Republic of the Philippines

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Main Campus
Tagbilaran City

VISION: A premier S & T university for the formation of a world class and virtue-laden human resource for sustainable development of Bohol and the country
MISSION: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields, undertake research and development and
extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

MODULE IN FSSE 101:

FOUNDATONS OF SOCIAL STUDIES
(A Compilation of Notes)

S.Y. 2022-2023
First Semester
BSED SOCIAL STUDIES 1

CHISSA B. HORASITAS
Subject Instructor
 FOUNDATONS OF SOCIAL STUDIES
COURSE OUTLINE

I. Thematic Approach
1. The Ten Thematic Strands
2. Thematic Strands and Focus Questions
3. A Thematic Model for Teaching
4. Definitions of Social Studies
5. National Council for Social Studies

II. Local Studies- Birth of Bohol

III. Sociology
1. Areas of Sociology
2. The Birth of Sociology
3. Theoretical Framework
4. Structure and Agency
5. Statuses and Roles

IV. Anthropology
1. Branches of Anthropology
2. Basic Trends
3. Importance of Anthropology
4. Anthropology Organization
5. History of Anthropology

V. Archeology
1. Definition
2. History
3. Methods
4. Sub-disciplines
5. Current controversies and issues
6. Some mysterious archaeological discoveries

VI. Economics
1. Origin of the Term
2. Definition
3. Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

VII. Political Science

1. Definition
2. History of Political Science
VIII. Law
1. Legal Subjects
2. Legal Systems
3. Legal Theory

IX. International Relation

1. Theories
2. History

X. Geography
1. Branches
2. History of Geography

Course Description:

The course focuses on the study of the nature, history, philosophical and theoretical perspectives in
Social Studies/Science as a body of knowledge. It also deals with the comparative analyses and
relationships of the various Social Science disciplines.

General Objectives:

 Recognized the importance of thematic strands of Social Studies as a future educator

 Traced the different strands of Social Studies
 Identified the terms and specific subjects correlated to Social Studies
 Evaluated the used of thematic approach in teaching through making their own model
 Demonstrated acquisition of knowledge related to one or more of the thematic strands
 Illustrated the theories of international relations
 Explained the definitions of different terms under Social Studies
 Thematic Approach of Social Studies

Specific objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

 Understand the Ten Thematic Strands of Social Studies and The Thematic Model for Teaching;
 Identify the definitions of Social Studies through answering the activity given; and
 Appreciate the importance of these ten thematic strands and thematic model for teaching in
planning the appropriate strategies or approaches of teaching that will be use by them as a
future educator.

The Ten Thematic Strands

Introduction
The power of the 10 thematic strands lies in their potential to serve as a framework for social studies
curricula and stimulate visions of effective classroom learning experiences. The thematic strands point
to a core of fundamental knowledge drawn from many academic disciplines. In particular, these
comprehensive thematic strands draw most heavily on the social science disciplines of anthropology,
archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion and
sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences.
(National Council for the Social Studies,1994, p.3)

Ten Thematic Strands of Social Studies

I. Culture
II. Time, Continuity, and Change
III. People, Places, and Environments
IV. Individual Development and Identity
V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
VI. Power, Authority, and Governance
VII. Production, Distribution, and Consumption
VIII. Science, Technology, and Society
IX. Global Connections
X. Civic Ideals and Practice

I. Culture
▻ A people's way of life, language, customs, arts, belief systems, traditions, and how they
evolve over time.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and
cultural diversity.

- Human beings create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

- Cultures are dynamic and change over time. 
 - Through experience, observation, and reflection, students will identify elements of culture
as well as similarities and differences among cultural groups across time and place. 
- In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with geography, history,
sociology, and anthropology, as well as multicultural topics across the curriculum. 

II. Time, Continuity, and Change

▻ The importance of understanding the past and key historical concepts, analytically and
from various perspectives.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the past
and its legacy.

