social studies content

Which of the following types of maps might show the average number of children in each state last year?

thematic

A sixth-grade geography teacher has introduced a unit on South America. For one assignment in the unit she asks students to choose a cultural element like art, music, or literature from the area for research. Following the research, she asks the class to write a paragraph explaining how they think the environment may have influenced their researched topics. Why does the teacher ask this question at the end?

to provide an opportunity for students to think critically about their research

For which of the following reasons would a teacher use a population pyramid, like the one above?

to show the distribution of population based on age in the United States

Which of the following types of maps shows a detailed and accurate graphic representation of natural features of the ground?

topographic

Which of the following correctly describes a way in which British colonies differed from Spanish colonies?

British colonies operated with more independence from the crown than Spanish colonies.

During a presentation on the branches of government, a group of students state that "the executive branch is responsible for interpreting the laws created by the legislative branch." Based on this statement, which of the following feedback would be most appropriate for the teacher to provide?

Clarify the powers of the executive and judicial branches

A second-grade teacher is planning a unit and wants to address the state standard that "the student understands multiple points of view and how they shaped historical research." Which of the following would best address this standard?

Compare various primary and secondary sources about a single notable event

Which of the following would be the most effective assignment to assess a student's ability to analyze the digging of the Erie Canal on the development of the Midwest and New York?

Create a cause-and-effect flow chart about the Erie Canal

Ms. Michaels wants to ensure that her sixth-grade social studies assessments are written in a way to best show true student mastery of the content. Which of the following should Ms. Michaels do to make her assessments as fair and representative of true learning as possible?

Evaluate included examples to ensure that they are culturally accessible to all students.

Iroquoian and Algonquian-speaking tribes lived in the Eastern Woodlands region prior to European colonization. How did the geography of this region impact these tribes?

Fishing was a main source of food.

Ms. Paulson is introducing the concept of being a responsible member of society to her first-grade students. One example she provides the class is how pollution in other parts of the world is also a problem for us here, emphasizing wind patterns, global debates, and how decisions we make where we live could also impact people very far from us. Why is this not a good way to introduce this topic?

For young students, information should be taught in concrete terms and with context that they can understand

When a student is beginning a research project, which of the following is the most appropriate first step?

Form an initial question about a research topic

1 George Washington was the first president of the United States and the only president ever to run unopposed. 2 This is because George Washington was popular among all Americans due to his leadership during the American Revolution. 3 Washington, respected and trusted by almost every American, was the unanimous choice to lead the nation as the first president under the Constitution of 1787. 4 Washington is also the only president to not affiliate with a political party. Which of the following research topics would be most appropriate in response to the above passage?

How successful was the presidency of George Washington?

Ms. Fullmore intends to use a primary source document to introduce a new unit to her sixth-grade class. The text contains some challenging vocabulary. Which of the following would be the best approach to ensure her sixth-graders are able to comprehend the text?

Introduce and define unfamiliar vocabulary with the students before beginning the text.

Which of the following is the most important question to ask of students when using a website as a research resource?

Is the author of the material reliable?

A social studies teacher asks her students to research the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Their initial question was "What happened on the Lewis and Clark Expedition?" After doing background research their question is now "What new things might Lewis and Clark have encountered when they first explored the terrain?" Of the following, which would be the best next step in the research process?

Locate the journals of Lewis and Clark

Which of the following statements is true regarding the European settlement of Texas?

Moses Austin received a land grant from the Spanish crown in 1820.

When teaching the students about the three branches of the government and checks and balances, which of the following would be the best way to make this information relatable to the students?

Organize a simulation with students playing roles within the different branches, and passing legislation

A sixth-grade social studies teacher is preparing a lesson plan to help students identify the names and locations of mountain ranges and major rivers in India. He plans to project a picture of the country with mountain ranges and rivers labeled, and has prepared a short lecture explaining the impact of these land formations on life in India. Which of the following additional activities should the teacher add in order to reach all types of learners?

Provide outlines of India and two colors of playdough to each student; ask them to form and place the rivers and mountains into their correct locations

When a student has formed an initial question for a research topic, which of the following would be the most appropriate next step?

Research what others have found and written about the initial question

A sixth-grade student is researching the Civil War and has read two conflicting secondary sources about the motivations of Abraham Lincoln in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. He asks the teacher how he can find which secondary source is most accurate in the matter. Which of the following responses by the teacher would be most appropriate?

Suggesting to the student to read the primary sources quoted by the secondary sources so the student can draw an independent conclusion

Mr. Thompson is assigning his class a research project and is able to provide computer access to students throughout the process. Which of the following is the LEAST effective way to incorporate technology into the research project?

Teach a lesson on using research databases and require that all sources come from the one database provided by the librarian.

Which of the following battles marked the beginning of the Texas Revolution?

The Battle of Gonzales in 1835

Which of the following European powers first settled Manhattan, New York?

The Netherlands

Standardized assessment exams for social studies will often require students to interpret multiple viewpoints of a topic from various authors. Which of the following skills should a social studies teacher promote to develop this skill?

The ability to compare and contrast literature excerpts

Which of the following series of events most clearly demonstrates the concept of cause and effect in history?

The fall of the Berlin Wall helped hasten the fall of communism in Russia.

