If you need help studying for the GACE Middle Grades Social Science test or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place!
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What’s on the Test?
The GACE Middle Grades Social Science test contains 100 multiple-choice questions and is timed at 2.5 hours.
The exam is split into five testlets, which are taken in separate testing sessions (but can be taken on the same day if you’d like).
1. United States History (111)
20 questions | 30 minutes
- Major cultural, political, and economic characteristics of American Indian societies and their interactions with Europeans
- Motives and effects of European exploration and colonization in North America
- Key causes, events, figures, and consequences of the American Revolution
- Problems under the Articles of Confederation and debates surrounding the US Constitution
- Political and constitutional developments in the early national and Jacksonian eras
- Expansion of the United States and its impact on American Indians, slavery, and sectional tensions
- Economic and social transformations in the 19th century, including industrialization and immigration
- Major causes, turning points, and outcomes of the Civil War
- Social, political, and economic changes during the Reconstruction era
- Key reform movements before 1877, including abolitionism and women’s rights
2. World History (112)
20 questions | 30 minutes
- Geographic, political, economic, and cultural features of early civilizations across Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas
- Core beliefs, traditions, and historical development of major world religions
- Causes and global consequences of European exploration, colonization, and the transatlantic slave trade
- Key ideas and long-term influence of the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment
- Major causes and effects of political revolutions such as the English, American, and French Revolutions
- Origins and effects of industrialization and the growth of urban societies
- Motives and impacts of European imperialism around the world
- Major events and global significance of World War I and World War II
- Consequences of decolonization and the essential developments of the Cold War
- Social, economic, cultural, and environmental issues shaping the modern world since 1945
3. Geography (113)
20 questions | 30 minutes
- Essential geographic themes and concepts such as location, place, regions, movement, and human–environment interaction
- Major geographic terms and ideas including ecology, interdependence, diffusion, and demographic change
- World physical features, climate regions, and the processes that shape Earth’s surface
- Climate and topography as factors influencing culture, migration, and human settlement patterns
- Distribution and use of natural resources and their impact on population and economic development
- Ways humans modify and adapt to their environments through technology and environmental decision-making
- Geography’s influence on cultural development, including social, linguistic, economic, and religious patterns
- Major trends in global population, migration, and settlement over time
- Cooperation, conflict, and political boundaries as expressions of geographic relationships
- Essential map skills and the uses of geographic tools such as GIS, atlases, and satellite imagery
4. Civics and Political Science (114)
20 questions | 30 minutes
- Core political science concepts such as sovereignty, separation of powers, judicial review, and due process
- Historical development and major features of democratic and representative government
- Forms of government around the world and comparisons with the US political system
- Key principles and ideas in foundational US documents including the Constitution and Declaration of Independence
- Structure, powers, and responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
- Roles of amendments, major laws, and landmark Supreme Court cases in shaping civil rights and liberties
- Processes of lawmaking at federal and state levels, including the role of interest groups
- Major features of the US electoral system and ways citizens participate in civic life
- How US foreign policy is developed and the roles of the president and Congress
- Organization and functions of Georgia state and local governments and how powers are shared across levels
5. Economics (115)
20 questions | 30 minutes
- Essential economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost, incentives, and supply and demand
- Characteristics of traditional, market, command, and mixed economic systems
- Factors of production—land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship—and how they combine to produce goods and services
- How market economies function, including pricing, competition, and the role of entrepreneurs
- Basic structures of business organization and influences on business decisions
- Consumer economics skills such as evaluating information, understanding advertising, and using consumer protections
- Personal finance principles including budgeting, credit, saving, and investing
- Major sectors of the US economy including households, businesses, government, and financial institutions
- Unemployment, inflation, and the business cycle and how monetary and fiscal policy influence economic conditions
- Essential ideas in international economics such as trade barriers, global markets, and economic interdependence
How to Register
To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to create a MyPSC account on the GaPSC website. You should receive a Georgia Certification ID (GA CERT ID) during this process, which you’ll use for identification throughout the registration and testing process.
The next step is to create an Evaluation Systems GACE account. This account will allow you to register for the exam and pay the testing fee(s).
GACE Middle Grades Social Science Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
How the Exam is Scored
The GACE Middle Grades Social Science test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
Scaled Scoring
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone that takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you don’t get the score you want on your first try, that’s okay! You can take the exam again after a mandatory 30-day waiting period.
FAQs
How many questions are on the GACE Middle Grades Social Science exam?
The exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions.
What is the time limit for the GACE Middle Grades Social Science exam?
The exam is timed at 2.5 hours.
What is the passing score for the GACE Middle Grades Social Science exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 220 to pass.
How much does the GACE Middle Grades Social Science exam cost?
The testing fee for the full exam is $84.50.
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