Maine State Standards for Social Studies: Grade 3

ME.A. Civics and Government: Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation: Students will understand the rights and responsibilities of civic life and will employ the skills of effective civic participation.

A.1. Identify important individual rights (e.g., freedom of religion, speech, ownership of property). 5
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.1.

A.2. Explain why certain responsibilities of democratic society are important. 1
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.2.

A.3. Identify the functions of government at school, locally, and at the state level. 6
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.3.

ME.B. Civics and Government: Purpose and Types of Government: Students will understand the types and purposes of governments, their evolution, and their relationships with the governed.

B.1. Describe why we need governments (e.g., law and order, defense, roads, schools). 10
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.1.

B.2. Describe the basic structure of local and state governments. 6
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.2.

ME.C. Civics and Government: Fundamental Principles of Government and Constitutions: Students will understand the constitutional principles and the democratic foundations of the political institutions of the United States.

C.1. Explain how the Constitution protects individual rights (e.g., Bill of Rights). 2
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard C.1.

ME.D. Civics and Government: International Relations: Students will understand the political relationships among the United States and other nations.

D.1. Identify examples of how the United States interacts with other countries (e.g., trade, treaties). 5
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard D.1.

D.2. Compare a foreign culture to that of the United States. Include an analysis of how decisions are made. 8
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard D.2.

ME.A. History: Chronology: Students will use the chronology of history and major eras to demonstrate the relationships of events and people.

A.1. Identify similarities and differences in the characteristics of individuals who have made significant contributions to society in different eras. 17
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.1.

A.2. Place in chronological order, significant events, groups, and people in the history of Maine. 4
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.2.

ME.B. History: Historical Knowledge, Concepts, and Patterns: Students will develop historical knowledge of major events, people, and enduring themes in the United States, in Maine, and throughout world history.

B.1. Make connections between and among events in their personal lives and those occurring in the community. 5
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.1.

B.2. Demonstrate an awareness of major events and people in United States and Maine history: 5
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.2.

ME.C. History: Historical Inquiry, Analysis, and Interpretation: Students will learn to evaluate resource material such as documents, artifacts, maps, artworks, and literature, and to make judgments about the perspectives of the authors and their credibility when interpreting current historical events.

C.1. Identify changes currently occurring in their daily lives and compare these to changes in daily life during a specific historic era. 14
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard C.1.

ME.A. Geography: Skills and Tools: Students will know how to construct and interpret maps and use globes and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, regions, and environments.

A.1. Construct and compare maps of Maine, the United States, and regions of the world to interpret geographical features and draw conclusions about physical patterns. 17
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.1.

A.2. Locate major cities of the world and discuss why they emerged in that particular region. 13
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.2.

ME.B. Geography: Human Interaction with Environments: Students will understand and analyze the relationships among people and their physical environment.

B.1. Demonstrate an understanding of why certain areas of the world are more densely populated than others. 5
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.1.

B.2. Explain ways in which communities reflect the backgrounds of their inhabitants. 9
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.2.

B.3. Use a variety of materials and geographic tools to explain how the physical environment supports and constrains human activities. 2
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.3.

ME.A. Economics: Personal and Consumer Economics: Students will understand that economic decisions are based on the availability of resources and the costs and benefits of choices.

A.1. Describe barter and money and how each is used in the exchange of resources, goods, and services. 6
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.1.

A.2. Identify a situation in which a personal decision is made about the use of scarce resources (e.g., deciding to use allowance to go the movies instead of buying a gift for a family member). 9
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard A.2.

ME.B. Economics: Economic Systems of the United States: Students will understand the economic system of the United States, including its principles, development, and institutions.

B.1. Identify the three basic economic questions all economic systems must answer: What to produce? How? And for whom? 4
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.1.

B.2. Explain how the economy of Maine affects families and communities. 4
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard B.2.

ME.C. Economics: Comparative Systems: Students will analyze how different economic systems function and change over time.

C.1. Explain how selected cultures or countries meet basic human needs.

ME.D. Economics: International Trade and Global Interdependence: Students will understand the patterns and results of international trade.

D.1. Describe, with examples, how the exchange of goods and services helps to create economic interdependence between people in different places and countries. 2
Suggested Titles for Maine Social Studies State Standard D.1.