LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

QUARTER 1st / SEMESTER 1st

Week 1

Name:___________________ Grade & Section_________ Score:________

Subject: Understanding Culture, Society and Politics Teacher: _______ Date: _________

I. Title: Understanding of Culture, Society, and Politics, the Social Sciences: Sociology,
Anthropology and Political science
II. Type of Activity: Concept notes with formative activities

LAS for summative assessment ( Written Work Performance Task)

III. MELC: Discuss the nature, goals and perspectives in/of anthropology, sociology and
political science

IV. Learning Objective/s:

1. To define culture, society and politics
2. To analyze the relationships of culture, society and politics
3. To appreciate the importance of the three social sciences: Sociology, Anthropology
and Political science.
V. Reference/s
Print Material/s
 Textbook on Understanding Culture, Society and Politic authored by Antonio P.
Contreras, PhD, Arleigh Ross D. Dela Cruz, PhD, Cecile C. Fadrigon, PhDCand.
Page 6-12
 K TO 12 Most Essential Learning Competencies with Corresponding CG Codes by
DepEd, Curriculum and Instruction Strand.
Online Resource/s
 Professional Online Community of Teacher and for Teachers,
https://www.teacherph.com/understanding-culture-society-and-
politics-first-quarter-activity-sheets/,June 25, 2020,
 Scribd,https://www.scribd.com/document/383033017/TGUNDERST
ANDING-CULTURE-SOCIETY-AND-POLITICS-docx/July 6,
2020”,HighSchoolRubric,https://www.kpu.ca/sites/default/files/NEVR
/High%20School %20Rubrics.pdf,July 14, 2020

II. Concept notes with formative activities

CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS AS CONCEPTUAL TOOLS
Culture, society, and politics are concepts. They exist in the realm of ideas and thoughts.
As such, they cannot be seen or touched and yet they influence the way we see and experience our
individual and collective lives as social beings.

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 Concepts are created and have been used to have a firm grip of phenomenon. Pierce (1998,
p.332) describes a concept as “the rational purport of a word or a conception. This simply suggest
that to turn a phenomenon into a concept means, to make it more rational.
Culture is a perfect example. With the concept of culture, anthropologist are able to explore
and make sense of the complex processes and dynamics that characterize the great variety of “ways
of living” practiced and observed around the world. In the same way, sociologists to explain the
oftentimes confusing matrices of social interactions have exploited society as a concept.
A. STUDENTS AS SOCIAL BEINGS
The way we live our lives, the way we are being steered to live our lives--presupposes
omnipotent forces shaping the very fabric of our existence. Our categories as male/female,
rich/poor, or tall/short, and even the problematic effect of the color of our skin are evidences of
the operation of these social forces. Our sociality is defined by the very categories that we possess,
the categories assigned to us by society. The categories that we possess are not natural; rather, they
are socially constructed. Our genders, for example, mirror the way our culture ‘reads’ us as
member of society. Of all the social labels attached to members of society, gender appears to be
the most fundamental, intrusive, and limiting.
B. SOCIAL REALITIES: BEHAVIOR AND PHENOMENOM
There are times that we find ourselves in a situation unlike other situations. We personally
encounter different ways of doing things, behaving, and making sense events. Observing them, we
cannot help but ask: why do people do such thing? What makes it normal, acceptable to some
people in some places, and unacceptable to others in other places? In order to explore the issue
further, consider the following situations in the table below.
SITUATION Behavior and Phenomena
1. Gary graduated a year ago. Despite being blessed with
several job offers; he chose to remain jobless and hang istambay
around with his barkada. Together they love to istambay
in the town plaza especially at night
2. Members of the Sevent-Day Adventist Church are
strongly prohibited from eating pork and food with food taboos
blood, as well as from smoking and drinking alcoholic
beverages.

