AEPA Middle Grades Social Studies Exam

The Middle Grades Social Studies test measures your knowledge according to the Arizona Academic Standards. Success on the test indicates that you are qualified to teach this subject in Arizona public schools. The test content is drawn from six subareas based on AEPA learning objectives: American History (23% of the test); World History (23%); Civics and Government (16%); Geography (16%); Economics (13%); and Social Studies Skills (10%). Test-takers should know major developments in both American history (for example, colonization, the Civil War, and major contemporary events) and world history (such as early civilizations, the Renaissance, and major contemporary events). Test-takers should expect questions on the foundations, structure, and functions of government in the United States, as well as of government systems of the world, international relations, and citizenship. The test also covers world geography (including physical and human systems) and economics, including global economics and personal finance. Lastly, the test measures knowledge of research skills, social science information, and visual representations of such information.

AEPA Middle Grades Social Studies Practice Questions

1. Which of the following federal courts features trials by jury?

A: district courts
B: Supreme Court
C: appellate courts
D: precedent courts

2. How many votes in the Electoral College does a candidate need to be elected President of the United States?

A: 100
B: 174
C: 270
D: 538

3. What are the components of total cost?

A: fixed costs, marginal costs
B: fixed costs, variable costs, marginal costs
C: variable costs, marginal costs
D: fixed costs, variable costs

4. What is the legal name for the practice of censoring material before it is produced and distributed?

A: prior restraint
B: anti-slander legislation
C: calumny
D: preemptive strike

5. What is the name for the total amount of all final goods and services produced in a country during a given year?

A: income
B: national resources
C: gross domestic product
D: national product

Answer key

1. A. The decisions of appellate courts and the Supreme Court are made by judges.
2. C. There are 538 electors, so winning 270 guarantees a majority.
3. D. Fixed costs are permanent and unavoidable; variable costs change in response to changes in output.
4. A. The government has a heavy burden of proof when it attempts to engage in prior restraint.
5. C. GDP is often calculated as the sum of consumer spending, government spending, investment, and net exports.