What is a Social Scientist?

Our first chapter in Social Studies is about Social Scientists.  A social scientist is a person who studies how people live in a group.  There are 4 different Social Scientists.

An Economist studies the way people in a community use resources to meet their needs and wants.  They study how people make, buy, and sell things.  The artifacts that an economist uses are receipts, price tags, advertisements, and items you have recently bought.

A Geographer studies the Earth's surface.  They study natural features like plants, animals, land features, and water.  They also study constructed, or man-made features like bridges, roads, and cities.  The artifacts a geographer looks at are maps, weather reports, and articles about nature.

A Political Scientist studies government, who is in power, and how they use that power.  They look at artifacts such as election ads, legal forms, voter information, and news stories about law and government.

Historians study the past.  They look at events and ask why and how did this happen.  Historians study artifacts such as birth certificates, family photos, letters, diaries, and family treasures.