Learning Outcomes in Social Sciences

Social Sciences at upper primary stage primarily aim at understanding analytically various phenomena in immediate social environment. The learners are introduced to the diversity of people and their practices in different societies, regions and cultures within societies. Social sciences have an important role in generating sensitivity towards human values of compassion, trust, peace, cooperation, social justice, environmental protection and other concerns. It develops with one’s own social environment-self, family, social environment and its interaction with various geographical, historical, social, economic, and political factors. Familiarizing the learner with the dynamics in the evolution process is necessary so that she/he develops sufficient awareness to understand disciplinary values of these interlinked disciplines independently.

Curricular Expectations

It is expected that the learner, by the end of the upper primary stage (Class VIII), is able to meet the following curricular expectations:

• Recognises ways in which political, social and economic issues which affect their daily lives across time and space.
• Understands about the earth as the habitat of humans and other forms of life.
• Becomes familiar with one's own region and realises interdependence of various regions (local to global).
• Understands spatial distribution of resources and their conservation.
• Understand historical developments in different periods of Indian history.
• Comprehends how historians study the past using different types of sources.
• Understands historical diversity to relate developments of one place/region with those of another.
• Imbibes the values of the Indian Constitution and their significance in everyday life.
• Gains a sense of the working of Indian democracy, its institutions and processes at the local, state and union levels.
• Becomes familiar with socio - economic role of institutions such as family, market and government.
• Recognises the contributions of different section s of society to political, social, cultural, and environmental processes

Learning Outcomes - Class VI

The learner:

• distinguishes between stars, planets and satellites e.g. Sun, Earth and Moon.
• recognizes that the earth is a unique celestial body due to existence of life, zones of the earth with special reference to biosphere.
• demonstrates day & night and seasons.
• locates directions on t he flat surface and continents & oceans on the world map.
• identifies latitudes and longitudes, e.g., poles, equator, tropics, States/UTs of India and other neighbouring countries on globe and the world map,
• locates physical features of India such as mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, desert, etc. on the map of India.
• draws neighbourhood map showing scale, direction, and features with the help of conventional symbols.
• examines critically the superstitions related to eclipses.
• identifies different types of sources (archaeological, literary etc.) and describes their use in reconstruction of history of this period.
• locates important historical sites, places on an outline map of India.
• recognises distinctive features of early human cultures and explains their growth.
• lists out significant contributions of important kingdoms, dynasties with examples viz., Ashokan inscriptions, Gupta coins, Ratha temples by Pallavas etc.
• explains broad developments during ancient period e.g. hunting gathering stage, the beginning of agriculture, the first cities on the Indus etc. and relates the developments occuring in one place with another.
• describes issues, events, personalities mentioned in literary works of the time.
• describes the implications of India's contacts with regions outside India in the fields of religion, art, architecture, etc.
• outlines India's significant contributions in culture and science viz. astronomy, medicine, mathematics, and knowledge of metals, etc.
• synthesizes information related to various historical developments.
• analyses basic ideas and values of various religions and systems of thought during ancient period.
• describes various forms of human diversity around her/him.
• develops a healthy attitude towards various kinds of diversity around her/him.
• recognises various forms of discrimination and understands the nature and sources of discrimination.
• differentiates between equality and inequality in various forms to treat them in a healthy way.
• describes the role of government, especially at the local level.
• identifies various levels of the government – local, state and union.
• analyses the functioning of rural and urban local government bodies in sectors like health and education.
• describes factors responsible for availability of different occupations undertaken in rural and urban areas.

Learning Outcomes - Class VII

The learner:

• identifies major layers of the earth’s interior, rock types, layers of the atmosphere in a diagram.
• locates distribution and extent of different climatic regions on the world map or globe.
• explains preventive actions to be undertaken in the event of disasters e.g. earthquake, floods, droughts.
• describes formation of landforms due to various factors/events.
• explains composition and structure of the atmosphere.
• describes different components of the environment and the interrelationship between them.
• analyzes factors contributing to pollution in their surroundings and lists measures to prevent it.
• reasons factors leading to diversity in flora and fauna due to various factors e.g. climate, landforms, etc.
• reflects on the factors leading to disasters and calamities.
• shows sensitivity to the need for conservation of natural resources - air, water, energy, flora and fauna.
• draws interrelationship between climatic regions and life of people living in different climatic regions.
• analyses factors that impact development of specific regions.
• provides examples of sources used to study various periods in history.
• relates key historical developments during medieval period occurring in one place with another.
• explains the relationship between livelihood patterns and the geographical condition of the area inhabited e.g. tribes, nomadic pastoralists and banjaras.
• analyses socio - political and economic changes during medieval period
• analyses administrative measures and strategies for military control adopted by different kingdoms e.g. the Khaljis and Tughluqs, Mughals, etc.
• draws comparisons between policies of different rulers
• describes distinctive developments in style and technology used for construction of temples, tombs and mosques with examples.
• analyses factors which led to the emergence of new religious ideas and movements ( bhakti and sufi )
• draws inferences from poetry of bhakti and sufi saints about existing social order.
• explains the significance of equality in democracy.
• distinguishes between political equality, economic equality, and social equality.
• interprets social, political and economic issues in one ’s own region with reference to the right to equality.
• differentiates between local government and State government.
• describes the process of election to the legislative assembly.
• locates one’s own constituency on assembly constituency map of State/UT and names local MLA.
• analyses the causes and consequences of disadvantages faced by women of different sections of the society.
• identifies women achievers in different fields from various regions of India.
• illustrates contribution of women to different fields with appropriate examples.
• explains the functioning of media with appropriate examples from newspapers.
• creates an advertisement.
• differentiates between different kinds of markets.
• traces how goods travel through various market places.

Learning outcomes for Class VIII

The learner:

• classifies different types of industries based on raw materials, size and ownership.
• describes major crops, types of farming and agricultural practices in her/his own area/state.
• interprets the world map for uneven distribution of population.
• describes causes of forest fire, landslide, industrial disasters and their risk reduction measures.
• locates distribution of important minerals e.g. coal and mineral oil on the world map.
• analyses uneven distribution of natural and human-made resources on the earth.
• justifies judicious use of natural resources such as water, soil, forest, etc. to maintain developments in all areas.
• analyses the factors due to which some countries are known for production of major crops, e.g., wheat, rice, cotton, jute, etc., and locates these countries on the world map.
• draws interrelationship between types of farming and development in different regions of the world.
• draws bar diagram to show population of different countries/India/states.
• distinguishes the ‘modern period’ from the ‘medieval’ and the ‘ancient’ periods through the use of sources, nomenclatures used for various regions of the Indian sub - continent and the broad developments.
• explains how the English East India Company became the most dominant power.
• explains the differences in the impact of colonial agrarian policies in different regions of the country like the ‘indigo rebellion’.
• describes the forms of different tribal societies in the 19th century and their relationship with the environment.
• explains the policies of the colonial administration towards the tribal communities.
• explains the origin, nature and spread of the revolt of 1857 and the lessons learned from it.
• analyses the decline of pre - existing urban centres and handicraft industries and the development of new urban centres and industries in India during the colonial period.
• explains the institutionalisation of the new education system in India.
• analyses the issues related to caste, women, widow remarriage, child marriage, social reforms and the laws and policies of colonial administration towards these issues.
• outlines major developments that occurred during the modern period in the field of arts.
• outlines the course of the Indian national movement from the 1870s till Independence.
• analyses the significant developments in the process of nation building.
• interprets social and political issues in one’s own region with reference to the Constitution of India.
• illustrates the Fundamental Rights and the Fundamental Duties with appropriate examples.
• applies the knowledge of the Fundamental Rights to find out about their violation, protection and promotion in a given situation (e.g. Child Rights).
• differentiates between State government and Union government.
• describes the process of election to the Lok Sabha.
• locates one’s own constituency on parliamentary constituency map of State/UT and names local MP.
• explains the process of making a law. (e.g. Domestic Violence Act, RTI Act, RTE Act).
• explains the functioning of the judicial system in India by citing some landmark cases.
• demonstrates how to file a First Information Report (FIR).
• analyses the causes and consequences of marginalisation faced by disadvantaged sections of one's own region.
• identifies the role of Government in providing public facilities such as water, sanitation, road, electricity etc., and recognises their availability.
• describes the role of Government in regulating economic activities.