Elementary school
Foreword
General section
Field of study
Social Sciences
This chapter explains the educational value and main purpose of social studies. It takes into account the six basic elements discussed in Chapter 2, the focus areas discussed in Chapter 6, and the key competences defined in Chapters 9.4 and 18. Competence criteria are presented at the end of grades 4, 7, and 10. On the basis of the competence criteria, teaching methods, learning materials, and assessment methods are selected and shall be explained in the school curriculum of the school in question. At the end of the chapter, assessment criteria are presented at the end of grades 4, 7, and 10. The assessment criteria at the end of grades 4 and 7 are intended to be a guide for schools and are only presented to support assessment at the end of the youngest and middle levels. Schools are required to use the assessment criteria at the end of grade 10 when graduating students from grade 10.
Social studies deals with the students themselves, self-knowledge and relationship building, and students as part of society and culture in a broader context. Social studies is the basis for students to receive instruction and training in self-knowledge, equality, human rights, the rules and values that apply in a democratic society, and the influence and responsibility that each individual can have on their own life and the society in which they live. Social studies is a platform for learning about historical events, understanding what a successful life on earth entails, responding to environmental challenges, and strengthening students’ understanding of justice, freedom, friendship, respect, and universal human rights.
The main purpose of studying and teaching social studies is to develop students’ ability to understand themselves and others, to have meaningful interactions with others, to understand and perceive reality, the environment, society, history and culture. Students are intended to acquire the ability to form and develop new relationships by mobilizing them to participate in society, to adopt the values and rules that prevail there and to gain an understanding of the ideas and ideals that underlie our attitudes towards the environment, resources, culture and history. Social studies are also intended to enable students to approach social and ethical issues through reflection and dialogue, where their positions are shaped by arguments and active listening to different points of view.
When planning learning and teaching in social studies, all competency standards for students’ schooling should be taken into account. Students must be encouraged to acquire the expected competencies, as competencies include an overview and the ability to apply the knowledge and skills that have been acquired.
The social studies competency standards are divided into several categories. The categories are not isolated within a subject or field of study, but rather parts of an integrated whole where each category can benefit from the others, within and between subjects and fields of study, which provides opportunities for comprehensive project work and integration.
Social studies education must aim to ensure that students acquire a positive attitude towards and develop a belief in the importance of cultivating their own identity, social skills, and civic awareness. Students become concerned with the issues of society in the past, present, and future, and adopt democratic practices, dialogue, debate, and global thinking.
Students need to be given opportunities to learn about and address issues of daily life that affect them and society in an informative and critical way. Students need to be enabled to approach social and ethical issues through conversation and debate. Students need to be taught to practice democratic practices and to be helped to understand the ideas and ideals that underlie attitudes towards the environment, resources, culture, history and human rights.
Teaching must be structured with methods that stimulate creative and critical thinking, dialogue, debate, and exchange of opinions. In this way, students acquire the skills to address important societal issues from the past, present, and future.
The competence standards for social studies are presented in six categories, namely the workings of social studies that should be pervasive throughout all learning and teaching in the subject, identity, ethics and religion, citizenship, history and our planet. Although the competence standards are grouped in this way, it is important to see them as a continuous whole. When focusing specifically on one competence standard, it is important to keep in mind that learning is a continuous process and creative activity rather than the accumulation of limited knowledge and training in a specific skill.
Concepts
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
discuss society and use selected terms in that context,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain and use important social science concepts,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain, argue for and apply important concepts from social studies,
Information literacy
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
obtain information about society from selected texts, audio and visual materials and talk about the material,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
obtain information about social issues from texts, audio and visual materials, paraphrase and use for discussion,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
obtain information about social and international issues from sources in a variety of formats, interpret and apply it,
Opinion formation
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
analyze information and different opinions from selected sources and form their own opinions,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
evaluate and respond to different opinions and information from sources in different formats and form their own opinions,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
weigh and evaluate information and opinions from sources in a variety of formats, form their own opinions and take an informed stance on issues,
Critical discussions
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
asked questions and participated in discussions about selected social and moral issues,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
asked open-ended questions and participated in discussions about different issues of a social and moral nature,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
asked a variety of questions and participated in critical discussions about social and ethical issues from different perspectives,
Put yourself in the shoes of others
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
put themselves in the shoes of peers and family members,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
put themselves in the shoes of people with different backgrounds in selected places and times,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
put themselves in the shoes of people with different backgrounds and attitudes in various places and times,
Mediation
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
share their knowledge and opinions related to society,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
share knowledge, skills and opinions on social issues in a variety of ways,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
communicate knowledge, skills and opinions on social and global issues in a diverse and creative way,
Democratic cooperation
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
Participate in collaboration and joint decisions in peer groups and within the family.
