explore developmental

theories (e.g., Piaget,

Erikson, Maslow) as they

relate to cultural bias.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 23

Content Area: Behavioral Sciences (BH)

Standard SS.BH2: Wisconsin students will investigate and interpret interactions between individuals and groups

(Sociology).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

BH2.a:

Relationship of

people and

groups

SS.BH2.a.K-1

Describe how groups of

people are alike and

different.

SS.BH2.a.4-5

Compare how people from

different cultures solve

common problems, such as

distribution of food, shelter,

and social interactions.

SS.BH2.a.m

Summarize the role culture

plays in personal and group

behavior.

Categorize factors that

contribute to cooperation

and conflict among peoples

of a country and/or the

world (i.e., culture,

language, religion, political

beliefs).

SS.BH2.a.h

Investigate how language

and culture can unify a

group of people.

Evaluate the factors that

contribute to cooperation

and conflict among peoples

of a country and the world

(e.g., language, religion,

culture, race, ethnicity,

gender, social or financial

inequity, political beliefs,

access to resources,

economics, environment).

BH2.b: Cultural

patterns

SS.BH2.b.1

Understand ways people

change and adapt to new

situations in places and

within a family.

SS.BH2.b.4

Give examples of how

peoples from different

cultures develop different

values and ways of

interpreting experiences.

SS.BH2.b.m

Model how individuals learn

the elements of their

culture through

interactions with others,

and how individuals learn of

other cultures through

communication, travel, and

study.

SS.BH2.b.h

Critique interpretations of

how different cultures

interact with their

environment.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 24

Content Area: Behavioral Sciences (BH)

Standard SS.BH3: Wisconsin students will assess the role that human behavior and cultures play in the development of

social endeavors (Anthropology).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

BH3.a: Social

interactions

SS.BH3.a.2

Compare a belief in one

culture to one in a different

culture (e.g., How do people

in a different country

celebrate their birthdays?).

SS.BH3.a.5

Investigate how

interpretations of

similarities and differences

between and among

cultures may lead to

understandings or

misunderstandings.

SS.BH3.a.m

Analyze how a person’s

local actions can have

global consequences and

how global patterns and

processes can affect

seemingly unrelated local

actions.

SS.BH3.a.h

Analyze the means by and

extent to which groups and

institutions can influence

people, events, and cultures

in both historical and

contemporary settings.

Become critically aware of

ethnocentrism, its

manifestations, and

consequences in a world

that is increasingly

interconnected.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 25

Content Area: Behavioral Sciences (BH)

Standard SS.BH4: Wisconsin students will examine the progression of specific forms of technology and their influence

within various societies.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

BH4.a:

Progression of

technology

SS.BH4.a.e

Describe specific types of

technology and

demonstrate how they are

used on a daily basis for

social or cultural purposes.

SS.BH4.a.i

Classify technologies based

on intended use, access, and

design, and how they might

change people’s lives (for

better or worse).

SS.BH4.a.m

Differentiate between

intended and unintended

consequences of various

forms of technology and

how they may affect

societies and cultures.

SS.BH4.a.h

Evaluate the purpose for

which a technology is

created and analyze the

consequences (intended

and unintended) to

different cultures.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 26

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ1: Wisconsin students use economic reasoning to understand issues.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ1.a: Choices

and decision

making

SS.Econ1.a.1

Differentiate between a

“want” and a “need”.

Describe resources that are

important or useful to you,

your family, community,

and country.

SS.Econ1.a.3

Use economic reasoning to

compare and contrast the

costs and benefits of a

decision.

Categorize different limited

resources (e.g., money,

materials, time, labor or

workers, land, natural

resources, renewable or

non-renewable).

SS.Econ1.a.m

Predict the opportunity

costs of various decisions

and explain why the

opportunity cost might

differ from person to

person or in different

situations.

Assess how limited

resources (e.g., money, land,

natural resources, workers,

time) impact the choices of

individuals, households,

communities, businesses,

and countries.

SS.Econ1.a.h

Perform a cost–benefit

analysis on a real-world

situation, using economic

thinking to describe the

marginal costs and benefits

of a particular decision.

Econ1.b:

Incentives

SS.Econ1.b.2

Predict a person’s change in

behavior in response to

different potential rewards.

SS.Econ1.b.4

Infer potential incentives in

a real-world situation.

SS.Econ1.b.m

Evaluate how incentives

impact individual and/or

household decision making.

SS.Econ1.b.h

Evaluate how incentives

determine what is produced

and distributed in a

competitive market system.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 27

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ2: Wisconsin students will analyze how decisions are made and interactions occur among individuals,

households, and firms or businesses (Microeconomics).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ2.a:

Consumers,

producers, and

markets

SS.Econ2.a.1

Differentiate between

buyers (consumers) and

sellers (producers).

SS.Econ2.a.3-4

Compare two product

markets found in the local

community.

Differentiate between

goods and services.

SS.Econ2.a.m

Analyze the role of

consumers and producers in

product markets.

Provide examples of how

individuals and households

are both consumers and

producers.

SS.Econ2.a.h

Connect the roles of

consumers and producers in

the product, labor, and

financial markets, and the

economy as a whole.

Analyze the roles of the

market for goods and

services (product market)

and the market for factors

of production (factor

market).

Econ2.b: Supply,

demand, and

competition

SS.Econ2.b.2

Define product market and

categorize prices of

products in a local market.

SS.Econ2.b.4-5

Assess the roles of

consumers (demand),

producers (supply), prices,

non-price factors (e.g.,

drought or a fad item), and

competition in the product

market.

