Overview

Through Social Studies, young people develop their understanding of the world by learning about other people and their values, in different times, places and circumstances; they also develop their understanding of their environment and of how it has been shaped.

Staff Names

M Barett (Faculty Head/History and Modern Studies Specialist)

J Sharkey (Geography Specialist)

Facilities

One dedicated Social Studies room with 2 PCs and an Interactive Whiteboard.

 

What your child will learn:

S1             Modern Studies

                 The Rights of the Child

                  

                 History

                 Vikings

 

                 Geography

                 Where I Live

 

S2             Modern Studies

                 Comparison of Scotland and China

                  

                 History

                 The Scottish Wars of Independence

     

                 Geography

                 The Geography of Scotland and China

 

S3             Modern Studies

                 Democracy in Scotland

                  

                 History

                 New Lanark and the Industrial Revolution

 

                 Geography

                 The River Clyde

 

S4-S6                             Pupils are entered for the National Qualification appropriate to their level. Depending on the

                                       Qualification, pupils will learn within the Social Studies contexts or may work towards discreet

                                       Geography or History courses. Some examples of courses in the senior school are:

 

Social Studies               Housing, The Scottish Parliament and The UK Parliament

 

Geography                     Housing, Making a decision, Making a contrast, Physical environments, Human environments and    Global ssues

 

History                           Mary Queen of Scots, The Atlantic Slave Trade, Race Relations in the USA

 

 

 

Your child will learn through:

• active learning which provides opportunities to observe, explore, experiment and play
• use of relevant contexts and experiences familiar to children and young people
• appropriate and effective use of technology
• both collaborative and independent learning
• discussion and informed debate
• interdisciplinary learning experiences, including John Muir Award in S2.
• learning outdoors, field trips, visits and input by external contributors. 

 

How they will be assessed:

 

Assessment in Social Studies will focus on children and young people’s knowledge, understanding and skills in their studies of people, past events, society, place, environment, economy and business.

 

Evidence will be gathered as part of day-to-day learning, as children and young people describe and record, explore and analyse sources, interpret and display information, talk and debate with peers and adults, undertake investigations and present their thinking orally, in writing or in a multimedia format. Specific assessment tasks will also be used in assessing progress.

 

Wider links/achievements in learning:

The Social Studies Department has a well-established programme of field trips for each year group. Other excursions and visiting speakers are arranged on a class by class basis throughout the year.

In S2 pupils work towards the John Muir Award. This is an Outdoor Learning project, run in partnership with the Science and PE Departments. Here pupils get the opportunity to practise the field skills of map reading, observation, surveying and data collection. They also learn about protecting and conserving the environment and actively work with a Countryside Ranger to do so.

 

Field Trips:

S1               Vikingar

S2               The National Wallace Monument

S3               The Scottish Parliament and New Lanark

S4-S6         Loch Lomond National Park