Power Standards and Indicators

What are priority standards?
The entire state of Maine is moving towards standards based education. This means that students need to demonstrate that they’ve met certain standards in order to receive their high school diplomas. The following priority standards are key skills that the Junior High’s social studies teachers have decided are important for students to be able to do. Under each standard there are performance indicators, which describe in greater detail what students should be be able to do.

Performance Indicators

P.S. SS -1 Conduct and present original research that utilizes primary and secondary sources in order to analyze, interpret and explain historical (and/or) contemporary social studies topics.

1.     Locate relevant information that includes multiple perspectives from varied sources. (MLR, A 1c)

2.     Demonstrate facility with notetaking, organizing information, and creating bibliographies. (MLR, A 1d)

3.     Distinguish between primary and secondary sources. (MLR, A 1e)

4.     Use information ethically and legally. (MLR, A1 l)

PS.SS- 2 Draw on concepts from civics and government to understand political systems, power, authority, governance, civic ideals and practices, and the role of citizens.

This standard isn’t covered in the sixth grade.

P.S.  SS-3 Draw on concepts and processes from economics to understand issues of personal finance and issues of production, distribution, and consumption in the community, Maine, the United States, and world.

1.     Describe the theory of supply and demand and provide examples of the production and consumption of goods and services.  

(MLR C1 a)

2.     Explain how scarcity requires choice about what, how, for whom, and in what quantity to produce.  

(MLR C1 a)

3.     Identify factors that contribute to personal spending and savings decisions including work, wages, income, expenses, and budgets as they relate to the study of individual financial choices.  

(MLR C1 c)

P.S. SS-4 Utilize concepts and processes from geography to understand issues involving people, places, and environments in the United States and the world.

1.     Identify the major regions of the Earth and major physical features and political boundaries using a variety of geographic tools.  

(MLR D1 c)

2.     Describe the impact of change on physical and cultural environments.  

(MLR D1 d)

3.     Use the geographic grid and a variety of types of maps to identify geographic information.  

(MLR D1 b)  

4.     Describe the dynamic relationship between geographic features and various cultures, including the cultures of Maine Native Americans, various historical groups in the United States, and other cultures in the world.  

(MLR D2 b)

P.S.SS-5 Draw on concepts and processes from history to develop historical perspective and understand issues of continuity and change in the community, Maine, the United States, and world.

1.     Explain that history is the study of the written record of the past, based on available evidence from a variety of sources.  

(MLR  E1 a)

2.     Trace and explain the history of democratic ideals and constitutional principles and their importance in the history of the United States and the world.  

(MLR  E1 c)  

3.     Identify and analyze major historical eras, major enduring themes, turning points, events, consequences, and people in the history of Maine, the United States and various regions of the world.  

(MLR  E1 b)

4.     Explain how history can help one better understand and make informed decisions about the present and future.  

(MLR  E1 a)