SS.Econ2.b.m

Investigate the relationship

between supply and

demand.

Evaluate the extent to

which competition exists in

product markets, and its

relationship to price and

quality of goods and

services.

SS.Econ2.b.h

Differentiate between

supply and demand and the

resulting impact on

equilibrium prices and

quantities produced.

Compare and contrast

various degrees of

competition in markets (e.g.,

perfect competition,

monopolistic competition,

oligopoly, monopoly) and

how the extent of

competition in various

markets can affect price,

quantity, and variety.

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 28

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ2: Wisconsin students will analyze how decisions are made and interactions occur among individuals,

households, and firms/businesses (Microeconomics) (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ2.c:

Firm/business

behavior and

costs of

production

SS.Econ2.c.2

Predict how producers use

the factors of production

(i.e., land, labor, human and

physical capital, and

entrepreneurship) to make

goods, deliver services, and

earn profits.

SS.Econ2.c.3

Compare the skills and

knowledge required to

produce certain goods and

services.

Provide an example of the

factors of production (i.e.,

land, labor, capital,

entrepreneurship) for a

given product.

SS.Econ2.c.m

Categorize factors of

production and how they

are combined to make

goods and deliver services.

Evaluate how profits

influence sellers in markets.

SS.Econ2.c.h

Calculate the costs of

production and explain

their role in firm decision

making.

Differentiate between and

calculate revenue and profit

for a given firm.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 29

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ3: Wisconsin students will analyze how an economy functions as a whole (Macroeconomics).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ3.a:

Economic

indicators

SS.Econ3.a.1

Identify the cost of

everyday goods (e.g., milk,

bread, fruit, vegetables,

cheese).

SS.Econ3.a.4

Investigate how the cost of

things changes over time.

SS.Econ3.a.m

Analyze how inflation,

deflation, and

unemployment affect

different groups.

SS.Econ3.a.h

Assess how decisions about

spending and production

made by households,

businesses, and

governments determine the

country’s levels of income,

employment, and prices.

Analyze why

unemployment rates differ

for people of different ages,

races, and genders.

Use economic indicators to

analyze the current and

future state of the

economy.

Econ3.b: Money

SS.Econ3.b.1

Categorize types of money

(e.g., coins, bills) and explain

why money is used.

Formulate reasons why

people save.

SS.Econ3.b.5

Describe the role of money,

banking, and savings in

everyday life, including why

people borrow money and

the role of interest.

SS.Econ3.b.m

Differentiate between the

functions of money (i.e.,

medium of exchange, store

of value, unit of account).

Assess how interest rates

influence borrowing and

investing.

SS.Econ3.b.h

Evaluate the structure and

functions of money in the

United States, including the

role of interest rates.

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 30

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ3: Wisconsin students will analyze how an economy functions as a whole (Macroeconomics) (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ 3.c:

Economic

fluctuations and

business cycles

SS.Econ3.c.m

Define Gross Domestic

Product (GDP), and

compare the GDP of

different nations.

SS.Econ3.c.h

Connect the components of

Gross Domestic Product

(GDP) to different parts of

an economy and

differentiate between real

and nominal GDP.

Compare and contrast the

parts of a business cycle of

an economy (i.e.,

expansion/prosperity, peak,

contraction or recession,

trough).

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 31

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ4: Wisconsin students will evaluate government decisions and their impact on individuals, businesses,

markets, and resources (Role of Government).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ4.a:

Economic

systems and

allocation of

resources

SS.Econ4.a.2

Hypothesize how a good

gets to the local community

market.

SS.Econ4.a.3

Trace the chain of supply

for a needed product (e.g.,

food, shelter).

SS.Econ4.a.m

Compare and contrast how

different economic systems

(traditional, command,

market, mixed) choose to

allocate the production,

distribution, and

consumption of resources

(what, how, for whom is it

produced).

SS.Econ4.a.h

Evaluate how values and

beliefs (e.g., economic

freedom, economic

efficiency, equity, full

employment, price stability,

security, efficiency and

growth) help to form

different types of economic

systems and analyze how

they have been affected by

specific political and social

systems and important

events.

Analyze how the allocation

of resources can impact the

distribution of wealth and

income equality or

inequality.

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 32

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ4: Wisconsin students will evaluate government decisions and their impact on individuals, businesses,

markets, and resources (Role of Government) (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ4.b:

Institutions

SS.Econ4.b.1

Classify different jobs

people have and how these

jobs help others.

Explain what major public,

private, and tribal

institutions (e.g., schools,

police, fire station) do for

people.

SS.Econ4.b.4-5

Assess the role of economic

institutions (e.g., banks,

government) in helping

individuals and society.

Differentiate between

private property (e.g.,

factories and homes) and

public property (e.g., parks,

public schools, and

government buildings).

SS.Econ4.b.m

Compare and contrast the

role of different economic

institutions such as banks,

labor unions, non-profits,

and businesses in an

economy.

Analyze rules and laws that

protect and support both

consumers (e.g., private

property, zoning, contracts,

agreements, and product

safety) and workers (e.g.,

labor unions, regulations,

minimum wage).

SS.Econ4.b.h

Analyze the impact

economic institutions (such

as the Federal Reserve,

property rights, legal

systems or rule of law,

corporations, minimum

wage, regulations) have on

our country.

Analyze the impact of

institutions (e.g.,

corporations, labor unions,

civil service system,

government, associations)

on wages, benefits, living

standards, and a local

community's economy.