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
participate in democratic collaboration and dialogue.
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
have taken a responsible part in democratic cooperation and dialogue.
Socialization
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
told about themselves with regard to origin, residence, family, customs and habits,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
describe themselves and give examples of factors that influence their own self-image, such as from their local community, environment and culture,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain how identity is shaped by culture, social environment, circumstances and international influences,
Needs
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realize the importance of nutrition, rest, sleep, exercise and hygiene,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discuss healthy lifestyles and relationships and cultivate important needs,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
have become aware of their needs and discussed their responsibility for their own life, lifestyle and health,
Emotions
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
understand and express various emotions, such as joy, anticipation, sadness and anger,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
describe a variety of emotions and understand their impact on thinking and behavior,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
recognize the complexity of one's own emotions and point out the interaction between emotions, thinking, behavior and communication,
mindset
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realized the importance of positive attitudes for oneself,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
describe with examples the importance of positive life attitudes, mindset and resilience for one's own development,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
substantiate the importance of one's own positive outlook on life, growth mindset and resilience for personal success and development,
Self-knowledge
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
make yourself and others aware of where your own strengths and interests lie,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain your own areas of interest, strengths and challenges and how you can work with those aspects in a constructive way,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
have identified their own interests, strengths and challenges and formed a realistic future plan based on that self-knowledge,
Respect
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
show respect for oneself and others and explain how this is possible,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
show respect for themselves and others, set boundaries in communication and describe how this is possible,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
Respect yourself and others, set boundaries in communication and respect the boundaries of others, and explain the importance of respect,
Stereotypes
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
discusses different individuals and groups in the school and local community,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
describe stereotypes and prejudices in society and their effects, and realize their harmfulness,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
critically discuss and analyze stereotypes and prejudices, their origins and consequences,
Gender studies
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
pointing out examples of the diversity of gender roles and their impact on self-image,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
apply the concepts of gender, sexuality and gender roles and understand the diversity of queerness,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
apply concepts related to gender studies and explain the role they play in individuals' gender identity and identity,
Personal finance
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realize the cost of one's own consumption and the difference between needs and desires.
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
Explain the expenses due to individual needs, desires and behavior and the importance of financial forethought.
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
Explain how needs, desires and behavior shape individuals' financial situation and take a responsible stance in their own finances and consumption.
Respect for diversity
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
Realize that people live in different family structures, have different backgrounds, and respect different lifestyles and customs,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
highlight people's different backgrounds and respect different beliefs, values, opinions and customs,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
compare different backgrounds and the diversity of people, discuss and respect different beliefs, values, opinions and customs,
Religion and outlook on life
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
pondered intimate questions related to faith, outlook on life and behavior,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discuss topics related to faith, life views and ethics and place them in context with events in everyday life,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
deal with and analyze topics that concern faith, life views and ethics and are related to questions about the meaning and purpose of life,
Religion
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
shared the identity of several stories, major festivals and customs of Christianity and other religions, especially in the local community,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain selected stories, traditions, festivals, customs and symbols in Christianity and some of the world's major religions,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
interpret the stories, traditions, teachings, festivals, customs and symbols of Christianity and other major world religions,
The influence of religion
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
Realize that people's religious and life views are reflected in different attitudes, customs, and practices.
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
compare selected religions and life views and their impact on people's lives.
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain the value of religions and life philosophies, compare and analyze their impact on the lives of individuals, groups, societies, and history.
