This paper presents an analysis and investigation of content related to education for sustainable
development in the elementary Social Studies textbooks. The study analyzed total 19 Social Studies
textbooks for the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade under the Seventh Curriculum, Revised Curriculum
of 2007, and Revised Curriculum of 2009. The analysis results of content related to education for
sustainable development in the Social Studies textbooks under the curriculums were as follows: The Social
Studies textbooks under the Seventh Curriculum, Revised Curriculum of 2007, and Revised Curriculum of
2009 accounted for 33.3%, 36.1%, and 47.2%, respectively. There were no apparent changes in the
Social Studies textbooks based on the Revised Curriculum of 2007, which included education for
sustainable development in the cross-curricular learning topics, compared with those based on the Seventh
Curriculum. It was noteworthy, however, that there was a huge increase in the content related to cultural
diversity from the social, political, and cultural perspective, which was largely influenced by the inclusion
of multicultural education in the cross-curricular learning topics of the Revised Curriculum of 2009 along
with education for sustainable development. There was a special increase in the content related to
environmental issues and natural resources. Being announced when there were discussions about education
for sustainable development, the Revised Curriculum of 2009 showed distinct changes to the content
related to education for sustainable development. Not only did the amount of concerned content make a
huge increase from the Social Studies textbooks under the Revised Curriculum of 2007, but there was
also an even increase in the three perspectives of society?politics?culture, environment, and economy
and their related concepts.