Teaching Social Studies in Elementary Grades

As societies around the world struggle to keep pace with the progress of
technology and globalization, increasing individualization and diversity,
expanding economic and cultural uniformity, degradation of ecosystem
services, and greater vulnerability and exposure to natural and technological
hazards (UNESCO, 2017)

The K to 12 Basic Education Program implemented in 2012 is a response to

the aforementioned global trends through the passage of RA 10533 or the
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. It states that:
Every graduate of basic education shall be an empowered individual who
has learned, through a program that is rooted on sound educational
principles and geared towards excellence, the foundations for learning
throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be productive, the
ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global communities, the
capability to engage in autonomous, creative, and critical thinking, and the
capacity and willingness to transform others and one’s self (Sec II, part 2)

The state shall:

(a) give every student an opportunity to receive quality education that is
globally competitive based on a pedagogically sound curriculum that is at par
with international standards
(b) broaden the goals of high school education for college preparation,
vocational and technical career opportunities as well as creative arts, sports
and entrepreneurial employment in a rapidly changing and increasingly
globalized environment; and
(c) make education learner-oriented and responsive to the needs, cognitive
and cultural capacity, the circumstances and diversity of learners, schools
and communities through the appropriate languages of teaching and
learning, including mother tongue as a learning resource
Vital in this educational reform is a clear articulation of curricular content
relative to the promise of developing Filipinos with the ability to coexist in
fruitful harmony with local and global communities. Thus, Araling Panlipunan
(Social Studies) as a learning area program is an essential component of the
PH K to 12 Curriculum
Social studies: Meanings, Concepts, and Purpose
Social studies is an integrative learning program intended to develop civic
competence among students. Civic competence is defined as the ability to
engage effectively with others in the public domain, and to display solidarity
and interest in solving problems affecting the local and wider community.
This involves critical and creative reflection and constructive participation in
community activities as well as decision-making at all levels, from local to
national and even in international area.