- Studying the past makes it possible for us to understand the human story across time. 
- Knowledge and understanding of the past enable us to analyze the causes and
consequences of events and developments, and to place these in the context of the
institutions, values and beliefs of the periods in which they took place. 
- Knowing how to read, reconstruct and interpret the past allows us to answer questions
- Children in early grades learn to locate themselves in time and space. 
- Through a more formal study of history, students in the middle grades continue to expand
their understanding of the past and are increasingly able to apply the research methods
associated with historical inquiry. 

III. People, Places, and Environments

▻ The complex relationship between human beings and the environments within which
they live and work.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people,
places, and environments.

- The study of people, places, and environments enables us to understand the relationship
between human populations and the physical world.
- During their studies, learners develop an understanding of spatial perspectives, and examine
changes in the relationship between peoples, places and environments. 
- Today’s social, cultural, economic and civic issues demand that students apply knowledge,
skills, and understandings as they address questions
- In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with geography,
regional studies, and world cultures.

IV. Individual Development and Identity

▻ The exploration of human behaviors as they relate to the development of personal
identities and the various factors that impact identity formation.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual
development and identity.
 - Personal identity is shaped by an individual’s culture, by groups, by institutional influences,
and by lived experiences shared with people inside and outside the individual’s own culture
throughout her or his development.
- Questions related to identity and development, which are important in psychology,
sociology, and anthropology, are central to the understanding of who we are.
- The study of individual development and identity will help students to describe factors
important to the development of personal identity.
- In the early grades, young learners develop their personal identities in the context of
families, peers, schools, and communities. 

V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

▻ Impact of educational, religious, social, and political groups and institutions and the
integral roles they play in people's lives.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions
among individuals, groups, and institutions.

- Institutions are the formal and informal political, economic, and social organizations that
help us carry out, organize, and manage our daily affairs. 
- It is important that students know how institutions are formed, what controls and influences
them, how they control and influence individuals and culture, and how institutions can be
maintained or changed.
- Students identify those institutions that they encounter. 
- In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with sociology,
anthropology, psychology, political science, and history. 

VI. Power, Authority, and Governance

▻ The complex purposes and features of individuals and groups with respect to issues of
power and government.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people
create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority, and governance.

- The development of civic competence requires an understanding of the foundations of

political thought, and the historical development of various structures of power, authority,
and governance.
- In exploring this theme, students confront questions
- Through study of the dynamic relationships between individual rights and responsibilities,
the needs of social groups, and concepts of a just society
- In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with government,
politics, political science, civics, history, law, and other social sciences.

VII. Production, Distribution, and Consumption 

▻ The role of resources, their production and use, technology, and trade on economic
systems.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people
organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
 - People have wants that often exceed the limited resources available to them. 
- Students will gather and analyze data, as well as use critical thinking skills to determine how
best to deal with scarcity of resources. 
- In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with concepts,
principles, and issues drawn from the discipline of economics. 

VIII. Science, Technology, and Society

▻ The significance of scientific discovery and technological change on people, the
environment, and other systems.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of
relationships among science, technology, and society.

- Science, and its practical application, technology, have had a major influence on social and
cultural change, and on the ways people interact with the world. 
- There are many questions about the role that science and technology play in our lives and in
our cultures. 
- This theme appears in units or courses dealing with history, geography, economics, and
civics and government. 
- Young children learn how science and technologies influence beliefs, knowledge, and their
daily lives. 

IX. Global Connections

▻ The critical importance of knowledge and awareness of politics, economics, geography,
and culture on a global scale.
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global
connections and interdependence.

- Global connections have intensified and accelerated the changes faced at the local, national,
and international levels. 
- Analyses of the costs and benefits of increased global connections, and evaluations of the
tensions between national interests and global priorities, contribute to the development of
possible solutions to persistent and emerging global issues. 
- This theme typically appears in units or courses dealing with geography, culture, economics,
history, political science, government, and technology but may also draw upon the natural
and physical sciences and the humanities, including literature, the arts, and languages.

