Education
There is no subject that exists in isolation of others. This is especially true for social studies, which is inherently cross disciplinary. Social studies encompass economics, politics, sociology, history, geography, religion, and culture. Cross-curricular integration allows students to see the inter-connectedness between the Social Studies and the other subject areas in the school curriculum. The following analysis of a course on Trinidad and Tobago provides a detailed example of how Social Studies integrates with other subjects in the curriculum. Other subjects in the curriculum include mathematics, social sciences (psychology and sociology), hard science (chemistry, physics, and biology), art, art history, music, and physical education.
The syllabus of the course on Trinidad and Tobago includes the following: history and geography; culture and people; government, politics, and transnational issues; and the economy.
History and Geography
This section of the course addresses the history and geography of Trinidad and Tobago. It is therefore firmly rooted in a social studies curriculum. The history of Trinidad and Tobago is inextricably linked with issues related to colonialism. Colonialism naturally enables a rich cross-curricular study that includes trans-curricular subjects like race relations. Less obvious links to subjects outside of the traditional province of social studies include the ways the history of Trinidad and Tobago is expressed through the art, music, and literature of the island nation. Moreover, the links include the art, music, and literature of Trinidadian expatriates worldwide including North America and the United...
More than just a study of the placement of the country on a map, geography encompasses the role of natural resources in the social development of the region. Therefore, the geology of the region can be linked to science courses in geology. Chemistry and biology issues are also raised with a study of the local flora, fauna, and natural resources.
Culture and People
A cornerstone of social studies, culture is a broad topic that includes religious studies, linguistics, art, music, and food. Each of these sub-topics can be related to other subjects in the general curricula. For example, religious studies is linked to art and music. Linguistics is linked to literature. Art and art history can be studied from within a specific framework of Trinidad and Tobago; showing how the art of one country relates to the global history of art. The same cross-curricular exercise can be applied to the study of music. Food is an expression of culture, but food also has a strong scientific component. For example, both chemistry and biology courses can address food in their course work. Food manufacturing has a chemical component and can therefore be studied from a purely scientific point-of-view. The biological analysis of plants and animals can be approached purely from a biology standpoint. Moreover, the subject of food can be studied from the perspective of both political science and economic policy. Water rights issues can also be raised and addressed in classes other than this one. Therefore, addressing the culture and people of Trinidad and Tobago allows for a seamless introduction to core topics outside the realm of social studies.
Government and Politics
Government and politics are integral to social studies. In the Trinidad and Tobago class, the structure of the government is discussed. So, too, are the history and historical influences of this form of government. Although government and political science generally fall…
