Section 26.150  Curriculum:  Social Science

The competent early childhood teacher understands the interrelationships among the social sciences; uses historical, geographical, economic and political concepts and modes of inquiry; and promotes the abilities of children as they begin to experience, think about and make informed decisions as members of a culturally diverse, democratic society and interdependent world.

a)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent early childhood teacher:

1)         understands the basic concepts of and interrelationships among the social sciences and the ways in which geography, history, civics and economics relate to everyday situations and experiences;

2)         understands geographic concepts and phenomena;

3)         understands the major ideas, eras, themes, developments and turning points in the history of Illinois, the United States and the world;

4)         understands the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States;

5)         understands the basic concepts of economic systems, with emphasis on the United States;

6)         understands concepts related to the structure and organization of human societies and relationships among social, economic, cultural and political activities and institutions; and

7)         incorporates the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards – Children Age 3 to Kindergarten Enrollment Age set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 235.Appendix A, the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines – Children from Birth to Age 3 set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 235.Appendix C, and the Illinois Learning Standards for Social Science set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.Appendix D.

b)         Performance Indicators – The competent early childhood teacher:

1)         provides opportunities for children to develop beginning concepts, skills and dispositions that focus on how geography, history, civics (participation and citizenship) and economics relate to everyday situations and experiences;

2)         provides opportunities for children to use maps and symbols, observe and describe physical characteristics of local communities, and explain the interdependence of people, places and regions;

3)         creates opportunities for children to develop beginning historical concepts involving people, cultures, families, folklore and related events;

4)         provides opportunities for children to explore the interrelationships among people and the roles of individuals and groups in the world in which they live;

5)         provides opportunities for children to gather, organize, map and interpret data and to use technology to communicate concepts, information and procedures; and

6)         creates opportunities for children to understand the relationship of self to others and to social, economic, cultural and political activities and institutions.

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 2413, effective February 2, 2015)