SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 1

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SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 2

     
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview …………………………...…..4
Target Learner ………………………………..4
Objectives ………………………………..4
How to Use the Module ………………………………..5
Entry Behavior ………………………………..5
Pre-Test ………………………………..6

UNIT I: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL STUDIES

LESSON I – The Foundation of Social Studies

a. Definitions of Social Studies ………………………………..8

b. The History of Social Studies ………………………………..13
c. Curriculum Guidelines ………………………………..15
d. K-6 Soc. Stud. Essential Understandings ………………………………..20
e. 21st Century Skills ………………………………..29

Activities ………………………………..41
Post-test ………………………………..45

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 3

 OVERVIEW

The course emphasizes the contents of Philippine History and

Government that are necessary in teaching at the elementary level. Further,
appropriate teaching strategies and assessment methods shall be included to
prepare students to become elementary grades teachers.

TARGET LEARNERS

This subject is intended for college students who are molded to be

informed their national identity as Filipino citizens. They will realize that
understanding their history in a deeper sense could be a way of understanding
their present and be their guide to the future. The instructor hopes that this
course will serve as a means towards forging an informed citizenry, totally aware
and holistically committed towards becoming the positive change that our country
needs right now.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. Explain the basis and importance for the study of history.
2. Demonstrate willingness to protect the country’s territory and resources.
3. Promote unity among ethnic groups and regions in the Philippines
4. Propose a ways of solving corruption in the government
5. Describe the environmental condition of the country at the time of the
Spanish, American and Japanese rule in the Philippines.
6. Identify the importance of the accomplishments of the different administration
in the Philippine Government.
7. Promote the importance of proper civic responsibility

HOW TO USE THE MODULE

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 4
 (1) Read each part of the module carefully.
(2) Take the Pre-Test assessment tool to determine your prior or pre-existing
subject knowledge. Rate yourself and see if you are ready to proceed with
the first lesson of the module.
(3) Read and study each lesson. Check out the online links provided which
serve as supplementary materials.
(4) Answer the Self-Assessment Question (SAQ) after every discussion. This
helps you see how much knowledge you have gained from the lesson.
Provided also is the Answered SAQ to see if you get the correct answer. If
not, you must go back to the part which you fail to answer and review it.
(5) Do the Activity part in every lesson to further test your comprehension.
The activities given are varied depending on what is expected of you to
gain in each lesson.
(6) When you finish studying all lessons and doing all activities, do the
Assessment part which serves as performance task to accomplish in this
module. Study the rubric provided which serves as basis in grading your
work.
(7) Take the Post-Test to assess your gained knowledge and skills.
(8) If you fail the Post-Test, you have to go through the module again.

ENTRY BEHAVIOR

Before the students will proceed to the lessons, it is expected that they are
equipped with basic concepts of various disciplines in social sciences like
economic, social, political, technological, and other transformations that have
created an increasing awareness of the interconnectedness of people and places i
around the globe The succeeding lessons will introduce them to the major
themes in the study of the world while providing opportunities for them to connect
this knowledge with their experiences as a Filipino student.

PRE -TEST
SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 5
Mutiple Choice: Choose the best answer.
1. Social Studies compost of different fields of subject excpet.
a) History
b) Geography
c) Math
d) Civic
2. What is the main purpose of social studies?
a) The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make
informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a
culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.
b) Social studies is the study of people in relation to each other and to their
world.
c) It provides them with skills for productive problem solving and decision
making as well as for assessing issues and making thoughtful value
judgments.
d) help pupils learn about history, geography, politics, economics, and
culture
3. What are the 4 parts of social studies?
a) Math, science, algebra, chemistry
b) Science, history, geography, math
c) History, geography, math, civic,
d) Geography, history, civic, economics
4. What are the qualities of a good teacher except.
a) Communication Skills
b) Friendly Attitude
c) Patient
d) Lazy
5. What country first taught social studies?
a) Germany
b) Great britain
c) USA
d) Philippines

True or False:

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Direction: Analyze the following questions carefully; write TRUE if the statement
is correct, write False if otherwise.

6. Social studies is the study of people in relation to each other and to their world.
It is an issues- focused and inquiry-based interdisciplinary subject that draws
upon history, geography, ecology, economics, law, philosophy, political science
and other social science disciplines.

7. Social studies teach students fundamental concepts in economics, politics,

and culture that help them understand how the world around them works.

8. History, Economics, Civic, and Sociology is the main elements of Social

Studies.

9. Social Studies are focused only for the critical thinking for the child.

10. Social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned
decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic
society in an interdependent world.

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 UNIT I: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL STUDIES

LESSON 1 – The Foundation of Social Studies

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Determine the meaning, importance, and relevance of social studies

2. Explain the significance of studying social studies
3. Demonstrate an understanding of teaching social studies.

https://knilt.arcc.albany.edu/images/b/b4/Social_Studies_Clipart.jpg

Definitions of Social Studies

Social studies is the integrated study of multiple fields of  social

science and the humanities, including history, geography, and political
science.
The term was first coined by American educators around the turn of the
twentieth century as a catch-all for these subjects, as well as others which did not
fit into the traditional models of lower education in the United States, such
as philosophy and psychology.