 Situation 1 is a behavioral example. Istambay is a usual scene in the streets of Manila and
elsewhere in the urban areas in the country. It is a behavioral feature of most young people
who feel that the company of other young people is more meaningful and exciting than staying
at home reading books.
 Situation 2 is related to a group-based practice made possible and stronger by set of beliefs
revolving around the nexus of health and religion.
B. VALUES AND BELIEFS AS BEHAVIOR MOTIVATORS
In the situations above, it can be observed that human behavior, whether individual or
powerful motivators propel collective. Within the perspective of the social sciences, these
motivators may be in the form of values and beliefs. Values are a person’s or a collectivity’s
principles or standards of behavior and are considered as judgment of what is important in life.
They are important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is
good or bad and desirable or undesirable. Values have major influence on a person’s behavior and
attitude, and they serve as broad guidelines in behavior in all situations. Values are the criteria that
people use in assessing their daily lives, arranging their priorities, and choosing between
alternative courses of action.

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 Belief is something one accepts as true or real. Beliefs may be based on tradition, faith,
experience, scientific research, or some combination of these. Both values and beliefs are
commonly shared by particular culture.
C. SOCIAL DYNAMICS: SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL CHANGE
Consider the following situations:
SCENARIO PHENOMENON
1. Taking “selfies” is Alyssa’s preoccupation.
It became a habit when her parents gave her a selfieing
phone on her birthday.
2. Kapitan Tim is the incumbent mayor of the
City of Amin-Amin. His son, Timmy Jr. Is Political dynasty
currently running for the congressional seat of
the district, a position occupied by his mother
Cong. Valencia for about three consecutive
terms.
3. Amina, a college student, is living alone in
Manila. Both of her parents are OFWs transnational families
working in the Middle East. She visits them
every summer break.
4. As a youth volunteer, Verna finds the rainy
season a busy season due to the frequency of Youth volunteerism
typhoon-related disasters. Sometimes she
even spends her money to buy relief goods for
typhoon victims.
5. Michael almost missed the chance to finish
high school because he had been absent most Video gaming
of the time playing Clash of Clans (COC).

The scenarios presented in the table typify behavior and situations that are new, emerging,
and familiar. Scenario 1 on selfies is a recent behavioral pattern due to the infiltration of
technology. Scenario 2 on political dynasty is a familiar one and reflects the durability of certain
cultural and political practices. Scenario 3 represents an emerging pattern of family relations. Just
like scenario 1, Scenario 5 which about video gaming is fast becoming normal behavioral pattern
among the younger members of the the Filipino society.
Lastly, scenario 4 about volunteerism that appears to be a personal expression of political
principle by an increasing number of people.
What is common among the scenarios is that they may all be considered as manifestations
of cultural and political changes. New technological platforms facilitating communication, self-
expression, and interactions represent the cultural change, while possessions of power represent
the political change.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

A. 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

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 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).
Sociology focuses on the ubiquity or the (“everywhere-ness”) of social forces in unlikely
forms: sex, gender, religion, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and the like. Social forces
can be interpreted as any human-created way of doing things that influence, pressure, or force
people to behave, interact with other, and think in certain ways.
The constellation of these forces characterizes social actors’ social maps. Which in turn
determine the set of opportunities and life chances they can expect in life. A social map refers to
a person’s specific economic and political location. The assumption here is that a person’s
coordinates in his/her social map determine his/her enduring opportunities and limitations in life.
Social maps, therefore, lock out any possibilities of social mobility.
A Quick History of Sociology
Sociology was born in Europe (especially in Germany, England, and France) during the
period of the Industrial Revolution. It was a period that witnessed the rapid development of
industry that occurred in Britain in the late 18th and 19th centuries, brought about by the use of
steam power, the growth of factories, and the mass production of manufactured goods. Auguste
Comte (1798-1857), credited to be the father of the discipline for having coined the term
sociology. Karl Max (1818-1883), Emile Durkheim (1858-1977), and Max Weber (1864-1920)
were the first to raise critical questions about the deluge of changes brought about by the
mushrooming factories within and outside the major cities of England. The bulk of their critical
reflections focused on seen and projected impacts of these changes on their traditional way of life,
exacerbated by the dissolution of the family as the basic unit of society, construction of new forms
of social interactions, and emergence of new social identities.
Durkheim, a French social thinker, was exceptionally instrumental in the formalization and
later recognition of sociology as the new science of the study of society.