The National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) defines social studies as
“the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic
competence. It provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such
disciplines, as well as appropriate content from other disciplines outside
social studies. 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.
According to Arthur Dunn, the purpose of Social Studies is to examining
social science topics which include civic competence, history, governance,
society, and culture, among other things.
The lessons and topics from Grade 1 to 12 are anchored in the seven themes
that include:
1. People, Environment and Society
2. Time, Continuity, Change
3. Culture, Responsibility, and Nationhood
4. Rights, Responsibilities, and Citizenship
5. Power, Authority, and Governance
6. Production, Distribution and Consumption
7. Regional and Global Connections
Conceptualizing Social Studies: A Brief History of Social Studies in School
Curricula
It is essential to examine as early as now how social studies as a subject
evolved. Subsequent paragraphs were heavily borrowed from the paper
written by David Warren Saxe title “Framing a Theory for Social Studies
Foundations” published in 1992. He explicitly stated this when he said that,
‘I argue that practitioners and theorists are prevented from articulating viable
perceptions of social studies purpose, theory, and practice because they lack
basic understanding of the original historical underpinnings of social studies”
This “Scarcity of theoretical” foundations can be rooted in the myths (as used
by Saxe) on the origin of social studies which widely spread among
educators and practitioners. He clearly pointed this out when he said that
“where teachers, administrators, and even social studies theorists continued
the litany and rituals of the field, there was little understanding of its original
purpose and even less understanding of a continuing dialogue for examining
collective aims.”
Myths on the Origin of Social Studies
1. Continuous Spontaneous Existence Theory – social studies exists without
any antecedents, it hold the idea that social studies past is not relevant
2. Big Bang Theory of 1916 – centered on the idea that social studies
suddenly appeared in the year 1916, thanks to the committee on the social
studies under the sponsorship on the Nation Education Association.
3. History Foundation Theory – is an extension of the big bang theory. Here,
conventional wisdom holds that history was the seedbed or promulgator of
social studies.
Social Studies as an Integrated Curriculum
As defined by Shoemaker (1989), is an education that is organized in such
a way that it cuts across subject-matter lines, bringing together various
aspects of the curriculum into meaningful association to focus upon broad
areas of study. Which includes integrated experiences, social integration,
knowledge integration and integration as a curricular model.
In integrated experiences, the learners take an active role in the educational
process by linking experiences with the information shared by the teachers.
Interdisciplinary curriculum, on the other hand, is a curricular model that uses
multiple disciplines or learning areas in examining a given theme, problem,
topic, or issue. As Lintner clarified “it is purposely subject-centered and
usually structured around a single objective (lesson plan) and developed and
delivered by a single teacher in his/her classroom”
The lessons and topics from Grade 1 to 12 are anchored in the seven themes
that include:
1. People, Environment and Society – Human interaction with his
environment is one of fundamental concepts in social studies. This is how
human interacts not only with his environment but also to a bigger society.
2. Time, Continuity, Change – Essential in the understanding of cultural and
national identity is the evolution and development of a given society. Central
in this study is the concept of time that serves as the contextual basis and
foundation in the analysis of social dynamics.
3. Culture, Responsibility, and Nationhood – Identity is anchored on culture
which pertains to the complex whole that includes belief system, values,
tradition, language, and arts of a group of people in a given society.
4. Rights, Responsibilities, and Citizenship – civic competence is grounded
on how citizens understand and value their role as members of society and
how they acknowledge their rights and roles and responsibilities as citizens.
5. Power, Authority, and Governance – is the understanding the concept of
the use of power in advocating the common good and the importance of
democratic processes in realizing good governance.
6. Production, Distribution and Consumption – provides learning experiences
that allows students understand economic concepts such as choice,
opportunity costs, expenditure, inflation, deficit, and sound economic
decision.
7. Regional and Global Connections – The Philippines is a member of a
bigger community called global village. This theme affords learners to
appreciate how the country influences the rest of the world and how it was
influenced in return.
Constructivist Theory in Teaching Social Studies
Basic Tenets of Constructivism
1. Knowledge is not passively accumulated but rather is the result of active
cognizing by the individual
2. Cognition is an adaptive process that functions to make an individual’s
behavior more viable given a particular environment
3. Cognition organizes and makes sense of one’s experience
4. Knowing has roots in both biological/neurological construction, and social,
cultural, and language-based interactions
Types of Constructivism
Cognitive Constructivism
This is typically associated with information processing and relies heavily on
the component process of cognition.
1. The processes of learning
2. How experiences and represented or symbolized in the mind
3. How representations are organized within the mind
Radical Constructivism
It believes, on the other hand, believes that the acquisition of knowledge is
an adaptive process that could be attributed from the active cognition of an
individual translating an experientially based mind. It maintains that there is
an internal nature of knowledge. Also, it recognizes the existence of an
external reality that is unknowable to the individual.
Social Constructivism
Upholds the social nature of knowledge and that knowledge is the result of
social interaction and language usage, and thus is a shared, rather than an
individual experience.
Constructivist Pedagogy
1. Authentic and real-world environments are necessary for learning to take
place
2. Social negotiation and mediation should be taken into account in any form
of learning
3. Content and skills are made significant to the learners
4. Learners prior knowledge is fundamental in the acquisition of content and
skills
5. Formative assessment should be done to inform future learning
experiences
6. Constructivism encourages learners to become self-regulated, self-
mediated, and self-aware.
7. Teachers should act as guides and facilitators of learning
8. Teachers must employ multiple perspectives and representations of
content
Linking Constructivism to the Social Studies Curriculum
The nature of social studies as a learning program complements the ideas
of constructivism as a learning philosophy. The ethic of freedom, identities,
and civic competence works well with what constructivism is espousing.
Combining both ensures the development of a holistic 21st century Filipino
learner.
Basics of Instructional Planning
For instructional planning to be considered effective, it is important for
teachers to address these three questions:
1. What should be taught
2. How should it be taught
3. How should instruction and student learning be assessed?
In planning for effective instruction, two vital characteristics are expected of
teachers.
Types of Instructional Planning
A. Long-range Planning
The current curriculum guide for every grade level already divided the
content into four quarters, each one revolving around a specific theme.
B. Unit Planning
A unit is a major division of the year-long plan. It is a cluster of related lessons
organized around a central topic, theme, issue, or problem and developed in
a logical sequence.
In planning a unit, Beal and Bolick (2013) recommended taking into account
the following elements and processes:
1. Unit title
2. Time requirement
3. List of topics
4. Target students
5. Rationale
6. Goals
7. Objectives
8. Teaching strategies
9. Resources
10. Evaluation Procedures
C. Lesson Planning
This document serves as an outline of what you will be teaching in a givern
day or days. It should follow a logical sequence that will facilitate maximum
learning for students
Daily Lesson Plan (DLP)
A teachers roadmap for a lesson. It contains a detailed description of the
steps a teacher will take to teach a particular topic, it contains objectives,
content, learning resources, procedures, remarks, and reflection.
Daily Lesson Log (DLL)
A template teachers use to log parts of their daily lesson. It contains objects,
content, learning resources, procedures, remarks, and reflection.
Things to Consider in Lesson Planning
Content
One of the primary elements that should be considered in instructional
planning is the content. Basically, teachers need to know what they will teach
in order to effectively prepare their lesson.
Objectives
An objective is a specific statement of a learning outcome. It describe what
we want our students to do and how we will know if they are already there.
In the K to 12 Curriculum Guide, statements of learning out comes are
expressed through standards and competencies. Standards are more
general outcome statements that can be achieved in weeks, quarters, year,
or years. The table below shows examples of different levels of standards in
the social studies curriculum.

