Social Studies PEP Practice

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 enables them 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.

Role Of Social Studies in the Curriculum

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 

• use a combination of technological and spatial skills to extract, analyze and use information to construct spatial patterns and understand processes h 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 globalized world

How do I know if my students are proficient in Social Studies?

There are Social Studies Practices that describe a variety of expertise that social studies educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students.  A deliberate effort was made to infuse the Social Studies into the curriculum; these are articulated in the objectives. All teachers of Social Studies in all grades should review the Social Studies practices, and incorporate them, along with content, into their instruction. There are eight (8) Social Studies practices that teachers are expected to expose their students as they teach the social studies facts and concepts.

Social Studies Practices

Key: SSP = Social Studies Practice

SSP 1. Chronological Reasoning & Causation

SSP 2. Comparison & Contextualization

SSP 3. Geographic Reasoning

SSP 4. Gathering, Using & Interpreting Evidence

SSP 5. The Role of the Individual in Social & Political     

Participation

Here are some practice test that will hep you get ready for your Social Studies PEP Exam.