This document contains guidelines, objectives, and competencies of the K-12 social studies program for North Carolina. The primary goal of social studies instruction is to help each student attain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for becoming an effective and contributing member of a democratic society. The content focus for grades K-7 is on the home and community studies, providing a comparative and contrasting approach to broaden pupils' concepts of the role and function of the family and to help them develop positive attitudes toward those who are different from themselves. The content pattern for grades 8-12 provides opportunities for greater in-depth studies of the United States and the various cultural areas of the world, using a discipline approach, including history, economics, political science, sociology, geography, and anthropology. Examples of implementing both a chronological and a thematic approach are provided as guides. A major focus of the social studies program is the development of social studies skills and the understanding of basic social science concepts and generalizations. The bulk of the document contains matrices and charts showing how each grade level corresponds to the skills and concepts as outlined by the North Dakota curriculum committee. (Author/JR)