Assess how property rights

are defined, protected,

enforced, and limited by

government (e.g., zoning

laws, copyright laws,

patents, intellectual

property).

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 33

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ4: Wisconsin students will evaluate government decisions and their impact on individuals, businesses,

markets, and resources (Role of Government) (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ4.c: Role of

government

SS.Econ4.c.2

Summarize goods and

services that the

government provides (e.g.,

roads, schools, police), and

how they help people.

SS.Econ4.c.5

Discuss reasons a

government taxes people.

SS.Econ4.c.m

Analyze the impact of

different government

policies (e.g., taxation and

government spending) on

the economy.

SS.Econ4.c.h

Evaluate types of taxes (i.e.,

progressive, regressive) and

earned benefits with

eligibility criteria (e.g.,

Social Security, Medicare,

Medicaid). Justify the

selection of fiscal and

monetary policies in

expanding or contracting

the economy.

Econ4.d: Impact

of government

interventions

SS.Econ4.d.1

Give an example of an

unintended cost or benefit

to an event (e.g., getting

new playground equipment,

receiving a present).

SS.Econ4.d.5

Predict unintended costs

and benefits (i.e.,

externalities) for a given

current situation or event.

SS.Econ4.d.m

Analyze potential

unintended costs and

benefits (i.e., externalities)

for a local or state law or

policy.

SS.Econ4.d.h

Evaluate the intended and

unintended costs and

benefits (i.e., externalities)

of government policies to

improve market outcomes

and standards of living.

Analyze the effectiveness of

how people, government

policies, and economic

systems have attempted to

address income inequality

and working conditions

both now and in the past.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 34

Content Area: Economics (Econ)

Standard SS.Econ4: Wisconsin students will evaluate government decisions and their impact on individuals, businesses,

markets, and resources (Role of Government) (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Econ4.e:

Specialization,

trade, and

interdependence

SS.Econ4.e.2

Investigate how people can

benefit themselves and

others by developing

special skills and strengths.

Hypothesize why people in

one country trade goods

with people in another

country.

SS.Econ4.e.3

Compare and contrast

specialization in two or

more regions (e.g., Midwest

and Northeastern United

States, United States and

Japan, Europe and South

America).

SS.Econ4.e.m

Summarize the role of

specialization on trade and

cost of goods/services.

Identify examples of U.S.

exports and imports.

SS.Econ4.e.h

Draw conclusions of the

effect of specialization and

trade on production and

consumption of goods and

services upon individuals,

businesses, and societies

Analyze the role of

comparative advantage in

international trade of goods

and services.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 35

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog1: Wisconsin students will use geographic tools and ways of thinking to analyze the world.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Geog1.a: Tools

of geography

SS.Geog1.a.1

Recognize the difference

between maps (paper or

digital) and globes, and why

someone might choose one

over the other for a given

task.

SS.Geog1.a.4-5

Summarize how location

(absolute and relative)

affects people, places, and

environment.

Construct maps (paper or

digital), charts, and graphs

using appropriate elements

(i.e., date, orientation, grid,

scale, title, author, index,

legend, situation)

SS.Geog1.a.m

Use paper and digital maps

to ask and answer

geographic questions (e.g.,

Where are there patterns?

Why there? So what?).

Analyze how various map

projections distort shape,

area, distance, and direction

(e.g., Mercator, Robinson,

Peters).

SS.Geog1.a.h

Use printed and digital

maps to ask and answer

geographic questions (e.g.,

Where are there patterns?

Why there? So what?) and

evaluate the

appropriateness of

geographic data and

representations to

understand real-world

problems.

Explain how current

geospatial technologies

(e.g., Geographic

Information Systems (GIS),

Global Positioning Systems

(GPS), satellite images,

remote sensing) are used

for personal, business, and

government purposes.

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 36

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog1: Wisconsin students will use geographic tools and ways of thinking to analyze the world (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e)

3-5 (i)

6-8 (m)

9-12 (h)

Geog1.b: Spatial

thinking (map

interpretation)

SS.Geog1.b.1-2

Identify physical and human

characteristics of a place

using maps, graphs,

photographs, and other

representations.

SS.Geog1.b.i

Identify purposes of and

differences among maps,

globes, aerial photographs,

charts, and satellite images.

SS.Geog1.b.m

Interpret patterns in a

variety of maps, charts, and

graphs to display

geographic information

(contour, cartogram,

population, natural

resource, historical maps)

and explain relationships

among them.

SS.Geog1.b.h

Interpret maps and images

(e.g., political, physical,

relief, thematic, virtual or

electronic) to analyze

geographic problems and

changes over time.

Geog1.c: Mental

mapping and

maps from

memory

SS.Geog1.c.1

Construct a map (paper or

digital) of a familiar place

(i.e., bedroom, classroom,

playground) using title,

compass rose, and symbols.

SS.Geog1.c.4-5

Create and label a map

(paper or digital) of the local

community, state, tribal

lands, and country,

including both physical (e.g.,

oceans and continents) and

human (e.g., roads,

buildings) characteristics.

Identify and construct

regions (digital or paper) in

Wisconsin and the United

States.

SS.Geog1.c.m

Construct a mental map of

regions and locate the

major regions of the world

and their physical and

cultural features including

continents, cities, countries,

bodies of water, landforms,

mountain ranges, and

climate zones.

Compare mental maps

shaped by individual

perceptions of people,

places, regions, and

environments.

SS.Geog1.c.h

Compare and contrast a

mental map before and

after an event to see if

perception reshaped their

perspectives.

