Glossary

Elementary School Level

Social Studies
Glossary

English / Arabic

Translation of Social Studies terms based

on the Coursework for Social Studies
Grades 3 to 5.
Word-for-word glossaries are used for testing
accommodations for ELL/LEP students

Last Updated: 08/10/09

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
Education - P-16
Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education and Office of Higher Education
Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign Language Studies
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/biling/

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Regents of the University
MERRYL H. TISCH, Chancellor, B.A., M.A., Ed.D. .......................................................................
MILTON L. COFIELD, Vice Chancellor, B.S., M.B.A., Ph.D. .........................................................
ROBERT M. BENNETT, Chancellor Emeritus, B.A., M.S. ...............................................................
SAUL B. COHEN, B.A., M.A., Ph.D................................................................................................
JAMES C. DAWSON, A.A., B.A., M.S., Ph.D. ................................................................................
ANTHONY S. BOTTAR, B.A., J.D. ...................................................................................................
GERALDINE D. CHAPEY, B.A., M.A., Ed.D. .................................................................................
HARRY PHILLIPS, 3rd, B.A., M.S.F.S. ...........................................................................................
JOSEPH E. BOWMAN, JR., B.A., M.L.S., M.A., M.Ed., Ed.D.........................................................
JAMES R. TALLON, JR., B.A., M.A. ...............................................................................................
ROGER TILLES, B.A., J.D. ................................................................................................................
KAREN BROOKS HOPKINS, B.A., M.F.A........................................................................................
CHARLES R. BENDIT, B.A. .............................................................................................................
BETTY A. ROSA, B.A., M.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D.....................................................
LESTER W. YOUNG, JR., B.S., M.S., Ed. D. .....................................................................................
CHRISTINE D. CEA, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ..........................................................................................
WADE S. NORWOOD, B.A. .............................................................................................................

New York
Rochester
Tonawanda
New Rochelle
Plattsburgh
Syracuse
Belle Harbor
Hartsdale
Albany
Binghamton
Great Neck
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Bronx
Oakland Gardens
Staten Island
Rochester

Interim President of the University and Commissioner of Education

CAROLE F. HUXLEY

Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education, P16

JOHANNA DUNCAN-POITIER
Associate Commissioner for Curriculum and Instructional Support
JEAN STEVENS
Coordinator, Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign language Studies
PEDRO J. RUIZ
Acknowledgements:
The New York State Education Department Glossaries for English Language Learners were reviewed and
updated during the 2008-2009 school year. We would like to thank in these efforts the New York State
Education Department Language BETACs (Spanish, Asian and Haitian Bilingual Education Technical
Assistance Centers), the NYS Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Instructional Technology; the New York
City Department of Education Office of English Language Learners, and the NYC Department of Education
Translation and Interpretation Unit.
The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran
status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs,
services and activities. Portions of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including brailed, large print or
audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Departments Office for
Diversity, Ethics, and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234.

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH

ARABIC

A
A.D.
abilities
absence of government
absentee ballot
accomplishments
achievements
acid rain
across time and place
action plan
activities
adults
aerial photographs
AFL-CIO
Africa
agriculture
Algonquians
alike/different
allegiance
alternative solutions
altiplano
altitude
amendment
American democracy: ideals,
values/principles of
American Revolution, the Americas
Americas
ancestor
Antarctic Circle
Antarctica
anthem
appoint
appointed leaders
appointed office
archaeologists
Arctic Circle
areas
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:

( )

/
1

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
arid
art
artifacts
assembly
assembly line
authority
autobiographies
autobiography
automobiles
availability
avenues of participation
aztecs

ARABIC

B
B.C.
backgrounds
barter
basic
basin
Battle of Quebec
battles
before/after
belief
belief system
beliefs
Bill of Rights
biographies
biography
bodies of water
border
Boston Tea Party
boundary
boycott
branches of government
British North America Act
budget

ALBETAC 2007-2008, T*I-8497 (Arabic)

