GACE Middle Grades Social Science Practice Test

Free GACE Middle Grades Social Science Practice Test

The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Middle Grades Social Science examination is designed to assess the knowledge and skills of individuals seeking admission to an educator preparation program, certification in Georgia, or wanting to become qualified in teaching middle school social science.

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Exam Outline

The GACE Middle Grades Social Science exam is made of five testlets, which you can take individually in different sessions or all at once in one session. The total combined time limit is 2.5 hours, and the total number of questions is 100.

United States History

(Testlet 111)

There are 20 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 30 minutes. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:

• Key social, economic, and political characteristics of major American Indian cultures and early interactions with Europeans
• Major events and consequences of European exploration, colonization, and conflict/interaction with Indigenous peoples
• Causes, major events, and outcomes of the American Revolution and its impact on the growth of the early United States
• Development of national and state governments, including weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and debates over the US Constitution
• Political and constitutional developments of the early national and Jacksonian eras
• Patterns of westward expansion and their effects on American Indian nations, slavery, and national growth
• Economic and social transformations during the 19th century, including industrialization, immigration, and the emergence of a national market economy
• Major causes, turning points, and consequences of the Civil War and key developments of Reconstruction
• Origins, goals, and achievements of major 19th-century reform movements, including abolitionism and women’s rights
• Major political, economic, and social changes of the Progressive Era, including reform movements and expansion of democracy
• Causes and effects of the Great Depression and government responses to economic crisis
• Major social, political, and economic developments in the United States since 1877, including civil rights movements and changing roles of Georgia in US history

World History

(Testlet 112)

There are 20 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 30 minutes. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:

• Major geographic, social, political, economic, and cultural patterns of early civilizations across Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas
• Core beliefs, sacred traditions, and historical development of major world religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism
• Causes and global consequences of European exploration and colonization, including the transatlantic slave trade and its effects on Indigenous, African, and European societies
• Central ideas and lasting influence of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment on developments in Europe and the Americas
• Key causes, similarities, and outcomes of major political revolutions such as the English, American, and French Revolutions
• Economic, social, and political forces behind the rise of industrialization and the expansion of urban centers in Europe
• Causes and impacts of European imperialism and interactions between imperial powers and the peoples of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East
• Causes, significant events, and global consequences of World War I and World War II
• Major developments associated with decolonization in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East and key features of the Cold War
• Social, political, economic, and cultural changes worldwide from 1750 to the present, including major artistic, intellectual, and scientific movements
• Global issues of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, such as environmental challenges, terrorism, economic inequality, and resource limitations
• Causes and consequences of slavery and emancipation movements in the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe

Geography

(Testlet 113)

There are 20 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 30 minutes. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:

• Core geographic themes and elements, including location, place, regions, movement, and human–environment interaction
• Major geographic terms and concepts such as habitat, ecology, interdependence, cultural diffusion, and demographic change
• Key physical features of the earth, including major landforms, bodies of water, climate patterns, and the physical processes that shape them
• Climate and topography as factors influencing the development, distribution, and characteristics of human societies
• Natural resource locations, uses, and their impact on population patterns and economic development in Georgia, the United States, and the world
• How human societies modify the physical environment, adapt to environmental changes, and use technology to address environmental challenges
• Geography’s influence on cultural development, including linguistic, religious, social, and economic patterns across world regions
• Historical and modern settlement patterns and how environmental factors shape human communities over time
• Human population distribution, causes and effects of migration, and global demographic trends
• How cooperation, conflict, and differing viewpoints influence cultural interactions, political boundaries, and control of resources
• Fundamental characteristics, strengths, and limitations of maps, globes, and major map projections
• Uses and features of geographic reference tools and technologies such as maps, atlases, GIS, and satellite imagery

Civics and Political Science

(Testlet 114)

There are 20 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 30 minutes. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:

• Core political science concepts such as powers of government, sovereignty, judicial review, due process, and social contract theories
• Historical development and key characteristics of democratic and representative governments
• Major forms of government around the world and comparisons between US political structures and other systems
• Central ideas and significance of foundational US documents, including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Federalist Papers, and key reform-era documents
• Fundamental principles, major articles, and significant amendments to the US Constitution, especially those expanding civil and voting rights
• Landmark US Supreme Court decisions and major federal legislation that have shaped civil rights, liberties, and government powers
• Structure, powers, and responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the federal level
• Separation of powers and checks and balances and how these principles influence the functioning of government
• Law-making processes at federal and state levels, including the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups
• Key features of the US electoral system and the ways citizens participate in political life and public decision-making
• Roles of the president and Congress in shaping US foreign policy and major factors influencing foreign policy decisions
• Organization and functions of Georgia state and local governments and how authority is divided and shared across federal, state, and local levels

Economics

(Testlet 115)

There are 20 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 30 minutes. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:

• Fundamental economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost, specialization, competition, incentives, and supply and demand
• Key characteristics of traditional, market, command, and mixed economic systems and how they compare on an economic spectrum
• Major factors of production—land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship—and how they combine to produce goods and services
• Organization and operation of market economies, including the roles of entrepreneurs, pricing, and competition
• Basic forms of business organization and the factors that shape business decisions and operations
• Consumer economics principles, including evaluating information, understanding advertising, making purchases, and applying consumer protection laws
• Core concepts of personal finance such as budgeting, credit, savings, and investment
• Major sectors of the U.S. economy, including households, private business, government, and financial institutions
• Causes and effects of unemployment, inflation, deflation, and other influences on the business cycle
• Role of monetary policy and the Federal Reserve in regulating money supply and moderating inflation and recession
• Effects of fiscal policy, government regulation, transportation systems, and spatial economic patterns on economic activity
• Basic principles of international economics, including trade barriers and factors that shape global economic relationships

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Registration

To register for the exam, you need to use your MyPSC account. If you do not have an account, create your account to receive your Georgia certification number. After you register for the Middle Grades Social Science exam on MyPSC, create an ETS GACE testing account. Your ETS account lists the test(s) you are approved to take. You will register for the exam through your ETS GACE testing account.

Fees

You can register to take the tests individually ($17) or combined ($84.50). Your test fee includes a $25 registration fee and a $28 test center fee. Individuals taking the GACE exam at an international testing site are subject to an additional $50 test site fee.

Test Day

You should arrive at the testing center on exam day about 30 minutes before your scheduled exam. If you arrive later than the listed reporting time on your admission ticket, you will not be able to take the exam and your testing fees will be forfeited.

During the check-in process, you will be asked to provide at least one form of valid identification, which must contain your photo and signature. Once the check-in process is complete, you will be asked to place all personal items in a secure locker outside the testing room.

Once you are ready, the proctor will lead you to the testing area and provide some short instructions before starting the exam.

How the Exam is Scored

When you have completed your exam, you are given the option to report or cancel your scores. They cannot be reinstated if you choose to cancel your scores.

You should also receive an unofficial score report right after the exam. Your official report will be made available about three weeks after the testing window closes.

Passing Score

Your final score for the full exam will be a scaled score between 100 and 300. For the GACE Middle Grades Social Science exam, the passing score is 220.

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By Eric Richter

Eric is the Product Development Manager responsible for developing and updating the Mometrix Teacher Certification and K-12 products. Eric has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s of education in Teaching ESOL.

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