Department of Social Studies
SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR FIRST FORM
Introduction:
Theme: Living Together in the Society
(first term)
Topic: Our People
Sub-Topic: Our National Motto & Coat Of
Arms
Content
1. The Jamaican motto and what it means.
Objectives:
Students should be able to:
2. History of the Coat of Arms and Motto.
• define and use the following concepts correctly; motto, patriotism, logo,
3. Reasons why organizations and countries
indigenous, one people, stereotype
have mottoes.
• state what the motto says; identify it on the Coat of arms and explain its
4. Ways in which Jamaicans live up to/not
meaning and history
live up to the meaning of our motto
• suggest reasons why organizations such as schools, clubs and countries have
5. How to improve the relationships among
ourselves and respect for our country
mottoes
• design and explain your own Coat of Arms and motto
• describe and explain elements of Coat of Arms and its history
• illustrate using cartoons, behaviours which are consistent/inconsistent with
the Jamaican motto national motto.
• show respect for each other irrespective of racial/ethnic difference
Sub-topic: Our Heroes
Content
Specific Objectives:
1. National Heroes- their lives and work
Students will be able to:
2. Samuel Sharpe- fought against the
•
injustice of slavery and the plantation system
community, courage, nation-builder
3. Nanny of the Maroons- exhibited self-
•
determination and fought for liberty
referred to as heroes
4. Paul Bogle- fought to improve the living
•
conditions of the poor peasants in post-
to the development of the country.
emancipation Jamaica
• locate on a map of Jamaica, the parishes where the national heroes originated.
5. George William Gordon- fought to
• Appreciate that daring to be different sometimes carries a high price.
improve the living conditions of postemancipation Jamaica
6. Norman Washington Manley- worked to
improve the living conditions of the
Jamaican worker after 1838, and to achieve
political independence
7. Alexander Bustamante- worked to
improve the living conditions of the
Jamaican worker after 1838, and to achieve
political independence.
8. Community/personal heroes/heroines
9. Consequences for being a hero
10. Heroes/Heroine contribution to Nation
Building
define and use the following concepts; hero: national/ personal/
List and explain characteristics that contributes to individuals being
describe the ways in which each national hero/ heroine has contributed
11. Ways in which we honour/remember our
heroes
Unit Topic: Our People
Sub-Topic: Our Ancestors.
Content
1. Concepts- ancestors, descendants,
Objectives:
Students should be able to:
migration, immigrants, ethnic groups,
artifact,
2. Push/pull factors.
• define and use the following concepts correctly; ancestor, descendant,
3. Racial composition of Jamaican
migration
• push/pull factors, immigrant, ethnic group, artifact, indentured labourer.
population.
4. Migration and the push/pull factors that
• list racial/ ethnic groups to which our ancestors belong.
influenced the ancestors to come to Jamaica
before, during and after slavery.
- The countries from which our ancestors
• identify push/pull factors which encouraged each group to migrate.
came, their location, size, physical
-
features and cultural practices.
The places and parishes in Jamaica where
each ancestral group settled and why
• locate on a world map the countries from which the ancestors came.
-
these places were assigned to them.
How each ancestral group satisfied its
• critically assess how each group satisfied its basic needs, its political and
-
basic and other needs.
Contribution of ancestral groups to the
social organization, in its country of origin and in Jamaica.
• differentiate between fact and opinion through discussion
society.
-
• appreciate that we need to know our history in order to know ourselves and to
give wise considerations to our actions.
Unit Topic: Our People
Sub-Topic: Our Cultural Heritage
Content
1. concepts; culture, cultural heritage,
diversity, unity, cultural retention cultural
preservation
2. Culture must be seen in the context of:
•
. material products
•
. ideas and beliefs
•
. institutions
•
. language and art forms
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
•
define and use the following concepts correctly; cultural heritage,
cultural preservation, culture, diversity, unity, cultural retention, artifacts
•
identify and describe aspects of our cultural heritage eg. food
•
language, religion, medicine, and architecture.
•
trace the development of various cultural forms; eg. music, dances,
dress, customs and folkways.
•
examine the effects of different ethnic groups on our culture and
3. Jamaican place names- their origin/
assess the extent of its impact.
•
analyze songs, poems, pictures, cartoons.
•
appreciate the importance of cultural preservation while remaining
source and association with particular ethnic
open to change
groups.
4. Jamaican Language- historical
development and the influence of the ethnic
groups
5. Jamaican foods- introduction of various
plants and animals, indigenous plants and
animals, methods of preparation peculiar to
each group, and the Jamaicanization of these
goods.
6. Jamaica’s heritage in buildings from the
time of the Tainos until today.
7. Religious groups and festivals
8. Folk customs- wedding rites, birth and
death rites, family patterns, games and other
leisure activities.
9. Our folk ( herbal) medicine
10. The dynamics of culture.
Theme: Living Together in Groups
(second term)
Topic: Society, Social Groups and Institution
Content
1. Define and use correctly these concepts,
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
primary groups, family, peer group,
•
Use these terms correctly
socialization family tree, peer counseling,
•
peer group, primary groups, family, socialization, sanctions, peer
rules, sanctions.
counselling.
2. Give examples of each
•
3. Compare and contrast the different types
single parent - extended
of families in Jamaica and elsewhere
4. State the functions of family and peer
groups.
5. Describe roles of family members.
6. List some problems which families may
face.
7. List agencies which assist families.
State the types of families in Jamaica and selected countries – nuclear,
•
State the functions of a family
•
Describe and explain family problems, their causes and solutions.