Rules
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
demonstrate knowledge of rules in communication and explain their purpose,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discuss rules in human interactions and their purpose and participate in setting common rules of the game with others,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain the role of rules in relationships between people in a family, group of friends and society as a whole and participate in shaping such rules,
Human rights
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
discuss their rights and responsibilities and become familiar with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discuss their position as a participant in society, their rights and responsibilities, and the importance of human rights and equality in society and globally, and are familiar with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
know the general provisions on human rights, their origins and effects, are guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and can argue for the value of human rights and equality in all areas of society and globally,
Community type
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realize that each individual is part of a larger community,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discusses different types of society and how they relate to the lives of individuals,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
analyze how ideologies, including religion and politics, shape social structures and relate to the lives of individuals,
Democracy
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
pointing out examples of democratic aspects in the school and local community,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
describe some characteristics of democratic society in this country,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain the origins, characteristics and practice of democracy and critically examine the role of citizens in a global context,
Management system
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
told about several institutions of society,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain the role of important institutions in society,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain the development and structure of the political system and Iceland's formal relations and participation in the international community,
A welfare society
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realized the importance of mutual aid in society,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain ideas about mutual aid and welfare and their implementation in society,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain and argue ideas about a welfare society,
Public consumption
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
known examples of basic services in society,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
understand how and why the costs of various basic services are paid for by the community's common funds,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
understand that the tax and financial environment and living standards in society are variable and known factors that affect them in an international context,
Accident prevention
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
beware of dangers in their home, in traffic and in their local environment,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
seen the value of accident prevention and known responses to accidents in homes, the local community and nature,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
identify, prevent and explain the correct response to various dangers in the man-made environment and nature,
Traffic regulations
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
be informed about traffic rules for pedestrians and cyclists and follow them,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain traffic rules and main traffic signs and use them in everyday life,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
realize the need to demonstrate responsible behavior in traffic for their own safety and the safety of others,
Capacity for action
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
discuss their own actions and their consequences and participate in community affairs.
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
become familiar with societal issues, realize the potential for influence and demonstrate this in action in a responsible manner.
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
reflect on one's own capacity for action and act responsibly on issues that contribute to a better society.
Historical sources
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realized that different sources tell different stories,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
evaluate sources and different perspectives in discussions about history and the present,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
have realized the role of sources, perspectives and values in history and collective memories,
The family
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
realize the importance of the family and the variety of family types in human society,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
have realized the diversity of families and the various roles within them at different times,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain and compare the role, diversity and development of the family in different times and cultural areas,
Homestead
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
discovered and named an example of the characteristics and history of a local area,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
analyze the context of the environment, history, culture and human life in the local area and connections with other regions,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
demonstrate an understanding of Icelandic society and explain the context of the environment, history, culture, religion, business and regional development,
Icelandic history
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
given an example of the history and characteristics of Iceland,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discusses the characteristics and development of Icelandic society,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain the characteristics and position of Iceland in the world in light of the country's location, history and culture of the nation,
History
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
told about selected characters, events and periods in history,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discuss and analyze characters, events, periods, intentions and the course of history,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
put into context, demonstrate knowledge and a critical view of events, periods, trends and the course of human history,
Historical development
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
identify factors that have influenced human life over time, such as the environment and the organization of societies,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
realize that history has been shaped by various factors, such as environment, behavior, life views, social structure and working methods,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain and evaluate how history has been shaped by various factors, such as environment, ideology, including religion, acts of will, and coincidences,
The influence of history on the present
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
discuss historical events in relation to contemporary times.
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
Explain with examples how historical events affect societies and people's lives in the present day.
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
Demonstrated understanding of the historical and ideological context of events taking place in the contemporary world.
