The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) describes the primary purpose of social studies as "[ helping] young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world."

The Social Studies Standards are designed to

• develop the knowledge and skills of history, geography, civics, and economics that enable students to place the people, ideas, and events that have shaped South Dakota and our nation in perspective;
• enable students to understand the basic values, principles, and operation of American constitutional democracy;
• prepare students for informed and responsible citizenship;
• develop students’ skills in debate, discussion, and writing; and
• provide students with a framework for continuing education in social studies.

SOUTH DAKOTA SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS

•     Students will understand the interrelationships of people, places, and the environment.

• Analyze information from geographic representation, tools, and technology to define location, place, and region.
• Analyze the relationships among the natural environments, the movement of peoples, and the development of societies.
• Analyze the impact of Earth's natural processes, patterns, and cycles on various regions of the United States and the world

Benchmarks

• Map reading skills will enhance a persons understanding of the world. 

• Students will be able to determine distances and figure the time it takes to travel those distances. 

• Students will identify natural barriers and choose routes to avoid those natural landform barriers. 

• Students will choose maps that will help them the most. 

• Students will understand various  weather concepts to prepare for arrivals to various places. 

• Students will know the directions east, west, north, or south to achieve a destination.