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 https://i0.wp.com/www.courses.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/social-studies-courses.jpg

The term “social studies” has been misunderstood and misused both
within and outside the teaching profession. The Committee accepts the obligation
and responsibility of clarifying its meaning.

Outside the teaching profession the term “social studies” has been used as a
label for “contemporary problems,” as a term implying socialistic or reformist
purposes, as relating to social service and social welfare, as an antonym to
history, and as a label for a method of teaching. These uses of the term are
erroneous.

Within the teaching profession the term

has had a variety of uses. It has been
used to designate a combination of two
or more subjects dealing with human
relationships and to designate a
combination of the social studies
exclusive of history. The term has also
been applied to arithmetic, physics, and
other subjects in order to stress their
social aspects or their values to
society.

Throughout the period from about 1850 to about 1910, history, civics,
and geography were generally regarded as rather sharply differentiated
subjects. No common interest brought them together. Late in the
nineteenth century economics won a place in the curriculum, and early in

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the present century sociology began to appear in school programs. Thus
the social elements in the curriculum have constantly increased.

Teachers and scholars began to realize that these five subjects—history,

geography, civics, economics, and sociology were closely related. All of them
deal with human relationships:

 geography describes man’s relations to the earth;

 civics or government explains society’s attempts to control
individuals through organized states;
 economics describes and analyzes man’s efforts to make a living;
 sociology describes various kinds of group living.
 history is the story of whatever man has done, with emphasis upon
institutional and group activities.

Thus in a sense history is the most inclusive and pervasive of the social studies
and partakes of the nature of each of the others when it records activities which
fall within their scope.

Since all these subjects center their attention upon man and his
relationships, it is a matter of convenience to group them under some general
term. The over-all term for the subjects of instruction which stress human
relationships is social studies. The social studies constitute a field and not
a subject, a federation of subjects and not a unified discipline.

https://www.homeschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/FB-how-to-homeschool-social-
studies-and-geography.jpg

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 Schools have programs of social studies and
teachers are employed to teach social studies, but-
in the classroom they teach civics or history or
sociology or some topic which draws materials
from one or more of the other social studies
subjects. Very seldom does a teacher try to teach
the whole field as a single course, but he tries
constantly to show the interrelations of the subjects
within the field.

There is nothing unusual about grouping subjects into

fields. The word “science” indicates such subjects as
biology, botany, physics, and chemistry. “Mathematics”
includes arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
The word “literature” or “English” is used to include the
study of grammar, composition, history of literature, and
the English classics. The term “social studies” is used in a
similar manner to designate subjects which stress human
relationships. It implies no particular type of organization, social philosophy, or
educational theory. It is a useful and practical term, as devoid of emotion and as
general in its connotation as the word “science” or “mathematics.” It is a
convenient, inclusive designation.

Although the term “social studies” includes primarily history,

geography, civics, economics, and sociology, it also deals with materials
from other subjects.

Thus some elements of ethics, psychology, philosophy, anthropology,

art, literature, and other subjects are included in various courses in the social
studies. Even if these subjects are not all taught in the schools under their titles,
they make their contributions to the social studies. However, since art and
literature are primarily concerned with individuals rather than with groups, while
ethics, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology seldom appear in school
curriculums, the term “social studies” usually describes only the subjects
listed above.

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 https://edsurge.imgix.net/uploads/package/image/114/newsela_social_studies_2-
1573190127.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=1000&h=405&fit=crop

The social studies field is distinguished from other fields by the fact that
its content is focused upon human beings and their interrelationships. All
subjects have social utility, but that does not place them within the field of the
social studies. Arithmetic has social value, but its content is not centered upon
human beings. Therefore, the social studies are those subjects in which
the content as well as the purpose is focused upon human beings.

The official use of the term “social studies” to indicate the whole field
of subjects dealing with human relationships dates from 1916.
In that year the Committee on Social Studies of the Commission on the
Reorganization of Secondary Education of the National Education Association
published a report which gave sanction to the use of the term and delimited its
meaning. The organization in 1921 of the teachers in this field and the selection
of the name, The National Council for the Social Studies, tended to standardize
the use of the term. The constitution of the Council now states that “The term
‘social studies’ is used to include history, economics, sociology, civics,
geography, and all modifications or combinations of subjects whose content as
well as aim is predominantly social.” Whether the term “social studies” is apt,
accurate, or fortunate may be a matter of opinion, but there can be no doubt that
it is the term used to designate those school subjects which deal with human
activities, achievements, and relationships.

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 The History of Social Studies

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studies-teacher-new.jpg

The original onset of the social studies field emerged in the 19th century
and later grew in the 20th century. Those foundations and building blocks were
put into place in the 1820s in the country of Great Britain before being integrated
into the United States. The purpose of the subject itself was to promote social
welfare and its development in countries like the United States and others.

