Turkey Social Studies Curriculum (4th Grade)

This information is based on the 2018 Social Studies Curriculum published by the Turkish Ministry of National Education.

The curriculum aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to become active and responsible citizens. It emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach, integrating various social sciences and promoting reflective thinking.

Key Competencies

The curriculum focuses on developing eight key competencies:

1. Communication in Mother Tongue 2. Communication in Foreign Languages 3. Mathematical Competence and Basic Competences in Science/Technology 4. Digital Competence 5. Learning to Learn 6. Social and Civic Competences 7. Taking Initiative and Entrepreneurship 8. Cultural Awareness and Expression

Core Values

The curriculum emphasizes the following core values:

• Justice
• Friendship
• Honesty
• Self-Control
• Patience
• Respect
• Love
• Responsibility
• Patriotism
• Benevolence
• Importance of Family Unity
• Independence
• Peace
• Scientificness
• Diligence
• Solidarity
• Sensitivity
• Aesthetics
• Equality
• Freedom
• Saving

Learning Areas and Gains

The 4th-grade curriculum is organized into seven learning areas, each with specific learning gains:

1. Individual and Society: This area focuses on personal and social development, emphasizing respect, responsibility, using evidence, and empathy. Students learn about their identity through examining official identification documents and explore their individual interests, needs, and talents. They also develop an understanding of chronological order by placing important life events in sequence. Furthermore, they learn to appreciate individual differences and practice empathy by considering the perspectives of others, including those with disadvantages.

2. Culture and Heritage: This area explores cultural heritage, emphasizing family unity, cultural sensitivity, patriotism, using evidence, understanding chronology, and perceiving change and continuity. Students research their family history using various sources and identify elements of national culture within their families and communities. They compare traditional and contemporary children's games to understand cultural changes and continuities. They also learn about the importance of the Turkish War of Independence through the biographies of its heroes.

3. People, Places, and Environments: This area focuses on geography and environmental awareness, emphasizing environmental sensitivity, spatial perception, map skills, location analysis, and interpreting graphs and diagrams. Students learn to make inferences about the location of places in their surroundings and draw sketch maps of familiar spaces. They differentiate between natural and human elements in their environment and record weather observations using graphs. They also explore the topography and population characteristics of their area and learn about natural disaster preparedness.

4. Science, Technology, and Society: This area explores the relationship between science, technology, and society, emphasizing scientific thinking, environmental awareness, innovation, and research skills. Students classify technological products based on their uses and compare past and present uses of technology. They research the inventors of technological products and their development over time. They also develop their own product ideas based on community needs and learn to use technology responsibly.

5. Production, Distribution, and Consumption: This area focuses on economics and consumer awareness, emphasizing responsibility, saving, self-control, decision-making, and financial literacy. Students differentiate between wants and needs, making informed choices. They learn about the main economic activities in their community and practice responsible consumer behavior. They also create a sample budget and learn about resource conservation.

6. Active Citizenship: This area focuses on civic engagement, emphasizing responsibility, independence, collaboration, social participation, and decision-making. Students learn about their rights as children and take responsibility for their actions in family and school life. They propose ideas for educational and social activities at school and explore the relationship between national independence and individual freedom.

7. Global Connections: This area explores global connections and cultural diversity, emphasizing cultural sensitivity, respect, research skills, and empathy. Students learn about different countries and their unique characteristics. They explore Turkey's relationships with its neighbors and other Turkic republics. They compare cultural elements of different countries with those of Turkey and learn to respect diverse cultures.