GED® SOCIAL STUDIES	
Program Title	  GED® Preparation Program	
Program Number	  9900130  	
Program Length	  Varies	
Course Title	  GED® Social Studies	
Course Number	  9900132 	
CIP Number	  1532.020207 		
Grade Equivalent	   9.0-12.9	
Grade Level	  30, 31	
Recommended Length	  Varies (See Program Structure)	

PURPOSE
The GED® Preparation Program consists of four content-area assessments: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematics Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies. The purpose of the program is to prepare students to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to pass the Official GED® Tests and be awarded a State of Florida High School Diploma.  An additional performance level will certify that the student is career and college ready.  This program strives to motivate students not only to obtain a State of Florida High School Diploma via passage of the four GED® subject area tests, but to continue their education to earn a postsecondary degree, certificate, or industry certification. 

The purpose of the Social Studies component of the GED® program is to prepare students to pass the GED® Social Studies Test. This test will focus on the fundamentals of social studies reasoning, striking a balance of deeper conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and the ability to apply these fundamentals in realistic situations.  Four major content domains will be addressed:  Civics and Government, United States History, Economics, and Geography and the World.  

PLACEMENTS

Students who have taken and passed the Reasoning through Language Arts GED® subtest but have not yet taken and passed either the science or social studies subtests should be tested on an approved assessment and demonstrate a level 5 or higher on Reading in order to take GED® Preparation courses in either of these subject areas.  Students who have passed the Social Studies and or Science test(s), but not passed the RLA test, should also be tested on a state approved assessment and placed appropriately in either ABE Reading or GED® RLA Preparation courses. 

THE GED® ASSESSMENT 
Information on the GED® Assessment and the performance targets and content topics are derived from the Assessment Guide for Educators provided by GED Testing Service®.  The manual can be downloaded at https://ged.com/educators_admins/teaching/teaching_resources/. Social Studies test items are based on assessment targets identified by GED Testing Service® and are divided into two sections:  the practices and the content topics.  Each content topic has been translated into a standard including sub-content areas. Each item on the Social Studies Test will be aligned to one social studies practice and one content topic/subtopic.  

Instruction on Social Studies Content Topics
The content topics are designed to provide context for measuring the skills defined in the social studies practices listed in this framework.

As in the previous version of the GED® social studies assessment targets, the social studies practices maintain a close relationship with the social studies content topics. More specifically, the primary focus of the GED® social studies test continues to be the measurement of essential reasoning skills applied in social studies context.  However, test-takers should still be broadly and generally familiar with each of the basic concepts enumerated in the social studies content topics and subtopics, and they should be able to recognize and understand, in context, each of the terms listed there. Rather, the stimuli about which each question pertains will provide necessary details about scientific figures, formulas, and other key principles. For example, a question may include answer options and stimuli that contain specific terms drawn from the content subtopics; however, test-takers will never be asked to formulate their own definition of a term without the item providing sufficient contextual support for such a task.

Social Studies Content Topics Matrix
The matrix below gives a condensed summary of the social studies content topics. The tables on the following pages will include the content topics written into student standards along with sub-topics for each standard.  The social studies content topics, which are drawn from these four domains, will provide context for measuring a test-taker’s ability to apply the reasoning skills described in the practices.

Themes	Social studies Content Topics 	
	Civics & Government 50%*	U.S. History 
20%*	Economics
15%*	Geography and the World 15%*	
I. Development of Modern Liberties and Democracy 	1.  Types of modern & historical governments
2.  Principles that have contributed to development of American constitutional democracy
3.  Structure and design of United States Government
4. Individual rights and civic responsibilities	1.  Key historical documents that have shaped American constitutional government
2. Revolutionary and Early Republic Periods
3. Civil War & Reconstruction
4. Civil Rights Movement	1.  Key economic events that have shaped American government and policies
2.  Relationship between political and economic freedoms	1.  Development of classical civilizations	
II.  Dynamic Responses in Societal Systems 	e. Political parties, campaigns, and elections in American politics
6. Contemporary public policy	5. European population of the Americas
6. World War I & II
7. The Cold War
8. American foreign policy since 9/11	3. Fundamental economic concepts
4. Microeconomics & macroeconomics
5. Consumer economics
6. Economic causes & impacts of wars
7. Economic drivers of exploration and colonization	2. Relationships between the environment and societal development
3. Borders between peoples and nations
4. Human migration	