Explain how using a virtual

or electronic mapping

application can aid in the

development of a more

complete and accurate

mental map of places and

region.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 37

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog2: Wisconsin students will analyze human movement and population patterns.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e)

3-5 (i)

6-8 (m)

9-12 (h)

Geog2.a:

Population and

place

SS.Geog2.a.K-1

Analyze where and why

people live in certain places.

Classify the local

community as rural,

suburban, urban, or tribal.

SS.Geog2.a.3

Categorize the populations

of people living in their

state and country.

Compare and contrast

types of communities (i.e.,

rural, suburban, urban, or

tribal), and different types

of places on Earth (e.g.,

community, state, region,

country or nation).

SS.Geog2.a.m

Analyze why populations

increase or decrease in

various regions throughout

the world.

Analyze the distribution of

population patterns at

various scales (i.e., local,

state, country, region).

SS.Geog2.a.h

Evaluate population policies

by analyzing how

governments affect

population change.

Analyze population

compositions (e.g., age,

gender, ethnicity) and the

different implications each

has on countries or regions

throughout the world.

Geog2.b:

Reasons people

move

SS.Geog2.b.2

Explain why people have

moved to and away from

their community.

SS.Geog2.b.5

Investigate push and pull

factors of movement in

their community, state,

country, and world.

SS.Geog2.b.m

Analyze patterns of

migration of various types

(e.g., age, sex, ethnicity,

race) in the community,

state, country, and world.

SS.Geog2.b.h

Evaluate the impact of

major international

migrations, both past and

present, on physical and

human systems.

Geog2.c: Impact

of movement

SS.Geog2.c.2

Describe population

changes in their community

over time.

SS.Geog2.c.5

Describe population

changes in their state and

country over time.

SS.Geog2.c.m

Use regions in the world to

analyze the role of

population shifts in why

places change over time.

Evaluate the impact of

migration on the place of

origin and the place of

settlement.

SS.Geog2.c.h

Analyze the social impact of

movement of people to

different locations in a

variety of time periods and

locations throughout the

world.

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 38

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog2: Wisconsin students will analyze human movement and population patterns (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Geog2d.

Urbanization

SS.Geog2.d.1

Identify and explain

differences between rural

and urban areas.

SS.Geog2.d.4-5

Summarize positive and

negative factors of cities.

Identify the location and

patterns of cities within our

state and country.

SS.Geog2.d.m

Investigate the impact of

rural decline and the

growth of cities on a place.

Analyze patterns of

urbanization around the

world.

SS.Geog2.d.h

Evaluate the impact of

spatial inequality as a result

of urbanization and develop

various solutions to address

these inequalities.

Analyze the impact of rural

decline and urbanization on

a place.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 39

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog3: Wisconsin students will examine the impacts of global interconnections and relationships.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Geog3.a:

Distribution of

resources

SS.Geog3.a.1

Analyze how different

access to resources can

create stress in a society

(e.g., Who sits closer to the

bathroom? Who gets to the

lunchroom first?)

SS.Geog3.a.5

Classify a provided set of

resources as renewable or

nonrenewable, and analyze

the implications of both at

the local, national, and

global level.

SS.Geog3.a.m

Analyze the relationship

between the distribution of

resources and patterns of

human settlement within

states, countries, and

regions of the world now

and in the past.

SS.Geog3.a.h

Evaluate, in both current

and historical context, how

the prospect of gaining

access to resources in

contested zones creates

competition among

countries.

Assess how and why

consumption of resources

(e.g., petroleum, coal,

electricity, steel, water,

food) differs between

developed and developing

countries now and in the

past.

Geog3.b:

Networks

SS.Geog3.b.2

Compare and contrast the

different modes of

transportation and

communication used by

families in work and daily lives.

SS.Geog3.b.4

Classify various ways that

people and countries

depend on one another.

Summarize how

transportation and

communication have

changed economic activities

over time.

SS.Geog3.b.m

Analyze spatial patterns of

social and economic

development in a variety of

regions in the world.

Identify how people,

products, and ideas move

between places (e.g.,

internet commerce,

outsourcing).

SS.Geog3.b.h

Analyze the evolution of the

global economy to its

present state and the role it

plays in the economic

development of world

regions.

Analyze the role of

supranational organizations

(e.g., NAFTA, NATO, UN).

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 40

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog4: Wisconsin students will evaluate the relationship between identity and place.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Geog4.a:

Characteristics

of place

SS.Geog4.a.2

Categorize characteristics

of the local community (e.g.,

weather and climate,

population, landforms,

vegetation, culture,

industry).

Describe how certain places

have meanings that

distinguish them from other

places. (e.g., shopping mall,

park, places of worship).

SS.Geog4.a.4

Describe how certain places

may have meanings that

distinguish them from other

places (e.g., cemetery,

places of worship, state or

national parks, historical

park, or battlefield).

Compare and contrast the

human characteristics of

rural, suburban, urban, and

tribal locations in

Wisconsin and the United

States.

Identify and describe how

people may view places in

the community differently

(e.g., students and senior

citizens responding to a

new playground).

SS.Geog4.a.m

Explain how place-based

identities can change places

over time.

Investigate how place-

based identity results from

the characteristics of a

place and can sometimes

result in stereotypes of

people from a specific place.

Describe students’

perceptions of a place that

are based on indirect

sources (e.g., television,

movies), versus on direct

sources (e.g., residing in a

place, visiting a place).

