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Nova Scotia Social Studies

The CTRL- F: Verification Skills learning outcomes link explicitly Nova Scotia’s Social Studies program. The relevant curricular outcomes are listed by grade level and subject below.

Last updated August 13, 2025.

 

SOCIAL STUDIES K-12

The CTRL-F: Verification Skills support the Atlantic Essential Graduation Competencies Citizenship, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Technological Fluency. View connections here.

 

GRADE 7

Grade 7 Social Studies

  • gather and select appropriate information
  • determine accuracy, validity, and relevance of information
  • identify perspectives

 

GRADE 8

Grade 8 Social Studies

Competencies:

  • analyze and evaluate evidence (Critical Thinking)
  • use technology in a responsible manner (Technological Fluency)

Skills: 

  • Gather and select appropriate information
  • determine the accuracy, validity and relevance of the information
  • Identify perspectives

Indicators:

  • Analyse how technological advances contribute to a changing Canadian society (CZ, COM, CT, CI, TF)
  • Investigate various forms of advocacy (CZ, COM, CT, CI, PCD, TF)

 

GRADE 9

Grade 9 Citizenship

Indicators:

  • Engaged citizenship: Compare rights and responsibilities as current and future citizens (CZ/CT)

Digital citizenship: 

  •  Investigate how citizens’ and governments’ choices can be affected by different media (CZ/COM/CT/TF)
  • Analyse how social and mass media impact the awareness of certain issues (CZ/COM/CT/TF)
  • Evaluate the opportunities and risks of being digitally engaged or connected (COM/PCD/CT/TF)
  • Investigate how a digital footprint influences others’ perceptions (CZ/PCD/TF)
  • Investigate the role of anonymity in both the production and consumption of media (COM/PCD/CT/TF)

 

GRADE 11

African Canadian Studies 11

  • GCO 4 – demonstrate effective skills in conducting research using historical methods and in communicating the results of their research effectively
  • SCO 4.4 – conduct an organized research, using a variety of information sources (e.g., audio-visual materials, internet sites) that present a diverse range of perspectives on African Canadian Studies
  • SCO 4.6 – demonstrate an ability to identify bias, prejudice, stereotyping, or a lack of substantiation instatements, arguments, and opinions

Canadian History 11

  • GCO A – demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the origins,functions, and sources of power, authority, and governance (Citizenship, Power, and Governance )
  • SCO IS1 – engage in specific research using the historical method and communicate the findings of their research effectively

Contemporary Canadian Studies 11

Key Social Studies Methods:

  • Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL): Focuses on student-driven exploration of engaging questions.
  • Source Analysis:  Involves examining and interpreting primary and secondary sources to understand historical and contemporary events.
  • Critical Media Literacy:  Focuses on analyzing media sources for bias, perspective, and reliability to determine historical perspectives.

Economics 11

  • Overview: Teachers and students are encouraged to search for current case studies, news items, and statistics from print and non print sources
  • SCO3 – Student research report includes the variety and validity of information sources
  • SCO7 –  Student research project includes credible and relevant sources

Mi’kmaw Studies 11

  • Resource-Based learning: Effective social studies teaching and learning actively involves the effective use of a wide range of resources, including online digital resources.
  • Literacy for Social Studies:
    • Literacy for active citizenship involves learning how to investigate current issues.
    • Critical literacy in texts includes awareness of stereotyping, cultural bias, author’s intent, hidden agendas, and silent voices; why authors who have a purpose for writing and make particular choices when doing so
  • Integration of Technology: Application of questions of validity, accuracy, bias, interpretation and intellectual property use must be applied to all information sources.

 

GRADE 12

Economics 12

  • Resource-Based learning: Effective social studies teaching and learning actively involves the effective use of a wide range of resources, including online digital resources.
  • Literacy for Social Studies:
    • Literacy for active citizenship involves learning how to investigate current issues.
    • Critical literacy in texts includes awareness of stereotyping, cultural bias, author’s intent, hidden agendas, and silent voices; y authors who have a purpose for writing and make particular choices when doing so
  • Integration of Technology: Application of questions of validity, accuracy, bias, interpretation and intellectual property use must be applied to all information sources.

Global Geography 12 / Advanced Global Geography 12

  • GCO A – demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the origins,functions, and sources of power, authority, and governance (Citizenship, Power, and Governance )
  • SCO 1.5 – plan, conduct, and present a research project, independently or collaboratively, using the skills and methods of geography

Global History 12 / Advanced Global History 12

  • GCO A – demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the origins, functions, and sources of power, authority, and governance (Citizenship, Power, and Governance )
  • SCO 1.3 – apply skills and methods appropriate to the discipline of history
  • SCO 5.3 – evaluate the ethical and moral implications of technological development and societal change

Global Politics 12 / Advanced Global Politics 12

  • SCO 1.1 – critically investigate contemporary global political issues
  • SCO 1.2 – design and conduct a research project, either independently or collaboratively, that addresses a global political issue
  • SCO 1.3 – explore and engage in an issue relating to active citizenship

Law 12

  • SCO F1 – apply research methods to legal issue

Sociology 12

  • SCO 1.4 – design and conduct a sociological research project, independently or collaboratively, using methods appropriate to sociology 
  • Technological Competence: Graduates will be able to use a variety of technologies, demonstrate an understanding of technological applications, and apply appropriate technologies for solving problems.

References:

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (1999). Economics 11 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Economics%2011%20Guide%20%281999%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2004). Economics 12 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Economics%2012%20Guide%20%282004%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2009). African Canadian Studies 11 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/African%20Canadian%20Studies%2011%20Guide%20%282009%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2009). Law 12 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Law%2012%20Guide%20%282009%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2015). Canadian History 11 [Curriculum Outcomes]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/outcomes-indicators-files/Canadian%20History%2011%20Outcomes%20%282015%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2015). Global Geography 12 / Advanced Global Geography 12 [Curriculum Outcomes]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/outcomes-indicators-files/Global%20Geography%2012%20Outcomes%20%282015%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2015). Global History 12 / Advanced Global History 12 [Curriculum Outcomes]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/outcomes-indicators-files/Global%20History%2012%20Outcomes%20%282015%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2015). Global Politics 12 / Advanced Global Politics 12 [Curriculum Outcomes]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/outcomes-indicators-files/Global%20Politics%2012%20Outcomes%20%282015%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2016). Mi’kmaw Studies 11 Guide [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Mi%27kmaw%20Studies%2011%20Guide%20%282016%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2018). Citizenship 9 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Citizenship%209%20Guide%20%282018%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2022). Social Studies 7 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Social%20Studies%207%20Guide%20%282022%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2022). Social Studies 8 [Curriculum Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Social%20Studies%208%20Guide%20%282022%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2024). Sociology 12 [Teacher’s Guide]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Sociology%2012%20Guide%20%282024%29.pdf

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2025). Contemporary Canadian Studies 11 [Curriculum Guide DRAFT]. https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/curriculum-files/Contemporary%20Canadian%20Studies%2011%20Curriculum%20Guide%20%282025%29.pdf