Reading Material in

FSSE 101-Foundation of Social Studies

Lesson 1 Social Science as a Science

I.Introduction
In this lesson, the students are expected to explain why Social Science is a
Science. Thus, enables them to understand how the concept is deem relevant and
helpful for them to understand the world and the people.

II. Body/Content
A social science is any branch of academic study or science that deals with
human behaviour in its social and cultural aspects. Usually included within the social
sciences are cultural (or social) anthropology, sociology, psychology, political
science, and economics.
Social Science is a science in the sense that the social scientist literate
between testing and developing theories about the society. Likewise, this is
practically done via observation and experimentation on social processes and
phenomena in specific context. Nonetheless, due to the intricacy and unpredictability
of men such scientific processes makes it difficult to arrive at rules or generalizations
that could apply in all contexts.
Social Science Defined and Described
1. Social science is widely understood as any course or specialization of
science that deals with various aspects of human behaviour. Science Daily
defines social science as “an academic discipline concerned with society and
the relationships among individuals within a society, which often rely primarily
on
empirical approaches” https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/social-
science.htm.
Furthermore, it is an organized and systematic investigation of the
society and of how and why such members of the society behave as
individuals or as a group within the society. It makes use of scientific and
systematic method of acquiring verifiable knowledge.

2. Social science covers a wide area of disciplines such as history,

psychology, sociology, geography, archaeology, anthropology, economics
and political science.
Key points
 The social sciences play a critical role in a traditional liberal arts education.
 Social science entails the study of human behavior and society at a variety of
levels.
 Popular social science majors include psychology, political science, and
economics.
 A social science degree can lead to many types of jobs in business, science,
and law.

Social Sciences Definition and Overview

The social sciences are all about how society works. Social scientists
examine institutions like the government, the economy, and family; they also study
how individuals and groups interact with one another and what drives human
behaviour.
Social science differs from natural science in that it examines the human,
constructed world rather than the physical world. Fields like biology, chemistry, and
physics use the scientific method to propose hypotheses and theories. Social
scientists rely on similar methods, such as quantitative data analysis, to study
society.
The social sciences also share some of the same methodological approaches
as those used in the humanities, like qualitative research. Both the humanities and
social sciences use analytical and interpretive approaches to learn more about the
human world.
However, the social sciences entail more quantitative and scientific methods.
For example, economists rely on statistics and forecasting to understand trends,
while political scientists use surveys and polling to track political changes.
Despite these differences, many question whether certain fields — including
psychology, economics, history, sociology, political science, and philosophy — fall
under the umbrella of the humanities or social sciences.
Social science is, in its broadest sense, the study of society and the manner in which
people behave and influence the world around us. Social science tells us about the
world beyond our immediate experience and can help explain how our own society
works - from the causes of unemployment or what helps economic growth, to how
and why people vote, or what makes people happy. It provides vital information for
governments and policymakers, local authorities, non-governmental organizations
and others.

III. Conclusion
Social Science therefore is a systematic knowledge that looks into human behaviour.
It includes disciplines History, Geography, Economics, Sociology and Political
Science among others. It is science in the sense that involves scientific processes to
observe empirical data. Through studying the various discipline of Social Science
human enables to understand how the society works, how people behave, think and
act accordingly. It also encompasses the significance of politics, which is associated
with the governance of a society and country. It is where conflicts are address and
solve and where power is exercise by the authority.

IV. References
https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-science
Carlton, G. August 2020 What Are the Social Sciences?
https://esrc.ukri.org/about-us/what-is-social-science/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-science
https://www.coursera.org/lecture/social-science-study-chinese-society/1-2-why-
social-science-is-a-science-EvDiQ
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/quiz/science-knowledge-quiz/

Lesson 2 The Need of Teaching Social Sciences

I.Introduction
After this module, students should be able to identify the general benefits of
social sciences, recognize the need and importance of teaching social sciences in
Philippine schools.

II. Body/Content
Benefits of Social Sciences
1. Awareness of the World and Environment: It empowers the learners to
comprehend how the world and different societies have evolved, the
valuable events that have transpired in the past, enduring ideas and key
personalities that have created an impact and affected the lives of people
both locally and globally. It also helps students to discern how different
societies and their respective environment are structured, and run. All of
which ultimately makes students understand their place and purpose in the
world.
2. It helps enhance the social understanding of students: Endowed with the
necessary thinking skills brought about by Social Science, students further
develop a wider perspective of society.
 3. Social Science helps develop critical thinking abilities : Social science
promotes higher level thinking abilities and skills like, understanding,
analyzing, applying, evaluating and creating.
4. It helps students become better citizens : Learning Social Studies makes
students cognizant of their roles, duties and responsibilities particularly in
relation to civic affairs.
5. Social Science prepares students to grow up as contributing, responsible,
and reflective members of society. It teaches them to address societal
concerns from community up to global level using societal resources and
processes.

