Our community and its rules
Students start the year close to home. They look at how their town works, who makes the rules, and why citizens follow them. Expect dinner-table talk about fairness and the jobs of local leaders.
What does a student learn in
This is the year social studies steps outside the classroom and into the wider community. Students learn how their town runs, who makes the rules, and why citizens follow them. They start using maps to find places, comparing what land and weather are like in different regions, and noticing how people earn and spend money. By spring, students can name a few leaders, point out their state on a map, and explain why a family might choose one purchase over another.
- Local government
- Map skills
- Pennsylvania history
- Needs and wants
- Citizenship
- Communities
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Mapping places near and far
Students use maps and globes to find their town, state, and country. They name rivers, mountains, and weather patterns, and they notice how land and climate shape where people live.
- 3
Pennsylvania past and present
Students dig into the people and events that shaped Pennsylvania, from early settlements to its role in the nation's story. They start comparing life long ago to life today.
- 4
Money, choices, and trade
Students learn why people cannot have everything they want and how that drives daily choices. They look at jobs, prices, saving, and spending, and how goods move between places.
- 5
States, nations, and the wider world
Students zoom out to the country and the world. They learn how state and federal government fit together and how nations trade, sign agreements, and sometimes disagree.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 3.
Civics and Government
Civics and Government
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Principles and Documents
Students learn what the Constitution and other founding documents actually say and why those rules matter for how the country and state are governed today.
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Rights and Responsibilities
Citizens have rights (like free speech) and responsibilities (like following laws). Students explore what it means to live in a community where rules protect everyone fairly.
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Government Structure
Students learn how governments work at three levels: their town or city, their state, and the whole country. They look at who makes the rules, who carries them out, and how those layers connect.
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International Relations
Nations deal with each other in different ways. Students learn how countries negotiate agreements, buy and sell goods across borders, and sometimes come into conflict when they disagree.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Principles and Documents | Students learn what the Constitution and other founding documents actually say and why those rules matter for how the country and state are governed today. | PA-SS.CIV.3.1 |
| Rights and Responsibilities | Citizens have rights (like free speech) and responsibilities (like following laws). Students explore what it means to live in a community where rules protect everyone fairly. | PA-SS.CIV.3.2 |
| Government Structure | Students learn how governments work at three levels: their town or city, their state, and the whole country. They look at who makes the rules, who carries them out, and how those layers connect. | PA-SS.CIV.3.3 |
| International Relations | Nations deal with each other in different ways. Students learn how countries negotiate agreements, buy and sell goods across borders, and sometimes come into conflict when they disagree. | PA-SS.CIV.3.4 |
Economics
Economics
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Scarcity and Choice
Scarcity means there is never enough of everything, so people have to choose. Students learn why picking one thing (a toy, a road, a school program) means giving something else up.
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Markets and Economic Systems
Markets are places where buyers and sellers agree on prices. Students learn how competition between sellers affects what things cost and how resources like money, goods, and workers get divided up in different economies.
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Money and Banking
Money is used to buy goods and services, and banks are places where people save and borrow it. Students learn how earning, spending, saving, and borrowing shape everyday financial decisions.
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Economic Decision Making
Students use economic thinking to make everyday choices, like how to spend or save money, and to weigh trade-offs in bigger decisions that affect a community. It connects personal money choices to real-world problems.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Scarcity and Choice | Scarcity means there is never enough of everything, so people have to choose. Students learn why picking one thing (a toy, a road, a school program) means giving something else up. | PA-SS.ECON.3.1 |
| Markets and Economic Systems | Markets are places where buyers and sellers agree on prices. Students learn how competition between sellers affects what things cost and how resources like money, goods, and workers get divided up in different economies. | PA-SS.ECON.3.2 |
| Money and Banking | Money is used to buy goods and services, and banks are places where people save and borrow it. Students learn how earning, spending, saving, and borrowing shape everyday financial decisions. | PA-SS.ECON.3.3 |
| Economic Decision Making | Students use economic thinking to make everyday choices, like how to spend or save money, and to weigh trade-offs in bigger decisions that affect a community. It connects personal money choices to real-world problems. | PA-SS.ECON.3.4 |
Geography
Geography
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Geographic Tools and Spatial Concepts
Students read maps and globes to describe where places are, how far apart they are, and what the land around them looks like.