*Percentage of test questions based on these topics or standards.
Note:  The content topics for the social studies Test focus on two main themes, each applied across the four domains in the social studies topics.  Content that falls outside the parameters of these themes will not be included in the social studies Test.

Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Model
The GED Testing Service® is using Webb’s Depth of Knowledge model to give test item development for the GED® 2014 assessment.  Unlike the Bloom’s Taxonomy system that was used for the GED® Test Series, the DOK levels are not a taxonomical tool that uses verbs to classify the level of each cognitive demand.  The DOK is the cognitive demand required to correctly answer test questions. 

The DOK level describes the kind of thinking involved in the task.  A greater DOK level requires greater conceptual understanding and cognitive processing by the students. The DOK model includes 4 levels:  (1) recall, (2) basic application of skill/concept, (3) strategic thinking, and (4) extended thinking.  Roughly 80 percent of the items across all four tests will be written to DOK levels two and three, and roughly 20 percent will require test-takers to engage level one DOK skills.  Level four entails skills required to successfully complete long-term research projects.  Therefore, DOK level four is beyond the scope of this assessment.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE 
The GED® Preparation Program is non-graded and characterized by open-entry/open-exit and/or managed enrollment, self-paced instructional modules, differentiated instruction, flexible schedules, and performance-based evaluation. Agencies are awarded one LCP (V-Y) per test passed by the student.    While the course length can vary, the recommended length for social studies is approximately 75 hours.
Students initial placement into the Social Studies GED® Preparation course should be based on a state approved assessment score at the 9th grade level or higher.

Course Number	Course Title	Recommended Length*	LCP Level	
9900132	GED®  Prep Social Studies	Varies*	W	
*Recommended Length:  A maximum of 1300 hours may be funded (state) per each reportable year for an adult education student.  However, this should not prevent students from receiving instruction beyond the 1300 hours if needed.  For example, you may report 1500 instructional hours but only 1300 hours will be used in the funding calculation.

SPECIAL NOTES:

Accommodations
Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Adult students with disabilities must self-identify and request such services.  Students with disabilities may need accommodations in areas such as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems.  Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.

Adult Education Instructor Certification Requirements
As per section 1012.39 (1)(b), F.S., each school district shall establish the minimal qualifications  for part-time and full-time teachers in adult education programs.

Career and Adult Education Planning 
The following career development standards are designed to be integrated into the GED® frameworks to assist students with career exploration and planning. 
 
Standards
CP. GED.01	Develop skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.
CP. GED.02	Identify interests, skills, and personal preferences that influence career and education choices.
CP.GED.03	Identify career cluster and related pathways that match career and education goals.
CP.GED.04	Develop and manage a career and education plan.  

Digital Literacy (Technology)
Computer skills have become essential in today’s world.  Students use a variety of technology tools such as calculators, cell phones, and computers for multiple uses; communicate with friends and family, apply for work, classroom instruction, testing, and in the workplace.  Technology standards are designed to be integrated in the GED® instruction. 

Standards
DL.GED.01     Develop basic keyboarding and numerical keypad skills.
DL.GED.02     Produce a variety of documents such as research papers, resumes, charts, and
          tables using word processing programs.
DL.GED.03     Use Internet search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo to collect data and
   information.
DL.GED.04     Practice safe, legal, and responsible sharing of information, data, and opinions online. 