X. Civic Ideals and Practices

▻ The understanding that civic ideals and participatory citizenship are central to
democracy
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals,
principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.

- An understanding of civic ideals and practices is critical to full participation in society and is
an essential component of education for citizenship, which is the central purpose of social
studies.
 - Learning how to apply civic ideals as part of citizen action is essential to the exercise of
democratic freedoms and the pursuit of the common good. 
- In schools, this theme typically appears in units or courses dealing with civics, history,
political science, cultural anthropology, and fields such as global studies and law-related
education, while also drawing upon content from the humanities.

Focus Questions for Ten Thematic Strands

These focus questions will serve as your guide to have a better understanding about the ten
thematic strands of Social Studies.

✘ Culture

 What leisure activities take place in my home(s)?

 What traditions are observed by the people in my home(s)?
 What is the ethnic background of those who live in my home(s)?
 What religious beliefs are held by people in my home(s)?
 What language(s) is (are) spoken in my home(s)?
✘ Time, Continuity, and Change
 How has (have) my home(s) changed?
 When was (were) my present home(s) created?
 Has my family always lived here?
 Who else has lived here?
 What stories exist about events that have occurred in my home(s)?
✘ People, Places, Environments
 What does (do) my home(s) look like? Inside? Outside?
 What is the location of my present home(s)? Why?
 What are the physical and the human characteristics of the place(s) I call home?
 Where else has my family lived?
✘ Individual Development & Identity
 What is special to me about my home(s)?
 What special events have I experienced in my home(s)?
 What is my favorite space within my home(s)?
✘ Individuals, Groups, & Institutions
 What family members live in my home(s)?
 Who are our neighbors? How are we alike/different?
 In what groups do my family members and I participate?
✘ Power, Authority, & Governance
 What rules must I observe in my home(s)? Why?
 Are there rules I must follow in my yard(s) or neighborhood(s)? Why?
 How can I get help if I need it?
✘ Production, Distribution, & Consumption
 How does the availability of money to the adults in my family affect my home(s)?
 What does it cost to live in different types of homes?
 What personal possessions do I keep in my home(s)?
 ✘ Science, Technology, and Society
 Is new technology always better than old?
 What can we learn from the past about how new technologies result in broader social
change, some of which is unanticipated?
 How can we cope with the ever-increasing pace of change?
 How can we manage technology so that the greatest number of people benefit from it?
 How can we preserve our fundamental values and beliefs in the midst of technological
change?
✘ Global Connections
 What are the different types of global connections?
 What are the other consequences of global connections?
 What are the benefits from and problems associated with global connections?
✘ Civic Ideals and Practices
 What is civic participation and how can I be involved?
 How has the meaning of citizenship evolved?
 What is the balance between rights and responsibilities?
 What is the role of the citizen in the community and the nation, and as a member of the
world community?
 How can I make a positive difference?

Take note of these focus questions so that you will know what are the things you need to
consider to be able to identify the right activities and scenarios which you can use in making a thematic
unit in the future as an educator.

ACTIVITY 1

Direction: Explain the following in 3-5 sentences only. Content- 5, Grammar- 5. (10pts each)

1. Why is it important to know the Ten Thematic Strands of Social Studies?

2. How can you help the young ones to have a better understanding and appreciation about
Social Studies subjects?
References:

Thematic Strands and Focus Questions

National Council for the Social Studies, 1994, p. 3

NCSS, 1994, pp. x-xii

Field, S. L., & Labbo, L. A. (1994). A pocketful of history. Social Studies & the young learner, 7(2), 4–7.

McCall, Ava L. (1994). Including quilters’ voices in the social studies curriculum. Social Studies & the
young learner, 7(1), 10-14.

National Council for the Social Studies. (1994). Expectations of excellence: Curriculum standards for
social studies, Bulletin 89, Washington, DC