North Carolina K–6 social studies standards

North Carolina writes its own social studies standards. They are published as North Carolina Standard Course of Study — Social Studies (2021), adopted 2021 and are not a version of a national framework. 119 of 193 are matched to a national standard.

193 rows K-6, re-acquired from NCDPI's own per-grade 2021 SS Standards Google Docs (export?format=txt). 193/193 code completeness and 193/193 verbatim text vs NC's documents; 8 stray-space codes repaired. Inquiry strand grade-qualified <grade>.I.1.<n> (DECLARED derived prefix, §9) so importKey no longer merges 71 per-grade inquiry rows to 11. Replaces the data-destroyed CSP positional-fallback draft. Re-run extract-nc-ss.py after any re-fetch.

Framework: North Carolina Standard Course of Study — Social Studies (2021)
Adopted: 2021
Source last checked: July 26, 2026

Read the official document

193 standards, kindergarten through 6th grade

K.I.1.1K
Identify inquiry as a process to answer questions and solve issues.
K.I.1.2K
Recognize a compelling question with prompting and support.
K.I.1.3K
Explain why or how a compelling question is important to a topic or issue.
K.I.1.4K
Identify what questions are needed to support the compelling question.
K.I.1.5K
Recognize how supporting questions connect to compelling questions.
K.I.1.6K
Demonstrate an understanding of facts, opinions, and other details in sources.
K.I.1.7K
Identify the information surrounding a primary or secondary source including who created it, when they created it, where they created it, and why they created it.
K.I.1.8K
Construct responses to compelling questions using information from sources.
K.I.1.9K
Identify problems related to the compelling question that students think are important.
K.B.1.1K
Identify cultural practices in local communities and around the world.
K.B.1.2K
Compare cultural practices of people in local communities and around the world.
K.B.1.3K
Summarize stories that illustrate how positive character traits such as empathy, resilience, and respect, help people contribute to their communities.
K.C&G.1.1K
Explain why people follow rules in the classroom, school, and community.
K.C&G.1.2K
Exemplify ways people follow rules in the classroom, school, and community.
K.C&G.1.3K
Identify the consequences of following or not following rules in the classroom, school, and community.
K.C&G.1.4K
Use a procedure for how people can effectively work together to improve classrooms and communities.
K.E.1.1K
Differentiate between needs and wants.
K.E.1.2K
Differentiate between goods and services.
K.G.1.1K
Use maps, globes, and/or digital representations to locate places in the classroom, school, community, and around the world.
K.G.1.2K
Identify physical features of places using maps, globes, and/or digital representations.
K.G.1.3K
Identify locations in the classroom, community, and around the world with positional words.
K.G.2.1K
Explain ways people around the world use natural resources.
K.G.2.2K
Explain how the environment influences people to move from place to place.
K.H.1.1K
Exemplify ways in which people change over time.
K.H.1.2K
Explain how various events have shaped history.
K.H.1.3K
Compare life in the past to life today within the home, community, and around the world.
1.I.1.11
Identify inquiry as a process to answer questions and solve issues.
1.I.1.21
Recognize a compelling question with prompting and support.
1.I.1.31
Explain why or how a compelling question is important to a topic or issue.
1.I.1.41
Identify what questions are needed to support the compelling question.
1.I.1.51
Recognize how supporting questions connect to compelling questions.
1.I.1.61
Demonstrate an understanding of facts, opinions, and other details in sources.
1.I.1.71
Identify the information surrounding a primary or secondary source including who created it, when they created it, where they created it, and why they created it.
1.I.1.81
Construct responses to compelling questions using information from sources.
1.I.1.91
Identify problems related to the compelling question that students think are important.
1.B.1.11
Identify cultural practices and traditions in local communities and places around the world.
1.B.1.21
Summarize ways that culturally, racially, and ethnically diverse people help shape a community.
1.B.1.31
Explain how the artistic expressions of diverse people and cultures contribute to communities around the world.
1.B.1.41
Explain how culture, values, and beliefs influence how disagreements are resolved in classrooms, local communities, and the world.
1.C&G.1.11
Exemplify ways individuals and groups play a role in shaping communities.
1.C&G.1.21
Exemplify ways individuals and groups contribute to the making of rules and laws.
1.C&G.1.31
Identify the differences between rights and responsibilities of citizens in various communities.
1.C&G.1.41
Compare various processes or strategies people can use to improve communities.
1.E.1.11
Distinguish the relationship between scarcity and limited resources.
1.E.1.21
Recognize the relationship between supply and demand.
1.E.1.31
Exemplify how supply and demand affect the choices people make.
1.E.1.41
Summarize reasons why people and countries trade goods and services.
1.G.1.11
Use maps, globes, and/or digital representations to identify various types of landforms of places around the world.
1.G.1.21
Exemplify how geographic features are represented by symbols on maps or digital representations.
