# Grade 3 Social Studies Standards (Georgia) > Georgia Standards of Excellence: Social Studies, Grade 3. 33 standards. > Source: https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/social_studies/grade-3 > Interactive explorer: https://georgiahomeroom.org/explorer?subject=social_studies&grade=03 ## Historical Understandings ### SS3H1: Early American Indian Cultures Describe early American Indian cultures and their development in North America. - **SS3H1.a**: Locate the regions where American Indians settled in North America: Arctic, Northwest Southwest, Plains, Northeast, and Southeast. - **SS3H1.b**: Compare and contrast how American Indians in each region used their environment to obtain food, clothing, and shelter. - **SS3H1.c**: Discuss how American Indians continue to contribute to American life (e.g., arts, literature). ### SS3H2: European Exploration Overview Describe European exploration in North America. - **SS3H2.a**: Describe the reasons for and obstacles to the exploration of North America. - **SS3H2.b**: Describe the accomplishments of: John Cabot (England), Vasco Núñez de Balboa (Spain), Hernando de Soto (Spain), Christopher Columbus (Spain), Henry Hudson (The Netherlands), and Jacques Cartier (France). - **SS3H2.c**: Describe examples of cooperation and conflict between European explorers and American Indians. ### SS3H3: British Colonial America Factors Explain the factors that shaped British Colonial America. - **SS3H3.a**: Identify key reasons why the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern colonies were founded (religious freedom and profit). - **SS3H3.b**: Compare and contrast colonial life in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern colonies (education, economy, and religion). - **SS3H3.c**: Describe colonial life in America from the perspectives of various people: large landowners, farmers, artisans, women, children, indentured servants, slaves, and American Indians. ## Geographic Understandings ### SS3G1: U.S. Physical Map Features Locate major topographical features on a physical map of the United States. - **SS3G1.a**: Locate major rivers of the United States of America: Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson, and St. Lawrence. - **SS3G1.b**: Locate major mountain ranges of the United States of America: Appalachian, Rocky. ### SS3G2: Latitude, Longitude, and Globes Locate and describe the equator, prime meridian, and lines of latitude and longitude on a globe. ### SS3G3: Physical and Human Systems Describe how physical systems affect human systems. - **SS3G3.a**: Explain why American Indian groups occupied the areas they did (SS3H1a), with emphasis on why some developed permanent villages and others did not. - **SS3G3.b**: Describe how the early explorers (SS3H2a) adapted, or failed to adapt, to the various physical environments in which they traveled. - **SS3G3.c**: Explain how the physical geography of the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern colonies helped determine economic activities. ## Government/Civic Understandings ### SS3CG1: U.S. Representative Democracy Describe the elements of representative democracy/republic in the United States. - **SS3CG1.a**: Describe the three branches of national government: executive (president), legislative (Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court of the United States). - **SS3CG1.b**: Describe the three branches of state government: executive (governor), legislative (Georgia General Assembly), and judicial (Supreme Court of Georgia). - **SS3CG1.c**: State the main responsibility of each branch: executive (enforcing laws), legislative (making laws), judicial (determining if laws are fair). ### SS3CG2: Core Democratic Beliefs Explain the importance of Americans sharing certain central democratic beliefs and principles, both personal and civic. - **SS3CG2.a**: Explain the necessity of respecting the rights of others and promoting the common good. - **SS3CG2.b**: Explain the necessity of obeying reasonable laws/rules voluntarily, and explain why it is important for citizens in a democratic society to participate in public (civic) life (staying informed, voting, volunteering, and communicating with public officials). ## Economic Understandings ### SS3E1: Four Productive Resources Define and give examples of the four types of productive resources. - **SS3E1.a**: Natural (land) - **SS3E1.b**: Human (labor) - **SS3E1.c**: Capital (capital goods) - **SS3E1.d**: Entrepreneurship (risk-taking and combining natural, human, and capital resources in an attempt to make a profit) ### SS3E2: Government Goods and Taxes Explain that governments provide certain types of goods and services in a market economy (schools, libraries, roads, police/fire protection, and military) and pay for these through taxes. ### SS3E3: Trade and Voluntary Exchange Give examples of interdependence and trade and explain the benefits of voluntary exchange. - **SS3E3.a**: Describe the interdependence of consumers and producers. - **SS3E3.b**: Describe how goods and services are allocated by price in the marketplace. - **SS3E3.c**: Explain that some goods are made locally, some elsewhere in the country, and some in other countries. - **SS3E3.d**: Explain that most countries create their own currency for use as money. ### SS3E4: Opportunity Cost in Saving Explain the concept of opportunity cost as it relates to making a saving or spending choice. ## Map and Globe Skills Map and Globe Skills K-12 ### SSMGS1: Compass Rose Cardinal Directions Use a compass rose to identify cardinal directions. (Apply and Improve Mastered Skills) ### SSMGS2: Intermediate Compass Directions Use intermediate directions. (Apply and Improve Mastered Skills) ### SSMGS3: Letter/Number Grid Location Use a letter/number grid system to determine location. (Mastery) ### SSMGS4: Map Feature Categories Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps. (Mastery) ### SSMGS6: Map Key and Legend Developing Use map key/legend to acquire information from historical, physical, political, resource, product, and economic maps. (Developing) ### SSMGS7: Geography's Impact Developing Use a map to explain impact of geography on historical and current events. (Developing) ### SSMGS8: Map-Based Generalizations Intro Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information from maps. (Introduced) ### SSMGS9: Latitude and Longitude Location Use latitude and longitude to determine location. (Introduced) ## Information Processing Skills K-12 ### SSIPS1: Comparing Similarities and Differences Compare similarities and differences. (Apply and Improve Mastered Skills) ### SSIPS2: Chronological Organization Organize items chronologically. (Mastery) ### SSIPS3: Problems and Alternative Solutions Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions. (Developing) ### SSIPS4: Fact vs. Opinion Distinguish between fact and opinion. (Mastery) ### SSIPS5: Main Idea and Cause-Effect Identify main idea, detail, sequence of events, and cause and effect in a social studies context. (Developing) ### SSIPS6: Primary and Secondary Sources Identify and use primary and secondary sources. (Developing) ### SSIPS7: Timelines, Charts, and Tables Interpret timelines, charts, and tables.(Developing) ### SSIPS8: Social Studies Reference Resources Identify social studies reference resources to use for a specific purpose. (Mastery) ### SSIPS9: Charts and Tables Construction Construct charts and tables. (Mastery) ### SSIPS10: Artifact Analysis Analyze artifacts. (Developing) ### SSIPS11: Conclusions and Generalizations Draw conclusions and make generalizations. (Introduced) ### SSIPS12: Graphs and Diagrams Analysis Analyze graphs and diagrams. (Introduced) ### SSIPS13: Dates to Centuries and Eras Translate dates into centuries, eras, or ages. (Introduced)