In 1920, the work done by the Committee on Social Studies culminated in the
publication and release of Bulletin No. 28 (also called "The Committee on
Social Studies Report, 1916"). The 66-page bulletin, published and distributed
by the U.S. Bureau of Education, is believed to be the first written work dedicated
entirely to the subject. It was designed to introduce the concept to American
educators and serve as a guide for the creation of nationwide curricula based
around social studies. The bulletin proposed many ideas that were considered
radical at the time, and it is regarded by many educators as one the most
controversial educational resources of the early twentieth century.

In the years after its release, the bulletin received criticism from educators
on its vagueness, especially in regards to the definition of Social Studies
itself. Critics often point to Section 1 of the report, which vaguely defines Social
Studies as "understood to be those whose subject matter relates directly to
the organization and development of human society, and to man as a
member of social groups."

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 The changes to the field of study never fully
materialized until the 1950s, when changes occurred at
the state and national levels that dictated the
curriculum and the preparation standards of its teacher.
This lead to a decrease in the amount of factual
knowledge being delivered instead of focusing on key
concepts, generalizations, and intellectual skills.
Eventually, around the 1980s and 1990s, the
development of computer technologies helped grow the
publishing industry. Textbooks were created around the curriculum of each state
and that coupled with the increase in political factors from globalization and
growing economies lead to changes in the public and private education system.
Now came the influx of national curriculum standards, from the increase of
testing to the accountability of teachers and school districts shifting the social
study education system to what it is today.

Sources:
Ariola, Mariano., et al. (2019), Readings in Philippine History, Manila, UNLIMITED
BOOKS LIBRARY SERVICES & PUBLISHING INC.

Halili, C., (2013), Kamalayan; Kultura’t Kasaysayan A College Textbook in Philippine

History Mandaluyong City, Books Atbp Publishing Corp.

https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-
archives/historical-archives/american-history-in-schools-and-colleges-(1944)/chapter-5-
history-among-the-social-studies

https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/Curriculum_Guidelines_SocialStudies_T
eaching_and_Learning_0.pdf

SAQ. What are the basic elements of social studies?

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Let’s look at how you did…..

ASAQ.
If you answered: the term “social studies” includes primarily
history, geography, civics, economics, and sociology, it also
deals with materials from other subjects. Thus some elements
of ethics, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, art, literature,
and other subjects are included in various courses.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 14

 Curriculum Guidelines for Social Studies Teaching and
Learning

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pg

Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and

humanities to promote civic competence. Within the school program, social
studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as
anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy,
political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate
content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences. The primary
purpose of social studies is to help young people develop the ability to make
informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally
diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, implemented in 2002, describes the
social studies disciplines of civics/government, economics, geography, and
history as “core academic subjects,” and requires teachers of these subjects to
meet their state’s definition of a “highly qualified” teacher. However, there is no
mention of the core contents of social studies in requirements for assessments,
and one of the consequences of No Child Left Behind has been a steady
reduction in the amount of time spent in the teaching of social studies.

The National Council for the Social Studies reaffirms that an excellent education
in social studies is essential to civic competence and the maintenance and

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enhancement of a free and democratic society. Social studies teaching and
learning are powerful when they are meaningful, integrative, value-based,
challenging, and active.

SOCIAL STUDIES: The Curriculum

1. Meaningful
The social studies program should relate to the age, maturity, and
concerns of students. The social studies program should help students
connect social studies content to their lives.

a. The program should provide students with a social studies experience at

all grade levels, K-12. In grades K-5, every student should receive
instruction in social studies every school day, and in grades 6-8, either
every school day or the equivalent thereof. At the high school level, there
should be a minimum of 3.5 credit hours for every student.
b. The program should involve students in the formulation of goals, the
selection of activities and instructional strategies, and the assessment of
curricular outcomes.
c. The program should be based on the developmental and psychological
needs of the students.
d. The program should focus on the social world as it is: its flaws, its
strengths, its dangers, and its promise.
e. The program should include the study not only of human achievements,
but also of human failures.
f. The program should emphasize pervasive and enduring social issues
and connect them to the lives of students.
g. The program should demonstrate the relationships among local, regional,
national, and global issues.
h. The program should include analysis of and attempts to formulate
potential resolutions of present and controversial global problems.
i. The program should provide intensive and recurring cross-cultural study
of groups.
j. The program should offer opportunities for students to interact with
members of other racial, ethnic, and cultural groups.
k. The program should provide opportunities for students to examine
potential future conditions and problems.
l. The program should provide a connection to the world of work through
the exploration of careers and the application of essential social studies
skills.

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2. Integrated
The social studies program should draw from currently valid
knowledge representative of human experience, culture, and beliefs in all
areas of the social studies. Strategies of instruction and learning activities
should rely on a broad range of learning resources.

a. The program should integrate current valid social studies concepts,

principles, and theories in anthropology, archaeology, economics,
geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology,
religion, and sociology.
b. The program should develop proficiency in methods of inquiry and
analyzing, organizing and using data.
c. The program should use a variety of primary and secondary sources that
accommodate a wide range of reading abilities and interests.
d. The program should promote critical, creative, and ethical thinking on
problems faced by citizens and leaders.
e. The program should use the expertise and experiences of a variety of
community resource people.
f. The program should foster life-long learning.

