Government and founding ideas
Students study how American government is built and why. They read founding documents, trace power across federal, state, and local levels, and look at the ideals those documents promise.
What does a student learn in
This is the stretch where social studies starts to feel like adult conversation. Students dig into how government actually works, how money moves through a market, and how a citizen makes a difference in real life. They read original documents and weigh different points of view instead of taking one version of the story at face value. By spring, they can explain a current issue using evidence from history, economics, or geography.
- U.S. government
- Citizenship
- Personal finance
- Market economy
- Primary sources
- World history
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Citizens and civic action
Students learn what citizens are responsible for and what rights protect them. They practice the skills people use to take part in their communities, from researching an issue to making a case for a position.
- 3
Choices in a market economy
Students look at how people, businesses, and government make economic choices when resources are limited. They examine how prices and incentives shape what gets made, bought, and earned.
- 4
Money, systems, and the wider economy
Students compare different economic systems and how they shift over time. They also build personal money skills, from budgeting to credit, and see how households and countries depend on each other.
- 5
People, places, and regions
Students use maps and other tools to study where people live and why. They look at how communities change the land around them, how cultures differ, and how regions connect across the world.
- 6
History and multiple perspectives
Students work with primary and secondary sources to study major events in Delaware, the United States, and the world. They trace causes and effects and weigh how different viewpoints shape the stories we tell about the past.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 12.
Civics
Civics
- Grades 11-12
Government
Students study how the U.S. government is organized, from the three branches in Washington down to state and local offices. The focus is on who holds power, what limits that power, and why the system is built that way.
- Grades 11-12
Politics
Students read founding documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to identify the core ideals behind American government, such as liberty, equality, and self-rule, and trace how those ideas shaped the political system.
- Grades 11-12
Citizenship
Students explain what citizens in a democracy are expected to do, such as vote or serve on a jury, and what protections and rights the government cannot take away.
- Grades 11-12
Participation
Students practice the real-world skills of citizenship: researching issues, making their voices heard, and taking action in their communities. This standard covers what it looks like to actually show up and participate in civic life.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Government Grades 11-12 | Students study how the U.S. government is organized, from the three branches in Washington down to state and local offices. The focus is on who holds power, what limits that power, and why the system is built that way. | DE-SS.CIV.11-12.1 |
| Politics Grades 11-12 | Students read founding documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to identify the core ideals behind American government, such as liberty, equality, and self-rule, and trace how those ideas shaped the political system. | DE-SS.CIV.11-12.2 |
| Citizenship Grades 11-12 | Students explain what citizens in a democracy are expected to do, such as vote or serve on a jury, and what protections and rights the government cannot take away. | DE-SS.CIV.11-12.3 |
| Participation Grades 11-12 | Students practice the real-world skills of citizenship: researching issues, making their voices heard, and taking action in their communities. This standard covers what it looks like to actually show up and participate in civic life. | DE-SS.CIV.11-12.4 |
Economics
Economics
- Grades 11-12
Microeconomics
When money, time, or resources run short, every choice means giving something else up. Students study how those tradeoffs shape the decisions people and businesses make every day.
- Grades 11-12
Macroeconomics
Prices, incentives, and government policy all pull the economy in different directions at once. Students study how individuals, businesses, and governments each respond to those forces and how their choices shape what gets made, bought, and sold.
- Grades 11-12
Economic Systems
Students look at how different economies (market, command, mixed) decide who gets what goods and services, then trace what pushes those systems to shift over time, such as political pressure, technology, or crises.
- Grades 11-12
Personal Finance and Interdependence
Students learn to manage money, read a budget, and make sense of borrowing and saving. They also study how spending in one household or country ripples outward and affects other communities and economies.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Microeconomics Grades 11-12 | When money, time, or resources run short, every choice means giving something else up. Students study how those tradeoffs shape the decisions people and businesses make every day. | DE-SS.ECON.11-12.1 |
| Macroeconomics Grades 11-12 | Prices, incentives, and government policy all pull the economy in different directions at once. Students study how individuals, businesses, and governments each respond to those forces and how their choices shape what gets made, bought, and sold. | DE-SS.ECON.11-12.2 |
| Economic Systems Grades 11-12 | Students look at how different economies (market, command, mixed) decide who gets what goods and services, then trace what pushes those systems to shift over time, such as political pressure, technology, or crises. | DE-SS.ECON.11-12.3 |
| Personal Finance and Interdependence Grades 11-12 | Students learn to manage money, read a budget, and make sense of borrowing and saving. They also study how spending in one household or country ripples outward and affects other communities and economies. | DE-SS.ECON.11-12.4 |
Geography
Geography
- Grades 11-12
Maps and Mental Maps
Students build a mental picture of the world and use maps, charts, and geographic tools to dig into how specific places and regions work.
- Grades 11-12
Environment
Students study how humans change the land, water, and air around them and how those changes ripple back to the people and wildlife nearby.
