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Social Studies Alive!

America's Past

Students trace American history from its earliest migrations forward, weighing the events, people, and choices that shaped the nation and drawing evidence from the past to explain the present.

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What Students Will Explore

Unit 1

America's Geographic Setting

Learn about how geography shaped early America, how Indigenous people lived, and why Europeans explored and settled the Americas.

Unit 2

Colonial Times

Explore how geography shaped colonial America. Examine how early English settlers adapted, compare the three colonial regions, and analyze the growth and impact of slavery on people and society.

Unit 3

The American Revolution

Explore tensions between Britain and the colonists, arguments for and against independence, and key ideas in the Declaration of Independence.

Unit 4

Civics and Economics in America

Explore how the Constitution and Bill of Rights created a strong government, protected freedoms, and supported America’s growth and economy.

Unit 5

Manifest Destiny to Today

Explore how technology transformed the United States by speeding up travel, communication, and trade. Technology helped shape expansion, war, industry, and even space exploration.

Explore the Program

Life in Colonial Williamsburg

Historic map of Williamsburg with labeled streets, rectangular plots, and surrounding landscape details in sepia tones. LESSON

In this lesson, students examine aspects of colonial life, such as government, society, and religion.

Experience the Lesson

  • View the Scope and Sequence

    See every unit and lesson at a glance — compelling questions, objectives, and how content builds across History, Geography, Civics, and Economics.

    View the Scope and Sequence

  • Review Correlations

    See exactly how the program aligns to your state standards.

    Review the Correlations
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Student Materials

  • A statue in front of Independence Hall with autumn trees and a blue sky, cover of a social studies student journal.

    Student Journal

    The colorful, easy-to-use, print consumable Student Journal combines standards-based content and rich activities to support student learning. Students will make personal connections that allow them to develop a deep understanding of key social studies content while building critical social studies and ELA skills. Also available in Spanish.

  • Red cover with Social Studies Stories text and historical images, including people, a book, and a wagon train.

    Social Studies Stories

    The Social Studies Stories collection contains short, high-interest readings from four different disciplines — Geography, History, Economics, and Civics — to further engage and deepen students' understanding of content. Also available in Spanish.

Teacher Materials

  • Bronze statue of a man in colonial attire points forward, with autumn trees and buildings in the background.

    Teacher's Guide

    Teacher's Guide supports everything from lesson planning to grading — step-by-step procedures, time estimates, differentiation strategies, and answer keys, ready to use offline or as a quick reference while teaching. Also available in Spanish.

  • Red cover of Activity Cards for Social Studies Alive! Americas Past, with a statue image at the top right.

    Activity Cards

    The Activity Cards are laminated, reusable cards that contain vibrant, interactive content for students. The cards include large maps, game boards, and manipulatives that can be cut out and be reused year after year. Also available in Spanish.

Reviews & Recognition

At TCI, we don't just say our programs work — we invite independent reviewers to put them to the test. Our social studies and science programs are reviewed by respected third-party organizations that analyze our resources for quality, effectiveness, and alignment with standards.

In addition to national recognition, our programs are reviewed and approved by individual states to ensure they meet specific requirements and standards. We also participate in landscape analyses that compare our offerings with those of other leading programs, so educators and districts can make informed choices.

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