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH

ARABIC

C
cabinet
cable
calendar
campaign
Canada
Canadian Bill of Rights
canal
capital (state and money)
capital goods
capital resources
capitalism
cardinal directions
cause
celebrate
celebration
celebrations
census
Central America
century
change
checks and balances
child labor
children
Chippewa
choice
choices
citizen
citizenship
civic life
civic values
civil rights
civil rights movement
civil wars
civilization
civilizations
clans
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( )

( )

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
classroom
climate
clothing
collect taxes
colonial
colonial governments
colonies
colonists
colony
Committees of Correspondence
common good
commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
communication
communism
communities
community
community service
compact
compare/contrast
compass
compromise
compulsory education
computer
confederacy
conflict
conflict resolution
conflicts
congress
conquistador
consequences
conservation
consideration
Constitution of the State of New York
Constitution of the United States
constitutional democracy
consumer
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ARABIC

( )

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
consumers
consumption
consumption of goods
continent
Continental Congress
Continental Divide
continents
contour
contrast
contributions
cooperation
costs
cotton belt
credit
criteria
cultural characteristics
cultural contributions
cultural differences
cultural diffusion
cultural diversity
cultural groups
culture
cultures - characteristics, distriubtion,
complexity of
currency
customs

ARABIC

)
(

D
day
De Witt Clinton
decade
decision
decision-making
decisions
declaration
Declaration of Independence
delta
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
democracy
Democratic Party
democratic principles
democratic values
developed nations
developing nations
developments
diagram
diagrams
dictatorship
different/same
direction
diseases
display
disputes
distance
distribution
diverse
diversity
document
due process
Dutch colonies
Dutch West India Company

ARABIC

E
earn
Earths surface
economic
economic capital
economic concepts
economic decision making
economic decisions
economic development
economic factors
economic growth
economic interdependence
economic systems
economics
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
economies
effects
elect
elected leaders
elected office
election
Ellis Island
emigrants
empathy
employee
employer
encomienda system
encounter
enforce
English colonies
environment
environmental factors
equality
equality of opportunity
era
eras
ethnic
ethnic group
ethnicity
Europe
European encounter and exchanges-of
technologies, plants, animals, diseases
events
exchange
executive
executive branch of government
expansion
exploitation
exploration
explorers
exports

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ARABIC

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH

ARABIC

F
facilities
fact/opinion
factors of production
factory
family
far/near
federal
federal government
festival
festivals
flag
folktale
folktales
food
forced relocation
foreign policy
foreign relations
Fort Orange

( )

foundation
free enterprise
free trade
freedom
French Canadians
French colonies
frontier
functions of government
fundamental economic questions
fundamental values
future

G
game
gender
generation
geographic characteristics
geographic factors
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
geographic features
geographic features/areas
geographic information
geography
geological processes
global warming
globe
globes
goods and services - production,
distribution, exchange, consumption of
goods
govern
governance
government
Great Depression
grid
Gross Domestic Product
Gross National Product
groups
growth
Gulf Stream

ARABIC

/

(1929 )

H
habitat
Haudenosaunee
health
hemisphere
historic events
historical
historical evidence
historical narratives
history
Holidays ( Columbus Day, Election Day,
Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, New Years
Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Day,
Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day)
home
hopes
ALBETAC 2007-2008, T*I-8497 (Arabic)

)

(

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
House of Representatives
human
human capital
human migration
human migrations
human resources
human rights
human settlements
human systems

ARABIC

I
ideals of American democracy
ideas
identity
immigrants
immigration
important
imports
inaugurated confederation
Incas
income
indentured servant
independence
indigenous peoples
individual
individual rights
individual rights to life, liberty, pursuit of
happiness.
individuals
industrial expansion
industrial growth
industrial growth/expansion
Industrial Revolution
industrialization
industry
inhabitants
interdependence
interdependent
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
international organizations
interpret law
interpret laws
interpretations
Inuits
invention
inventions
Iroquois
Iroquois Confederacy
irrigation
issues
isthmus

ARABIC

( )

J
judgments
judicial
judicial branch of government
judicial branch
junta
jury
jury service
justice

( )

K
kindergarten

labor
labor force
labor movement
labor union
land formations
land masses
languages
Latin America
latitude
laws
laws/rules
leaders
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
League of Nations
learn
legal
legends
legislative branch
legislative branch of government
legislature
liberty
library
library resources
life
lifestyle
like/dislike
limited
limited resources
limited/unlimited
local
local government
local region
location
lock
locomotive
long ago
longhouse
longitude
loyalist
loyalty

