The inclusion of Social Studies as a part of general education in the secondary school curriculum is to highly contribute to students gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes for effective social participation.

Aims of Social Studies

The study of Social Studies should enable students to:  understand the facts, concepts, principles and perspectives that make up Social Studies  acquire skills and competencies, which will enable them, to examine and analyze concepts related to culture and the physical environment as well as to appreciate the symbiotic nature of the relationship between man and his environment.  use a combination of technological and spatial skills to extract, analyze and use information to construct spatial patterns and understand processes that shape the human environment and decision-making  become active and responsible citizens who are able to make informed and reasoned  decisions in the interest of all citizens in a democratic society and a globalized world  independently and collaboratively locate, analyze and evaluate information from a variety of sources and effectively use it in a variety of decision-making situations .

The role of Social Studiesin the curriculum

Social Studies fires students’ curiosity and imagination about who we are, where we come from, where we live and where we might be going next. It connects our present to our past, and helps students make sense of their place in the world. It enablesthem to value and take pride in their culture and heritage as Jamaicans, and to develop their understanding of the local and wider world. Students should be encouraged to investigate the world around them from the local to the global. They should learn about the interdependence of the physical and social worlds, and the responsibility we have for the environment and a sustainable future. They should explore how human beings have developed diverse ways of living together through different cultures and political institutions. They learn how societies are organized and shaped by people’s values and actions, and should develop their own values and their own capacity to act as global citizens.

Contribution to the competencies

Social Studies can contribute to all three of the Framework competencies. The subject is an ideal context for the development of investigative and critical thinking skills, and for building an understanding of Jamaican culture and heritage; and it also provides many opportunities to think strategically, communicate effectively and make judgments. Range of activities Students should engage in practical investigationsin their own localities and communities. They should use fieldwork and a range of primary and secondary sources to investigate a range of places and environments in Jamaica, the Caribbean region and the wider world. They should develop informed opinions on local, national and global issues such as sustainability, climate change and economic inequality and their impact on people in the past and present. Additionally, students should be able to give reasoned solutions to addressing national and global issues.

Ministry of Education (2016)Social Studies Framework- Draft

September 

Week of the 12, 2016- Social Groups

Task 1:

1.Define the term social groups.

2.List four types of groups existing within the Caribbean society.

3.Explain the different types of groups and give examples of these groups.

4. Differentiate between a formal and informal groups.

5. In two paragraphs , outline the impacts / effects/ significance /meaning of social groups within the Caribbean society. In addition, include two negatives and positives of social groups.