Geography lessons can be started as early as elementary school, with students learning what a map is and what symbols represent. Young students learn to find their hometown, state or country on a map, learn capitals and learn about geographical concepts such as plains, archipelagos, valleys, canyons and islands. High school students learn about weather, topography, mapping coordinates and world capitals.
Students are taught the history of their hometown or region they live and the world in general. Elementary students learn primarily about their local region and country, whereas older children learn about world events, current events, and discuss things like war, natural disasters and other catastrophic events.
To study culture means to study beliefs, values, behaviors, institutions, traditions and ways of life of a group of people. Younger children learn about cultures through songs, books and watching videos or movies. For older students, lessons focus on more complex cultural concepts like adaptation, assimilation, acculturation, dissonance and diffusion. Holidays, both nationally and worldwide, are discussed, as well as the history behind them.
Government basics are taught as early as elementary school. Students learn the three stages of the United States government: judicial, legislative and executive. They also learn how government is run in other countries, the concepts of justice and democracy and basics of law. Students learn about occupations of attorneys, judges and other courtroom officials. High school students learn about political science and democracy and hold mock elections to gain insight about political parties, voting and the process of winning a political office.
Elementary students learn the basic concepts of spending, the value of money and how money is earned. Older students learn about supply and demand, production, distribution and other concepts of economy. Students should learn about borrowing, interest rates, recession, investments and budgeting concepts. High school students learn the difference between micro and macro economics, consumer saving and spending concepts, banking concepts and also build an understanding of the stock market.
Students learn what civic duty is, how to be a responsible member of society and how to treat others with respect. This section is usually taught in conjunction with the government lesson; being a good citizen requires being lawful and understanding laws and punishment. Mock trials, courtroom lessons and the judicial process may be modeled for students to learn about this concept.