Workforce Preparation Activities
The term “workforce preparation activities” means activities, programs, or services designed to help an individual acquire a combination of basic academic skills, critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, and self-management skills, including competencies in utilizing resources, using information, working with others, understanding systems, and obtaining skills necessary for successful transition into and completion of postsecondary education or training, or employment. (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), 2014).  

The following activities should be integrated into the classroom instruction: 

Critical Thinking 	All students will make decisions and solve problems by specifying goals, identifying resources and constraints, generating alternatives, considering impacts, choosing appropriate alternatives, implementing plans of action, and evaluating results. 	
Teamwork	All students will learn to work cooperatively with people with diverse backgrounds and abilities.  Students will identify with the group’s goals and values, learn to exercise leadership, teach others new skills, serve clients or customers, and contribute with ideas, suggestions, and work efforts. 	
Employment 	All students will develop job search skills for employment such as completing an application, resume, cover letter, thank you letter, and interviewing techniques. 	
Self-Management	All students should display personal qualities such as responsibility, self-management, self-confidence, ethical behavior, and respect for self and others. 	
Utilizing Resources	All students will learn to identify, organize, plan, and allocate resources (such as time, money, material, and human resources) efficiently and effectively. 	
Using Information	All students will acquire, organize, interpret, and evaluate information in post-secondary, training, or work situations.	
Understanding Systems	All students will learn to understand, monitor, and improve complex systems, including social, technical, and mechanical systems, and work with and maintain a variety of technologies. 

	
	
Social Studies Practices	
SSP.1  Draw Conclusions and Make Inferences 
SSP.1.a.  Determine the details of what is explicitly stated in primary and  
secondary sources and make logical inferences or valid claims based on evidence.
SSP.1.b.  Cite or identify specific evidence to support inferences or analyses of primary and secondary sources, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions of a process, event, or concept.	
SSP.2  Determine Central Ideas, Hypotheses and Conclusions
SSP.2.a.  Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source document, corroborating or challenging conclusions with evidence.
SSP2.b.  Describe people, places, environments, processes, and events, and the connections between and among them.	
SSP.3  Analyze Events and Ideas
SSP.3.a.  Identify the chronological structure of a historical narrative and 
sequence steps in a process.
SSP.3.b.  Analyze in detail how events, processes, and ideas develop and 
interact in a written document; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
SSP.3.c.  Analyze cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation, including action by individuals, natural and societal processes, and the influence of ideas.
SSP3.d.  Compare differing sets of ideas related to political, historical,
 economic, geographic, or societal contexts; evaluate the assumptions and implications inherent in differing positions.	
SSP.4  Interpret Meaning of Symbols, Words and Phrases              
SSP.4.a.  Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in  context, including vocabulary that describes historical, political, social, geographic, and economic aspects of social studies.	
SSP.5  Analyze Purpose and Point of View
SSP.5.a.  Identify aspects of a historical document that reveals an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts)
SSP.5.b.  Identify instances of bias or propagandizing.
SSP.5.c.  Analyze how a historical context shapes an author’s point of view.
SSP.5.d.  Evaluate the credibility of an author in historical and contemporary political discourse.
	
SSP.6  Integrate Content Presented in Different Ways
SSP.6.a.  Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.
SSP.6.b.  Analyze information presented in a variety of maps, graphic organizers, tables, and charts; and in a variety of visual sources such as artifacts, photographs, political cartoons.
SSP.6.c.  Translate quantitative information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., table or chart); translate information expressed visually or mathematically into words.	
SSP.7  Evaluate Reasoning and Evidence
SSP.7.a.  Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a
 primary or secondary source document
SSP.7.b.  Distinguish between unsupported claims and informed hypotheses grounded in social studies evidence.	
SSP.8  Analyze Relationships between Texts
SSP.8.a.  Compare treatments of the same social studies topic in various 
primary and secondary sources, noting discrepancies between and among the sources.	
SSP.9  Write Analytic Response to Source Texts **
SSP.9.a.  Produce writing that develops the idea(s), claim(s) and/or
argument(s) thoroughly and logically, with well-chosen examples, facts, or details from primary and secondary source documents.
SSP.9.b.  Produce writing that introduces the idea(s) or claim(s) clearly;
creates an organization that logically sequences information; and maintains a coherent focus.
SSP.9.c.  Write clearly and demonstrate sufficient command of standard  
English conventions.	
SSP.10  Read and Interpret Graphs, Charts and Other Data Representation
SSP.10.a.  Interpret, use, and create graphs (e.g., scatterplot, line, bar, circle) including proper labeling.  Predict reasonable trends based on the data (e.g., do not extend trend beyond a reasonable limit).
SSP.10.b.  Represent data on two variables (dependent and independent) on a graph; analyze and communicate how the variables are related.
SSP.10.c.  Distinguish between correlation and causation.