Naipamamalas ang pag-unawa sa konsepto

Core Learning Area Standard at isyung pangkasaysayan, pangheograpiya,
pang-ekonomiya, pangkultura,
pampamahalaan, pansibiko, at panlipunan
gamit ang mga kasanayang nalinang sa pag-
aaral ng iba’t ibang disciplina
Key Stage Standard (K-3) Naipamamalas ang panimulang pag-unawa
at pagpapahalaga sa sarili, pamilya,
paaralan, at komunidad, at sa mga batayang
konsepta ng pagpapatuloy at pagbabago
Grade Level Standard (Grade 2) Naipamamalas ang kamalayan, pag-unawa
at pagpapahalaga sa kasalukuyan at
nakaraan nga kinabibilangang komunidad,
gamit ang konsepto nga pagpapagtuloy at
pagbabago,
Content Standard (Grade 2, Quarter 1) Naipamamalas ang pag-unawa sa
kahalagahan ng kinabibilangang komunidad
Performance Standard (Grade 2, Quarter Malikhaing nakapagpapahayag/
1) Nakapag-sasalarawan ng kahalagahan ng
kinabibilangang komunidad
Classroom Environment
Students learn more when there is a positive classroom environment, the
reason why teachers should also take this into account in instructional
planning. They have to ensure that they have a welcome and stimulating
classroom, one where students feel regarded and represented and at the
same time excited to learn new things. A positive classroom environment
can be easily achieved through the establishment of classroom rules and
routines at the start of the school year. Price and Nelson (2014) suggested
the following guidelines
1. Develop and evaluate them with students
2. Keep rules few in number so everyone can remember them
3. Post them
4. Refer to them often
5. Support students in following them
6. Teach the students what each rule means
7. Acknowledge students for following them
8. Enforce them consistently
Materials
Another thing to consider in planning instruction is the materials. Schoenfeldt
and Salsbury (2009) defined materials as any item, tool, or piece of
equipment used to support the lesson before, during or after instruction. This
may come in the form of visual aids (maps, photos), media equipment (LCD
Projector, laptop), tools (compass, ruler), realia (artifiacts, coins), print
sources (song lyrics, documents), and manipulatives (puzzles, globe)
In selecting instructional materials, Sousa (2001) recommends that teachers
should use materials that appeal to the different senses. As much as possible
the senses of hearing, sight, and touch should be tapped since these
contribute the most to learning. Stimulating the different senses create
meaningful learning experiences for the students which can lead to a
possible long-term retention of information.
Here are a number of practical considerations in the use of instructional
materials
1. Materials should be ready to use and located nearby
2. Every student should have an equal chance to see or access the materials
3. Teachers should preview the materials in order to explain difficult terms to
students, anticipate misconceptions, answer queries, and make meaningful
connections
4. Materials should be age-appropriate, culturally responsive, and gender
sensitive.
Students
The student is the heart of the learning process. As such, they should be
given utmost consideration in instructional planning in order to effectively
facilitate learning teachers should take into account the following in the
planning process:
1. Student readiness. This refers to the ability level of a student in relation to
a given topic and skill.
2. Student interest. This is considered as a powerful motivator to engage
students in the learning process.
3. Intelligence Preference or Learning Style. This refers to the different
cognitive inclinations that a person has for learning.
Teacher
Finally, it is important for teachers to take into account their own knowledge
for instruction to become more effective. According to Mishra and Koehler
(2006) a teacher’s knowledge is comprised of three components: content
knowledge, pedagogical knowledge; and technological knowledge
Content knowledge refers to the teacher’s knowledge about the subject
matter that will be taught.
Pedagogical knowledge refers to the teacher’s knowledge about the process
of teaching and learning
Technological knowledge is the teacher’s knowledge of and ability to use
technological tools and associated resources.
Instructional Model for Social Studies
Direct Instruction Model
Perhaps the most commonly used instructional model in social is direct
instruction. Also called expository learning or explicit teaching, it is defined
as a “highly-structured, teacher-centered strategy that capitalizes on such
behavioral techniques as modelling, feedback, and reinforcement to promote
basic skills acquisition” (Morrisson, 2000). Direct instruction requires
teachers to convey facts and details, demonstrate skills and learning, provide
immediate feedback, and give guided and independent practices to test
student learning. Strategies thaet fall under this model are lectures, class
discussions, and demonstrations.
One example of direct instruction is Hunter’s Seven-Step Model. It was
developed by Madeline Hunter who believed that this model can be adopted
by and grade level and subject. It can be done by following these steps:
Process Application
Anticipatory Set The teacher presents five pictures
the different stages in the life of a
pet. Asking the class to arrange
them chronologically and provide
captions that will describe each
picture
Objective and Purpose The teacher states the objective of
the lesson: to know what a timeline
 is and how it is used in presenting
important events in one’s life
Input The teacher presents the lesson
through discussion or storytelling
Modelling The teacher presents his/her own
timeline which contains five
important events in his/her life
Checking for Understanding The teacher asks the class:
1. What is a timeline?
2. What does it look like?
3. How can it be used to present
one’s story
Guided Practice The teacher provides a worksheet
with a timeline already drawn and
students have to supply it with five
events that happened to them in
the past week or month.
Independent Practice The teacher gives an assignment
instructing students to create their
own timeline which features eight
important events in their life from
birth to present.

