In “Communities around the World,” students learn about communities around the globe and about global citizenship. Students bring with them knowledge about their communities. In this grade 3 course, students make comparisons across time and space, examining different communities and their cultures. Culture includes social organization, customs and traditions, language, arts and literature, religion, forms of government, and economic systems. Students are introduced to the concepts of prejudice, discrimination and human rights, as well as to social action.

At least three communities are studied for their diversity, culture, traditions, and norms. These communities should represent different regions of the world, types of communities (urban, suburban, and rural), and governmental structures.

The key ideas, conceptual understandings, and content specifications guide the study of communities while exploring the major themes of social studies.