3. Value-based
The social studies program should consider the ethical dimensions
of topics and address controversial issues while providing an arena for
reflective development of concern for the common good and the
application of democratic values.

a. The program should help students understand the role that values play in
decision making.
b. The program should give students the opportunity to think critically and
make value-based decisions.
c. The program should support different points of view, respect for well-
supported positions, and sensitivity to cultural similarities and differences.
d. The program should encourage students to develop a commitment to
social responsibility, justice, and action.
e. The program should encourage students to examine and evaluate policy
and its implications.
f. The program should give students the opportunity to think critically and
make value-based decisions about related social issues.

4. Challenging
The social studies program should provide students with
challenging content, activities, and assessments.

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 a. The program should provide students with the opportunity to engage in
reflective discussion as they listen carefully and respond thoughtfully to
one another’s ideas.
b. The program should expose students to sources of information that
include conflicting perspectives on controversial issues.
c. The program should provide students with the opportunity to formulate
oral and written responses to content-based questions and issues.
d. The program should promote critical, creative, and ethical thinking on
problems faced by citizens and leaders.
e. The program should include in the evaluation process an assessment of
progress not only in knowledge, but also in skills, and abilities, including
thinking, valuing, and social participation.
f. The program should use evaluation data for planning curricular
improvements and ensure a challenging curriculum.
g. The program should be evaluated using data from traditional and
alternative assessments.

5. Active
The social studies program should engage the student directly and
actively in the learning process.

a. The program should provide a wide and rich range of learning activities.
b. The program should offer students opportunities to formulate hypotheses
and test them by gathering and analyzing data.
c. The program should encourage students to be involved in service-
learning projects.
d. The program should be sufficiently varied and flexible to engage all types
of learners.
e. The program should include activities that contribute to the students’
perception of teachers as fellow inquirers.
f. The program should create a climate that supports students’ self-respect
and respect for others.
g. The program should stimulate students to investigate and respond to the
human condition in the contemporary world.
h. The program should encourage students to participate in a variety of
individual, small group, and whole class activities.
i. The program should utilize many kinds of workspace to facilitate variation
in the size of groups, the use of several kinds of media technology, and a
diversity of tasks.
j. The program should encourage students to function as a learning
community.

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 Responsibilities of Social Studies Teachers

Teachers should participate in active social studies curriculum committees

with decision-making as well as advisory responsibilities. Teachers should
participate regularly in activities that foster professional competence in social
studies education, such as professional development, higher education,
professional organizations, community affairs, reading, study, and travel.

Social Studies as an Integral Part of the School Program

Social studies education should receive vigorous support as a vital and

responsible part of the school program. Appropriate instructional materials, time,
and physical facilities must be provided for social studies education. A specific
block of time should be allocated for social studies instruction for all grades K-12
equivalent to time provided for non-social studies core content areas. Social
studies education should receive active support and funding for professional
development from administrators, teachers, boards of education, and the
community. Teachers and schools should have and be able to rely upon a
district-wide policy statement on academic freedom and professional
responsibility.

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 K-6 Social Studies Essential Understandings

Kindergarten Essential Understandings

Pinterest.com

1. Students will be able to describe the past, present and future as points in time
and help us examine and understand events.

2. Students will be able to describe traditions and cultures in their family that are
celebrated in different ways and how symbols and traditions help develop a
shared culture and identity within the Philippines.

3. Students will identify maps and globes, how they can be used to represent real
places, and how they are used to locate and better understand our own
community.

4. Students will describe roles and responsibilities of people in authority and

understand how rules and laws help us to be responsible citizens.

5. Students will identify Philippines symbols and what they stand for.

6. Students will be able to describe examples of needs and wants, scarcity, and
opportunity cost within their family and school.

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First Grade Essential Understandings

1. Students will be able to compare and contrast their community in the past and
present as well as describe the contributions of people typically associated with
national holidays

2. Students will read and construct maps, understand the concept of location to
make predictions and solve problems and understand concept of place.

3. Students will understand that rules and Laws guide people to live safely and
be responsible citizens.

4. Students will identify and describe Philippine symbols and why they are
important for our country.

5. Students will be able to define and understand the relationship between

consumers and producers, goods and services, needs and wants and provide
examples of opportunity cost all within the school and community.

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Second Grade Essential Understandings

1. Students understand that culture and communities change in some ways over
time and stay the same in some ways over time.

2. Students will compare and contrast the past and present lives of different
Native American groups.

3. Students will understand that the contributions of significant persons in

Philippines history affect our lives and country in the present time.

4. Students will understand how people participate in a governing society

including civic practices such as voting, volunteering, jury service, and joining
with others to improve society.