The Importance of Social Studies in Schools

Cultural Understanding
Culture is an indispensable aspect of the society in fact it is commonly described as
“a way of living”. With such idea alone, one can surmise that understanding culture
has a priceless value in life. The inclusion therefore of Social Studies in the
curriculum promotes understanding of curriculum. Social studies education makes
students get to learn about the vast array of people or human race and their
respective customs, traditions, norms, language and even laws that make up the
whole of culture and in turn make up the global society. Further, with such better
understanding of culture, students turn better persons and are deemed equipped
with the necessary background to go on and cope up with the adversities of life in
the future.

Realization of Citizen Responsibilities

Social studies help students understand how an individual interacts with others,
environment, groups and institutions like the government. The subject area helps
students learn how valuable such interaction and relationship among such players in
the society is. Then he realizes his vital part to do as a member of the society and
eventually realize his civic responsibility.

Importance of Teaching Social Science:

 It makes man solve practical problems with social implications.
 Indispensable for institutions and communities
 It helps in the making of an efficient citizen
 It develops an international awareness
 It enables man to develop his social character
 It clears up the path to development and progress
 It gives value for moral progress of society
  In empowers man to be duty bound

III. Conclusion
Teaching Social Science in school definitely entails benefits to the individual,
his environment and the society. The ultimate reason why there is a need to teach
this subject area in school is the realization of its goal to produce better students and
citizens who are well-rounded and able to adapt to the changing world. In this way,
students as part of their society are aware of their role and responsibility.

IV. References:
https://www.orindaacademy.org/the-importance-of-social-studies-in-schools/
http://www.progressiveteacher.in/the-importance-of-social-studies-in-the-school-
curriculum/#:~:text=By%20providing%20relevant%20information%20and,and
%20other%20identifiable%20community%20resources.
https://jagandhere.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/meaningscopeimportanceobjectives-
and-aims-of-teaching-social-science/

Lesson 3 Nature, Scope and Objectives of Social Studies

I.Introduction
The lesson aims to help students examine the nature, scope and objectives of
Social Studies. It contributes for the understanding of the significance of Social
Studies in the field of education, economy, politics and society.

II. Body/Content
The Nature of Social studies
The term Social Studies is regarded as society-related study, an independent
but at the same time unified subject, a one-of-a-kind concept of many branches
which stands through time. It is also noted as a real time course of study which forms
the core curriculum hence, it requires due attention and unwavering call to look into
such course.
Meaning of Social Studies
Social Studies is the study of man and his environment. It focuses on making
us understand the interrelationship between man and his environment. It can be
described as a subject that studies the way man lives in his physical and social
environment. It is how man influences his environment and how this environment, in
turn, influences him.
The terms social studies education and social science education are often
used interchangeably and are, at times, a source of confusion. Social studies is the
preferred term in part because it is more inclusive. Although social science typically
refers only to academic disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, psychology,
geography, economics, and political science, the term social studies includes the
aforementioned social sciences as well as humanities disciplines like history,
American studies, and philosophy.

Scope of Social Studies

Basically, scope of Social Studies entails man, his environment (physical
environment and social environment) as well as science and technology which man
uses to make his environment suitable or conducive for him. It also entails the fact
that Social Studies is an integrated subject.

Science and
Technology

Physical
HUMAN Social Environment
Environment BEINGS

Scope of Social Studies

Social Studies cover a very vast and wide area of concern. It is in fact as extensive
as the dawn of civilization up to the age of artificial intelligence. The breadth of social
studies program should provide for a myriad of learning experiences so that the
child’s learning will be well rounded and well balanced”.
The main points that make up Social Studies are as follows:
a. People and Time
b. People and the Earth
c. People and resources at hand
d. People and the different institutions they live and work with
e. People of one’s own nationality and people all over the world

The Social Studies objectives are to:

1. To know duties of man towards human society
2. To develop human and social qualities in students
3. To provide the awareness of natural and social environment
4. To know how man can fulfill his needs
5. To develop reflective and critical thinking and reasoning power in students
6. To develop among students desirable attitudes and good behavior
7. To develop social and moral values appropriate for the development of the
society

The General Objectives

In the broad sense of it, the general objective of Social Studies is to prepare students
for a useful life so that they can be responsive and responsible members of their
immediate communities and good citizens to their nations. Hence, according to
NERDC (2007:69) general objectives of Social Studies include:
1. Develop the ability, in learners – old or young, to adopt to changing
environment.
2. Inculcate national consciousness and national unity in students/citizens.
3. Make students become good citizens – who are capable and willing to
develop the society.
4. Inculcate in students the right types of values and attitudes.