SS.Geog4.a.h

Evaluate the effect of

culture on a place over time.

Analyze how physical and

human characteristics

interact to give a place

meaning and significance

(e.g., Panama Canal,

Chunnel) and shape culture.

Explain how and why place-

based identities can shape

events at various scales

(e.g., neighborhood,

regional identity).

Explain how and why

people view places and

regions differently as a

function of their ideology,

race, ethnicity, language,

gender, age, religion,

politics, social class, and

economic status.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 41

Content Area: Geography (Geog)

Standard SS.Geog5: Wisconsin students will evaluate the relationship between humans and the environment.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Geog5.a: Human

environment

interaction

SS.Geog5.a.1

Provide examples of human

changes to the environment

surrounding the school or

neighborhood.

SS.Geog5.a.3-4

Compare the positive and

negative effects of human

actions on our physical

environment (e.g.,

availability of water,

fertility of soils) over time.

SS.Geog5.a.m

Analyze how technology

interacts with the

environment and how

increased use of technology

affects the burden and use

of natural resources.

SS.Geog5.a.h

Analyze the intentional and

unintentional spatial

consequences of human

actions on the environment

at the local, state, tribal,

regional, country, and world

levels.

Geog5.b:

Interdependence

SS.Geog5.b.2

Identify natural resources

(e.g., fertile soil, forests,

mining) of a place and

provide examples of how

those resources are used.

SS.Geog5.b.5

Examine how human

actions modify the physical

environment when using

natural resources

(renewable and

nonrenewable).

SS.Geog5.b.m

Analyze how distribution of

natural resources such as

fisheries and crops

(renewable and

nonrenewable) creates

systems of commerce

between groups.

Analyze how unequal

distribution of resources

creates inequities between

regions and can lead to

conflict between competing

countries.

SS.Geog5.b.h

Hypothesize how changes

in human behavior (e.g.,

organic agriculture,

Genetically Modified

Organisms, ecotourism) can

result in changes that have

effects on a global scale.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 42

History

Historical Eras and Themes

Students in Wisconsin will learn about the history of Wisconsin, the United States, and the world.

When teaching Wisconsin, United States, or World History, the following are topics for exploration:

1. Historically marginalized groups (i.e., groups defined by race, gender, ethnicity, language, ability, sexual orientation, family

background, and/or family income*)

2. Human and civil rights, including suffrage, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and current and historic genocide,

including the Holocaust or Shoah.

3. Movement of people, goods, and services, including immigration and trade (e.g. historical, such as by Scandinavians,

Germans, and recent, such as by Hmong and Latinos)

4. The history of organized labor and the collective bargaining process [Wisc. Stat. sec. 115.28(55)]

5. The history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this

state [Wisc. Stat. sec.121.02(1)(L)4] (WI 1989 Act 31)

6. Stewardship, sustainability, and civic responsibility related to the environment and natural resources [Wis. Admin. Code

sec. PI 8.01(2)(k)6.b]

7. Wisconsin and Federal Observance days, weeks, and months

*From Leading for Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs, Council of State School Officers, 2017

Some eras may overlap; this is due to the nature of that specific named era.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 43

K-12 students studying Wisconsin history will focus on:

Before 1634

First People and Nations

Before 1800

Early European Explorers and Arrivals

1787 - 1848

Territory to Statehood

1848 - 1877

Early Statehood, the Civil War, and Reconstruction

1877 - 1900

Industrialization, Agriculture, Urbanization, and Labor

1900 - 1918

The Wisconsin Idea, the Progressive Era, and World War I

1918 - 1939

Economic Growth, the Great Depression, and the New Deal

1922 - 1945

Fascism, Communism, and World War II

1945 - 1954

Post-War Wisconsin and the Early Cold War

1954 - 1975

Civil Rights, the Later Cold War, and the Vietnam War Era

1975 - Present

The Modern Era

K-12 students studying United States history will focus on:

Before 1607

First People and Nations

1607 - 1754

Meeting of Peoples and Cultures

1754 - 1800

American Revolution and Early National Period

1800 - 1861

Nationalism, and the Growth and Expansion of Slavery in an Expanding Country

1861 - 1877

Civil War and Reconstruction

1870 - 1930

Industrialization, Urbanization, Labor, and Immigration

1890 - 1945

The Progressive Era , Prosperity and Depression, and World Wars

1945 - 1980

Post-War Economic and Population Growth, Suburbanization, the Cold War, and Civil Rights

1980 - Present

The Modern Era

*Eras and themes for U.S. History adapted from the College Board Advanced Placement United States History Eras.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 44

The study of World History includes civilizations from Africa, the Americas, Asia (East, South, Southeast, Southwest), Europe,

and Oceania.

K-12 students studying World History will focus on:

To 600 BC

Technological and Environmental Transformations

600 BC - 600 AD

Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies

600 AD - 1450

Regional and Interregional Interactions

1450 -1750

Global Interactions

1750 - 1900

Industrialization and Global Integration

1900 - Present

Accelerating Global Change and Realignments

*Eras and themes for World History adapted from the College Board Advanced Placement World History Eras.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 45

Content Area: History (Hist)

Standard SS.Hist1: Wisconsin students will use historical evidence for determining cause and effect.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Hist1.a: Cause

SS.Hist1.a.e

Identify one or more causes

of an event, issue, or

problem.

SS.Hist1.a.i

Use evidence to draw

conclusions about probable

causes of historical events,

issues, and problems.

SS.Hist1.a.m

Use multiple perspectives

to analyze and explain the

causes of issues or events

within and across time

periods, events, or cultures.