SSP.11  Measure the Center of a Statistical Dataset
SSP.11.a.  Calculate the mean, median, mode, and range of a dataset.	

*The GED® social studies practices are derived from the Florida standards for social studies, National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies:  A Framework for Teaching Learning, and Assessment (2010), and National Standards for History Revised Edition (1996).
**The Extended Response writing task will require test-takers to apply a range of social studies Practices; however, the practices under SSP.9 will be of primary importance in the writing task, and these practices will only be assessed through the writing task.

Social Studies Standards	
Civics and Government	
CG.1	Describe types of modern and historical governments that contributed to the development of American constitutional democracy.
CG.1.a.  direct democracy
CG.1.b.  representative democracy
CG.1.c.  parliamentary democracy
CG.1.d.  presidential democracy
CG.1.e.  monarchy and other types 	
CG.2

	Describe the principles that have contributed to the development of American constitutional democracy.
CG.2.a.  natural rights philosophy
CG.2.b.  popular sovereignty and consent of the governed
CG.2.c.  constitutionalism
CG.2.d.  majority rule and minority rights
CG.2.e.  checks and balances
CG.2.f.  separation of powers
CG.2.g.  rule of law
CG.2.h.  individual rights
CG.2.I.  federalism	
CG.3

	Analyze the structure and design of United States Government.
CG.3.a.  Structure, powers, and authority of the federal executive, judicial, and 
                legislative branches
CG.3.b.  Individual governmental positions (e.g., president, speaker of the 
                house, cabinet secretary, etc.)
CG.3.c.  Major powers and responsibilities of the federal and state governments
CG.3.d.  Shared powers
CG.3.e.  Amendment process
CG.3.f.  Governmental Departments and Agencies	
CG.4	Describe individual rights and civic responsibilities.
CG.4.a.  The Bill of Rights
CG.4.b.  Personal and civil liberties of citizens	
CG.5	Describe political parties, campaigns, and elections in American politics.
CG.5.a.  Political parties
CG.5.b.  Interest groups
CG.5.c.  Political campaigns, elections and the electoral process
	