Inquiry Model
Ellis (2010) defines inquiry as an investigative process based on the
examination of evidence, often using questioning, hypothesis testing, and
data gathering to arrive at an evidence-based conclusion. Introduced by
John Dewey in the 1920s, this model is one of the most common indirect
approaches in social studies instruction and is also often used by social
scientists in the conduct of historical, anthropological, and sociological
research
The use of the inquiry model in social studies has some benefits. Because it
is a student-centered approach, it can increase student motivation and active
participation especially if the questions posed by the teacher are interesting
and challenging. It also promotes the development of research skills and the
use of critical thinking since students are asked to use multiple sources to
arrive at valid conclusion.
There are many inquiry models that can be sued by social studies teachers.
An example of this is from Banks (1990) who outlined the following steps:
1. Pose a question for inquiry. Make sure that the question be answered
using data and evidence.
2. Encourage students to formulate hypotheses. Use observation, prior
experiences, and logic to arrive at as many hypotheses as possible
3. Gather and analyze data. Be involved in the data collection process to
ensure that students will draw valid and reliable conclusions.
4. Determine whether to accept or reject the hypotheses based on the
conclusion. Have students publicly present the inquiry process and their
findings.
Cooperative Learning Model
Chapin (2013) defines cooperative learning as a popular instructional
approach in which small groups of students work together toward a common
learning goal. Since schools are tasked to develop not only the cognitive
capacities of students but also their social and interpersonal skills, many
teachers utilize this model in their instruction. Cooperative learning promotes
positive relationship with peers and trains students to collaborative with
people, skills that are very much needed in the real world.
In planning cooperative learning, Chapin (2013) suggests to consider the
following elements:
1. Objectives and tasks. Ensure that cooperative learning is compatible with
the objectives
2. Size of the group and the method of assigning members. Experts have
different opinions on the ideal size of groups. Cohen (1994) suggests not
more than five while Kagan (1994) believes that perfect number is four. Also,
teachers should implement heterogeneous grouping and ensure that there
is a fair distribution of abilities and gender in the groups.
3. Roles. Teachers should ensure that members of the group have roles to
play.
4. Room arrangement and materials. Groups must be seated near each
other to allow ease of communication.
An example of the cooperative learning model is the Student Teams-
Achievement Division or STAD. This model promotes individual
accountability and teamwork through the following procedure:
1. Direct Instruction: The teacher enumerates the objects and presents the
lesson through lecture, discussion, or demonstration.
2. Teams. The class is divided into heterogeneous small groups.
3. Quiz. After the group session, students are given individual quizzes
4. Individual Progress Score. Scores in the present quiz will be compared to
scores in the past exams.
5. Team recognition. Teams that reach or go above the set criterion score
will receive recognition through awards or bonus points.
Developing Lesson Plan for Social Studies
1. Comprehensive Lesson Plan
A comprehensive lesson plan contains a detailed description of the steps in
the teaching and learning process.
2. Abbreviated Lesson Plan
In contrast to a comprehensive lesson plan, an abbreviated lesson plan
contain less details. This format is usually utilized by more experienced
teachers as a substitute for comprehensive planning, especially in lessons
that do not require major preparation.
Important Components of a Lesson Plan
1. Objectives. Teachers may develop specific objectives for a given lesson.
In writing objectives, teachers, should ensure that they are specific and
measurable and describes what the students should know or be able to do.
2. Content. The content part states the actual topic or subject that will be
discussed for the day or the following days.
3. Learning Resources. In this part, teachers list down the references that
hey used in the development of the lesson.
4. Procedures. The procedures portion is the longest part of the lesson plan.
It contains the steps and activities that will be done to achieve the objectives.
5. Remarks. In this part, teachers indicate whether they have finished the
lesson or not within the given time frame.
6. Reflection. As a reflective practitioners, teachers should assess their
instruction, filling out this portion right after the delivery of the lesson.
Some Tips in Developing a Lesson Plan
1. Be familiar with the different instructional models in social studies.
2. Use an outline in your lesson plan.
3. Indicate the time allotment for every activity to help you manage the
schedule and maximize student’s time for learning
4. Provide clear transitions from one subtopic to another.
5. Include a variety of activities and minimize teacher talk to sustain students
attention.