5. Students will demonstrate knowledge of Earth’s physical and human features,

including the locations of places and regions, the distribution of landforms and
water bodies.

6. Students will understand the economic way of thinking and understand the
interaction of buyers and sellers in markets, workings of the national economy,
and interactions within the global marketplace.

7. Students will understand how people create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

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Third Grade Essential Understandings

1. Students will understand how cultural differences affect society

2. Students will learn the causes and consequences of war

3. Students will construct and read maps to understand where people, places
and resources are located.

4. Students will understand how people create, learn, share and adapt to culture
and how culture shapes their lives.

5. Students will understand how cultural beliefs, behaviors and values allow
human groups to solve the problems of daily living and how culture may change
in response to changing needs and concerns.

6. Students will determine how various aspects of culture influence its literature,
music and art.

7. Students will know the purposes and principles of the Constitution and
describe the roles of citizens and government in carrying out constitutional
practices.

8. Students will list various state symbols.

9. Students will be able to resolve disputes peacefully.

10. Students will describe the branches of government and their daily role.

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11. Students will gain knowledge of basic economic concepts and understand the
consequences of economic decisions and what factors influence the economy

12. Students will understand the various types of taxes and their purposes.

13. Students will understand how to identify and analyze between primary and
secondary artifacts and know when to appropriately use them.

Fourth Grade Essential Understandings

1. Students will summarize how Europeans started settlements and explored

early filipino and determine how cultural interactions led to conflict during the
colonial times.

2. Students will describe the contributions made by significant individuals during

the colonial times.

3. Students will construct and interpret maps and globes and understand the
relationship of places.

4. Students will describe how people are affected by changing environments and
how places and regions affect communication, transportation, and society.

5. Students will understand and describe how geography is helpful for

interpreting, explaining, and predicting.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 24

6. Students will describe character traits and civic attitudes of significant
individuals.

7. Students will understand the roles of citizens and governments in carrying out
constitutional principles including the purpose of Government.

8. Students will identify and describe symbols of state and nation.

9. Students will summarize functions and processes of governmental systems

including decision making

10. Students will summarize conflict resolution processes in the past during the
colonial period and present.

11. Students will describe cultural characteristics, including people, ideas, beliefs,
heritage, preservation, and changes in societal roles and status, of various
groups.

12. Students will compare and contrast various savings and financial
investments.

13. Students will understand how supply and demand, profit and loss affect our
economy and economic decisions.

14. Students will explain how taxes are utilized to provide goods and services
and list factors that influence changes in regional economies.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 25

Fifth Grade Essential Understandings

Modern History
1. Students will understand the importance of events in history and how events
occurred in times that are different from our own have lasting consequences for
the past and present.
2. Students will understand examples of conflict and cooperation among
individual groups and nations in different parts of the world.
3. Students will research and analyze past periods, events, and issues, using a
variety of primary sources as well as secondary sources.

Geography
1. Students will use maps can help to read, understand, acquire, and process
information.
2. Students will interpret, explain, and analyze locations to make predictions and
solve problems, including how 11 cultural and environmental characteristics
affect the distribution and movement of people, goods, and ideas.
3. Students will describe relationships within places (Human-Environment
Interaction).

Civics
1. Students will be able to define citizenship, list the rights and responsibilities,
and begin to explore how democracy works in the Philippines.
2. Students will describe changes in technology, transportation, and
communication in Philippines during the 20th Century and its effects on human
lives.
3. Students will list factors that influence immigration on the history of Philippines.

Economics
1. Students will understand fundamental economic concepts and will apply their
understanding of economics in real-world situations

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 26

2. Students will understand the affect economic decisions had on the nation’s
past and present.
Sixth Grade Essential Understandings

Geography
1. Students will locate places by absolute and relative positions.
2. Students will describe how places form and change as a result of human and
physical characteristics and describe how humans interact with their environment
in order to meet their needs.
3. Students will analyze how places are connected with one another through
movement of goods, people, and ideas.
4. Students will identify characteristics of regions and list factors that contribute to
a region’s identity.

Prehistory
1. Students will understand how prehistoric humans survived and adapted to
their environment by describing various adaptations such as: making simple

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 27

tools, using fire, developing language, providing food and shelter for their families
and themselves.
2. Students will understand the background on why scholars and archaeologists
study Prehistory and civilization.

Mesopotamia
1. Students will explain how geography and climate affect aspects of the
Mesopotamian civilization and will understand basic elements of religion, social
classes and government.
2. Students will make connections of Ancient Mesopotamia’s contributions and
how they affect present day.

Egypt
1. Students will understand the importance of the Nile River and how it affected
trade routes in Egypt.
2. Students will understand basic elements of Egyptian religion, their beliefs of
the afterlife, and how Ancient Egyptians developed architecture and monuments
which reflected their religious beliefs.
3. Students will understand the importance of the hieroglyphics and how it relates
to writing forms of other cultures.