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.
The American Anthropological Association describes anthropology as a science seeking
to “uncover principles of behavior that apply to all human communities.” to an anthropologist,
diversity itself --seen in body shapes and sizes, customs, clothing, speech, religion, and worldview-
-provides a frame of reference for understanding any single aspect of life in any given community.
Instead of looking for a ‘universal culture”--cultural artifacts that appear the same or similar
everywhere they are found--anthropologist are looking for “culture universal”, patterns of
similarity within an array of differences.
As social science, anthropology focuses on human diversity around the world.
Anthropologist look at cross-cultural differences in social institutions, cultural beliefs, and
communication styles. They often seek to promote understanding between groups by ‘translating”
each culture to the other, for instance by spelling out common, taken-for-granted assumptions.
B. POLITICAL SCIENCE
Political Science is the systematic study of government and politics. It includes the study
of political philosophy, ethics, international relation, foreign policy, public administration, and the

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dynamic relations between different parts of government. It deals extensively with the theory and
practice of politics, which is commonly thought of as the determining factor in the distribution of
power and resources.
The Social as a Tool of Change
The term social change is used to indicate the changes that take place in human interactions
and interrelations. Social change may define as the alterations of mechanisms within the social
structure, characterized by changes in cultural symbols, rules of behavior, social organizations, or
value systems. Society is a web of social relationship and hence, social change means change in
the system of social relationships.

YOU CAN DO THIS

Task 1
Write on your answer sheet the letter of the most appropriate answer for each number.
1. It maps the various social forces that shape individual actions and
social interaction:
a. Anthropology c. Sociology
b. Political science d. Philosophy
2. This social science focuses on human diversity around the world.
a. Sociology c. Political Science
b. Anthropology d. Psychology
3. It includes the study of political philosophy, ethics, international
relations, foreign policy etc.
a. Sociology c. Political Science
b. Anthropology d. Psychology
4. It refers to a person’s specific economic and political location.
a. Social location c. Social position
a. Social address d. Social map
5. It is used to indicate the changes that take place in human interactions and interrelations.
a. Social location c. Social position
b. Social change d. Social map

Task 2
Assess whether the statements in column A are true or false. In column B, write T if the
statement is true and write F if the statement is false. Write your answer on your answer sheet.
A B
1. Anthropology provides explanation of the
interrelationship of the various facets of
human life
2. Being human and becoming human is to be
a social person shaped by culture but
tempered or enabled by their own bodily
anatomy
3. The sociological imagination helps us
understand everyday events
4.Anthropology studies the diversity and
similarity of the way a person lives and make
connections as social and cultural beings
5.Sociology is focusing particularly on the
dynamic interplay between individual and
society

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Task 3
Identify the following conceptual tools in studying culture, society, and politics. Choose your
answer from the options below. Write your answer on your answer sheet.
Beliefs Concepts Society Culture Values Social fact

__________1. It is a web of social relationship.

__________2. It refers to the way of life of a group of people.
__________3. These are created and have been used to have a firm grip of phenomenon.
__________4. It has a major influence on a person’s behavior and attitude.
__________5. It may be based on tradition, faith, experience, or scientific research.

YOU CAN DO MORE

Task 4
Match column A with column B the correct answer of the following questions below. Write the
letter of your answer on your answer sheet.
A B
_____1. It means “human”. a. Anthropology
_____2. This refers to “knowledge. b. Anthropos
_____3. It is a science seeking to “uncover c. Logos
principles of behavior that apply to d. Emile Durkheim
all human communities. e. Auguste Comte
_____4. He was exceptionally instrumental f. Karl Max
in the formalization and recognition of
sociology as the new science of the study
of society.
_____5. The father of the discipline for having
coined the term sociology.
Task 5
Fill in the Blanks the missing word to complete the statement. Choose your answer from the
given options. Write your answer on your answer sheet.

1. Anthropology focuses on ________ diversity. (human, cultural)

2. Political Science is the study of _________ and politics. (power, government)
3. Both values and ________ are commonly shared by a particular culture. (norms, beliefs)
4. Values have major influence on a person’s ___________ and attitude. (behavior, thoughts)
5. _______, society and politics are existing in the realm of ideas and thoughts.(culture,norms)
Task 6
Read the statement below and do the activity on your answer sheet.

