Prompt

"Introduction: • Social Studies as a subject originated from America and started as a school subject in America and Europe in 1944. • The term Social Studies actually began in 1890s to 1892 at the conference of the teaching of History, Economics and Government in Madison. • It was introduced into Nigerian secondary schools after our independence in 1960. It was first taught at Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro in Ogun State in 1963. • It became a subject in our curriculum in 1965. Definitions: Social Studies is defined as the study of man in relation to his physical and social environment and how he uses technology to solve problems. Social studies is the study of individuals, communities, systems, and their interactions across time and place that prepares students for local, national, and global civic life. It can also be defined as the study of man’s interaction with his physical and social environments. SCOPE OF SOCIAL STUDIES Social Studies teaches the way and life of man in his physical and social environment. It cuts across many subjects or disciplines. For example in Social Studies, there are elements of Geography, History, Government, Sociology, Civics, Religion, Psychology etc. It integrates all these disciplines in the study of man; thus it is therefore regarded as an inter-disciplinary approach to knowledge. Therefore, there are 3 core or traditional subjects which are: Geography, History and Civic. NATURE OF SOCIAL STUDIES The nature of Social Studies is not static but continuously changing with time (dynamic). The reason for these changes in the nature of Social Studies is because the goal has been changing from time to time to suit the specific need of the country. Meanwhile, man who is at the center of the subject keeps changing. "