India
1. Students will explain how geography and climate affect aspects of India.
2. Students will understand and describe basic elements of Hinduism, Buddhism,
and Islam.
3. Students will analyze the dynamics and significance of the Caste System and
how it compares to our Social Classes of today and will make connections of
Ancient India’s contributions and how they affect present day.

China
1. Students will explain how geography and climate affect aspects of civilizations
(typhoon, monsoon, plateau)
2. Students will understand the purpose of the Great Wall (plus other
architectural features) and how it prevented outside influence.
3. Students will make connections of Ancient China’s contributions and how they
affect present day.
4. Students will Analyze Chinese dynasties and explain how each one influenced
the government and progress of their civilization.
5. Students will determine attributes between the 3 main religions of Ancient
China (Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism) and how they affected the civilization.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 28

 21st Century Skills for Social Studies Students

21st Century skills are 12 abilities that today’s students need to succeed in
their careers during the Information Age.

The twelve 21st Century skills are: 

1. Critical thinking
2. Creativity
3. Collaboration
4. Communication
5. Information literacy
6. Media literacy
7. Technology literacy

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 29

 8. Flexibility
9. Leadership
10. Initiative
11. Productivity
12. Social skills

These skills are intended to help students keep up with the lightning-pace of
today’s modern markets. Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but they all
have one quality in common.

They’re essential in the age of the Internet.

On this page, we’ll take a look at what’s included in 21st Century skills,
how they help students, and why they’re so important.

To start, let's dive into the three categories that 21st Century skills fall into.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 30

The Three 21st Century Skill Categories

Each 21st Century skill is broken into one of three categories:

1. Learning skills
2. Literacy skills
3. Life skills

Learning skills (the four C’s) teaches students about the mental processes
required to adapt and improve upon a modern work environment.

Literacy skills (IMT) focuses on how students can discern facts, publishing

outlets, and the technology behind them. There’s a strong focus on determining
trustworthy sources and factual information to separate it from the misinformation
that floods the Internet.

Life skills (FLIPS) take a look at intangible elements of a student’s everyday life.

These intangibles focus on both personal and professional qualities.

Category 1. Learning Skills (The Four C’s)

The four C’s are by far the most popular 21st Century skills. These skills are also
called learning skills.

More educators know about these skills because they’re universal needs for any
career. They also vary in terms of importance, depending on an individual’s
career aspirations.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 31

The 4 C's of 21st Century Skills are:

 Critical thinking: Finding solutions to problems

 Creativity: Thinking outside the box
 Collaboration: Working with others
 Communication: Talking to others

Arguably, critical thinking is the most important quality for someone to

have in health sciences.

In business settings, critical thinking is essential to improvement. It’s the

mechanism that weeds out problems and replaces them with fruitful endeavors.

It’s what helps students figure stuff out for them when they don’t have a teacher
at their disposal.

Creativity is equally important as a means of adaptation. This skill

empowers students to see concepts in a different light, which leads to
innovation.

In any field, innovation is key to the adaptability and overall success of a

company.

Learning creativity as a skill requires someone to understand that “the way things
have always been done” may have been best 10 years ago — but someday, that
has to change.

Collaboration means getting students to work together, achieve

compromises, and get the best possible results from solving a problem.

Collaboration may be the most difficult concept in the four C’s. But once it’s
mastered, it can bring companies back from the brink of bankruptcy.

The key element of collaboration is willingness. All participants have to be willing

to sacrifice parts of their own ideas and adopt others to get results for the
company.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 32

That means understanding the idea of a “greater good,” which in this case tends
to be company-wide success.

Finally, communication is the glue that brings all of these educational

qualities together.

Communication is a requirement for any company to maintain profitability. It’s

crucial for students to learn how to effectively convey ideas among different
personality types.

That has the potential to eliminate confusion in a workplace, which makes your
students valuable parts of their teams, departments, and companies.

Effective communication is also one of the most underrated soft skills in the
United States. For many, it’s viewed as a “given,” and some companies may
even take good communication for granted.

But when employees communicate poorly, whole projects fall apart. No one can
clearly see the objectives they want to achieve. No one can take responsibility
because nobody’s claimed it.

Without understanding proper communication, students in the 21st Century will

lack a pivotal skill to progress their careers.

But the four C’s are only the beginning. 21st Century skills also require students
to understand the information that’s around them.

Category 2. Literacy Skills (IMT)

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 33

Literacy skills are the next category of 21st Century skills.

They’re sometimes called IMT skills, and they’re each concerned with a different
element in digital comprehension.

The three 21st Century literacy skills are:

 Information literacy: Understanding facts, figures, statistics, and data

 Media literacy: Understanding the methods and outlets in which
information is published
 Technology literacy: Understanding the machines that make the
Information Age possible

Information literacy is the foundational skill. It helps students understand

facts, especially data points, that they’ll encounter online.

More importantly, it teaches them how to separate fact from fiction.

In an age of chronic misinformation, finding truth online has become a job all on
its own. It’s crucial that students can identify honesty on their own.

Otherwise, they can fall prey to myths, misconceptions, and outright lies. 

