Online Social Studies Curriculum

No online curriculum is complete without a comprehensive social studies component. A strong social studies curriculum helps students understand the world and feel connected to the communities around them. It can also build critical-thinking skills and encourage civic engagement. Read on for some tips on what to look for in a quality social studies curriculum.

Why are social studies important?

Students need social studies to connect their personal experiences to the social systems influencing our world. Exposure to other cultures and historical events allows students to spot patterns and make their own connections. 

Social studies allows students to develop critical-thinking skills. This helps students become strong young leaders with the knowledge and skills to positively influence their communities.

What does your child learn in social studies?

A complete social studies curriculum will cover a variety of topics and will be adaptable for any age. Some examples include:

• United States History
• World History 
• Geography
• Government
• Economics
• Religion
• Anthropology
• Civics 

In addition, many states regulate what a social studies curriculum should include. Be sure to check the homeschool laws in your state for more information. 

Social Studies Curriculum Overview

Social studies competence is a cumulative process. For example, high school students can understand the causes for World War II when they have enough background knowledge on the events around it. This includes geography, culture, and government (among many other variables), which they learn in lower grade levels.

Since social studies knowledge builds from one concept to the next, it is important to start these lessons early. Below, we’ve compiled a list to help make informed decisions about your online social studies curriculum. 

Early Elementary Social Studies Curriculum (K-3)

In Miacademy’s early elementary grades, students learn about neighborhoods, continents, oceans, and the importance of good citizenship. Early lessons cover recognizing emotions, communicating with others, identifying days of the week, and more. By building interest and a wide breadth of knowledge early on, we aim to greatly impact civic competence later in life.

Young children often learn best through games and songs, which help them remember names and places. Our playful lessons teach about the days of the week, community helpers, and how to use maps, globes, and calendars. As students begin to see the world as a diverse patchwork of countries, cultures, and natural features, they learn about landforms, continents, regions, cultures, and countries. Once they grasp these basics, students are ready for more advanced social studies concepts, including natural resources, climates, traditions, trade, and the relationships among various regions and people.

Upper Elementary Social Studies Curriculum (4-5)

In intermediate grades, students are ready to engage with increasingly complex information about various social studies topics, including types of government, the geography, laws, and economics of different regions, and U.S. history.

Our intermediate grade courses provide a comprehensive journey through early civilizations, covering Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, India, China, Greece, Rome, and the Americas. Students learn how geography and ancient empires have shaped the modern world. Students will also learn to understand cause-and-effect relationships and draw conclusions from primary sources, along with knowledge about the Constitution, the three branches of government, citizens’ rights, taxes, elections, and civic responsibilities.

Middle School Social Studies Curriculum (6-8)

Our middle school social studies curriculum builds on students’ growing understanding of the world. It covers ancient world history, world geography, governments, and advanced U.S. history in an incremental and comprehensive manner.

In these grades, students explore early civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, India, China, Greece, Rome, and the Americas, learning about their impact on today’s world. They study cause-and-effect relationships and primary sources, and gain knowledge of the Constitution, government branches, citizens’ rights, taxes, elections, and civic responsibilities. U.S. History 1 covers American history from Native Americans to the Civil War, including colonization, independence, westward expansion, and slavery. U.S. History 2 continues from Reconstruction through the mid-20th century, examining wars, treaties, and significant legislation.

Miacademy’s Secular Social Studies Homeschool Curriculum

At Miacademy, we design our holistic curriculum around the needs of parents and students everywhere. Our adaptable lesson plan lets you add your own experiences, state’s history, and child’s interests. Our curriculum also builds students’ confidence with incremental transitions and self-paced learning.

Parents can easily customize their child’s learning path to fit their unique needs. Many lessons include fun activities for students of different ages and needs, including vocabulary, worksheets, guided notes, hands-on activities, and more.

Many parents love our program’s safe and secure online community! Children can build their own community in a fully moderated environment and practice their economics skills with our virtual design shop. With thousands of lessons (and counting!) available across our site, there’s always something new to discover at Miacademy!

Lastly, our homeschool social studies curriculum is fully accredited to ensure your child receives a quality education. All of our programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Schools – Western Association for Schools and Colleges (ACS-WASC). Our accredited K-8 courses are designated as a Supplementary Education Program (SEP). This indicates that our curriculum meets the high educational quality standards for a homeschool or distance-learning program to ensure your child receives the best education possible.

Social Studies Homeschool Resources

Looking for more tools for teaching social studies? Below are some fun homeschool resources for you to try:

If you’re wondering whether Miacademy is the best homeschool social studies curriculum for your family, please reach out to one of our friendly customer service agents! They’ll be happy to help you with any questions you have.

Updated 1/22/2024