Empowering and effective social studies is meaningful, significant, challenging, active, integrative, and issues-based.
(p. 29 Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Social Studies Curriculum)
An effective social studies curriculum prepares students to achieve all essential graduation learnings. In particular, social studies, more than any other curriculum area, is vital in developing citizenship. Social studies embodies the main principles of democracy, such as freedom, equality, human dignity, justice, rule of law, and civic rights and responsibilities. The social studies curriculum promotes students’ growth as individuals and as citizens of Canada and of an increasingly interdependent world. It provides opportunities for students to explore multiple approaches that may be used to analyse and interpret their own world and the world of others. Social studies presents unique and particular ways for students to view the interrelationships among Earth, its people, and its systems. The knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed through the social studies curriculum empower students to be informed, responsible citizens of Canada and the world and through participation in the democratic process improve society.
(p. 1-2 Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Social Studies Curriculum)