Media literacy is the practice of identifying publishing methods, outlets,

and sources while distinguishing between the ones that are credible and
the ones that aren’t.

Just like the previous skill, media literacy is helpful for finding truth in a world
that’s saturated with information.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 34

This is how students find trustworthy sources of information in their lives. Without
it, anything that looks credible becomes credible.

But with it, they can learn which media outlets or formats to ignore. They also
learn which ones to embrace, which is equally important.

Last, technology literacy goes another step further to teach students about

the machines involved in the Information Age.

As computers, cloud programming, and mobile devices become more important

to the world, the world needs more people to understand those concepts.

Technology literacy gives students the basic information they need to understand
what gadgets perform what tasks and why.

This understanding removes the intimidating feeling that technology tends to

have. After all, if you don’t understand how technology works, it might as well be
magic.

But technology literacy unmasks the high-powered tools that run today’s world.

As a result, students can adapt to the world more effectively. They can play an
important role in its evolution.

They might even guide its future.

But to truly round out a student’s 21st Century skills, they need to learn from a
third category.

Category 3. Life Skills (FLIPS)

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 35

Life skills is the final category.  Also called FLIPS, these skills all pertain to
someone’s personal life, but they also bleed into professional settings.

The five 21st Century life skills are:

 Flexibility: Deviating from plans as needed

 Leadership: Motivating a team to accomplish a goal
 Initiative: Starting projects, strategies, and plans on one’s own
 Productivity: Maintaining efficiency in an age of distractions
 Social skills: Meeting and networking with others for mutual benefit

Flexibility is the expression of someone’s ability to adapt to changing

circumstances.

This is one of the most challenging qualities to learn for students because it’s
based on two uncomfortable ideas:

1. Your way isn’t always the best way

2. You have to know and admit when you’re wrong

That’s a struggle for a lot of students, especially in an age when you can know
any bit of information at the drop of a hat.

Flexibility requires them to show humility and accept that they’ll always have a lot
to learn — even when they’re experienced.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 36

Still, flexibility is crucial to a student’s long-term success in a career. Knowing
when to change, how to change, and how to react to change is a skill that’ll pay
dividends for someone’s entire life.

It also plays a big role in the next skill in this category.

Leadership is someone’s penchant for setting goals, walking a team

through the steps required, and achieving those goals collaboratively.

Whether someone’s a seasoned entrepreneur or a fresh hire just starting their

careers, leadership applies to career.

Entry-level workers need leadership skills for several reasons. The most
important is that it helps them understand the decisions that managers and
business leaders make.

Then, those entry-level employees can apply their leadership skills when they’re

promoted to middle management (or the equivalent). This is where 21st Century
skill learners can apply the previous skills they’ve learned.  

It’s also where they get the real-world experience they need to lead entire
companies.

As they lead individual departments, they can learn the ins and outs of their
specific careers. That gives ambitious students the expertise they need to grow
professionally and lead whole corporations.

True success also requires initiative, requiring students to be self-starters.

Initiative only comes naturally to a handful of people. As a result, students need

to learn it to fully succeed.

This is one of the hardest skills to learn and practice. Initiative often means
working on projects outside of regular working hours.

The rewards for students with extreme initiative vary from person to person.
Sometimes they’re good grades. Other times they’re new business ventures.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 37

Sometimes, it’s spending an extra 30 minutes at their jobs wrapping something
up before the weekend.

Regardless, initiative is an attribute that earns rewards. It’s especially indicative

of someone’s character in terms of work ethic and professional progress.

That goes double when initiative is practiced with qualities like flexibility and
leadership.

Along with initiative, 21st Century skills require students to learn

about productivity. That’s a student’s ability to complete work in an
appropriate amount of time.

In business terms, it’s called “efficiency.”

The common goal of any professional — from entry-level employee to CEO — is

to get more done in less time.

By understanding productivity strategies at every level, students discover the

ways in which they work best while gaining an appreciation for how others work
as well.

That equips them with the practical means to carry out the ideas they determine
through flexibility, leadership, and initiative.

Still, there’s one last skill that ties all other 21st Century skills together.

Social skills are crucial to the ongoing success of a professional. Business

is frequently done through the connections one person makes with others around
them.

This concept of networking is more active in some industries than others, but
proper social skills are excellent tools for forging long-lasting relationships.

While these may have been implied in past generations, the rise of social media
and instant communications have changed the nature of human interaction.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 38

As a result, today’s students possess a wide range of social skills. Some are
more socially adept than others. Some are far behind their peers. And some
lucky few may be far ahead, as socializing comes naturally to them.

But most students need a crash course in social skills at least. Etiquette,
manners, politeness, and small talk still play major roles in today’s world.

That means some students need to learn them in an educational setting instead
of a social setting.

For them, it’s another skill to add to their lives.

Now that we’ve established what 21st Century skills are, let’s answer the next big
question.

Do employers actually want people with 21st Century skills?

How Do You Teach 21st Century Skills?

Now you know what 21st Century skills are and why employers want new hires to
have them.

So how do you teach them in your daily classes?

