Document Type

Student Research Paper

Date

Spring 2016

Academic Department

Education

Faculty Advisor(s)

Rachel Finley-Bowman

Abstract

As the world of standardized tests drives the curriculum in the early childhood classroom, many times students aren’t getting the effective social studies education they need in order to become active citizens. The state of North Carolina has done a great amount of research on what makes an effective K-12 social studies curriculum. From this research, they have created the 3C model of helping to make their students College, Career, and Civic ready. This curriculum covers the four content areas they found the most important to cover, history, geography, civics, and economics. Five schools in the Central Pennsylvania area were selected in order to compare their formal curriculum to that covered by the 3C model, in order to discover what is required to be taught in the classroom. The research conducted on each schools focused on their third grade curriculum due to the fact that this is a transitional year for students; it is the first time they are taking standardized tests. The information analyzed through the 3C Model and the five school districts is brought together in order to understand what important topics are being covered and what areas could use more focus. From here, an ideal social studies curriculum for the third grade level will be created to be used universally by schools.

Notes

Senior Thesis.

Included in

Education Commons

Share

COinS