Lecture-Discussion
Lecture-discussion is perhaps the most widely used instructional strategy
across all grade levels and subject areas. The lecture-discussion strategy is
founded on the cognitive theory of education which believes that students
internally organize and process the information they receive, thus making
them active participants in the learning process.
Steps
The lecture-discussion strategy is done by following these four basic steps:
1. Introduction. The teacher begins the lesson by providing motivation
activity, presenting the objectives, and giving an overview of the topic.
2. Presentation of the lesson. The teacher proceeds to the unfolding of the
topic through the use of question-and-answer techniques and visual
organizers.
3. Comprehension monitoring. The teacher checks students understanding
through different strategies of formative assessment
4. Integration and closure. Students summarize the lesson by highlighting
the important points, synthesizing old and new information, and/or sharing
evidence-based conclusions.
Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers provide a visual representation in developing and
summarizing students learning components. They help structure disjointed
information by creating patters that represent the interconnectedness of
ideas (Tacaiochta & Leibheal, 2008).
Why Use Graphic Organizers?
1. It facilitates critical and creative thinking. Graphic organizers allow the
learners to focus only on the highlighted essential components.
2. It organizes information. The human mind if designing to store information
using a series of networks.
3. It shows relationship. One good relationship example that is always used
is the broad-to-specific relationship.
4. It allows self-directed learning. The good thing about graphic organizers
is that it can be used for independent learning among the learners.
5. It encourages interaction. This form of teaching strategy literally engages
the learners to participate in class activities.
6. It is a form of assessment. Teachers can assess learning both before and
after the discussion.
How to Use Graphic Organizers
1. Familiarize yourself with different types of graphic organizers
2. Explain to students what graphic organizers are and why they are useful
in learning
3. Present the specific graphic organizer for a topic
4. Use examples to illustrate the use of some graphic organizers
5. Assign the graphic organizer as an individual, paired, or group activity
6. Review students’ work. Generate classroom discussion on the effective
use of graphic organizers
Eight Types of Graphic Organizers for Social Studies
1. Assume and Anticipate – This form of graphic organizers is best for
formative assessment where teachers evaluate the schema of the learners
on a certain topic.
2. Position and Pattern. This type of graphic organizer help teachers and
students see the relationship of a concept with another, particularly in
chronological order and how the pattern occurs and reoccurs in different
contexts and events.

3. Group and Organize. These organizers help teachers and students

understand that several ideas or parts are related to a single category. These
can also show a central concept and its corresponding attributes.
4. Compare and Contrast. These diagrams are used to identify the
similarities and differences between and among concepts.

5. Relate and Reason. The idea behind this type of graphic organizers
revolves around the use of inductive and deductive thinking patters.

6. Identify and Imagine. These organizers use various shapes and forms to
visually represent several concepts or pieces of information.
7. Estimate and Evaluate. This type of organizer shows how to evaluate
and explain concepts through visual perspectives.