•
Identify agencies which work with families like Family Court, Crisis
Centre.
•
Show willingness members.
•
Realize that values conflict and show a willingness to accept these
differences.
Topic: Change Conflict Culture Identity
Content:
1. Define these concepts
2. values, culture, roles, social Groups,
society and interaction.
3. Differentiate between
4. Society and Social Groups
5. Culture and custom
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to :
• Realize the influence of culture on behaviour
• Appreciate that interdependence is necessary for human group survival
• Use correctly these terms
6. Norm and role
7. State the various groups to which you
belong and describe their roles in these
groups
8. Discuss the qualities of a leader and the
importance of leaders in groups.
• Social groups, roles, interaction, values, culture
• Explain how culture develops and why it changes
• Explain the influence of culture on the behaviour of people
• Analyze the characteristics of society and the group structures of society
• Explain the various groups within the society
Topic: Secondary Groups; Schools, Church,
Club and Community
Content
1. Characteristics of Social Groups
2. Give examples pf Secondary Groups
3. Roles of Secondary Group members
4. Differentiating between primary and
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
•
Realize that peoples’ activities are carried out in groups
•
Show willingness to cooperate with group members to complete a
secondary groups
5. Cooperation of community/group
project
•
Explain secondary groups and institutions their structure and functions
members for the benefit of all.
•
Explain the community as a social group location
•
Explain how people satisfy their basic as well as other needs
•
To show politeness and respect to each other and other people
Unit Topic:
Social & Environmental Issues
( third term)
Sub-Topic: Child Abuse
Content
1. Concepts: child abuse, incest, rape,
buggery, age of consent, child labour,
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
corporal punishment.
2. Reasons for, and types of child abuse.
3. Child labour ( since the Industrial
Revolution).
4. Ways in which children are abused;
•
define the concepts; child abuse, carnal abuse, buggery, incest, rape,
age of consent, child labour, pedophilia.
•
classify different types of abuse
•
critically assess the psychological and physical effects of child abuse
sexually, mentally, verbally, physically.
5. Child abuse in contemporary Jamaica and
on children.
other countries.
6. The effects of child abuse on the child
•
role play a child abuse situation.
•
list some agencies and groups which assist abused children and
and other family members ways in which
explain how they work.
family members and other individuals in the
•
community can assist an abused child.
7. Agencies which assist abused children:
safe from child abuse and ways in which they can protect themselves from such
demonstrate an awareness of the importance of keeping themselves
abuse.
eg. Child Care Division, Ministry of Youth,
UNICEF, VOUCH.
8. Steps children can take to protect
themselves against abuse.
9. Problems the society will face if child
abuse is allowed to continue.
Sub-Topic: The Rights of the Child
Content
1. Rights and responsibilities
2. The Rights of the child
3. Responsibilities of the child to family,
school, community and country.
4. Factors which can lead to a child’s Rights
being violated.
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
•
define and use the following concepts correctly: Rights,
responsibilities, choice, self preservation.
•
define briefly what is the UN and the circumstances that led to the
5. The UN and the Declaration of the Rights
declaration of the Rights of the Child.
of the Child.
6. Laws which protect children
7. Ways in which parents can protect
•
examine and discuss the Rights of the Child.
•
differentiate between Rights/ Responsibilities
children and children can protect themselves.
•
refrain from causing disturbances in the classroom that makes learning
difficult or impossible for themselves and others.
•
express their own ideas on children’s rights through discussion,
role play or cartoon.
8. Measures that can assist children to enjoy
their rights.
Topic: Good Health Practices
Content:
1. Terms – balanced diet, malnutrition, food
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to
groups, nutrition, hygiene, preventative
• recognize the importance of keeping healthy physically and emotionally
medicine, curative medicine
2. Personal Health Practices – Good
3. Keeping Healthy
4. Good health practices and its impact on
• Ways by which individuals can keep healthy
economic development of the country
5. Government assistance to aid healthy
• International Organizations which assist our health programmes
living
6. The advantages/disadvantages of buying
and selling food on the street
7. International Organizations, WHO,
PAHO
• Workers in the health sector and their roles
• Ways in which the Govt. helps to keep individuals healthy
• The role of the media in promoting good health practices
• Some factors which inhibit good health practices
Sub-Topic:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Content:
1. Define terms- Sexually Transmitted
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Diseases, epidemic, pandemic, contagious ,
• Be willing to protect themselves from STDs.
myth.
2. Explain STDs
3. Causes and Symptoms
4. Negative effects on the individuals
5. Prevention of STDs
6. Myths associated with STDs
7. Availability of support service for
• Show concern for the welfare of others
persons with STDs.
-
• Tell the meaning of STDs.
• Explain the meaning of some terms: contagious infections, pandemic.
• Explain factors which influence the spread of STDs.
• Discuss measures to prevent or reduce STDs.
• Participate in discussions concerning myths associated with STDs..
Topic: Substance Abuse
Content:
1. Define and use terms, substance abuse,
drug abuse rehabilitation, addiction.
2. Substances which are abused
3. Reasons for substance abuse
4. Symptoms of drug addiction
5. The effect of drug addiction on the
individual
6. The impact of drug addiction on the
victims family and society
7. Factors which promote substance abuse
8. Support services which are available and
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:
• Accept responsibility for their own actions
• Tell substances which are commonly abused
• Describe health problems associated with substance abuse
• Discuss reasons for substance abuse
• Explain social cost of substance abuse to the individual, family and society
• Tell support services which are available
• Discuss factors which influence the spread of substance abuse
their roles