High School Social Studies AERO Standards
1. (Time, Continuity, and Change) Students will understand patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships.
By the end of grade 12:
1a. Critique historians' interpretations of the past using a variety of sources.
1b. Identify and evaluate long-term changes, enduring influences, and recurring patterns in world history.
1c. Compare alternative models for organizing history into periods.
1d. Perform analyses of quantitative historical data.
1e. Analyze the impact of revolution on politics, economies, and societies.
1f. Understand how ideals and institutions of freedom, equality, justice, and citizenship have changed over time and from one society to another.
2.(Connections and Conflict) Students will understand causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy.
By the end of grade 12:
2a. Understand how trans-regional alliances and multinational organizations can encourage or discourage solidarity and diversity.
2b. Evaluate issues concerning historical and contemporary disparities between ideals and realities.
2c. Evaluate examples in the history of conflict and its effects.
2d. Analyze how cooperation and conflict influence the development and control of political, economic, and social entities.
2e. Analyze effects of differing national foreign policy positions on international competition and cooperation.
2f. Evaluate effects of political conflict on national unity.
2g. Analyze ways in which trade has contributed to connections and conflict in and among selected societies.
2h. Evaluate relationships between political systems and the development of multi-national alliances.
2i. Understand types of world powers (e.g., military, corporations, religions) and how they influence connections and conflicts in the world.
2j. Evaluate the effectiveness of international organizations.
3.(People, Places, and Environment) Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history.
By the end of grade 12:
3a. Explain how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities.
3b. Use spatial models to explain relationships between places and patterns of settlement and trade.
3c. Explain how social, cultural, and economic factors shape physical and other human features of places and regions.
3d. Evaluate the impact of migration on human systems (e.g., health care, education, government).
3e. Evaluate the reciprocal influences of history and geography on a region.
4.(Culture) Students will understand cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among and within societies.
N.B.: In the benchmarks for this standard, the term "belief systems" refers to an ordered, established body of thinking and faith that influence one's perceptions of self and the world. It includes such concepts as religion, philosophies (including political and economic), and science.
By the end of grade 12:
4a. Analyze sources and characteristics of cultural, religious, and social reform movements.
4b. Compare the development of Greco-Roman philosophies and science to the origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Hinduism and Buddhism; and Confucianism.
4c. Understand the tension between the two roots of the Western intellectual tradition: Middle Eastern monotheism and Greek philosophy and science.
4d. Examine different theories of religion.
4e. Understand the origins and diffusion of modern science and the intellectual developments and the events that have led to a weakening of confidence in modern science.
4f. Examine examples of syncretism, acculturation, and assimilation in the context of belief systems and culture.
4g. Evaluate the religious dimensions (creed, code of behavior, rituals, community) of non-religious belief systems (e.g. communalism, patriotism, activism, consumerism).
4h. Examine the epistemological complexities of the post-modern age.
4i. Understand how art, literature, and traditional customs both shape and are shaped by society.
5.(Society and Identity) Students will understand social systems and structures and how these influence individuals.
By the end of grade 12:
5a. Analyze how sociological circumstances (e.g., class, heritage, ethnicity) influence an individual's perceptions of and reactions to the world.
5b. Analyze the socialization of individuals by groups, organizations, and institutions.
5c. Understand how and why cultures reflect and reinforce oppositional ideas of gender (e.g., hard and soft, strong and weak, "sun" and "moon").
5d. Understand why cultural definitions of gender identity persist and are resistant to change.
5e. Understand circumstances and consequences that arise from differences between cultural norms and personal gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
5f. Understand limits of socialization and the power of choice in personal identity.
6.(Governance and Citizenship) Students will understand why societies create and adopt systems of governance and how these systems address human needs, rights, and citizen responsibilities.
By the end of grade 12:
6a. Understand strengths and weaknesses of various kinds of political philosophies.
6b. Analyze how and why governments distribute benefits and burdens.
6c. Analyze how social, economic, and political conditions contribute to the establishment and preservation of governments.
6d. Evaluate issues regarding distribution of powers and responsibilities within national governments.
6e. Understand major responsibilities of national governments for domestic and foreign policy.
6f. Evaluate how public opinion influences politics.