8. Combine and Create. Among others, these organizers allow both

teachers and students to construct their own representations.
Inquiry-based Teaching Strategy
Inquiry is defined as the process of look and creating information or
knowledge by means of questions. Inquiry is a huge part of our community.
The process of inquiring begins with the assembly of information and data
by applying the human senses such as seeing, hearing, touching, tasting,
and smelling (Kumari, Arora & Tiwari, Shruti, 2016).
In 1999, White, Shimoda, and Frederiksen developed an instructional theory
that enabled scientific inquiry as part of instruction among a widespread
variety of learners, including new ones and slow learners. They postulated
that quality education could be achieved by allowing the learners to
understand metacognition. This could be done by constructing an
instructional methodology that develops the student’s metacognitive
knowledge and skills following the process of:
a. Scaffold inquiry. Teachers should guide the learners in attaining the goals
of any discussion.
b. Reflection. The spontaneity of the discussion depends on the capacity of
the teachers to direct and guide the learners.
c. Generalization. This is the optimum part of the process wherein the
learners have created their own beliefs and communicated their disposition.
Inquiry-based learning is grounded on rational strategies used to motivate
learners to generate responses through the queries regarding issues/events.
The learners are seen as active participants in the teaching process. It helps
learners to enhance their intellectual capacity through the significance of
scientific queries. Some of the benefits of inquiry-based teaching are as
follows:
1. Inquiry is dedicated to nurturing the schema of learners essential to create,
communicate, and assess answers coming from their interests.
2. It helps the learners acquire and process ideas in a logical way.
3. It encourages intelligent responses which can be practiced to discover
why issues are occurring.
Questioning Techniques
The art of questioning is the most important aspect in this strategy. The
teachers must be well-exposed to various ways of posting questions to
students. Having known the different questioning techniques, teachers are
assured of the success of their inquiry. Gershon (2014) identified the different
questioning techniques that social studies teachers can use:
a. Might question – What history might be?
b. What if question – What if there is an earthquake? What shall we do?
c. Different role question. You are the judge; will you give your verdict in favor
of the suspect?
d. Socratic questioning. This questioning combines all the aforementioned
form of questioning. Socrates has been known in history as the master of
incessant questioning to achieve wisdom.
Gadfly questions – these allow teachers to ask several questions to
push the learners to answer questions.
- What are the elections all about?
- How important is it for people to participate in the elections?
- What if people were not allowed to vote? What will happen?
Stingray questions – These questions lead to a sudden change in the
course of questions.
- You said that love is the answer; will love change the situation of the
poor?
- Imagine that poverty is not applicable to your case; would you still
pursue your career as an artist?
Midwife questions – from the name itself, these questions are used to
elicit new ideas to the learners
- That is a very good point. Can you elaborate it further?
- How might that idea change the lives of Filipinos?
- What made you say that idea?
Ignoramus questions – in here, teachers play dumb for them to elicit
responses among the learners
- I don’t understand. Can you further explain it to me?
- So, do you mean that?
Case study
The case study is a structured, learner-centered strategy that explores
complex and value-laden issues through problem-solving and decision-
making. In this strategy, students are tasked to analyze one or more cases
and propose workable solutions. Cases are defined by Kowalski, Weaver,
and Henson (1994) as general narrative descriptions of situations and
incidents. In social studies, a case can be anything from an actual or fictional
event, a concrete or abstract issue, or a historical or current phenomenon.
1. Live case studies – these are often based on an ongoing event where
students and real-world actors are simultaneously examining issues and
arriving at solutions.
2. Historical case studies – these are largely based on historical events and
can be depicted as fiction or nonfiction.
3. Economics case studies – these are focused on economic issues that can
be drawn from student’s experience or from international or national matters.
4. Social issues case studies – these are based on problems and concerns
that affect society.
5. Student-developed case studies – in this type, students are asked to come
up with case studies based on their own experiences and observation.
Advantages
The use of case studies in social studies has a number of advantages for
students. Because it is a learner-centered pedagogy, students are
empowered as active agents in the learning process instead of passive
receptors of information. They have to come up with their own interpretations
and solutions instead of relying on the teacher’s generalizations.
Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a cooperative learning strategy developed by Elliot Aronson and
his colleagues in 1971. Created as a response to the racial desegregation in
the 1970s, it was first implemented by educators and psychologists in
schools in Austin, Text to reduce tension among the white, Hispanic, and
African-American Students. The main objective was to encourage students
to cooperate and word together
Advantages
The Jigsaw strategy is preferred by many educators because it has many
benefits in the classroom. A study conducted by Hanze and Berger (2007)
showed that, after implementing Jigsaw, students demonstrated increased
feelings of autonomy and intrinsic motivation. It promotes personal
accountability of learning since students are required to master their
segments independently and eventually share it with their groupmates.
Panel Discussion
The panel discussion is a method that encourages the exchange of ideas
that allows the panel members and the audience to discuss a particular topic.
It is often used to shed light on issues regarding politics, community, and
academic topic contents. The panel discussion can also be used inside the
classroom as a performance task. The pupils are asked to be experts in
various fields such as teacher, guidance councilor, politician, doctor,
engineer, etc. They assume the roles of whoever they portray and explicate
topics in their own context.
How to conduct a panel discussion?
- The teacher will act as the moderator
- Group the learners depending on the number of students
- The moderator and members should create a list of interview
questions.
Room set-up and logistics
- To have a lively discussion, slides should not be used to replace
discussions.
- Don’t put your panelists begin a table. It creates a formal notion and
adds distance that prevents good interaction between the panelists
and the audience.
- Place the exact number of seats for the expected panelists.
The moderator takes control
- It is the moderator’s job to prevent anyone from disrupting the
discussion
- The moderator should introduce the panelists and the topics to be
discussed
- The moderator asks questions, calling on one or two panelists for each
question.
Timing is everything
- No more than 40 minutes for the panel discussion, leaving 20 minutes
for audience questions is the rule.
