SOCIAL STUDIES

Social Studies Education in Elementary School



Social Studies Education in Elementary School

Introduction

Elementary School is an institution for children where they receive their initial stage of education, also referred as primary or elementary education. The main aims of the elementary education are to provide the basic numeracy and literacy amongst the students, as well as the establishment of founding mathematics, history, geography, science and social sciences. All these areas of studies have different teaching methods and are substantial supporting debate.

Considering the social science, which has been one of the easiest way to connect the child with the environment around them (both physically and socially), and in that environment, where the child carries out the practice of these values and where agreement relates to the securities acquired. Educating a childhood and first cycle of primary education teaching are seen as a part of globalization from center interest. They are provided by the Natural and Social Sciences area called Discovery experiences of Social Environment and Natural Infant Education Knowledge of the Natural, Social and Cultural Primary Education (Sanchez, 2010).

According to the James Duplass, teaching of social studies in early education is the way to encourage students for illustrating their own experiences. Through reflecting on what they already know and what they have done, students develop their own understanding of social studies; their thoughts about the world and adding new perceptions, which helps children to become a critical thinker in small age. Education of social studies has been given from kindergarten till grade 12 in schools across the nation. The principal purpose of social studies is to assist younger generation to develop the skills and capability to formulate well-versed and logical judgments, regarding public as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world (Schneider, 1993).

Definition of social studies

The term social studies has been used to explain the wide study of the diverse fields which engrosses current and past behavior of humans and their interactions. The focus is in profundity on any particular issue or area that social studies endow with a broader overview of human society in the present and past. Subjects that are included in social studies include economics, history, government, geography, psychology, sociology culture, and further social science areas. Social studies have been defined as the study of people in relation to each other and the world:

“An interdisciplinary subject who has strengths over the disciplines such as geography, economics, political science, history, technological environments and law. However, though these students become responsible and active surrounded by their communities globally, nationally and locally in a changing and complex world”.

As far as social studies in education is a concern, it is mainly popular with the name of a course or set of courses taught in primary and secondary schools, but also comprises of certain characteristic of human society at certain post-secondary and tertiary schools worldwide (Katz, 1999).

According to (NCSS) National Council for Social Studies:

“Social studies incorporates the field of humanities and social sciences in order to promote competition civics, looking ...