Social Studies

Welcome to the Social Studies Program Page!

We are so glad you visited. Please let us know if there is something you need that you are unable to find. Click here to join our GaDOE Social Studies Community.

Social Studies Civic Engagement Diploma Seal

Watch the online conversation led by state chief school officers, including our own Superintendent Richard Woods Forgotten No More: Civic Seals and Re-affirming the Civic Mission of Schools
Rules & Guidance

List of State Funded Courses K-12
(Social Studies Courses begin with Course Number 45)

List of Course Titles and Descriptions

Summary of Changes beginning 2021-22 School Year

Board Rule on United State History and Georgia Studies

Graduation Rule

Social Sciences: Three units of credit shall be required in social studies. One unit of credit shall be required in United States History. One unit of credit shall be required in World History. One-half unit of American Government/Civics shall be required. One-half unit of Economics shall be required. (p. 5)

Course Nomination Form (Due September 1st)

Certification Assignments for State Funded Courses

Learning Resources/Textbooks and Instructional Materials

SB220 and Financial Literacy Guidance:

Senate Bill 220 (2022 Legislative Session) adds a requirement, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, for students to complete at least a half-credit course in financial literacy during their eleventh or twelfth grade years in order to graduate.
Beginning with Freshmen entering high school in the 2024-2025 school year, all students will be required to take a financial literacy course their 11^th or 12^th grade year.
Currently, the Personal Finance & Economics course (45.061) satisfies this state requirement.
Certification requirements to teach the Personal Finance and Economics course were released by PSC effective 4-15-2023, can be found here.

Constitution Day

Public Law 108-447 requires the designation of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17 of each year. The purpose of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is to commemorate the formation and signing on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution and recognize all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens. Please remember to recognize September 17th, Constitution Day, in your system/school.

The Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies

On June 9, 2016, the State Board of Education approved the K-12 Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for Social Studies. The K-12 Social Studies GSE is in full implementation during the 2017-2018 school year.

Click here to see the K-12 Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies.

Skill Standards:

Social Studies Skills Matrices which includes Map & Globe and Information Processing Skills are embedded after content standards in grades K-12.
Reading and Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies are embedded after Map & Globe and Information Processing Skills in grades 6-12.

Click here to see standards for High School Elective Courses still using Quality Core Curriculum Standards (QCC)

Connecting Themes and Enduring Understandings are an ongoing part of social studies instruction throughout grades K-12. They represent the big ideas that transcend specific units and courses and increase student understanding and retention of social studies content knowledge.

Click here to learn about the 2015-16 precision review process for social studies standards revision.

Professional Learning

Join the communitites of #GAsocialstudies educators on GaDOE Community for access to real time support and professional learning opportunities.

Wondering why you should join? Watch this video.
Wondering how to join? Click this link for instructions.
Ready to login? Click this link.

Click here to search and register for GaDOE Professional Learning Events.

Instructional Resources

Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Educational Program offers free K-12 educational resources, virtual and face to face tours of Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm, Plains High School, and Jimmy Carter's Presidential Campaign Headquarters.

Georgia Home Classroom As part of the public media mission to ensure all kids have access to continued free educational resources at home, GPB, in partnership with Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), is offering broadcast programming and accompanying digital resources that adhere to Georgia’s state standards to provide continued at-home learning.

GaDOE provides Integrated Instructional Supports for All Students that focus on the needs of our special education students in all content areas.

Studies Standards Curriculum Sample Activities and Resources