BALOT
Food, or what people around the world eat as food. Mirrors cultural diversity. Ballot, for
example, is a delicacy in the Philippines. Write a short essay with a minimum of five sentences
arguing that ballot is a unique cultural icon of the Filipinos.

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CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Task 7
Using the picture below, identify the concepts that you can associate with culture, society, and
politics. Write your answer on your answer sheet.

Professional Online Community of Teacher and for Teachers, https://www.teacherph.com/understanding-culture-society-and-

politics-first-quarter-activity-sheets/,June 25, 2020,

CULTURE

SOCIETY

POLITICS

Task 8
Direction: From your answers, give your own definition of culture, society, and politics. Write
your answer on your answer sheet.
CULTURE  SOCIETY  POLITICS 

Task 9
Use a diagram to show how a person experiences culture, society, and politics in everyday life.
Write your answer on your answer sheet.

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LEVEL UP
Task 10
In a clean sheet of paper do the following activity:
 Does the scene below qualify as a form of social engagement? Why or why not?
 Write a minimum of 50 words to defend your answer.

Professional Online Community of Teacher and for Teachers, https://www.teacherph.com/understanding-culture-

society-and-politics-first-quarter-activity-sheets/,June 25, 2020,

Task 11
In a clean sheet of paper do the following:
 If you want to see change in your community, what do you think are the necessary steps
that you need to do in order to start or create change?
 Write at least five (5) steps using a graphic table and write an explanation of your answer.

Task 12
Read the following statement below.
An Open Letter to a Congressman
Rex, a senior high school student in Calamba City, wrote a petition letter addressed to his district’s
representative in congress. Rex observed the proliferation of informal dumpsites near his barangay.
He even took photos of these dumpsites and their specific locations in the municipality. Rex knew
that the garbage situation will eventually create health problems in his and nearby barangay if it
remains unchecked. So, he wrote a letter to his district’s congressman and petitioned the latter to
do something about the garbage situation, especially regarding proper garbage collection and
management. He posted a copy of his letter on his Facebook timeline.
Can an open letter written by a senior high school youth bring about social change? If so,
enumerate five ways on how it can be seen in that light. Write your answer in a clean sheet of
paper.

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VII. Notes to teachers:
Rubric for Essay
Criteria 3 2 1 0 Score
Focus/Main The essay is The essay is The essay is The essay
Point focused, focused on the focused on poorly
purposeful, and topic and topic and addresses topic
reflects clear includes includes few and includes
insight and relevant ideas loosely related irrelevant ideas
ideas ideas
Support Persuasively Supports main Supports main Provides little
supports main point with point with some or no support
point with well- developed underdeveloped for the main
developed reasons and/or reasons and/or point
reasons and/or examples examples
examples
Organization Effectively Organizes ideas Some Little or no
organizes ideas to build an organization of organization of
to build a argument ideas to build ideas to build
logical, an argument an argument
coherent
argument
Language Effective and Appropriate use Some use of Little or no use
Use, style& creative use of of elements of elements of of elements of
Conventions elements of style Uses style Contains style Many
(Sentence style to enhance correct frequent errors errors in
structure, meaning Uses grammar, in grammar, grammar,
word choice, correct spelling, and spelling, and spelling, and
grammar, grammar, punctuation punctuation punctuation,
spelling, spelling, with few errors makes reader’s
punctuation) punctuation comprehension
throughout with difficult
very few errors
Originality Distinctive Sufficient Very little No
(Expression of experimentation experimentation experimentation experimentation
the theme in a with language with language to enhance nor
creative way) and usage to and usage to concepts Does enhancement of
enhance enhance not exhibit concepts No
concepts concepts creativity adherence to
Applies higher Applies basic the theme
order thinking creative skills
and creative to relay ideas
skills to relay
complex ideas
TOTAL 15

SCORING
Points Earned Descriptive Rating
15 Outstanding
13-14 Very Satisfactory
11-12 Fairly Satisfactory
9-10 Satisfactory
Below 8 Did not meet expectations

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