- To ensure audience participation, the teacher-moderator can give
questions to some audience members ahead of time.
- In case the audience members want to take over, it is the role of the
moderator to keep them in their seats and ensure the smooth flow of
the activity.
Technology-based interactive Teaching Strategies
One of the skills to be harnessed among Filipino learners is the
information, communication, and technology (ICT) skills. To achieve this,
teachers must be able to infuse technology in their instruction so as to
immerse the learners in a more interactive manner.
As stipulated in DepEd Order No. 42, s. 2016, the integration of
technology inside the classroom shall be grounded on these bases:
1. ICT integration in teaching and learning involves all activities and
processes with the use of technology that will help promote learning and
enhance the abilities and skills of both learners and teachers.
2. The use of computers can speed up the preparation of daily lessons,
this way teachers can support each other by having a repository of lesson
plans to refer to in preparing for their daily lessons.
3. Teachers can plan learning opportunities that allow learners to access,
organize, and process information, create and develop products,
communicate and collaborate with others using ICTs
Advantages
1. Using technology in the classroom allows you to get experiment more
in pedagogy and get instant feedback
2. Technology in the classroom helps ensure full participation
3. There are countless resources for enhancing education and making
learning more fun and effective
4. Technology can automate many of your tedious tasks
5. With technology in the classroom, your students have instant access to
fresh information that can supplement their learning experience
6. We live in a digital world, and technology is a life skill
Disadvantages
1. Technology in the classroom can be a distraction
2. Technology can disconnect students from social interactions.
 3. Technology can foster cheating in class an on assignments
4. Students don’t have equal access to technological resources
5. The quality of research and sources they find may not be top-notch
6. Lesson planning might become more labor-intensive with technology
ADDIE Model
The ADDIE model is a useful systematic instructional design model that
can be used in crafting technological advancement in instruction.
Consisting of five stages, this model has several versions.
A – analysis – considered as the goal-setting stage
D – design – all goals, tools, and performances are laid down, ready for
the next stage
D – development – this stage starts with the production and testing of
various methodologies used in the plan.
I – implementation – procedure, teachers or designers must be guided by
various steps crafted in the preceding stages.
E – evaluation – this final stage evaluates both the processes and the
outcomes of the model.
Role-play and Simulation
Role-playing and simulation are strategies categorized under creative
dramatics, along with the dramatic play and the mock trial. Role-playing
is an unrehearsed dramatic presentation that enables participants to
explore alternative solutions to a given problem (Chapin, 2013). In this
strategy, some students are tasked to enact their solution to an open-
ended situation while the rest of the class observes. On the other hand,
simulation is a strategy that provides a representation of some
phenomenon, event, or issue, that exists or existed in the real world.
Role-play and simulation are founded on the experiential role-play and
simulation are founded on the experiential learning theory of Dewey (1938)
and Kolb (1975) which believes that students learn best when they are
presented with concrete experiences they can reflect on, analyze, and test
in new situations. In social studies, these two strategies are useful in
examining abstract concepts, controversial issues, and topics that entail an
examination of beliefs, attitudes, and moral decisions.
Steps
1. Initiation and direction – setting the stage for the role-play by identifying
and discussing the problem to be resolved
2. Describing the scenario – the teacher presents the situation through
explicit instruction or media presentation
3. Assigning roles. The teacher selects members of the class and assigns
them characters
4. Enhancement – students present their scenario or engage in the
simulation
5. Debriefing – this is considered as the most integral part because reflection,
generalization, and conclusion take place here.
Field studies are learning experiences outside the four corners of the
classroom. Field studies enable the learners to personally gather and
analyze data in their own context. In a nutshell, field studies provide learning
experiences that transcend a regular classroom through direct experiences
and observations.
Why use field studies?
1. It provides experiential learning – offer an opportunity to witness objects
and events not accessible at school.
2. It target specific skills and knowledge – being able to experience things
provides learners an opportunity to practice skills and appreciate values that
cannot surface elsewhere.
3. It strengthen schema – the experiences tin the field stimulate higher
understanding and appreciation of previously learned concepts by means of
validation
4. It motivates values development – exposure to a phenomenon stimulates
appreciation and concern for the visited event or place.
Challenges in field studies
1. Curriculum alignment – the curriculum aspect is replaced by leisure
engagement
2. Lack of understanding of field studies – teachers must ensure that their
learners have fully understood the nature and purpose of the field study.
3. Costly – financial requisite is the biggest problem in this teaching strategy
4. Preparation time – field studies require much time, from preparation up to
classroom discussion and assessment.
What to keep in mind when planning and doing field studies?
1. Awareness – teachers basically have to condition the learners before the
actual visit.
2. Engage – the most significant factor that teachers need to highlight is
student involvement.
3. Metacognitive learning – the most important part still is the deepening and
valuing of knowledge and skills learned from experiences.
4. Build upon – To start up the curiosity among the learners, teachers must
conduct prior research on the environment or event that they have to visit.
5. Illustrate – never fail to integrate ideas in real life.
6. Assess – it is relevant to ensure that the learner have gained the desired
competencies and knowledge
Service learning
According to the National Service Learning Clearinghouse, Service Learning
is a “teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community
service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience,
teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities”.
Service learning is founded on the philosophical roots of the experiential
learning theory of Dewey (1938), Freire (1970), and Kolb (1984). Through
this strategy, students are actively involved in a concrete experience,
encourage to do a reflective observation, and expected to integrate abstract
concepts that they learned in the classroom to understand their experience.
There are three types of service learning:
1. Direct service learning – this requires students to come in direct contact
with the community or people in need.
2. Indirect service learning – this entails students to channel resources for a
certain project without directly interacting with the people they intend to help.
3. Advocacy activities – these require students to engage in work on behalf
of a specific cause.