SS.Hist1.a.h

Evaluate multiple events

from different perspectives

using primary and

secondary sources and

analyze intended and

unintended causes from

both long- and short-term

perspectives.

Evaluate how different

groups and individuals

contributed to the event or

cause.

Hist1.b: Effect

SS.Hist1.b.e

Identify one or more effects

of an event, issue, or

problem.

SS.Hist1.b.i

Use evidence to draw

conclusions about probable

effects of historical events,

issues, and problems.

SS.Hist1.b.m

Use multiple perspectives

to analyze and explain

effects of issues or events

within and across time

periods, events, or cultures.

SS.Hist1.b.h

Evaluate multiple events

from different perspectives

using primary and

secondary sources and

analyze intended and

unintended effects from

both long- and short-term

perspectives.

Evaluate how different

groups and individuals

contributed to the effect.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 46

Content Area: History (Hist)

Standard SS.Hist2: Wisconsin students will analyze, recognize, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change over time

and contextualization of historical events.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Hist2.a: Patterns

stay the same

over a period of

time

SS.Hist2.a.e

Identify patterns of what

stayed the same to self,

family, and community over

time.

SS.Hist2.a.i

Describe patterns of

continuity over time in the

community, state, and the

United States.

SS.Hist2.a.m

Explain patterns of

continuity over time in the

community, the state, the

United States, and the

world.

SS.Hist2.a.h

Evaluate a variety of

primary and secondary

sources to apply knowledge

of major eras, enduring

themes, turning points, and

historical influences to

analyze the patterns of

continuity in the

community, the state, the

United States, and the

world.

Hist2.b: Patterns

change over a

period of time

SS.Hist2.b.e

Identify patterns of change

to self, family, and

community over time.

SS.Hist2.b.i

Describe patterns of

change over time in the

community, state, and the

United States.

SS.Hist2.b.m

Explain patterns of change

over time in the community,

the state, the United States,

and the world.

SS.Hist2.b.h

Evaluate a variety of

primary and secondary

sources to apply knowledge

of major eras, enduring

themes, turning points, and

historical influences to

analyze the patterns of

change in the community,

the state, the United States

and the world.

Hist2.c:

Contextualiza-

tion

SS.Hist2.c.e

Explain how something

happening outside of your

home can affect your family.

SS.Hist2.c.i

Analyze individuals, groups,

and events to understand

why their contributions are

important to historical

change or continuity.

SS.Hist2.c.m

Analyze how the historical

context influenced the

process or nature of the

continuity or change that

took place.

SS.Hist2.c.h

Evaluate how the historical

context influenced the

process or nature of the

continuity or change that

took place.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 47

Content Area: History (Hist)

Standard SS.Hist3: Wisconsin students will connect past events, people, and ideas to the present; use different

perspectives to draw conclusions; and suggest current implications.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Hist3.a:

Connections

SS.Hist3.a.e

Describe a person or event

from the past that reflects

your own life in some way.

SS.Hist3.a.i

Compare events in

Wisconsin history to a

current issue or event.

SS.Hist3.a.m

Compare events from

United States or world

history to a current issue or

event.

SS.Hist3.a.h

Analyze significant

historical periods and their

relationship to present

issues and events.

Hist3.b:

Perspective

SS.Hist3.b.e

Explain why two people can

talk about an event from

different viewpoints.

SS.Hist3.b.i

Identify different historical

perspectives regarding

people and events in the

past.

SS.Hist3.b.m

Apply historical

perspectives to describe

differing viewpoints of

current events.

SS.Hist3.b.h

Evaluate historical

perspectives to create

arguments with evidence

concerning current events.

Hist3.c: Current

implications

SS.Hist3.c.e

Explain how something

from the past can affect

your life now.

SS.Hist3.c.i

Explain how historical

events have possible

implications on the present.

SS.Hist3.c.m

Hypothesize the direction

of current events and

outcomes based on the

past.

SS.Hist3.c.h

Evaluate and justify

predictions of potential

outcomes of current events

based on the past.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 48

Content Area: History (Hist)

Standard SS.Hist4: Wisconsin students will evaluate a variety of primary and secondary sources to interpret the

historical context, intended audience, purpose, or author’s point of view (Historical Methodology).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

Hist4.a:

Historical

context

SS.Hist4.a.e

Describe the events that led

to the creation of a primary

source.

SS.Hist4.a.i

Describe the historical

context (situation) of a

primary or secondary

source.

SS.Hist4.a.m

Explain how the historical

context (situation)

influences a primary or

secondary source.

SS.Hist4.a.h

Analyze how the historical

context (situation)

influences a primary or

secondary source.

Hist4.b:

Intended

audience

SS.Hist4.b.e

Identify the intended

audience for whom the

primary or secondary

source was created.

SS.Hist4.b.i

Describe the significance of

the intended audience of a

primary or secondary

source.

SS.Hist4.b.m

Explain the significance of

the intended audience of a

primary or secondary

source.

SS.Hist4.b.h

Analyze how the intended

audience influences a

primary or secondary

source.

Hist4.c: Purpose

SS.Hist4.c.e

Create one primary source

about your life.

SS.Hist4.c.i

Describe the intended

purpose of a specific

primary or secondary

source.

SS.Hist4.c.m

Explain the significance of

the intended purpose of a

specific primary or

secondary source.

SS.Hist4.c.h

Analyze the intended

purpose of a specific

primary or secondary

source.

