Community Foundations
Rules, helpers, citizenship, map directions, natural and human features, timelines, Pennsylvania symbols, national symbols, needs and wants, goods, services, work and money.
Social Studies & Economics / Grades 1–5
Know your community.
Understand the past.
Think as a citizen.
A structured NYA pathway for civics, government, geography, history, Pennsylvania studies, economics, trade, resources, and citizenship. The curriculum is designed around the major social studies disciplines recognized in Pennsylvania and progresses from concrete community concepts to evidence-based civic and economic reasoning.
5Grade pathways
10Core domains
350Exam questions
PAState-focused studies
Grade progression
Five grades. Increasing independence.
Community Connections
Local government, civic responsibility, map tools, settlement, evidence from the past, William Penn, independence, scarcity, opportunity-cost foundations, producers, consumers and income.
State & Nation
Levels of government, civic participation, map scale, regional geography, primary sources, Pennsylvania history, Bill of Rights, scarcity, resources, trade, taxes and interdependence.
Government & Systems
Rights and responsibilities, lawmaking, absolute location, human-environment change, source comparison, Pennsylvania government, constitutional structure, specialization, trade and profit.
Evidence & Civic Reasoning
Checks and balances, public evidence, thematic maps, resource policy, historical causation, Pennsylvania constitutional history, popular sovereignty, incentives, imports, taxes and entrepreneurship.
Ten-domain curriculum framework
The full social studies foundation.
Communities & Citizenship
Community rules, responsible behavior, public places, participation, respect, problem solving, and citizenship.
Government & Civics
Local, state, and national government; laws, public services, branches, representation, and constitutional principles.
Geography & Map Skills
Compass directions, map legends, scale, location, coordinates, regions, and thematic maps.
People, Places & Environment
Natural and human features, resources, settlement, adaptation, land use, and human-environment relationships.
History & Historical Thinking
Timelines, primary and secondary sources, oral history, evidence, perspectives, continuity, cause and effect.
Pennsylvania History & Government
Harrisburg, Philadelphia, William Penn, Pennsylvania geography, state government, colonial history, and constitutional importance.
United States History & Founding
National symbols, independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, branches, founding principles, and civic change.
Economics: Scarcity & Choice
Needs, wants, limited resources, trade-offs, opportunity cost, incentives, supply and demand foundations.
Goods, Services, Resources & Trade
Producers, consumers, natural/human/capital resources, specialization, interdependence, imports, exports and trade.
Work, Money & Economic Decision-Making
Work, income, saving, prices, taxes, revenue, costs, profit, productivity and entrepreneurship.
NYA learning cycle
Education before assessment.
01Learn the concept
02Study key vocabulary & examples
03Use maps, timelines & evidence
04Practice civic & economic reasoning
05Review weak domains
06Complete the mastery exam
Mastery assessment
350 original questions.
Five grade pathways.
The final exam is separate from this learning center and reports results across all ten domains. It includes saved progress, read-aloud support, complete answer explanations, browser-local Learning Intelligence analytics, and an achievement certificate.
SOCIAL STUDIES & ECONOMICS MASTERY
Ready to assess?
Grade 1: 50 questions · Grade 2: 60 · Grade 3: 70 · Grade 4: 80 · Grade 5: 90.
Final Step: Open Mastery Examination