In a fifth-grade social studies class, the teacher displays a picture of Uncle Sam and reads aloud a passage about the history of the image. She then asks her students to write 3-5 sentences explaining how the idea of Uncle Sam relates to being a patriotic American. Which of the following objectives does this lesson best address?

The student understands how various symbols represent American beliefs and principles.

Which of the following best describes the importance of a primary source?

They help researchers gain first-hand accounts and insights into a situation and allow researchers to draw conclusions based on the account

Once a student has thoroughly researched a subject topic, which of the following would be the most appropriate next step?

To form a conclusion and present the conclusion in a written paper or formal presentation

A social studies teacher wants to address the social studies theme of time, continuity, and change. Which of the following questions for a sixth-grade elementary class would be most appropriate to address this theme?

Why did the demand for oil increase with the mass production of the automobile?

A history teacher is preparing a unit on the Civil War. Which of the following activities would work best for a formative assessment? Select all answers that apply.

a class-wide word cloud exercise on the causes of the Civil War

A sixth-grade teacher is planning a lesson on the Constitution. Which of the following would be the most appropriate primary source to use when presenting the lesson?

a copy of the Constitution

If a student were trying to learn general geographic and economic information about a particular country, which of the following would be the most efficient and reliable tool?

a digital encyclopedia

Mr. Stevens has just completed a unit on analyzing native Florida cultures with his sixth-grade class. Which activity should he use as a final assessment to gauge the students' understanding of how cultures are created?

a project where students "create" their own new culture

Which of the following is an example of an informal assessment?

a quick discussion with a student about the difference between supply and demand in an economics unit

Mr. Everett is having his students research a historical figure and present their research to the class in a ten-minute oral presentation. Which of the following resources would be the best primary resources to begin with?

an autobiography

Which of the following would be classified as a secondary source?

an encyclopedia article on the Battle of the Coral Sea

Which of the following is not one of the 8 essential knowledge and skills identified in the TEKS for social studies instruction?

anthropology

In studying cause and effect in history, which of the following factors is the most important in determining the subsequent effect of one event on another?

chronology

A third-grade teacher is discussing cultural differences with her students. Which of the following instructional activities demonstrates an effective use of technology within this unit?

conducting a virtual call in which students can ask questions to a third-grade class in another country

What skill is covered at all levels of social studies instruction, according to the TEKS?

critical thinking

Technology is best utilized in the classroom when it can accomplish which of the following?

enhances the learning objective

Mr. Mathers is teaching his class about the Louisiana Purchase. What social science should Mr. Mathers connect to this history lesson in order to best explain the importance of the Louisiana Purchase to the United States?

geography

Sociology, psychology, and political science all have which common feature at their core?

the study of individuals and their decisions

Which of the following was not a result of Spain's early exploration of the Americas?

identification of more efficient trade routes to Asi

Which of the following was not a result of Spain's early exploration of the Americas?

identification of more efficient trade routes to Asia

A teacher is working to increase engagement and communicate the value of the social sciences. Which TWO of the following are strategies that would further progress toward these goals? Select all answers that apply.

incorporate current events into class instruction use simulations when appropriate

Which of the following terms should a teacher use in a lesson introducing the concept of market economies?

law of supply

Mrs. Sims wants to demonstrate to her students how the price of gasoline has increased over time. Which of the following graphs would best help Mrs. Sims visually demonstrate this concept?

line graph

Mr. Parretto wants to encourage his students to identify bias in the media. He presents the class with the following excerpt from the school newspaper: The school board made the decision on Thursday night to cut the library's media budget. The budget cuts will affect the library's ability to purchase new audio/visual equipment and could result in a reduction of hours for student workers. One student worker was quoted saying, "The budget cut will hurt students trying to make money after school. I don't know where else I can find a job." The judgment was pronounced Thursday night in a vote of 7-2. The budget cuts to the library are expected to prevent further cuts to athletic departments. Which of the following best identifies the form of bias in the newspaper article?

negativity bias

Which of the following best describes the dwellings of the Caddo tribe?

permanent homes made of wood frames and mud walls

Which of the following types of maps shows borders of countries?

political

During social studies instruction, elementary students will often encounter new, unfamiliar words. There are many ways the teacher can support student vocabulary development. Which of the following is the LEAST effective way to support student understanding of new vocabulary?

provide dictionaries for student use during class

A third-grade teacher is preparing a lesson for the following objective: The student understands how to create visual representations of historical information. To best address this objective, the teacher should require the students to:

research a historical figure's life and create a timeline containing key dates.

During the War of Texas Independence, which of the following men led the victorious Texas troops in the Battle of San Jacinto and later became the first President of the Republic of Texas?

sam houston

Which of the following would be the best graphic to demonstrate the relationship between temperature and elevation?

scatter plot

A social studies teacher is requiring her students to choose one topic from their current unit that they would like to learn more about. The topic must be something mentioned in their textbook or class notes that they would like to research further. Which of the following technological tools will be most important for the completion of this assignment?

search engine

Which of the following terms is most likely to be used in an economics lesson about comparative advantage?

specialization

A climate map differs from other maps in that it includes which of the following data?

temperature

Which of the following hunted and trapped beaver in the lucrative fur trade in North America?

the French