CG.6	Define contemporary public policy	

United States History	
USH.1	Explain the ideas and significance of key historical documents that have shaped American constitutional government.
USH.1.a.  Magna Carta
USH.1.b.  Mayflower Compact
USH.1.c.  Declaration of Independence
USH.1.d.  United States Constitution
USH.1.e.  Martin Luther King’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail
USH.1.f.  Landmark decisions of the United States Supreme Court and other  
                 Key documents)	
USH.2	Describe the causes and consequences of the wars during the Revolutionary and Early Republic Periods.
USH.2.a.  Revolutionary War
USH.2.b.  War of 1812
USH.2.c.   George Washington
USH.2.d.  Thomas Jefferson
USH.2.e.  Articles of Confederation
USH.2.f.  Manifest Destiny
USH.2.g.  U.S. Indian Policy	
USH.3	Examine causes and consequences of the Civil War and Reconstruction and its effects on the American people. 
USH.3.a.  Slavery
USH.3.b.  Sectionalism
USH.3.c.  Civil War Amendments
USH.3.d.  Reconstruction policies	
USH.4	Identify the expansion of civil rights by examining the principles contained in primary documents and events.
USH.4.a.  Jim Crow laws
USH.4.b.  Women’s suffrage
USH.4.c.   Civil Rights Movement
USH.4.d.  Plessy vs. Ferguson and Brown vs. Board of Education
USH.4.e.  Warren court decisions	
USH.5	Describe the impact of European settlement on population of the America’s. 	
USH.6	Explain the significant causes, events, figures, and consequences of World Wars I & II.
USH.6.a.  Alliance system
USH.6.b.  Imperialism, nationalism, and militarism
USH.6.c.  Russian Revolution
USH.6.d.  Woodrow Wilson
USH.6.e.  Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations
USH.6.f.  Neutrality Acts
USH.6.g.  Isolationism
USH.6.h.  Allied and Axis Powers
USH.6.i.  Fascism, Nazism, and totalitarianism
USH.6.j.  The Holocaust
USH.6.k.  Japanese-American internment
USH.6.l.  Decolonization
USH.6.m.  GI Bill	
USH.7	Describe the significant events and people from the Cold War era.
USH.7.a  Communism and capitalism
USH.7.b.  NATO and the Warsaw Pact
USH.7.c.  U.S. maturation as an international power
USH.7.d.  Division of Germany, Berlin Blockade and Airlift
USH.7.e.  Truman Doctrine
USH.7.f.  Marshall Plan
USH.7.g.  Lyndon B. Johnson and The Great Society
USH.7.h.  Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal
USH.7.i.  Collapse of U.S.S.R. and democratization of Eastern Europe

USH.8	Analyze the impact of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States foreign policy.	

Economics	
E.1	Describe key economic events that have shaped American government and policies.	
E.2	Explain the relationship between political and economic freedoms	
E.3	Describe common economic terms and concepts.  
E.3.a  Markets
E.3.b.  Incentives
E.3.c.  Monopoly and competition
E.3.d.  Labor and capital
E.3.e.  Opportunity cost
E.3.f.  Profit
E.3.g.  Entrepreneurship
E.3.h.  Comparative advantage
E.3.i.  Specialization
E.3.j.  Productivity
E.3.k.  interdependence	
E.4

	Describe the principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.
E.4.a.  Supply, demand and price
E.4.b.  Individual choice
E.4.c.  Institutions
E.4.d.  Fiscal and monetary policy
E.4.e.  Regulation and costs of government policies
E.4.f.  Investment
E.4.g.  Government and market failures
E.4.h.  Inflation and deflation
E.4.i.  Gross domestic product  (GDP)
E.4.j.  Unemployment
E.4.k.  Tariffs	
E.5

	Describe consumer economics 
E.5.a.  Types of credit
E.5.b.  Savings and banking
E.5.c.  Consumer credit laws	
E.6	Examine the economic causes and impact on wars. 	
E.7	Describe the economic drivers of exploration and colonization in the Americas.	
E.8	Explain the relationship between the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions.	

Geography	
G.1	Describe how geography affected the development of classical civilizations. 	
G.2	Describe the relationships between the environment and societal development.
G.2.a.  Nationhood and statehood  
G.2.b.  Sustainability  
G.2.c.  Technology  
G.2.d.  Natural resources
G.2.e.  Human changes to the environment	
G.3	Describe the concept of borders between peoples and nations.
G.3.a.  Concepts of region and place
G.3.b.  Natural and cultural diversity
G.3.c.   Geographic tools and skills	
G.4	Describe the forms of human migration.
G.4.a.   Immigration, emigration and Diaspora
G.4.b.  Culture, cultural diffusion and assimilation
G.4.c.   Population trends and issues
G.4.d.  Rural and urban settlement	

Notes:
•	Information on the GED® test standards is based on the Assessment Guide for Educators, GED® Testing Service.