Social Studies is an all-encompassing topic that includes a child’s learning about himself (his gender, race, ethnicity, and history), his family, his friends, his community, and also factual knowledge about sociology, geography, history, and ecology.

It sounds like a lot of information, but when teachers realize the way children learn in this area – like a pattern of concentric circles from the self to the family to the community and to the world – and they understand the developmental limits of each child and throw in some common sense, learning about Social Studies is not that hard – but it is very important.

To DAP in Social Studies:

Self

• Create an environment of warmth and respect for each child, as he is (with all his runny nose, wet pants, loud voice and inability to listen or follow directions foibles)
• Offer opportunities and learning experiences that help each child learn to identify himself by name*, gender, ethnicity, family relationship (son, daughter, cousin, grandchild), and family history
• Have mirrors in your room so children may physically see and recognize themselves from the earliest ages

*Say My Name, Say My Name – I cannot stress strongly enough how I feel about teachers knowing, pronouncing, and spelling each child’s name correctly!! A child’s name is WHO HE IS. Respect it from the start. Last names, too.

Sociology (Family, & Community)

• Equip the classroom and campus with developmentally appropriate materials and equipment intended for the building of the strengths of social studies including books, posters, and other written material with both realistic pictures, photos, and drawings that tell facts and give accurate information about families and people of all races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, ages, and cultures and with illustrated fictional stories about the relationships between and among all kinds of people, their homes, families, jobs, celebrations, and customs, and materials and toys like dolls, dramatic play clothes, puppets, human figures, animal figures, home furnishings, cooking utensils, tools, and games that are representative of families and people of all races,  ethnicities, genders, abilities, ages, and cultures.
• Create an environment of respect for each child and every family and display photos of children’s family members. 
• Offer opportunities for family involvement in all program facets.
• Engage in frequent face-to-face verbal interactions with children and parents in both English and, if possible, any child’s non-English home language and encourage the sharing of home language.
• Create and maintain an atmosphere of complete respect for the differences in people’s culture, beliefs, customs, and celebrations.

Geography

• Use your knowledge of development to decide when your learners are ready to learn facts about their personal locations – addresses, names of city or town, state, country, continent.
• Use maps, globes, and exposure to objects, clothes, food, and non-stereotypical celebration experiences from around the world to help children gain an understanding of world geography.

History

• Talk about and celebrate historical events – developmentally
• Use historical books and icons – developmentally
• Use history to “teach” the concepts of past and present – developmentally

Next Blog: DAP for Mind – Social Studies #2