What is Social Studies?

Overview

This 60-minute starter lesson for Year 9 & 10 students introduces the subject of Social Studies, aligned specifically with the New Zealand Curriculum. It combines exploration of the subject, classroom expectations, and a hands-on data-collection and graphing activity. This plan integrates critical social studies concepts with statistical skills as articulated in the NZ curriculum components on Social Sciences and Mathematics & Statistics.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Define Social Studies as the study of people and their societies.
• Brainstorm and identify key topics covered by Social Studies.
• Understand and articulate classroom behaviour expectations promoting respect, listening, and focus.
• Collect primary data using a tally chart related to their modes of transport to school.
• Create and interpret a bar graph to identify trends from the class data.
• Relate data skills and civics/social understanding to broader learning goals in Social Studies and Mathematics.

Curriculum Alignment:

• Social Sciences Learning Area (NZ Curriculum, levels 5-6, Years 9-10): Develop understanding of human interactions and social systems; explore different perspectives and information sources.

• Mathematics & Statistics – Statistical enquiry (Years 9-10): Pose investigative questions, gather and organise data, construct and interpret graphs to identify patterns/trends .

• Key Competencies addressed:

  • Managing self (classroom expectations)
  • Participating and contributing (respectful discussion, data collection)
  • Thinking (data analysis and interpretation)

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard/Flipchart and markers
• Student notebooks or graph paper
• Rulers and coloured pencils
• Printed tally charts (or drawn on student notebooks)
• Projector or smartboard for brainstorming display
• Graphing template or software (optional)
• Stickers or small rewards for positive behaviour

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Lesson Structure

1. Title Slide / Introduction (5 minutes)

• Display the title page:
  "What is Social Studies?"
  Year 9 & Year 10
• Briefly introduce the session as an exploration of what the subject involves and expectations for a successful classroom culture.

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2. Defining Social Studies (10 minutes)

• Write the definition on the board:
  “Social Studies is the study of people — how they live, interact, and shape their communities and the world.”
• Facilitate a brief whole-class brainstorming:
  “What topics or ideas do you think Social Studies covers?”
• Record ideas, prompting categories such as: history, geography, government, culture, environment, economy, relationships, community, and more.
• Encourage students to build on each other’s ideas (model respectful listening).

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3. Classroom Expectations Discussion (10 minutes)

• Collaboratively set clear guidelines for discussions:

  • Respect others and their opinions
  • No talking over others
  • No “stupid questions” — all questions valued
  • Be quiet and attentive when the teacher or a classmate is speaking
  • No cellphones or MP3 players during class activities
  • Rewards (e.g., stickers, points, or verbal praise) for good behaviour and engagement

• Write these visibly on a poster to keep throughout the course.

• Role-play or quickly rehearse scenarios to illustrate expectations and why they matter for learning community.

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4. Data Collection Activity: How do you get to school? (25 minutes)

Part A: Tally Chart (10 minutes)

• Introduce the task:
  “We will collect data from classmates on how they travel to school. This is a Social Studies topic because it tells us about people’s daily lives and their environments.”

• Provide the categories:

  • Walk
  • Bike
  • Car
  • Bus
  • Other (prompt for specifics)

• Model how to make tally marks for oral responses, then have students interview at least 5 classmates each, and record data in their tally charts individually or in pairs.

Part B: Graph Drawing (15 minutes)

• Using their tally data, guide students step-by-step to create a bar graph on graph paper or digitally:

  • Label the x-axis with travel modes, y-axis with number of students.
  • Create bars proportionally to tallies collected.

• Once graphs are done, lead a discussion analysing the graph:

  • Which travel mode is most common?
  • Are there any surprising results?
  • How might this relate to where we live or our community?
  • What insights can we draw about transport, environment, or health?

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5. Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Summarise how Social Studies connects to understanding people and their ways of life, including through data like our travel.

• Highlight how respectful dialogue and data skills will help throughout the course.

• Quick reflection:
  “What is one thing you learned today about Social Studies or about your classmates?”
  (Or a written exit slip prompt)

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Assessment Suggestions

• Formative: Observe participation in brainstorming and class discussions to assess understanding of Social Studies' purpose and classroom expectations.
• Data Activity: Collect students’ tally charts and bar graphs to assess ability to record data accurately and interpret simple graphs.
• Reflection: Review exit slips or verbal feedback for comprehension of how Social Studies involves studying people.

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Teacher Tips for Engagement

• Use real examples local to the students (e.g., local transport options) to increase relevance.
• Reinforce positive behaviour immediately with praise and rewards.
• Use think-pair-share to build confidence in discussions.
• Allow students to personalise graphs by colouring or decorating bars.

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Final Notes on Curriculum Links

This lesson capitalises on the integration of Social Studies' learning objective of understanding people and communities by engaging students in real-life data gathering, fostering inquiry and respect for diverse perspectives — core to the Social Sciences curriculum. Incorporating data skills develops competencies also specified in the Maths & Statistics learning area, particularly building investigative and critical thinking skills using real-world contexts .

This approach supports New Zealand's emphasis on bicultural partnership and inclusive classrooms by setting behavioural expectations that encourage respect and valuing all opinions.

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If you would like, I can provide accompanying resources such as the tally chart template, graphing worksheet, or a poster for classroom expectations formatted for New Zealand schools.