Other objectives are to:

1. Promote understanding among students both nationally and globally.
2. Be able to think in a critical and logical way.
3. Help us understand the importance of hardwork and honesty in the
society.
4. Understand the laws of our country and be able to obey them.
5. Understand our environment, its problems and be able to solve them.

At the elementary grade level, social studies is typically organized and taught
in an integrative and interdisciplinary fashion, but by the high-school-level social
studies teaching and learning are organized by courses in the academic disciplines.
At all levels, however, the goals of social studies have been characterized by
Peter Martorella (1985) as: (1) transmission of the cultural heritage; (2) methods of
inquiry; (3) reflective inquiry; (4) informed social criticism; and (5) personal
development. Personal development has traditionally received the greatest
emphasis at the elementary level; at the high school level, methods of inquiry have
received more emphasis. As phrased in the curriculum guidelines released by the
NCSS (1979), "the basic goal of social studies education is to prepare young people
to be humane, rational, participating citizens in a world that is becoming increasingly
interdependent"
Elementary social studies. In the early 1940s, Paul Hanna articulated the
Expanding Communities approach as the vehicle in elementary education by which
teachers could best present social studies knowledge. For the most part, Hanna's
model has been characterized as organizing the content as a series of concentric
circles starting with the self at the centre and progressing to the family, school,
neighbourhood, until reaching the international community. It also provided a
thematic approach to the content: protecting and conserving; creating, governing,
producing resources, transporting, expressing, educating, recreating, and
communicating. The content approach still dominates elementary education, but the
thematic approach has largely disappeared.
Secondary social studies. The 1960s brought significant changes to the
middle school and high school curricula with the introduction of the elective system.
Courses in subjects like anthropology, economics, sociology, and psychology were
added to a curriculum that had formally been primarily limited to world history, world
geography, government, and U.S. history.
Australia's Adelaide Declaration (DETYA) calls upon schools to prepare
students to "exercise judgment and responsibility in matters of morality, ethics and
social justice, and the capacity to make sense of their world, to think about how
things got to be the way they are" and to "be active and informed citizens" committed
to democratic principles and ideals.
Recent changes in Japanese national educational policy and law require all
students to study integrated courses such as "Human Beings and Industrial Society."
The Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan) requires education for citizenship
that "shall aim at the development among the citizens of the national spirit, the spirit
of self-government, national morality, good physique, scientific knowledge and the
ability to earn a living" (Article 158).
In addition, The National Council for Social Studies emphasize that the aim of
social studies is the promotion of civic competence—the knowledge, intellectual
processes, and democratic dispositions required of students to be active and
engaged participants in public life. By making civic competence a central aim, NCSS
emphasizes the importance of educating students who are committed to the ideas
and values of democracy. Civic competence rests on this commitment to democratic
values, and requires that citizens have the ability to use their knowledge about their
community, nation, and world; to apply inquiry processes; and to employ skills of
data collection and analysis, collaboration, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Young people who are knowledgeable, skillful, and committed to democracy are
necessary to sustaining and improving our democratic way of life, and participating
as members of a global community.
In the Philippines, the overall objective of Social Studies is to hone learners to
become citizens who are investigative, critical thinkers, responsible, productive,
environment friendly, patriotic and values oriented with a nationalistic and global
view and value to social and historical topics. through understanding the history and
the structure of the country and the world,
Social Studies aim to develop students into becoming Filipino Citizens who
contribute to the nation and the world. To cover the wide and many topics within
social studies, these are the connected themes to guide the whole social studies
curriculum driven from the National Council of Social Studies in the United States.

III. Conclusion
The inherent characteristic of Social Science that is society or human related,
the areas it covers such as people, time, events, environment and resources coupled
with its objectives carefully contribute to the efficiency of its entirety . The study of
Social Studies provides comprehensible meaning of the relation of people and the
environment.

IV. References
https://classhall.com/lesson/the-meaning-and-scope-of-social-studies-education
https://classhall.com/lesson/general-objectives-of-social-studies/
Social Studies Education - OVERVIEW, PREPARATION OF TEACHERS - National,
Curriculum, Content, and Teaching - StateUniversity.com
https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2433/Social-Studies-
Education.html#ixzz7BxUasn6b
http://www.rexpublishing.com.ph/social-studies/