Kidapawan City National High School

Senior High School Program

Self-Learning Module in Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Quarter 1/ Midterm Period/ Week 1 (August 24-28, 2020)
Name:_________________________________________ Grade & Section:____________________
Subject Teacher:_________________________________ LRN:_____________ Score: _________
I. Objective
Discuss the nature, goals, and perspective in/of anthropology, sociology and political. (UCSP11/12SPUIa-
1, UCSP11/12SPUIa-2)

II. Subject Matter:

STARTING POINTS FOR THE UNDERTSTANDING OF CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
Lesson 1
1. Sharing of social and cultural backgrounds of students as acting subjects or social actors, agents,
persons; (examples: gender, socioeconomic class, ethnicity, religion, exceptionality/non-exceptionality,
nationality)
2. Observations about social, political, and cultural behavior and phenomena (examples: food taboos,
istambay, political dynasties, elections )
III. Learning Resources:
References 1. Teacher’s Guide Page/s:___ 2. Learner’s Materials Pages: _____ 3. Textbook Pages:_____ 4.
Additional Materials from Learning Resources (LR) portals:_____
BOOKS • Textbook – UCSP by Ederlina D. Balena, Dolores M. Lucero, Arnel M. Peralta of Educational
Resources Corporation
• Curriculum Guide/Learning Materials
• Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs Guide)
• Media at Internet Sources/Powerpoints
Other Learning TEXTBOOKS, HANDOUTS, MODULES, Smartphone, Laptop, Wifi Broadband
Resources

IV. Procedure/Learning Activities:

A. Review/Activating prior Knowledge:
• Pretest. Direction: Choose the best answer and write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided
before the number.
_______1. It refers to the totality of what man has learned as a member of society.
a. Sociology b. Anthropology c. Culture d. Psychology
_______2. These consist of tangible things such as technological tools, architectural, structures, fashion and
accessories, and food.
a. Material culture b. Basic culture c. Non-material culture d. Commercial culture
_______3. It is the perception of individuals to accept reality.
a. Outlook b. Beliefs c. Knowledge d. Folkways
_______4. These are customary patterns of everyday life that specify what is socially correct and proper in
everyday life.
a. Mores b. Norms c. Folkways d. Laws
_______5. The totality of social organization which includes the social structure and system
a. Tribe b. community c. Society d. Nation
_______6. It refers to the stable pattern or configuration of social relationships and social interactions in society.
a. Social structure b. Social reality c. Social system d. Social organization
_______7. It is the scientific study of patterned, shared human behavior.
a. Anthropology b. Psychology c. Sociology d. History
_______8. The branch of knowledge which deals with the scientific study of man, his works, his body, his
behavior and values, in time and space.
a. Science b. Humanities c. Psychology d. Anthropology
_______9. It is the specific study of the state and politics which deals with the nature, principles, and mechanics
of rule, authority, power, and influence.
a. Political Science b. Social Science c. Law d. Humanities
_______10. It is considered as the main relationship between sociology and anthropology
a. Emergence of community b. Culture shared by men c. Enculturism d. Social system

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Kidapawan City National High School Isidro Jr. B. Andea, Jennelyn C. Clarito,
Office Address: Roxas St., Poblacion, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, Philippines Amelita P. Estimo, & Marilyn B. Tugnao
Telephone Number: (064)521-0435, E-mail Address: ilovekcnhs@yahoo.com Grade 11 & 12 Understanding Culture, Society & Politics
 B. Activity 1
Directions:
1. Write your name inside the circle.
2. Write the following information of yourself in the 4 spaces: a. gender, b. socio-economic class, c. ethnicity,
d. religion

Socio-economic

gender
ethnicity

Religion

Figure 1 All About Myself

Activity 2. Directions: Sharing of social and cultural backgrounds of students as acting subjects or social
actors, agents, persons; consolidate your answers on a table similar to what is shown below. Write at least 3
examples.
Gender Socio-Economic Class Ethnicity Religion

Guide questions: Based from the previous activities, discuss your observations based on the following questions:
Rubrics: For Essay
CRITERIA POINTS
Comprehensive/Analytical Essay (Outstanding content, full of information, clear and focused, 5
and neatly presented
Well written/includes some analysis (Strong content, clear and focused, and neatly 4
presented.
Well written but lacks analysis (Adequate content, somewhat clear and focused, and neatly 3
presented.
Weak essay / lack organization / no analysis (limited content, somewhat unclear but has a 2
discemible focused.

1. What are the similarities and differences of every individual?

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2. Do these similarities and differences affect the life of the whole community? Why?
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 C. Discussion: Read the key concepts below

#INFOBOX 1 What is Anthropology?

