US Social Studies Curriculum
Social studies standards differ by state. Choose your state to see the courses and topics your student is actually studying.
Social Studies Curriculum by State
Each state sets its own social studies standards. Select yours to see the grades, courses, and end-of-year assessments that apply.
State Standards
Aligned with your state's social studies standards
Content is organized around each state's own standards and classroom pacing, so a student can find the exact topic covered that week without searching through unrelated material.
- Covers the specific history, geography, civics, and economics topics required by your state's standards
- Each lesson delivers step-by-step explanations and worked examples tied to the skills taught in class
- Practice problems come with full worked solutions so a student can check every step of their reasoning
CURRICULUM GUIDE
About US social studies standards
How US social studies standards work
There is no single national social studies curriculum in the US. Each state adopts its own standards, deciding which topics, eras, and civic concepts are taught at each grade level.
How frameworks differ across states
States vary in when they introduce US history, world history, and economics, and in how much weight they give to state and local history alongside broader national narratives.
How social studies progresses through school
In elementary grades the focus is typically community and geography; by middle school it shifts to US and world history; in high school courses become named subjects such as Government, Economics, and AP History.
Where social studies gets assessed
Many states test social studies in the upper elementary or middle school grades, and some require an end-of-course exam in Government or US History for high school graduation.
Social Studies Test Prep
National exams that are the same wherever you study — no state needed.
Common Questions About US Social Studies Curriculum
We've got answers to some popular questions.
Which social studies standards does StudyPug follow?
StudyPug aligns content to each individual state's social studies standards, so the topics and sequence a student sees match what their own state requires at each grade level.
How do social studies frameworks differ between, say, Texas and New York?
Texas follows the TEKS, which place a strong emphasis on Texas state history and free enterprise economics, while New York's standards give more weight to global history and document-based civic literacy.
Which course does a student take in 8th grade, and does that vary by state?
It does vary. Most states use 8th grade for US History up to the Civil War era, but some states structure the sequence differently, placing that content in 7th grade or spanning two years.
Are advanced high school social studies courses such as AP History covered?
Yes. StudyPug covers content for advanced high school courses, including AP US History and AP Government, alongside the standard state-required courses.
Does StudyPug help with state social studies tests used for graduation?
StudyPug covers the content measured by state end-of-course exams in subjects like Government and US History, helping students work through the specific topics those assessments draw on.
Is this material suitable for homeschooling families?
Yes. The content is organized by state standards and grade level, so homeschooling families can follow the same sequence their state expects and fill gaps with step-by-step explanations and practice problems.
Reviewed by the StudyPug Curriculum Team
Last updated June 5, 2026
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