Social Studies

On February 28, 2019, the Oklahoma State Board of Education adopted the Oklahoma Academic Standards for the Social Studies, Pre-K - 12 as the new Social Studies curriculum standards framework for Oklahoma's schools. The framework sets forth a challenging and focused course of study and is designed to lay the groundwork for citizenship development.

• Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies
• Social Studies Curriculum Frameworks

• Frequently Asked Questions

Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, Holocaust education shall be taught to students in grades six through twelve in public schools in this state, as prescribed in the Oklahoma Academic Standards. Holocaust education may be integrated into one or more existing courses of study and shall be taught in a manner that:

1. Generates an understanding of the causes, course, and effects of the Holocaust;
2. Develops dialogue with students on the ramifications of bullying, bigotry, stereotyping, and discrimination; and
3. Encourages tolerance of diversity and reverence for human dignity for all citizens in a pluralistic society.

70 O.S. § 11-103.6o

To support school districts in meeting the new Holocaust Education requirements, resources related to the causes, series of events, and effects of the Holocaust can be found here and sources related to the Nuremberg Trials can be found here. Additional resources supporting the implementation of the Oklahoma Academic Standards for grades 6-12 can be found in the Oklahoma Curriculum Frameworks and the Holocaust Resource page.

House Bill 2265 becomes effective November 1, 2023. This bill allows high schools to offer a law enforcement elective and tasks the SDE with creation of its materials and curricula.

• Section 1(A): A school district is allowed to provide an elective course in law enforcement to eleventh- and twelfth-grade students.
• Section 1(B): The elective course in law enforcement must cover the basics of law enforcement training, the skills and entry requirements necessary to become a law enforcement professional, and the career opportunities available in law enforcement.
• Section 1(C): The State Board of Education can collaborate with the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training to develop instructional materials and curricula for school districts to use in the law enforcement elective course.

New law at: 70 O.S. § 11-103.15

Contact Brenda Beymer-Chapman for curriculuar resources.

US Federal Law Requires Lessons on Constitution: Pub. L. 108-447, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Dec. 8, 2004; 118 Stat. 2809, 3344-45, “Each educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution.”

• 100 Milestone Document
• Bill of Rights Institute
• Center for Civic Education
• Charters of Freedom
• Citizenship Resource Center
• Constitution Day
• Lesson Plans - Constitutional Rights Foundation
• Library of Congress
• The Constitution
• The Constitution for Kids (K-3)
• Today's Congress - Dirksen Center

Celebrate Freedom  an Oklahoma Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2001, Section 24-152, which relates to Veterans Day in public schools; designating Celebrate Freedom Week. Read the full bill.

• AETN Resources
• American Bar Association
• American Heritage Education Foundation
• Ben’s Guide to Government
• Bill of Rights Institute
• Center for Civic Education
• Teach Democracy (formerly Constitutional Rights Foundation)
• C-Span in the Classroom
• Declaration of Independence Performed
• Declaration of Independence-Super Bowl 48
• Education Service Center
• National Archives
• National Constitution Center
• Texas Law-Related Education

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the State Department of Education shall identify resources and provide examples of lesson plans designed to help teachers provide instruction regarding the events of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968. The resources should cover the natural law and nonviolent resistance strategies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and include a unit on other forms of discriminatory injustice such as genocide. These resources reaffirm the state's commitment to reject bigotry, promote equal protection under the law, and act against injustice wherever it may occur.

The resources can be taught as a stand-alone unit of instruction or integrated into existing courses. 70 O.S. § 11-103.6p

The following resources have been approved for use in the instruction of the Civil Rights Movement:

• Civil Rights: A Global Perspective
• Teacher Created Materials

Additional resources supporting the instruction of the Civil Rights Movement can be found in the Introduction to the Oklahoma Social Studies Framework.

PragerU Kids is a nonprofit educational media company that provides free resources for teachers, parents, and students PK-12th.  PragerU’s content is engaging, educationally sound, and classroom-friendly while being grounded in traditional American values that inspire self-reliance, patriotism, and resiliency while teaching core knowledge in subjects ranging from civics to financial literacy. Other subjects include biographies, Western civilization, history, geography, American holidays and landmarks, entrepreneurship, and character development.

• PragerU Kids Main Page
• PragerU Kids Civics (Street Smarts)
• PragerU Kids Lesson Plans
• PragerU Kids Worksheets
• PragerU Kids Books and Magazines
• PragerU Educators Landing Page

• Affordable Colleges Online
• Fund for Teachers/Colonial Williamsburg Institute - Oklahoma
• James Madison Foundation
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence
• Oklahoma Humanities Council
• Teacher Institute at Mt. Vernon
• Teaching American History

Subscribe to the Social Studies Newsletter here.

For additional questions, please contact:

Brenda Beymer-Chapman, J.D.
Project Manager, Social Studies and Personal Financial Literacy
(405) 522-3523