The etymology or origin of the term anthropology can be traced back to two
Greek words, ‘anthropos’ and ‘logos’. When translated into English, ‘anthropos’
means ‘human’ while ‘logos’ refers to ‘knowledge’ (Eriksen 2001: 2). In this sense,
anthropology can be understood as the ‘knowledge about humans’ (Ibid.). The subject of
anthropological study is humanity but unlike other disciplines in the human sciences,
anthropology studies the diversity and similarity of the way a person live and make
connections as social and cultural beings.
Anthropology as a discipline compares cultural and social life primarily through
participant observation, a research method that entails lengthy fieldwork or immersion in
a specific social setting. Through participant observation, anthropologists study in depth
the various aspect of society and then compare how that society differ and reflect other
societies.

#INFOBOX 2 What is Sociology?

Sociology is the systematic study of human society (Macionis 2012: 2), focusing
particularly on the dynamic interplay between individual and society. At the heart of
sociology is the sociological perspective, a special point of view of sociology that
sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular people (Ibid.).
• One of the works that elaborate this special point of view is C. W. Mills’s
Sociological Imagination, a quality of mind that enables the possessor to link
personal with the social.
• The sociological imagination helps us understand everyday events. According
to Mills, “society—not people’s personal failings—is the main cause of
poverty and other social problems. By turning personal problems into public
issues, the sociological imagination also is the key to bringing people together
to create needed change” (Macionis 2012: 7).
• The sociological imagination also requires a global perspective, a study
of the larger world and our society’s place in it (Macionis 2012: 6).

#INFOBOX 3 What is Politics?

Politics may be defined in different gradients of inclusiveness. Some scholars are too
inclusive that they define almost everything as political, while others exclude a number of items, but
they differ in what they exclude and include. There are scholars who consider any activity that involves
power—who gets what, when, and how—as political (Lasswell 1936).
Politics may be defined in a narrow sense in terms of arena of activity in the modern world. It
has a narrow meaning when defined in relation to the state. Thus, Aristotle’s dictum that man is a
political animal, in a way, connotes a narrow definition of politics because he said this in connection
with the state, the polis in Greek, res publica in Latin, which means ‘affairs of the state’. Taken in the
context of Aristotle’s time, however, relating politics to the state is to give it a broad meaning because
the polis during this time was the encompassing political unit and everything revolved around it. It
would only be when we directly translate polis to mean the modern state that Aristotle’s concept of
what is political becomes narrow.

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 D. Concept Mapping
Directions: The following are the significance of studying culture, society and politics. Write the culture functions
which we can realize the significance of the following:

Significance of
Culture

Politics

Significance of
Society

E. Activity 1 Directions: Identify the cultural elements of the Philippines and the USA. Write your answer on
the following table:

Culture Philippines USA/Other Countries

Language

Religion

Food

Musical Instrument

Dance

Song

Holiday and
Ceremony
Costume

Sport

Tradition

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 Activity 2 Discussion: Read the following key concepts

