South Dakota Social Studies Curriculum
South Dakota sets its own social studies sequence, aligned to the SD Content Standards.
Browse by school level
Elementary School Social Studies
Community, geography, history, and civic foundations, one course per grade.
Kindergarten Social Studies
American symbols, community workers, and needs and wants for kindergarten.
1st Grade Social Studies
Government basics, American symbols, and map reading for 1st grade.
2nd Grade Social Studies
Branches of government, map features, and global cultures in 2nd grade social studies.
3rd Grade Social Studies
Constitution, U.S. regions, and colonial history for 3rd grade social studies.
4th Grade Social Studies
The Constitution, colonial life, and market forces in 4th grade social studies.
5th Grade Social Studies
Colonial government, the Constitution, and westward movement in 5th grade U.S. history.
Middle School Social Studies
World regions, US history, and the bridge into high school social studies.
6th Grade Social Studies
Early humans, ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, and the Indus Valley and China civilizations.
7th Grade Social Studies
Early Rome, medieval feudalism, and Tang and Song Dynasty culture for 7th grade.
8th Grade Social Studies
Colonial foundations, the American Revolution, and early U.S. government.
High School Social Studies
Civics and Government, Economics, Geography, and History courses.
Civics and Government
Constitutional foundations, civil rights, and the three branches of government.
Economics
Scarcity and choice, market forces and structure, and personal finance basics.
Geography
Physical systems, world regions, and human-environment interaction for high school geography.
History
Pre-Contact Americas, colonial development, and U.S. expansion through the Jacksonian Era.
Aligned with the South Dakota SD Content Standards
Every lesson is organized around the SD Content Standards and follows typical classroom pacing, so students find the exact topic their teacher covered that day.
- Mapped to SD Content Standards, grade by grade
- SD Assessment review built into every course
- Unlimited practice problems with worked solutions
Social Studies Curriculum by State
Select any state across the United States to explore its social studies courses.
State Standards
CURRICULUM GUIDE
About the South Dakota Social Studies Curriculum
How SD Content Standards Works
South Dakota sets its own social studies standards through the SD Content Standards, organized by strand across civics, economics, geography, and history.
How South Dakota Differs
South Dakota structures its high school social studies as four distinct named courses - Civics and Government, Economics, Geography, and History - rather than a single required sequence.
How South Dakota Social Studies Progresses
Students move from community and geography in the early grades through US and world history in middle school, then into the four named high school courses.
How South Dakota Assesses Social Studies
South Dakota uses the SD Assessment program to measure student progress, with results informing readiness for high school coursework and college readiness planning.
Common Questions from South Dakota Parents
We've got answers to some popular questions.
Which grades does StudyPug cover for South Dakota social studies?
StudyPug covers Kindergarten through high school, including elementary, middle, and high school courses such as Civics and Government, Economics, Geography, and History.
How do I find the course that matches my child's class?
Browse by grade band and select the course name that matches your child's current class - each course is labeled to match South Dakota school offerings.
Does StudyPug help with the South Dakota SD Assessment?
Yes. Practice problems and lessons are built around the SD Content Standards, based on real exams, so students review the same material tested on the SD Assessment.
Does the course order match what South Dakota schools teach?
Yes. Lessons follow the SD Content Standards sequence and typical classroom pacing, so students work through topics in the same order their teacher covers them.
Can I use StudyPug for homeschooling?
Yes. Lessons are organized by grade and SD Content Standards, so students can work through each topic at their own pace without needing a classroom schedule.
Reviewed by the StudyPug Curriculum Team
Last updated June 5, 2026
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