7.

What Is Social Studies?

A 1987 survey was given to 5,000 high school seniors. It showed that they did not know
geography. Students is Boston were questioned. One-third of them could not name six
New England states. Students in Baltimore were questioned. Half could not shade in the
United States on a map. Here is what another survey showed. Students did not know
history. Most did not know the dates of the Civil War. Many did not know World War II
leaders.
Someone else asked this question. What did students think of social studies. Their
answer: Social studies was not important. They said it was the least important of their
studies.
What is social studies? It is the study of individuals. It is the study of groups. It is the
study of societies. Social studies covers many fields. You have read about history and
geography. These are part of social studies. It covers many other areas as well. Lets say
you study the way people live together in groups. This is an area of social studies. So is
learning about very early people. So is studying government.
Is social studies important? Early Americans thought so. Students then learned history
and civics. This was to make them good citizens. A report from 1916 set a new goal. It
said, The social studies should cultivate a sense of membership in the world
community. The world community is very large. But today it is easy to share ideas in it.
We have radio and TV. We have phones. We have computers.
Social studies helps us understand the worlds people. It helps us know groups and
societies. The 1916 goal was important then. It is even more important now. We all need
to be good world citizens.

Main Idea

1. Mark the main idea

Mark the statement that is too broad
Mark the statement that is too narrow
a. Social studies includes many areas of
study about people and how they live.
b. A report from 1916 set a new goal for
learning social studies.
c. Social studies is an important field.

Answer

Score

M
B

15
5
5

N
M
N
B

Subject Matter
2. Social studies
a. uses radios, TVs, and computers.
b. is the study of people, groups, and societies.
c. can be understood by questioning students.

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d. was first taught in 1916.

Supporting Details
3. Which fact supports the statement that students did not know geography?
a. A survey questioned 5,000 students.
b. Most students did not know when the Civil War was.
c. Many students did not know World War II leaders.
d. Half of the students from Baltimore could not locate the United States on a map.

Conslusion
4. This passage makes it clear that
a. we are not members of a world community.
b. social studies helps make good world citizens.
c. researchers should question more students.
d. social studies is not important.

Clariyfing Devices
5. The quotation marks around the sentence the social studies should cultivate a sense of
membership in the world community show that it
a. is important.
b. is the writers opinion.
c. is the exact words from the 1916 report.
d. was spoken by a high school student.

Vocabulary in Context
6. The word survey in this passage means a
a. general look.
b. plan showing size, shape, and boundaries.
c. formal study or poll.
d. discussion.
Add your scores for questions 1 6. Enter the total here

Total Score

and on the graph on page 158

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