6g. Explain the roots of contemporary political systems.
6h. Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of alternative means of achieving specific political objectives.
6i. Explain the importance of shared political and civic beliefs and values, and of economic prosperity, to the preservation of constitutional democracy.
6j. Evaluate the role of voluntarism and organized groups in society and their relationship to the functions of government.
6k. Evaluate the role of law in political systems.
6l. Evaluate how the media communicate, shape, and control ideas in political life.
6m. Evaluate functions and responsibilities of, and challenges to, government leaders and public servants.
7. (Production, Distribution, and Consumption) Students will understand fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors.
By the end of grade 12:
7a. Understand basic economic concepts.
7b. Explain the major economic systems and evaluate their relative merits.
7c. Explain patterns of trade from ancient times to the present.
7d. Analyze ways in which trade has contributed to economic change in selected societies or civilizations.
7e. Analyze relationships between economic activity and patterns of trade and migration.
7f. Analyze and evaluate economic issues from a geographical point of view.
7g. Describe reciprocal influences of changes in transportation and communication and changes in trade and economic activities.
8.(Science, Technology, and Society) Students will understand how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
By the end of grade 12:
8a. Evaluate the ambiguity of the term technology.
8b. Understand why different socio-economic groups within a culture may react differently to technological innovation.
8c. Analyze effects of technology on the diffusion of culture and the preservation of cultural identity.
8d. Evaluate whether changing technologies create new ethical dilemmas or make existing ethical dilemmas more acute.
8e. Understand historical and current influences of modern science on technological innovation.
8f. Evaluate whether confidence in modern science is strengthening or weakening.
8g. Understand that the principal contexts of technological innovation and scientific research are commercial and military and understand the implications of these contexts.
8h. Evaluate causes and consequences of the diffusion of the autocatalytic process of technological innovation.
8i. Describe how values, beliefs, and attitudes have influenced and been influenced by scientific knowledge and technological knowledge.
8j. Analyze instances in which economic conditions have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
8k. Explain the roles and effects of technology and of science in resource acquisition and use.
8l. Analyze social, moral, ethical, religious, and legal issues arising from technological developments and scientific developments.
By the end of grade 12:
1a. Critique historians' interpretations of the past using a variety of sources.
1b. Identify and evaluate long-term changes, enduring influences, and recurring patterns in world history.
1c. Compare alternative models for organizing history into periods.
1d. Perform analyses of quantitative historical data.
1e. Analyze the impact of revolution on politics, economies, and societies.
1f. Understand how ideals and institutions of freedom, equality, justice, and citizenship have changed over time and from one society to another.
2.(Connections and Conflict) Students will understand causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy.
By the end of grade 12:
2a. Understand how trans-regional alliances and multinational organizations can encourage or discourage solidarity and diversity.
2b. Evaluate issues concerning historical and contemporary disparities between ideals and realities.
2c. Evaluate examples in the history of conflict and its effects.
2d. Analyze how cooperation and conflict influence the development and control of political, economic, and social entities.
2e. Analyze effects of differing national foreign policy positions on international competition and cooperation.
2f. Evaluate effects of political conflict on national unity.
2g. Analyze ways in which trade has contributed to connections and conflict in and among selected societies.
2h. Evaluate relationships between political systems and the development of multi-national alliances.
2i. Understand types of world powers (e.g., military, corporations, religions) and how they influence connections and conflicts in the world.
2j. Evaluate the effectiveness of international organizations.
3.(People, Places, and Environment) Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history.
By the end of grade 12:
3a. Explain how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities.
3b. Use spatial models to explain relationships between places and patterns of settlement and trade.
3c. Explain how social, cultural, and economic factors shape physical and other human features of places and regions.
3d. Evaluate the impact of migration on human systems (e.g., health care, education, government).
3e. Evaluate the reciprocal influences of history and geography on a region.
4.(Culture) Students will understand cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among and within societies.
N.B.: In the benchmarks for this standard, the term "belief systems" refers to an ordered, established body of thinking and faith that influence one's perceptions of self and the world. It includes such concepts as religion, philosophies (including political and economic), and science.
By the end of grade 12:
4a. Analyze sources and characteristics of cultural, religious, and social reform movements.