It is learned because culture is acquired by being born into a particular society in the process
Aspects of of enculturation, as anthropologists would say, or socialization, as sociologists would explain.
Culture Through language, the cultural traits of society are passed on to younger members in the process
of growing up and through teaching.
The notion of Culture is symbolic in the sense that it renders meanings to what people do. Beliefs, religion,
culture presents a rituals, myths, dances, performances, music, artworks, sense of taste, education, innovations, identity,
complex portrait of ethnicity, and so on, are meaningful human expressions of what people do and how they act.
humanity. The systems of meanings and many other facets of culture such as kindred, religion, economic
Anthropology activities, inheritance, and political process, do not function in isolation but as an integrated
regards culture as whole that makes society work. Furthermore, these varying systems of meanings, relations, and
learned, processes are shared within a group of people rendering culture bounded to those who seek a
symbolic, sense of belonging to the same society.
integrated, Since culture is shared within exclusive domains of social relations, societies operate differently from
shared, and all each other leading to cultural variations. Even as culture is bounded, it does not mean that there are
encompassing no variations in how people act and relate with each other within a given system of their respective
(Tylor societies. On the contrary, the same society can be broadly diverse wherein people, for example,
1871). profess connections to each other yet practice different religion, values, or gender relations.
Furthermore, societies do not always exist independently from each other.
Around the world, people as members of their own societies establish connections with each
other and form relationship guided by their respective cultural practices and values. These complex
relations underscore the all- encompassing nature of culture as it covers every feature of
humanity. Edward Tylor, one of the founders of modern anthropology, characterize culture as a
“complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, traits, values, attitudes, laws, norms,
artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of
society” (Tylor 1871).
To further understand culture, it is important not to forget the biological dimensions of being
human. The capacity of a person to organize his or her own society and form cultural systems is
made possible by the ability of humans to imagine and execute what they can do. Through the power
of their brains, humans possess a considerable degree of awareness and knowledge of what they
can achieve. At the same time, the natural world casts limitation as well as opportunities for humans
in terms of realizing how else they can organize their societies and form their cultures. For instance,
some societies harness resources on flatlands or high up in the mountains while others organize
their lives around the seas. These undertakings indicate that the specific environment in which
people live also shape human culture in the same way that culture shapes how people reshape
nature.
Sociologists use three theoretical approaches: the structural-functional approach, the social-conflict approach, and the
symbolic-interaction approach. A theoretical approach is a basic image of society that guides thinking and research
(Macionis2012: 12)
Structural-functionalists view society as a “complex system whose parts work together to promote
Structural- solidarity and stability” (Macionis 2012: 12). It involves an analysis of social structure, “any relatively stable
Functional pattern of social behavior. Social structure gives our lives shape—in families, the workplace, the
Approach classroom, the community.” The approach seeks to identify a structure’s social functions, or “the
consequences of any social pattern for the operation of society as a whole” (Ibid). It is an approach that is
influenced by the ideas of Auguste Comte (1798–1857) who coined the term sociology in 1838, and
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917). Robert K. Merton (1910–2003) also made significant contributions by
distinguishing between “manifest functions, the recognized and intended consequences of any social
pattern, and latent functions, the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern. He also
recognized social dysfunction, any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society” (Macionis
2012:13).
Social-Conflict The social-conflict approach sees society as an “arena of inequality that generates conflict and
Approach change” (Macionis 2012: 13). It therefore highlights inequality and change. In contrast to the
structural-functionalist approach, it does not see the social structure as promoting the smooth
operation of society. Instead, it focuses on how social patterns benefit the dominant groups in
society. Typically, “people on top try to protect their privileges while the disadvantaged try to gain
more for themselves” (Ibid).
Symbolic- The symbolic-interaction approach views sees society as the “product of the everyday
Interaction interactions of individuals”(Macionis 2012: 16). Human beings live in a world of symbols. In the
Approach process of social interaction, they attach meaning to everything.

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 V. Evaluation
A. Direction: Choose the best answer and write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided
before the number.
_______1. It refers to the stable pattern or configuration of social relationships and social interactions in society.
a. Social structure b. Social reality c. Social system d. Social organization
_______2. It is the scientific study of patterned, shared human behavior.
a. Anthropology b. Psychology c. Sociology d. History
_______3. The branch of knowledge which deals with the scientific study of man, his works, his body, his behavior and
values, in time and space.
a. Science b. Humanities c. Psychology d. Anthropology
_______4. It is the specific study of the state and politics which deals with the nature, principles, and mechanics of rule,
authority, power, and influence.
a. Political Science b. Social Science c. Law d. Humanities
_______5. It is considered as the main relationship between sociology and anthropology
a. Emergence of community b. Culture shared by men C. Inculturism
_______6. It refers to the totality of what man has learned as a member of society.
a. Sociology b. Anthropology c. Culture d. Psychology
_______7. These consist of tangible things such as technological tools, architectural, structures, fashion and
accessories, and food.
a. Material culture b. Basic culture c. Non-material culture d. Commercial culture
_______8. It is the perception of individuals to accept reality.
a. Outlook b. Beliefs c. Knowledge d. Folkways
_______9. These are customary patterns of everyday life that specify what is socially correct and proper in everyday life.
a. Mores b. Norms c. Folkways d. Laws
_______10. The totality of social organization which includes the social structure and system
a. Tribe b. community c. Society d. Nation

B. Discuss the following briefly: Use a separate sheet of paper or put your answer at the back page.
1. Why are sociology, anthropology, and politics important in understanding the dynamics of society (5
points).
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Criteria: Content – 2 points , Organization – 1 point, Style/Structure – 1 point, Mechanics/Grammar – 1 point

VI. Agreement /Enrichment:

A. Make a list, description, and explanation of cultural practices in your community that may be
considered as taboo or offensive.
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Noted By: ________________________________________

Name and Signature of Parent/Guardian
ANSWER KEY

Date: __________________________
PRE-TEST:
1. C
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. D
7. C
8. D
9. A
10. B

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ANSWER KEY FOR EVALUATION:
Part I Multiple Choice Part II Essay

EVALUATION:
Answer may vary
1. D Criteria:
2. C Content – 2 points ,
3. D Organization – 1 point,
Style/Structure – 1 point,
4. A Mechanics/Grammar – 1 point
5. B Total = 5 points
6. C
7. A
8. B
9. B
10. C