5 social studies content standards, including Political Science and Citizenship: Power, Authority, Governance, and Responsibility, which aims to help students acquire the knowledge of political systems necessary for developing individual civic responsibility. Performance standards for grades 4, 8 and 12 that include participating in debate on public policy issues, mobilizing public opinion, various forms of civic action, finding and using information to understand an issue and taking a position, are included within the content standards.

The Department of Public Instruction publishes a curriculum guide called "Planning Curriculum in Social Studies." The guide is widely used, but optional. Service-learning is included as a recommended teaching strategy.