1.G.2.11
Explain the various ways the physical environment impacts people in different regions around the world.
1.G.2.21
Explain the various ways people impact the physical environment in different regions around the world.
1.H.1.11
Explain how the experiences and achievements of people throughout history have helped contribute to the changes in various local communities and communities around the world over time.
1.H.1.21
Use primary and secondary sources to compare multiple perspectives of various events in history.
2.I.1.12
Identify inquiry as a process to answer questions and solve issues.
2.I.1.22
Recognize a compelling question with prompting and support.
2.I.1.32
Explain why or how a compelling question is important to a topic or issue.
2.I.1.42
Identify what questions are needed to support the compelling question.
2.I.1.52
Recognize how supporting questions connect to compelling questions.
2.I.1.62
Demonstrate an understanding of facts, opinions, and other details in sources.
2.I.1.72
Identify the information surrounding a primary or secondary source including who created it, when they created it, where they created it, and why they created it.
2.I.1.82
Construct responses to compelling questions using information from sources.
2.I.1.92
Identify problems related to the compelling question that students think are important.
2.B.1.12
Identify the various values and beliefs of diverse cultures that have shaped American identity.
2.B.1.22
Explain how belief systems of various indigenous, religious, and racial groups have influenced or contributed to culture in America.
2.C&G.1.12
Explain how principles of democracy have shaped the government of America.
2.C&G.1.22
Summarize the role of government in protecting freedom and equality of individuals in America.
2.C&G.1.32
Compare the structure and function of the three branches of government at the national level.
2.C&G.1.42
Explain how various indigenous, religious, gender, and racial groups advocate for freedom and equality.
2.E.1.12
Explain how scarcity affects economic decisions.
2.E.1.22
Explain how the availability of resources impacts the production of goods.
2.G.1.12
Recognize absolute and relative location of various settlements, territories, and states in the development of the American nation.
2.G.1.22
Explain how the environment has impacted settlement across America.
2.G.1.32
Interpret how the movement of people, goods, and ideas has impacted the regional development of America.
2.H.1.12
Summarize contributions of various women, indigenous, religious, racial, and other minority groups that have impacted American history.
2.H.1.22
Explain ways in which various historical events have shaped American history.
2.H.1.32
Compare various perspectives of the same time period using primary and secondary sources.
3.I.1.13
Identify content required to provide an answer to compelling questions.
3.I.1.23
Construct compelling questions that promote inquiry with peers.
3.I.1.33
Understand how responses to supporting questions provide responses to compelling questions.
3.I.1.43
Construct and respond to supporting questions that help answer compelling questions with peers.
3.I.1.53
Understand academic and domain-specific words in sources to create responses to compelling questions.
3.I.1.63
Organize relevant information from primary and secondary sources using the origin, authority, structure, credibility, reliability, and context of the sources to guide the selection.
3.I.1.73
Construct claims in response to compelling and supporting questions.
3.I.1.83
Accurately use information from sources when making claims.
3.I.1.93
Make inferences from information in sources.
3.I.1.103
Construct responses to compelling questions with specific claims and information from teacher-provided sources.
3.I.1.113
Identify ways to address problems related to the compelling question.
3.B.1.13
Explain how the values, beliefs, and cultures of various indigenous, religious, racial, and other groups contribute to the development of local communities and the state.
3.B.1.23
Compare values, beliefs, cultural practices, and traditions of various groups living in local and regional communities.
3.C&G.1.13
Compare the structure and function of both state and local governments.
3.C&G.1.23
Classify the roles and responsibilities of leaders in state and local government.
3.C&G.1.33
Compare how state, local, and tribal governments help solve problems within communities.
3.E.1.13
Explain how entrepreneurship develops local communities.
3.E.1.23
Explain how the natural resources of a region impact the production and consumption of goods in local communities.
3.E.1.33
Summarize the role supply and demand play in local economies.
3.G.1.13
Explain how the absolute and relative location of places impacts the development of communities
3.G.1.23
Explain how climate and physical characteristics affect the ways in which people live in a place or region.
3.G.1.33
Explain how the movement of goods, people, and ideas is impacted by the geography of a place or region.
3.H.1.13
Explain how the experiences and achievements of women, indigenous, religious, and racial groups have contributed to the development of the local community.
3.H.1.23
Explain the lasting impact historical events have had on local communities.
3.H.1.33
Use primary and secondary sources to compare multiple interpretations of various historical symbols and events in local communities.
4.I.1.14