Before getting into the details, it's important to identify who should teach 21st
Century skills.

While these skills can be taught at any grade level, we find it's most
important to teach 21st Century skills in middle or early high school.

This is the time when your students need to hone their career readiness skills
before they enter the workforce!

So how can middle and high school teachers teach 21st Century skills
effectively?

Sources:

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 39

Ariola, Mariano., et al. (2019), Readings in Philippine History, Manila,
UNLIMITED BOOKS LIBRARY SERVICES & PUBLISHING INC.

Halili, C., (2013), Kamalayan; Kultura’t Kasaysayan A College Textbook in

Philippine History Mandaluyong City, Books Atbp Publishing Corp.

https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-
archives/historical-archives/american-history-in-schools-and-colleges-
(1944)/chapter-5-history-among-the-social-studies

https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/Curriculum_Guidelines_SocialStu
dies_Teaching_and_Learning_0.pdf

SAQ. What are the basic elements of the curriculum for social
studies?

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Let’s look at how you did…..

ASAQ.
If you answered: the basic elements of the curriculum for
social studies are Meaningful, Integrated, Value-based,
Challenging, and Active.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 40

 ACTIVITIES

Activity 1. Essay
Instruction: Exhaust all the possible explanations and provide concrete
examples to articulate your arguments.

1. Why Social Studies is important for the 21st Century Teaching and Learning.
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SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 41

2. Give an insight on how you teach social studies in a meaningful and interesting
discussion to your 21st Century Learners.
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SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 42

________________________________________________________________________
Activity 2. Find it!

Highlight the 20 words that are related to our topic. If you can I challenge you
to finish it for 10mins.

A S I C J F G H S A C T I V E M J M X C
R F D Z I J D Z X C K L Q Z I E H N E P
A V C Y T V T C A S I A W N M A G B C O
N B W R H K I B O T Q H T K N N F R O I
T H Q L K S J C E S A E T G S I D E N J
H J Z U M D I R F D R R X E G N S H O T
R U V A O O A J G R A S I O V G A C M D
O I N P L T T U E H Z D D G W F W A I E
P O U O U B V L K U U E C R A U Q E C S
O L G R R Y A E L T T H Z A S L E T S A
L Y E S A T Q R S A A D B P F R Y Z H B
O D I T I V A L R L I F N H K G U Y G E
G E T O X X A G L O U G M Y O A H R F U
Y F N R V I E E Z Y T H C L R S G O D L
E Y V J C T N Y T F E J O D Y C B T S A
T I N O N G P U B H D H D B R F X S A V
I M S I I Z O I V N C S S Z T T Z I Z F
U P A N O X L O X Y H P O S O L I H P D
J S G Y F C K D S D F G H J K I O P R T
H C E L L A S P H J R E N R A E L T Y U

1. Social Studies 11. Art

2. History 12. Literature
3. Geography 13. Interrelation
4. Sociology 14. Meaningful
5. Civic 15. Integrated
6. Economics 16. Value-based
7. Ethics 17. Challenging
8. Psychology 18. Active
9. Philosophy 19. Teacher
10. Anthropology 20. Learner

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 43

Activity 3. My Favorite Social Studies!

Instruction: Crop your picture and paste inside the box below of your favorite
element of social studies and explain why you choose that kind of social studies.
Give also a brief explanation on how you teach that subject to your pupils.

Paste your Photo Here

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SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 44

________________________________________________________________________

POST-TEST

Multiple Choice: Choose the best answer.

11. Social Studies compost of different fields of subject except.
a) History
b) Geography
c) Math
d) Civic
12. What is the main purpose of social studies?
a) The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make
informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a
culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.
b) Social studies is the study of people in relation to each other and to their
world.
c) It provides them with skills for productive problem solving and decision
making as well as for assessing issues and making thoughtful value
judgments.
d) help pupils learn about history, geography, politics, economics, and
culture
13. What are the 4 parts of social studies?
a) Math, science, algebra, chemistry
b) Science, history, geography, math
c) History, geography, math, civic,
d) Geography, history, civic, economics
14. What are the qualities of a good teacher except.
a) Communication Skills
b) Friendly Attitude
c) Patient
d) Lazy
15. What country first taught social studies?
a) Germany
b) Great britain
c) USA
d) Philippines

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 45

True or False:
Direction: Analyze the following questions carefully; write TRUE if the statement
is correct, write False if otherwise.

16. Social studies are the study of people in relation to each other and to their
world. It is an issues- focused and inquiry-based interdisciplinary subject that
draws upon history, geography, ecology, economics, law, philosophy, political
science and other social science disciplines.

17. Social studies teaches students fundamental concepts in economics, politics,

and culture that help them understand how the world around them works.

18. History, Economics, Civic, Sociology is the main elements of Social Studies.

19. Social Studies is focused only for the critical thinking for the child.

20. Social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned
decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic
society in an interdependent world.

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 46

 [send your outputs below]
[email protected]

SOCIAL SCIENCE 112 – TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY GRADES Page 47