Assessing Learning in Social Studies

Assessment in Social Studies
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is one of the leading
advocates of social studies education. The NCSS in 1994 recommended the
following guidelines for assessment.
- Assessment tools should be grounded on the goals of the curriculum;
be a mechanism for improved curriculum and instruction
- Assessing students’ achievement should: be especially used to
improve instruction; involve a variety of approaches and tools to
measure knowledge
- National and local agencies should: support the capacitation of
teachers in developing, selecting and implementing assessment tools
Characteristics of 21st Century Assessment
Cajigal and Mantuano (2014) identified the attributes of 21st century
assessment:
Responsive – visible assessment work generate data that inform the
curriculum and instruction
Flexible – curriculum design, lesson, and, assessment require flexibility and
resilience.
Integrated – assessments must always be reflective of the learners day-to-
day life experiences
Informative – the desired 21st century assessment must be clearly stated and
explicitly taught where students are free to display their knowledge and skills.
Multiple methods – in the 21st century, an assessment continuum that
includes an array of differentiated strategies is the norm.
Communicated – the communication of assessment data must be
transparent and readily available for all stakeholders.
Technically sound – accommodations and adjustments in assessment must
always be readily available to meet the students needs and uphold fairness.
Systematic – the 21st century assessment system is a microcosm of an entire
system of comprehensive and well-aligned strategies that is inclusive and
balanced.