The purpose of social studies in the elementary grades is to help students be good citizens and to prepare them to make informed decisions as adults when faced with civic, social, and ethical questions and situations. There are ten thematic strands that form the basis of the standards for social studies. These include:
- Culture, which helps us to understand ourselves both as individuals and as members of various groups.
- Time, Continuity, and Change People, Places, and Environments
- Individual Development and Identity
- Individual Groups, and Institutions
- Power, Authority, and Governance
- Production, Distribution, and Consumption
- Science, Technology, and Society
- Global Connections
- Civic Ideas and Practices
In kindergarten and first grade, the focus is on learning about themselves and their place in the community, whether it is at home, at school, in their neighborhood, or in their town. The students learn what it means to be a good citizen. This work is continued in second through fourth grade, and is expanded to include what it means to be a citizen of the United States. Second graders also learn about life in colonial times. In third grade, there is an added emphasis on the history of Amherst, and the students learn what it would have been like to live in Amherst when it was first incorporated. The focus in fourth grade is to learn about each region of the United States and the state of New Hampshire.