4b. Compare the development of Greco-Roman philosophies and science to the origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Hinduism and Buddhism; and Confucianism.
4c. Understand the tension between the two roots of the Western intellectual tradition: Middle Eastern monotheism and Greek philosophy and science.
4d. Examine different theories of religion.
4e. Understand the origins and diffusion of modern science and the intellectual developments and the events that have led to a weakening of confidence in modern science.
4f. Examine examples of syncretism, acculturation, and assimilation in the context of belief systems and culture.
4g. Evaluate the religious dimensions (creed, code of behavior, rituals, community) of non-religious belief systems (e.g. communalism, patriotism, activism, consumerism).
4h. Examine the epistemological complexities of the post-modern age.
4i. Understand how art, literature, and traditional customs both shape and are shaped by society.
5.(Society and Identity) Students will understand social systems and structures and how these influence individuals.
By the end of grade 12:
5a. Analyze how sociological circumstances (e.g., class, heritage, ethnicity) influence an individual's perceptions of and reactions to the world.
5b. Analyze the socialization of individuals by groups, organizations, and institutions.
5c. Understand how and why cultures reflect and reinforce oppositional ideas of gender (e.g., hard and soft, strong and weak, "sun" and "moon").
5d. Understand why cultural definitions of gender identity persist and are resistant to change.
5e. Understand circumstances and consequences that arise from differences between cultural norms and personal gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
5f. Understand limits of socialization and the power of choice in personal identity.
6.(Governance and Citizenship) Students will understand why societies create and adopt systems of governance and how these systems address human needs, rights, and citizen responsibilities.
By the end of grade 12:
6a. Understand strengths and weaknesses of various kinds of political philosophies.
6b. Analyze how and why governments distribute benefits and burdens.
6c. Analyze how social, economic, and political conditions contribute to the establishment and preservation of governments.
6d. Evaluate issues regarding distribution of powers and responsibilities within national governments.
6e. Understand major responsibilities of national governments for domestic and foreign policy.
6f. Evaluate how public opinion influences politics.
6g. Explain the roots of contemporary political systems.
6h. Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of alternative means of achieving specific political objectives.
6i. Explain the importance of shared political and civic beliefs and values, and of economic prosperity, to the preservation of constitutional democracy.
6j. Evaluate the role of voluntarism and organized groups in society and their relationship to the functions of government.
6k. Evaluate the role of law in political systems.
6l. Evaluate how the media communicate, shape, and control ideas in political life.
6m. Evaluate functions and responsibilities of, and challenges to, government leaders and public servants.
7. (Production, Distribution, and Consumption) Students will understand fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors.
By the end of grade 12:
7a. Understand basic economic concepts.
7b. Explain the major economic systems and evaluate their relative merits.
7c. Explain patterns of trade from ancient times to the present.
7d. Analyze ways in which trade has contributed to economic change in selected societies or civilizations.
7e. Analyze relationships between economic activity and patterns of trade and migration.
7f. Analyze and evaluate economic issues from a geographical point of view.
7g. Describe reciprocal influences of changes in transportation and communication and changes in trade and economic activities.
8.(Science, Technology, and Society) Students will understand how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
By the end of grade 12:
8a. Evaluate the ambiguity of the term technology.
8b. Understand why different socio-economic groups within a culture may react differently to technological innovation.
8c. Analyze effects of technology on the diffusion of culture and the preservation of cultural identity.
8d. Evaluate whether changing technologies create new ethical dilemmas or make existing ethical dilemmas more acute.
8e. Understand historical and current influences of modern science on technological innovation.
8f. Evaluate whether confidence in modern science is strengthening or weakening.
8g. Understand that the principal contexts of technological innovation and scientific research are commercial and military and understand the implications of these contexts.
8h. Evaluate causes and consequences of the diffusion of the autocatalytic process of technological innovation.
8i. Describe how values, beliefs, and attitudes have influenced and been influenced by scientific knowledge and technological knowledge.
8j. Analyze instances in which economic conditions have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
8k. Explain the roles and effects of technology and of science in resource acquisition and use.
8l. Analyze social, moral, ethical, religious, and legal issues arising from technological developments and scientific developments.