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Physical Characteristics
Students describe what makes a place look and feel the way it does: its landforms like mountains or valleys, its typical weather, and the plants and animals that live there.
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Human Characteristics
Students look at what makes a place feel the way it does: who lives there, how neighborhoods are built, and what kinds of work people do. They compare those details across different places and regions.
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Human-Environment Interaction
Students learn why people change the land around them (like building roads or farming fields) and what happens to the environment because of those changes.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Tools and Spatial Concepts | Students read maps and globes to describe where places are, how far apart they are, and what the land around them looks like. | PA-SS.GEO.3.1 |
| Physical Characteristics | Students describe what makes a place look and feel the way it does: its landforms like mountains or valleys, its typical weather, and the plants and animals that live there. | PA-SS.GEO.3.2 |
| Human Characteristics | Students look at what makes a place feel the way it does: who lives there, how neighborhoods are built, and what kinds of work people do. They compare those details across different places and regions. | PA-SS.GEO.3.3 |
| Human-Environment Interaction | Students learn why people change the land around them (like building roads or farming fields) and what happens to the environment because of those changes. | PA-SS.GEO.3.4 |
History
History
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Historical Analysis
Reading about the past takes more than memorizing dates. Students look at why events happened, who was involved, and what changed as a result, then use that thinking to explain history in their own words.
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Pennsylvania History
Students learn about important people and events in Pennsylvania's past and see how those local stories connect to what was happening across the country at the same time.
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United States History
Students learn about important moments in American history that shaped the country, like the American Revolution, westward expansion, or the civil rights movement. The focus is on events and changes that matter at the third-grade level.
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World History
Students learn about major events and movements that shaped the world, from ancient civilizations to more recent changes in how people lived, worked, and governed themselves.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Analysis | Reading about the past takes more than memorizing dates. Students look at why events happened, who was involved, and what changed as a result, then use that thinking to explain history in their own words. | PA-SS.HIST.3.1 |
| Pennsylvania History | Students learn about important people and events in Pennsylvania's past and see how those local stories connect to what was happening across the country at the same time. | PA-SS.HIST.3.2 |
| United States History | Students learn about important moments in American history that shaped the country, like the American Revolution, westward expansion, or the civil rights movement. The focus is on events and changes that matter at the third-grade level. | PA-SS.HIST.3.3 |
| World History | Students learn about major events and movements that shaped the world, from ancient civilizations to more recent changes in how people lived, worked, and governed themselves. | PA-SS.HIST.3.4 |
No state assessments at this grade
Students take their next one in Grade 4.
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
- When given:
- biennial in winter
- Frequency:
- every two years
Common Questions
What does social studies look like this year?
Students learn how their community works, how maps describe places, why people trade and use money, and how the past shapes today. Most of the year focuses on the local community and Pennsylvania, with a first look at the wider country and world.
How can families help with social studies at home?
Talk about the news at dinner, point out the mayor or governor when their name comes up, and look at a map together when planning a trip. A walk around the neighborhood is a good time to ask why a park, road, or store ended up where it did.
What map skills should students have by spring?
Students should read a simple map key, use a compass rose to find north, south, east, and west, and locate Pennsylvania on a map of the country. They should also be able to point out rivers, mountains, and cities near where they live.
What does scarcity mean in third grade?
Scarcity is the idea that there is not enough of something for everyone who wants it, so people have to choose. At home, that shows up when students decide how to spend allowance or pick one activity over another.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common order is geography first to build map skills, then community and Pennsylvania history, then government and citizenship, with economics woven through. Saving United States and world history for later in the year gives students the background to understand events in context.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Branches of government, the difference between local, state, and federal, and basic economic ideas like supply and price tend to need a second pass. Short role-plays and local examples land better than definitions on a worksheet.
How can social studies be tied to reading and writing?
Biographies, primary sources, and short news articles work well as reading material, and short opinion paragraphs about a community issue double as writing practice. This stretches the social studies block without adding a separate writing lesson.
How will students learn about Pennsylvania history?
Students look at how the state was settled, important figures like William Penn and Benjamin Franklin, and events that shaped the country, such as the writing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Local landmarks and field trips make these stories stick.
How do I know students are ready for fourth grade?
By the end of the year, students should explain the basic jobs of local, state, and federal government, read a map with a key and compass rose, and describe a few key events in Pennsylvania history. They should also use simple economic terms like need, want, scarcity, and trade.