Social Studies

Rhode Island Social Studies Standards

Revised Rhode Island Rhode Island Social Studies Standards were endorsed by the Council for Elementary and Secondary Education in February 2023. LEAs are working toward making their shifts to align with the new Standards. Shifts should be completed for full implementation of the new Standards by the 2026-2027 school year.

The full Standards document is available for download in PDF format:

• FULL Rhode Island Social Studies Standards 

The Standards document is also broken into segments for easier access below:

• Introduction

• Anchor Standards 

• Content Standards Overview and Grade Progressions

• How to Read Content Standards 

Kindergarten – Grade 8

• Kindergarten – Living and Working Together in Schools, Families, and Neighborhoods
• Grade 1 - Living and Working Together in Local Communities 
• Grade 2 - Living and Working Together in Global Communities 
• Grade 3 - Living and Working Together in the Regions of the United States 
• Grade 4 - Living and Working Together in Rhode Island 
• Grade 5 - United States History: Pre-European Contact to Reconstruction 
• Grade 6 - Ancient to Medieval World History and Geography 
• Grade 7 - Early Modern to Modern World History and Geography 
• Grade 8 - Government and Civic Life in the United States and Rhode Island 

High School

• Civics 
• United States History I: Pre-European Contact to Reconstruction 
• United States History II: Late 19th Century to the Present 
• World History I: Ancient to Medieval 
• World History II: Early Modern to Modern 

Informational Slides and Recording

The Rhode Island Social Studies Informational Standards Session has been recorded and is available here. This recording was created in May of 2023. 

A slide deck from the Rhode Island Social Studies Standards Informational Session is available for educators to share with their teams whether at the LEA or school level. It can be used to help with understanding of and planning for the implementation of the new Social Studies Standards. See the notes sections for talking points.  

LEAs are expected to review the revised Standards, identify grades requiring shifts, and develop a timeline for aligning curriculum and instruction by the fall of 2026.  RIDE will provide supports to LEAs in developing and implementing their timelines for the shifts they will need to make.  RIDE will also be putting together guidance documents including the Social Studies Frameworks, guidance on civics instruction, guidance on implementing and supporting the student-led civics project, guidance on the use of ELA materials where they can act as supplements to social studies materials, and guidance on core and supplemental curricular resources. In addition, RIDE will provide professional learning opportunities for educators.

With the release of the new Rhode Island Social Studies Standards, there have been numerous questions about how they affect social studies curriculum and instruction in Rhode Island. Please see this Social Studies Standards FAQs document to find answers to many of those questions.

The Social Studies Curriculum Framework provides guidance around the implementation of the Rhode Island Social Studies Standards, particularly as it relates to the design and use of curriculum materials, instruction, and assessment. 

The frameworks streamline a vertical application of standards and assessment across the K–12 continuum within Tier 1 of a Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS), increase opportunities for all students, including multilingual learners and differently-abled, to meaningfully engage in grade-level work and tasks, and ultimately support educators and families in making decisions that prioritize the student experience. These uses of the curriculum frameworks align with RIDE’s overarching commitment to ensuring all students have access to high-quality curriculum and instruction that prepares students to meet their postsecondary goals. 

RIDE Social Studies Documents Associated with the Social Studies Curriculum Framework

• Connections between RI Social Studies Standards and ELA HQIM – as referenced in pages 30 and 34 of the Social Studies Curriculum Framework
• Connections: RI Social Studies Standards and RI Core Standards for Mathematics – as referenced on pages 45-46 of the Social Studies Curriculum Framework
• Connections: RI Social Studies Standards and Next Generation Science Standards – as referenced on page 46 of the Social Studies Curriculum Framework
• Rhode Island Guide for Assessing Curriculum Materials in Social Studies for High Quality – as referenced on page 53 of the Social Studies Curriculum Framework
• Rhode Island Social Studies Review Tool for Selecting High Quality Curriculum Materials [PDF], and
• Rhode Island Social Studies Review Tool for Selecting High Quality Curriculum Materials  [Fillable Word Document] – as referenced on page 53 of the Social Studies Curriculum Framework
• Rubric Template and Examples for Assessing Student Performance on the Rhode Island Social Studies Standards [PDF], and
• Rubric Template and Examples for Assessing Student Performance on the Rhode Island Social Studies Standards [Fillable Word Document] – as referenced on pages 166-117 of the Social Studies Curriculum Framework

In September 2019, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary & Secondary Education invited Rhode Island educators to participate as members of a new Rhode Island History & Social Studies Advisory Committee (RIHSSAC). Through an application process, RIDE selected approximately 30 social studies, history, civic education, and elementary teachers from across the state to form this new advisory.

This Committee acts as advisors to RIDE and ambassadors to the education community on matters of history, civics, and social studies education. This committee also serves as a working group for a variety of initiatives, including work on the revised Social Studies Standards along with forthcoming Frameworks and other materials to support the Standards.

For more information on the RIHSSAC, please email: Social Studies

Stay informed about social studies – related information through the new Rhode Island Social Studies Newsletter. The first issue of the newsletter will be October 6 2022, and will be published once a month. Newsletter entries will include professional learning opportunities, conference announcements, open-source teaching resources, information to join academic competitions, enrichment ideas, opportunities to share with students, and other items that are specific to Social Studies or related disciplines.

• Sign up to receive the RIDE Social Studies Newsletter
• Use this form to submit entries for publication in the newsletter

• View the RIDE Social Studies Newsletter Archive to review previous newsletters

Questions can be directed to: Social Studies

Content Required by Legislation 

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Holocaust and Genocide Education Resources