BC Social Studies Report Card Comments, K-Grade 3

Social Studies builds inquiry skills (asking questions, gathering and interpreting information, communicating findings) and the thinking concepts significance, evidence, continuity and change, cause and consequence, perspective and ethical judgment. Content moves from families and local communities in K-3 to Canadian history and government, global issues, ancient civilizations and world history to 1919.

Below are 9 sample sentences for K-Grade 3: one strength and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Extending / Proficient / Developing / Emerging), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 144 social studies sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Extending · Proficient · Developing · Emerging · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Extending X

Strengths

When mapping familiar places such as the classroom or schoolyard, [Name] adds symbols, a key and directions and uses the map to guide others.

Next step

In social studies, [Name] is ready to compare families or communities shown in two class sources, using pictures and stories as evidence of similarities and differences.

Proficient P

Strengths

When reading and drawing simple maps of familiar places, [Name] uses direction words such as near, far, left and right correctly.

Next step

A useful next step is for [Name] to compare photos from long ago and today and say more about why some things change while others stay the same.

Developing D

Strengths

When using simple maps, [Name] can find some familiar places and is learning words that describe location, such as beside, under and above.

Next step

Sorting picture cards of needs and wants with a partner will help [Name] explain the difference in [his/her/their] own words.

Emerging E

Strengths

With guidance, [Name] is beginning to find familiar places on a simple map of the classroom or school.

Next step

With picture cards and a partner, [Name] will practise matching a community need with a service that helps meet it, then explain one match aloud.

Support at home

Talking about a news story at mealtime and asking "How do you know that is true?" helps your child think about evidence and sources.

How to write social studies comments for K-Grade 3

Describe what the child can share about families, traditions or the local community, and how: drawing, telling or comparing then and now. Name the skill, such as noticing similarities and differences.
Simple maps and directions are good evidence in K-3. Mention whether the child can find places on a map of the school or neighbourhood or use words like near, far, left and right.
When First Peoples of the local area are part of the learning, describe what the child understands in general terms, such as why stories and teachings are passed down, without suggesting the child represents any culture.

Watch out: Avoid turning the comment into a list of facts the student memorized. BC social studies is built on inquiry and historical and geographic thinking, so describe how the student thinks about the past and the world.

The Ministry's guidelines describe Emerging as an initial understanding of the concepts and competencies, Developing as partial, Proficient as complete and Extending as sophisticated. Proficient is the goal and does not mean perfect; Extending is about depth and complexity, not extra work or work from a higher grade. Here the four names only choose the wording: report the indicator itself in your reporting tool, and let the comment describe the learning behind it.

What Social Studies covers

Big ideas and curricular competencies for social studies:

Inquiry: asks questions, gathers and interprets information from sources, and communicates findings
Thinking like a historian or geographer: significance, evidence, continuity and change, cause and consequence, perspective and ethical judgment
Understands communities, cultures and regions in Canada and the world, from families, local communities and Indigenous peoples near and far (K-3) to Canadian history and government (4-5), global issues (6), ancient civilizations (7) and world history from the 7th century to 1919 (8-9)
Learns about First Peoples in B.C. and Canada, and how past and present events shape identity and relationships
Uses maps, timelines and graphs

More British Columbia subjects comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.