ARABIC

M
maize
majority rule
make laws
manor
manufacture
manufacturing
maps
markets
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ARABIC

) (

) (

ENGLISH
mass starvation
Mayas
Mayflower Compact
megalopolis
member
memorials
merchant
meridians
midwest
migration
migration/immigration
millenium
millennia
mining
minority rights, respect for
minutemen
Mississippi River
modernization
modify
monarchy
money
months
monument
monuments
motives
movement of people and goods
multicultural
myself
myths
N

13

NAFTA
nation
national
national level of governments
nation-state
Native American Indian
Native American Indians
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ARABIC

ENGLISH
natural resources
near/far
needs
neighborhood
neutral
New Amsterdam
New Netherlands
northwest passage
now
nuclear family

) (

OAS
objects
oceans
oligarchy
opportunity cost
oral history
others

)(

14

parallel
parallels
parent
Parliament
participatory skills
past
past/present
patriot
patriotism
patriotisms
patriots
patroon
people
person
perspectives
Peter Stuyvesant
petition
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
physical
physical characteristics
physical environment
physical feature
physical features
physical map
physical setting
physical systems
places
plan
pledge
Pledge of Allegiance
points of view
political
political boundaries
political map
political party
political power
political systems
pollution
population
population density
population distribution
population movement - rural to urban to
suburban - 20th century
power
practices
prairies
Preamble to the Constitution
present
president
Prime Meridian
Prime Minister
principles of democracy
problem solving
problems
producers
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ARABIC

15

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
production
productivity
products
profit
projects
property
protect
protests
province
public benefit
public education
purpose of government
pursuit of happiness

ARABIC

Q
quantities

race
radios
railroad
rain forest
raw material
reason
receipts
recycling
reference books
reform
region
regions
relationships
relief (physical) map
religion
religious
renewable resource
repeal
representation
representative
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16

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
representatives
republic
Republican Party
reservation
resources
respect
responsibilities
revolution
Richard Nicholls
rights
Robert Fulton
role
roles
roles of citizens
roots of American culture
rules
rural
rural to urban to suburban migration

ARABIC

S
sachem
safeguarding individual liberties
safety
same/different
satellite-produced images
satisfy
scale
scarce resources
scarcity
school
science and technology
scientific/technological exchanges and
connections
seaways
secondary source
security
self
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
selling
Senate of the United States
separatists
services
settle
settlement
settlements
settler
shape
shelter
similarities/differences
slave
slave trade
slavery
social
social/cultural changes and connections
socialism
societies
society
solutions
solving problems
songs
Sons of Liberty
South America
Spanish colonies
spatial organization
speeches
standard of living
stars and stripes
state
state government
Statue of Liberty
steamboat
steamboats
stock market
stories
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ARABIC

:""

18

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
strategy
strengths
strike
student rights
suburban
suburbs
subways
suffrage
supply and demand
supply and demand 4 symbols
Supreme Court
surplus
symbolize
symbols
systems

ARABIC

T
tables
tariff
tax
taxes
teach
teacher
technological
technologies - exchanges of
technology
telegraph
television
tenant farmer
themes
then/now
time
time zones
timeline
today
tolerance
tomorrow
tools
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Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ENGLISH
towpath
trade
traditions
traffic lights
trains
traitor
transmit
transportation
transportation revolution
treaty
trends
tribe
tributaries
Tropic of Capricorn
Tropic of Cancer
trucks
truth
tundra
turning points
turnpike

ARABIC

( )

U
unify
unions
unique
unite
United Nations
United States of America
unlimited
unlimited needs and wants
up/down
urban
urbanization
uses of geography

V
values
veteran
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20

Elementary-Level Social Studies Glossary

ARABIC

ENGLISH
veto
village
vote
voting

W
) (

) (

wampum
wants
war
war strategy
water masses
weaknesses
week
Western Hemisphere
westward expansion
wigwam
work
worker
world bank
world in spatial terms
writings
Y

21

year
yesterday

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