Social Studies Learning Plans

Content experts at the Georgia Department of Education have developed Learning Plans for teachers and parents. These Georgia standards-based plans were specifically designed for school districts, administrators, teachers, and parents who are working to provide students with quality content.

The plans are easy-to-use and include both “plugged and unplugged” activities. Check back for more Learning Plans in each content area as they are updated weekly. 

⬅Back to all learning plans

• Kindergarten

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will see how the roles of community workers fit within the theme of scarcity, because an element of choice is involved in this idea. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that symbols of the United States represent our country and its people. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will explore President's Day, why we celebrate this national holiday, and the people and/or events celebrated. Click to download. 

  
• 1st Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that where people live matters. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will identify the contributions made by George Washington Carver and describe how his everyday life is similar to and different from everyday life in the present (for example: food, clothing, homes, transportation, communication, recreation etc.). Click to download.

  
• 2nd Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will locate Georgia’s regions and major rives and discuss the impact of geography on people’s lives through the theme of location. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand the basics of state and national government, as well as the need for rules and laws in society. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will describe the life and contributions of Juliette Gordon Low (Girl Scouts) and how she was influenced by her environment. Click to download. 

  
• 3rd Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how did the reasons for coming to the New World and the geography affected life in each of the three colonial regions. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how artifacts teach us about the past and how they connect us to people, places, and times of the past. Students will also learn about the challenges and responsibilities of historians. Click to download. 

  
• 4th Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that when there is conflict between or within societies, change is the result. Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will explore why the Lewis and Clark Expedition was significant for the U.S. then and now. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will explore westward expansion in America and be able to describe why people explore, ways maps teach lessons about societies over time, how trails of the west define diverse stories of the past, and the ways studying about historic trails of the past help us to explain the westward expansion in America. Click to download.

  
• 5th Grade

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that when there is conflict between or within societies, change is the result. Students will understand that societies resolve conflicts through legal procedures, force, and/or compromise. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will explore the reasons the United States (and President Truman) gave for using nuclear weapons against Japan at the end of WWII. Students will also learn how we can use writing and speech to persuade others to see our point of view, how the source of information affect its accuracy, and how we use evidence from resources to support our writing / speaking. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will explore and investigate the origin and consequences of the Cold War. Click to download. 

  
• 6th Grade

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Students will understand that humans, their society, and the environment affect each other. This lesson focuses on Europe. Click to download.

  
• 7th Grade

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: : Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Students will understand that humans, their society, and the environment affect each other. This lesson focuses on location and water in Africa. Click to download. 

  
• 8th Grade

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Students will understand that the movement or migration of people and ideas affects all societies involved. Students will understand that the actions of individuals, groups, and/or institutions affect society through intended and unintended consequences. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn about the impacts of geography and transportation systems on Georgia’s growth and development. Click to download. 

  
• World Geography (HS)

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to explore the historical background of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2022 and potential U.S. impact. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Location: Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Students will understand that humans, their society, and the environment affect each other. Students will understand that the actions of individuals, groups, and/or institutions affect society through intended and unintended consequences. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: With this "Goldilocks of Growth" lesson, students will learn how various countries measure and manage differing levels of population growth and what is “just the right amount”. Click to download. 

  
• American Government/Civics (HS)

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that distribution of power in government is a product of existing laws and documents combined with contemporary values and beliefs. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that as a society increases in complexity and interacts with other societies, the complexity of government also increases. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will be able to explain the impeachment and removal process and its use for federal officials as defined in the U.S. Constitution. Click to download. 

  
• Economics (HS)

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that parties respond predictably to positive and negative incentives. Students will understand that, because of interdependency, a decision made by one party has intended and unintended consequences on other parties. Students will understand that scarcity of all resources forces parties to make choices and that these choices always incur a cost. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that the Fed responds predictably to positive and negative incentives. Students will understand that, because of interdependency, a decision made by the government has intended and unintended consequences on other parties, like financial institutions and/or citizens. Students will understand that scarcity of all resources forces parties like the Fed to make choices related to the economy and that these choices always incur a cost. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how the law of demand, the law of supply, and prices work to determine production and distribution in a market economy. Click to download. 

  
• U.S. History (HS)

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to explore the historical background of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2022 and potential U.S. impact. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. Students will understand that the production, distribution, and consumption of goods/services produced by the society are affected by the location, customs, beliefs, and laws of the society. Students will understand that when there is conflict between or within societies, change is the result. Click to download.

   

  
• World History (HS)

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to understand why is there conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how it could the conflict impact the United States. Click to download. 

  NEW! Big Idea/Topic: This lesson is designed to allow students to explore the historical background of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2022 and potential U.S. impact. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn about the global social, economic, and political impact of the Cold War and decolonization from 1945 to 1989 and how another Cold War could be prevented. Click to download.