Identify content required to provide an answer to compelling questions.
4.I.1.24
Construct compelling questions that promote inquiry with peers.
4.I.1.34
Understand how responses to supporting questions provide responses to compelling questions.
4.I.1.44
Construct and respond to supporting questions that help answer compelling questions with peers.
4.I.1.54
Understand academic and domain-specific words in sources to create responses to compelling questions.
4.I.1.64
Organize relevant information from primary and secondary sources using the origin, authority, structure, credibility, reliability, and context of the sources to guide the selection.
4.I.1.74
Construct claims in response to compelling and supporting questions.
4.I.1.84
Accurately use information from sources when making claims.
4.I.1.94
Make inferences from information in sources.
4.I.1.104
Construct responses to compelling questions with specific claims and information from teacher-provided sources.
4.I.1.114
Identify ways to address problems related to the compelling question.
4.B.1.14
Explain how traditions, social structure, and artistic expression have contributed to the unique identity of North Carolina.
4.B.1.24
Explain how the values and beliefs of various indigenous, religious, and racial groups have contributed to the development of North Carolina
4.C&G.1.14
Compare the roles and responsibilities of state elected leaders.
4.C&G.1.24
Summarize the ways in which women, indigenous, religious, and racial groups influence local and state government.
4.C&G.1.34
Differentiate between rights and responsibilities reflected in the North Carolina Constitution.
4.E.1.14
Explain the ways in which scarcity impacts economic decisions in North Carolina.
4.E.1.24
Explain factors that have led to economic growth and decline for North Carolina’s major industries.
4.E.1.34
Explain ways in which factors of production are influenced by the availability of resources in North Carolina.
4.E.2.14
Explain the way in which personal financial decisions such as spending and saving may affect everyday life.
4.E.2.24
Exemplify outcomes of positive and negative financial decisions.
4.G.1.14
Compare the development of various geographic regions in North Carolina using geographic tools and representations.
4.G.1.24
Exemplify the ways in which movement of people, goods and ideas has impacted the development of North Carolina using maps and other geographic tools.
4.G.1.34
Summarize the reasons for forced and voluntary migration to, from, and within North Carolina
4.H.1.14
Explain how the experiences and achievements of minorities, indigenous groups, and marginalized people have contributed to change and innovation in North Carolina.
4.H.1.24
Summarize the changing roles of women, indigenous populations and racial groups throughout the history of North Carolina.
4.H.1.34
Explain the ways in which revolution, reform, and resistance have shaped North Carolina.
4.H.1.44
Summarize the role North Carolina has played in major conflicts and events throughout the history of America.
4.H.1.54
Use primary and secondary sources to compare multiple perspectives of various historical events in North Carolina.
4.H.1.64
Explain the significance of historical symbols in North Carolina from various perspectives.
5.I.1.15
Identify content required to provide an answer to compelling questions.
5.I.1.25
Construct compelling questions that promote inquiry with peers.
5.I.1.35
Understand how responses to supporting questions provide responses to compelling questions.
5.I.1.45
Construct and respond to supporting questions that help answer compelling questions with peers.
5.I.1.55
Understand academic and domain-specific words in sources to create responses to compelling questions.
5.I.1.65
Organize relevant information from primary and secondary sources using the origin, authority, structure, credibility, reliability, and context of the sources to guide the selection.
5.I.1.75
Construct claims in response to compelling and supporting questions.
5.I.1.85
Accurately use information from sources when making claims.
5.I.1.95
Make inferences from information in sources.
5.I.1.105
Construct responses to compelling questions with specific claims and information from teacher-provided sources.
5.I.1.115
Identify ways to address problems related to the compelling question.
5.B.1.15
Explain how traditions, social structure, and artistic expression have contributed to the unique identity of the United States.
5.B.1.25
Explain how the values and beliefs of various indigenous, religious, and racial groups have contributed to the development of American identity.
5.C&G.1.15
Distinguish the roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government in terms of how the branches cooperate.
5.C&G.1.25
Explain how the three branches of government work together to protect freedom, equality, and justice.
5.C&G.2.15
Summarize the ways in which women, indigenous, religious, and racial groups use civic participation and advocacy to encourage government protection of rights.
5.C&G.2.25
Exemplify ways in which rights are protected under the United States Constitution.
5.E.1.15
Explain factors that led to economic growth and decline within the United States at various times in history.
5.E.1.25
Compare economic decisions in terms of benefits and consequences.
5.E.1.35
Explain the impact of production, specialization, technology, and division of labor on the economic growth of the United States.
5.E.1.45