Map literacy
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
understand the role and usefulness of maps and find your way with the help of simple maps,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
use maps and graphs to obtain and process information and create simple maps,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
analyze, recognize and discuss information on maps, graphs and other types of images and set up maps to communicate diverse information,
Communities
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
given examples of different situations, cultures and people's lives,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
shed light on the different situations, cultures and lives of people on Earth,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
analyze and compare different cultures and societies, religions, traditions and customs, people's situations and lives,
Resources
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
given an example of how humans use nature to survive,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain how human use of resources can have various impacts on the quality of life and biodiversity,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
shed light on why sustainable resource use is important for communities and in a global context,
The consumer society
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
describe how food and clothing are made and where they end up,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
outline the process of everyday consumer goods, their origin, transport, sale, use, disposal, recycling and carbon footprint,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
shed light on today's consumer society, the process of raw materials from acquisition to destruction, and ideas about the importance of a circular economy,
The influence of man
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
pointing out examples of the impact of technology and construction on human life and the environment,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
explain with examples the impact of technology and human activities on society, climate and the environment,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
explain the effects and consequences of human activities and technology on the climate, nature and living conditions of all life on Earth,
Sjálfbær þróun
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
given an example of how our actions have consequences for the future,
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
discussed what sustainable development entails,
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
demonstrated understanding of sustainable development and its significance for the environment, society and economy and the living conditions of all life on earth,
Responsibility for nature conservation
By the end of 4th grade, a student can:
have realized their importance in caring for and protecting nature.
By the end of 7th grade, a student can:
Explain with examples the importance of nature conservation and that everyone contributes.
By the end of the 10th grade, a student can:
shed light on the responsibility of individuals, companies, governments and the international community to protect nature and the quality of life on Earth.
Assessment criteria are set for all subjects and areas of study at the end of grades 4, 7 and 10 and are a description of how well a student has mastered a defined skill. Schools are required to set assessment criteria for subjects and areas of study for other grades and explain them in the school curriculum.
Assessment criteria are presented on an A–D assessment scale. A describes excellent competence, B describes good competence, C describes fair competence, and D describes competence that does not meet the criteria described in C. It can be assumed that the majority of students will achieve the competence specified in B, competence achieved, as they are based on the competence criteria for the year.
A is awarded to those who demonstrate outstanding competence and C to those who do not fully meet the requirements set out in B criteria. There are no criteria set for D, but this evidence is used when a student does not meet the requirements set out in C criteria. The school then makes a separate report on the competence of the student in question.
Schools are required to use the A–D grading scale and assessment criteria when graduating students from grade 10.
The A–D assessment scale and assessment criteria at the end of grades 4 and 7 are intended to be a guide for schools and are only presented to support assessment at the end of the junior and middle levels.
The assessment criteria for each study period should be based on the competency criteria and the learning objectives that have been worked on. The most important thing is to assess at the end of the study period what was expected according to the assessment criteria.
Assessment results need to be based on reliable assessment data and diverse assessment methods so that students, parents, and schools receive the most accurate information about their status.
The student can interpret, evaluate and apply information on social issues in a variety of forms. Form opinions and provide arguments for them. Explain and apply social science concepts confidently and discuss issues from different perspectives in an original, structured and critical manner. Show initiative and take an active, positive and responsible part in critical dialogue and democratic collaboration. Independently and critically analyse and discuss the impact of various factors on the formation of identity, mindset, communication and behaviour. Independently explain the role of morality, religion and life views in the lives of individuals and analyse in a structured manner different manifestations of these factors and their effects in societies. Argue and critically analyse the position of individuals as participants in society, their rights, obligations and capacity for action. Explain the value of human rights and democracy. Discuss independently the system of government and its impact on the lives of individuals. Critically analyze historical events near and far and explain cause and effect from different perspectives. Compare and critically analyze different cultures based on the circumstances and lives of people and use a variety of information on maps for this purpose. Explain independently and clearly the impact of humanity on the earth and the significance of sustainable development for the environment, society and economy.
The student can interpret and utilize information about social issues in a variety of forms and form opinions. Explain and apply social science concepts in an organized and diverse manner, discussing social and ethical issues from different perspectives. Participate actively and positively in critical dialogue and democratic collaboration. Independently analyze and discuss the impact of various factors on the formation of identity, mindset, communication and behavior. Explain the role of morality, religion and life views in the lives of individuals and analyze different manifestations of these factors and their effects in societies. Argue the position of individuals as participants in society, rights, obligations and capacity for action. Explain the value of human rights and democracy. Discuss the system of government and its effects on the lives of individuals. Discuss historical events near and far, their causal connections and effects from different perspectives. Compare different cultures based on the circumstances and lives of people and use a variety of information on maps for this purpose. Explain the impact of humanity on the earth and the significance of sustainable development for the environment, society and economy.