- Grades 11-12
Places and Cultures
Students study what makes different communities around the world distinct, from language and religion to daily life and local traditions. The focus is on why places feel different from one another and what shapes those differences.
- Grades 11-12
Regions
Regions are areas grouped by what they share, like climate, culture, or economy. Students analyze how regions are defined, how they connect to nearby and distant places, and how those relationships shift depending on whether you zoom in to a neighborhood or out to a continent.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Maps and Mental Maps Grades 11-12 | Students build a mental picture of the world and use maps, charts, and geographic tools to dig into how specific places and regions work. | DE-SS.GEO.11-12.1 |
| Environment Grades 11-12 | Students study how humans change the land, water, and air around them and how those changes ripple back to the people and wildlife nearby. | DE-SS.GEO.11-12.2 |
| Places and Cultures Grades 11-12 | Students study what makes different communities around the world distinct, from language and religion to daily life and local traditions. The focus is on why places feel different from one another and what shapes those differences. | DE-SS.GEO.11-12.3 |
| Regions Grades 11-12 | Regions are areas grouped by what they share, like climate, culture, or economy. Students analyze how regions are defined, how they connect to nearby and distant places, and how those relationships shift depending on whether you zoom in to a neighborhood or out to a continent. | DE-SS.GEO.11-12.4 |
History
History
- Grades 11-12
Chronology
Students look at historical events in time order to figure out what caused what, what changed over time, and what stayed the same. This skill shows up whenever students explain why something happened or trace how it unfolded.
- Grades 11-12
Analysis
Students track down original documents and outside accounts from a historical period, then compare and question what those sources say to build an accurate picture of the past.
- Grades 11-12
Interpretation
Students read historical sources and explain how a person's background or point of view changes the story they tell about the past.
- Grades 11-12
Content
Students build a working knowledge of major events across Delaware, U.S., and world history. This means knowing what happened, when, and why it mattered.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Chronology Grades 11-12 | Students look at historical events in time order to figure out what caused what, what changed over time, and what stayed the same. This skill shows up whenever students explain why something happened or trace how it unfolded. | DE-SS.HIST.11-12.1 |
| Analysis Grades 11-12 | Students track down original documents and outside accounts from a historical period, then compare and question what those sources say to build an accurate picture of the past. | DE-SS.HIST.11-12.2 |
| Interpretation Grades 11-12 | Students read historical sources and explain how a person's background or point of view changes the story they tell about the past. | DE-SS.HIST.11-12.3 |
| Content Grades 11-12 | Students build a working knowledge of major events across Delaware, U.S., and world history. This means knowing what happened, when, and why it mattered. | DE-SS.HIST.11-12.4 |
Assessments
The state tests students at this grade and subject take.
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
- When given:
- biennial in winter
- Frequency:
- every two years
Common Questions
What does social studies look like in the last two years of high school?
Students study how government works, how the economy runs, how geography shapes places, and how the past explains the present. The work shifts from learning facts to weighing evidence, comparing viewpoints, and building arguments. Expect more reading of original documents and more writing.
How can families help with all this reading at home?
Read one article from the news together each week and talk about it for five minutes. Ask what the writer wants the reader to believe and what evidence backs it up. Short, regular conversations build the habit faster than long lectures.
What should students know about money and personal finance by graduation?
Students should be able to read a paycheck, build a simple budget, compare loan or credit offers, and explain how interest works for and against them. At home, walk through a real bill, a bank statement, or a paystub and ask what each line means.
How should the year be sequenced across civics, economics, geography, and history?
Most teachers anchor the year in history and pull civics, economics, and geography in as the content calls for them. A unit on the founding pairs naturally with constitutional principles. A unit on industrialization pairs with markets, labor, and migration.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching at this level?
Sourcing and corroboration are the big ones. Students can summarize a document but often skip who wrote it, when, and why. Build a short routine for every primary source: author, date, audience, purpose, then content.
How do students get better at writing arguments from sources?
They need a clear claim, two or three pieces of evidence from named sources, and a sentence that explains why the evidence supports the claim. Start with short paragraphs before full essays. Give the same rubric back across units so the moves become automatic.
How do we know students are ready for college or the workplace?
Ready students can read a dense document, pull out the main claim, check it against another source, and write a short argument that cites both. They can also explain how a local issue connects to a bigger system. If those moves are steady by spring, students are ready.
How can parents help when current events come up at the dinner table?
Ask questions instead of giving answers. Where did you hear that? Who benefits? What would change your mind? Modeling curiosity matters more than knowing the right answer, and it gives students practice thinking out loud before a class discussion.
What if a student finds history boring or disconnected from real life?
Tie it to a place students already know. A walk through downtown, an old family photo, or a local cemetery can open questions about who lived here, what work they did, and what changed. History sticks when it has a face and an address.