Summarize the role of trade between the United States and other countries.
5.E.2.15
Explain how personal financial decisions affect everyday life.
5.E.2.25
Explain the importance of developing a basic budget for spending and saving.
5.E.2.35
Explain how personal financial decisions impact economic growth and decline in the United States.
5.G.1.25
Explain ways in which voluntary and forced migration and slavery led to changes in the landscape of the United States, using maps.
5.G.1.35
Explain how technological innovation has impacted the geography of the United States.
5.G.1.45
Explain the reasons for forced and voluntary migration to, from, and within the United States.
5.H.1.15
Explain how the experiences and achievements of women, minorities, indigenous groups, and marginalized people have contributed to change and innovation in the United States
5.H.1.25
Summarize the changing roles of women, indigenous, racial and other minority groups in the United States.
5.H.1.35
Explain the ways in which revolution, reform, and resistance have shaped the United States.
5.H.1.45
Explain the impact of major conflicts and events on the development of the United States.
5.H.1.55
Compare multiple perspectives of various historical events using primary and secondary sources.
5.H.1.65
Explain the significance of national symbols and traditions from various perspectives.
6.I.1.16
Construct a compelling question through a disciplinary lens individually and with peers.
6.I.1.26
Construct supporting questions based upon disciplinary concepts.
6.I.1.36
Analyze details, central ideas, and inferences from sources using discipline-specific strategies.
6.I.1.46
Assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources using the origin, authority, structure, credibility, reliability, and context of the sources to guide the selection.
6.I.1.56
Identify evidence that draws information from multiple perspectives.
6.I.1.66
Construct claims and counterclaims using evidence while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both based on multiple sources.
6.I.1.76
Construct arguments consisting of multiple claims with evidence from sources and attention to disciplinary detail.
6.I.1.86
Construct responses to supporting and opposing perspectives supported by evidence.
6.I.1.96
Determine the credibility of disciplinary arguments of peers.
6.I.1.106
Identify challenges and opportunities created in addressing local, state, tribal, regional, national, and/or global issues.
6.I.1.116
Use a range of civic approaches to address problems being investigated.
6.B.1.16
Explain how religion, tradition, and cultural practice influence the development of civilizations and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
6.B.1.26
Explain how artistic expressions reflect the values of civilizations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
6.B.1.36
Compare systems of social structure within various civilizations and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas over time.
6.C&G.1.16
Compare the structures of governmental systems in civilizations and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
6.C&G.1.26
Compare how different types of government maintain power and authority.
6.C&G.1.36
Compare the requirements for citizenship under various civilizations, empires, and societies.
6.C&G.1.46
Compare the evolution of laws and legal systems in various civilizations, empires, and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
6.C&G.1.56
Summarize the beliefs and practices that shaped power and authority in various civilizations, empires, and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
6.C&G.1.66
Explain the reasons for the rise and fall of governments and authority in civilizations and empires of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
6.E.1.16
Explain how trade routes and economic networks contribute to the development of civilizations, empires, and classical societies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
6.E.1.26
Explain the economic reasons for the rise and fall of civilizations, empires, and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
6.G.1.16
Explain how human and physical characteristics impacted migration and settlement in various regions in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
6.G.1.26
Explain how movement and settlement patterns affected the development of civilizations, empires, and societies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
6.G.1.36
Explain how innovation and technology influenced the migration and settlement of people and the flow of goods and ideas in various civilizations and empires in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
6.G.1.46
Explain how societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas modified and adapted to the environment based on topography, climate, bodies of water, and natural resources.
6.H.1.16
Explain the role various events, people, and groups played in the rise, fall, and transformation of societies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
6.H.1.26
Explain the enduring impact of the achievements of ancient civilizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas in terms of the relevance of present-day society.
6.H.1.36
Compare multiple perspectives of various historical events in civilizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas using primary and secondary sources.

North Carolina K–6 social studies standards

North Carolina’s other subjects