The student can to a certain extent utilize information on social issues and form opinions. To some extent explain important concepts in social studies and discuss social and ethical issues. Participate in dialogue and democratic cooperation. Discuss the impact of various factors on the formation of identity, mindset, communication and behavior. Discuss the role of morality, religion and life views on the lives of individuals and give examples of their manifestations and effects in societies. Describe the position of individuals as participants in society, rights, obligations and capacity for action. Discuss to some extent the value of human rights and democracy, the structure of the political system and its impact on the lives of individuals. Discuss to some extent historical events near and far and their impact. Discuss different cultures based on the circumstances and lives of people and use information on maps for this purpose. Discuss the impact of humanity on the earth and the significance of sustainable development for the environment, society and economy.
The student can utilize and interpret information about social issues in a variety of forms. Discuss social issues from different perspectives in a diverse and structured way, form opinions and provide arguments for them. Take an active , positive and responsible part in dialogue and democratic cooperation. Explain in an independent manner how different factors affect identity, mindset, communication and behavior. Discuss in an independent manner topics related to religion, life views and ethics in their daily lives and those of others. Reflect on their position as a participant in society and argue their rights and obligations. Discuss critically democracy and the institutions of society and their impact on the lives of individuals. Discuss in a clear manner historical events and the development of societies from different perspectives . Compare different situations of people on Earth, including by independently obtaining information from maps. Explain how people’s daily lives affect the environment, society and quality of life.
The student can utilize information about social issues in a variety of forms. Discuss social issues from different perspectives and form opinions. Participate actively and positively in dialogue and democratic cooperation. Describe how different factors affect identity, mindset, communication and behavior. Discuss topics related to religion, life views and ethics in their daily lives and those of others. Analyze their position as a participant in society and discuss their rights and responsibilities. Discuss democracy and the institutions of society and their impact on the lives of individuals. Discuss historical events and the development of societies from selected perspectives. Describe the different situations of people on earth, including by obtaining information from maps. Relate how people’s daily lives affect the environment, society and quality of life.
The student can to a certain extent utilize information on social issues in a variety of forms. To some extent discuss social issues and form opinions. Participate in dialogue and democratic cooperation. Describe some examples of how different factors affect identity, mindset, communication and behavior. Discuss to some extent topics related to religion, life views and ethics in their daily lives and those of others. Discuss their position as a participant in society and give examples of their rights and responsibilities. Discuss to some extent democracy and the institutions of society and their impact on the lives of individuals. Discuss to some extent historical events and the development of societies. Give examples of different situations of people on earth, including by obtaining information from maps. Tell how people’s daily lives affect the environment, society and quality of life.
The student can acquire and utilize information about social issues in a variety of forms and discuss them from different perspectives and in a variety of ways. Take an active and positive part in dialogue and collaboration. Tell about themselves and explain the importance of a healthy lifestyle, positive attitudes, communication and behavior. Compare different backgrounds, lifestyles and beliefs of people. Discuss independently the rules of communication, their rights and obligations. Explain the role of the main institutions in their local community. Discuss clearly selected people, events and periods and explain changes that have occurred in society. Discuss the different situations of people on earth. Explain how our actions today can affect the future.
The student can obtain information about social issues in a variety of forms and discuss them in a variety of ways. Participate in dialogue and collaboration. Tell about themselves and discuss the importance of a healthy lifestyle, positive attitudes, communication and behavior. Discuss people’s different backgrounds, lifestyles and beliefs. Discuss rules in communication, their rights and responsibilities. Know the main institutions in their local community. Discuss selected people, events and periods and discuss changes that have occurred in society. Give examples of different situations of people on earth. Tell about how our actions today can affect the future.
The student can to some extent obtain information and discuss social issues. To some extent participate in dialogue and collaboration. Tell about themselves and give examples of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, positive attitudes, communication and behavior. Give examples of different backgrounds, lifestyles and beliefs of people. Give examples of rules in communication, their rights and obligations. Know to some extent the main institutions in their local community. Give examples of selected people, events and periods and tell about changes that have occurred in society. Give examples of the conditions of people on earth. Give examples of how our actions today can affect the future.