Hist4.d: Point of

view (POV)

SS.Hist4.d.e

Identify the POV of your

own primary or secondary

source.

SS.Hist4.d.i

Describe the impact of the

POV of the author on a

primary or secondary

source.

SS.Hist4.d.m

Explain how the POV of the

author can influence the

meaning of a primary or

secondary source.

SS.Hist4.d.h

Analyze how the POV of the

author can influence the

content and intent of a

primary or secondary

source and identify whose

voices may be left out.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 49

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard SS.PS1: Wisconsin students will identify and analyze democratic principles and ideals.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS1.a: Values

and principles of

American

constitutional

democracy

SS.PS1.a.K-1

Describe symbols, songs,

and traditions that identify

our state and country.

Assess the importance of

rules and laws at home, in

school, and in the

community.

SS.PS1.a.i

Differentiate between

majority rule and minority

rights (as a function of a

democratic republic).

Hypothesize why laws and

constitutions exist.

SS.PS1.a.m

Investigate the components

of responsible citizenship.

Summarize the importance

of rule of law.

SS.PS1.a.h

Analyze how

constitutionalism attempts

to preserve fundamental

societal values, protects

individual freedoms and

rights, promotes the

general welfare, and

responds to changing

circumstances and beliefs

by defining and limiting the

powers of government.

Analyze sources of

governmental authority.

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 50

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard SS.PS1: Wisconsin students will identify and analyze democratic principles and ideals (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS1.b: Origins

and foundation

of the

government of

the United

States

SS.PS1.b.1-2

Compare contributions of

two or more influential

people related to the

founding of the United

States.

SS.PS1.b.4-5

Summarize the

contributions of historically

significant people during

the period of early United

States history to the

development of our political

culture.

Differentiate between

freedom, justice, equality,

rights, responsibilities, and

citizenship.

Apply key elements of the

Wisconsin Constitution to

the local community.

SS.PS1.b.m

Hypothesize and defend

why a specific historically

significant person’s

contribution to the

development of the political

culture of the United States

was important.

Investigate how principles

expressed in the

Declaration of

Independence, Constitution

(including the Preamble and

the Bill of Rights) have been

applied throughout United

States history, including

how they may have evolved

over time.

Assess specific protections

to individuals outlined in

the Wisconsin Constitution

and what they mean to local

communities and regions of

the state.

SS.PS1.b.h

Evaluate the work and

actions of historically

significant people and their

contributions to the

founding principles of the

United States.

Analyze the foundational

ideas of United States

government that are

embedded in founding era

documents.

Analyze landmark Supreme

Court decisions regarding

how the Constitution and

the Bill of Rights limit the

government, protect

individual rights, support

the principle of majority

rule while protecting the

rights of the minority, and

promotes the general

welfare.

Analyze the meaning and

importance of rights in the

Wisconsin Constitution,

and compare or contrast to

the United States

Constitution.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 51

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard SS.PS2: Wisconsin students will examine and interpret rights, privileges, and responsibilities in society.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS2.a: Civil

rights and civil

liberties

SS.PS2.a.1-2

Compare rights and

responsibilities within the

classroom, school, and

community.

Classify basic rights that all

humans have (i.e., life,

liberty, safety).

SS.PS2.a.i

Investigate examples of

rights and responsibilities,

including the Declaration of

Independence,

Constitution, Bill of Rights,

and the Universal

Declaration of Human

Rights, which individuals

possess within the state,

country, and world.

Summarize the actions of

people and groups that

have advanced civil rights

for individuals.

Identify and describe basic

human liberties (i.e., thought,

expression, privacy).

SS.PS2.a.m

Analyze the scope and

limits of individual

protections found in the

Constitution and the Bill of

Rights.

Describe the evolution of

rights over time including

key laws, constitutional

changes, and court

decisions that contributed

to these developments.

Predict how collective

action movements work to

extend equal rights to

groups and individuals.

SS.PS2.a.h

Critique the struggle for

suffrage and citizenship

since the founding period.

Analyze the constitutional

tension between protecting

individual rights and

promoting the general

welfare and security of the

country, as well as between

majority rule and minority

rights.

Assess the impact of

individuals, groups, and

movements on the

development of civil rights

for different groups.

PS2.b:

Fundamentals of

citizenship

SS.PS2.b.2

Summarize situations

where individuals have

rights, freedoms, and

equality.

Develop an opinion about

an issue in your school or

community.

SS.PS2.b.5

Compare and contrast

being a citizen of a country

to the principles of good

citizenship.

Describe the process by

which people in the United

States become legal citizens

(i.e., natural born or

naturalization).

SS.PS2.b.m

Analyze the rights and

responsibilities of citizens

(i.e., voting, jury duty,

paying taxes, obeying laws).

Synthesize the cultural

structures, types of govern-

ment, and economic

systems to explain differing

concepts of citizenship (e.g.,

Confucianism, dictatorship,

theocracy, republic,

democracy).

SS.PS2.b.h

Assess the difference in

constitutional and legal

protections for citizens vs.

noncitizens.

Demonstrate the skills

necessary to participate in

the election process (i.e.,

registering to vote,

identifying and evaluating

candidates and issues, and

casting a ballot).

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 52

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard SS.PS2: Wisconsin students will examine and interpret rights, privileges, and responsibilities in society (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS2.c: Asserting

and reaffirming

of human rights

SS.PS2.c.1-2

Identify groups within

school, community, or

society and compare their

rights and responsibilities

(e.g., student or teacher).

Investigate ways in which

people and groups can

influence decision makers

in school, their

communities, states, or

country (i.e., voting, running

for office, participating in

meetings).

SS.PS2.c.4-5

Critique instances where

groups have been denied

access to power and rights,

and any law or customs that

have altered these

instances.

Summarize how people

(e.g., religious groups, civil

rights groups, workers,

neighborhood residents)

organize to gain a greater

voice to impact and change

their communities.

SS.PS2.c.m

Compare and contrast the

political, social, and

economic status of

marginalized groups both

historically and in the

present, both in the United

States and worldwide.

Investigate how groups

(e.g., women, religious

groups, civil rights groups,

indigenous peoples,

LGBTQ) have advocated for

access to greater rights.

SS.PS2.c.h

Analyze how the U.S.

Supreme Court has allowed

the restriction and enabled

the expansion of rights for

groups.

Evaluate different goals and

methods of groups who

have advocated for access

to greater rights (e.g.,

women, religious groups,

civil rights groups,

indigenous peoples,

LGBTQ).

Analyze the role of the

Universal Declaration of

Human Rights (UDHR) and

nongovernment

organizations (NGOs such

as Save the Children or the

Red Cross) in how human

rights have been addressed

in different countries.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 53

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard SS.PS3: Wisconsin students will analyze and evaluate the powers and

processes of political and civic institutions.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS3.a: Political

participation

SS.PS3.a.1

Describe and explain the

effect an action has on

members of a group.

Express an opinion and vote

on a topic in their lives.

SS.PS3.a.4-5

Investigate reasons why

citizens participate in

elections.

Identify their role in

government at the local,

state, tribal, and federal

levels.

SS.PS3.a.m

Assess voter participation

in elections.

Explain their role in

government at the local,

state, tribal, and federal

levels.

SS.PS3.a.h

Create and evaluate

solutions to increase voter

participation.

Evaluate their role in

government at the local,

state, tribal, and federal

levels.

PS3.b: Linkage

institutions

SS.PS3.b.e

Identify different types of

media and sources.

Explain why we have

elections.

Summarize basic roles of

civic institutions (e.g.,

school, home, family,

community).

SS.PS3.b.3-4

Provide examples of how

various types of media are

used in elections and

government.

Compare and contrast the

multiple roles people play in

elections.

Analyze the roles civic

institutions play in their

lives, their community, and

beyond (e.g., schools,

community groups,

religious institutions).

SS.PS3.b.m

Analyze the role of various

types of media in elections and

functions of government.

Analyze how elections and

political parties in the United

States connect the people to

government.

Summarize how civic

institutions influence society

and politics. (e.g., special

interest groups, chamber of

commerce, lobbying).

SS.PS3.b.h

Evaluate the role of various

types of media in elections

and functions of

government.

Analyze how the United

States political system is

shaped by political parties,

elections and the election

process, including the

caucus and primary systems

and procedures involved in

voting.

Evaluate civic institutions

and explain how competing

interests impact societal

change (e.g., lobbying,

citizens groups, special

interest groups).

NOTE: This standard continued on next page.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 54

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard SS.PS3: Wisconsin students will analyze and evaluate the powers and processes of political and civic

institutions (cont’d).

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS3.c: Power in

government

SS.PS3.c.1

Compare basic political

institutions (e.g., what a

government is and how it

differs at the city, state,

tribal, country, and global

level), and the roles they

serve in their lives and in

the lives of others (e.g.,

make laws, create order).

SS.PS3.c.4-5

Classify the basic structures

and functions of

governments and

summarize basic powers of

the government at the local,

state, tribal, and federal

levels.

SS.PS3.c.m

Analyze the structure,

functions, powers, and

limitations of government

at the local, state, tribal, and

federal levels.

SS.PS3.c.h

Evaluate the structure and

functions of governments at

the local, state, tribal,

national, and global levels.

Evaluate the purpose of

political institutions at the

local, state, tribal, national,

global, and supranational or

non-government

organization (NGO) levels

distinguishing their roles,

powers, and limitations.

PS3.d: Public

policy

SS.PS3.d.1

Predict how people come

up with different ideas to

solve a problem.

SS.PS3.d.5

Provide examples of how

different governments

solve problems.

SS.PS3.d.m

Analyze how governments

address and solve problems

through the public policy

process.

SS.PS3.d.h

Evaluate the effectiveness

of public policy actions and

processes.

Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies 55

Content Area: Political Science (PS)

Standard: SS.PS4: Wisconsin students will develop and employ skills for civic literacy.

Performance Indicators (by Grade Band)

Learning Priority

K-2 (e) 3-5 (i) 6-8 (m) 9-12 (h)

PS4.a:

Argumentation

SS.PS4.a.e

Compare and contrast

perspectives on the same

topic.

SS.PS4.a.i

Compile relevant

information to form a

political argument taking

other points of view into

account.

SS.PS4.a.m

Assemble an argument

utilizing multiple sources of

information.

SS.PS4.a.h

Create arguments by

researching and

interpreting claims and

counterclaims.

PS4.b:

Compromise,

diplomacy, and

consensus

building

SS.PS4.b.2

Give an example of a

compromise.

SS.PS4.b.5

Describe what influences

different political attitudes

and actions and how

diverse groups can work

towards consensus.

SS.PS4.b.m

Provide examples of

diplomacy, pluralism, and

consensus building

(between individuals,

groups, and institutions).

SS.PS4.b.h

Analyze the effects of a

political compromise with

major historical impact.