3. 3
INDEX
SL. NO CONTENT PAGE NO.
1 Introduction 4
2 Features & Significance of Social Science of Laboratory 5 - 6
3 The way to organize Social Science Laboratory 7
4 Necessary Requirements for a Social Science Laboratory 8 - 11
5 Conclusion 12
6 Reference 13
INTRODUCTION
4. 4
Social Science is a subject of study at the secondary school level which offers a
systematic study of man in relation to his society. Any branch of study that deals with the
social life of man and employs scientific method for its study may be conceived as social
science. According to Charles Beard, “Social Science is a body of knowledge and
thought pertaining to human affairs”. According to James High “Social Science as those
bodies of learning and study which recognize the simultaneous and mutual action of
physical and non-physical stimuli which produce social reaction”. Thus the term Social
Science may include any disciplined knowledge which deals with people and utilizes a
scientific method.
Every subject has its specialties and to make teaching effective it is essential to create an
environment accordingly. Just as we require separate laboratories for teaching different
science subjects, we need a special laboratory for the teaching of Social Science also.
The Social Science teacher has to make use of various teaching aids while transacting the
curriculum. It may be a globe, a model, a picture, a chart, maps, projector, film strip,
samples of pass books, balance sheet etc. To keep them in safe custody and to ensure
easy availability, it is necessary to have a separate room for Social Science. This special
room is known as the Social Science laboratory. Here we are going to discuss about the
Social Science Laboratory.
FEATURES & SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
5. 5
LABORATORY
1. For providing a home for Social Science teacher
To inspire the Social Science teacher with the requisite faith in himself and imbued
with essential imaginative strength, he has to be provided with a home of his own.
The most vital apparatus in the Social Science laboratory is the Social Science teacher
himself. However, the provision of ‘a home of his own’ is necessary to assist him to
develop an enthusiasm for the subject and to provide him with best opportunities for
awakening a corresponding interest in his pupils.
2. For creating and maintaining a effective atmosphere
Well-equipped with equipments and materials for teaching a Social Science
laboratory will help in creating and maintaining a much –needed atmosphere.
3. For providing an activity centre
The laboratory will also provide a good activity centre for the seniors.
4. For making teaching more effective
Specialist accommodation provides greater scope for variety in teaching methods. It
facilitates the use of teaching aids. The permanent display of important maps and
globes, pictures and charts and constant reference to them by the teacher will make
the teaching of Social Sciences effective, lively and interesting.
5. For providing a quick and ready functional environment
6. 6
Since mastery of essentials in the Social Science extends beyond the theoretical
knowledge, it is essential that there is provision for functional activities too. The
classroom facilities must be capable of rapid and the practical solution of problems
characterizes every unit or topic the physical equipment must provide a work-room
for the pupils.
6. For saving teaching time
Equipment like maps, models, charts, projectors etc is too cumbersome to carry round
the school. A permanent base will save a lot of time.
7. Make all aids readily available at one place
If the different audio visual aids, some of which may be hardware are stored in
different places, the Social Science teacher have to get these collected from various
places while teaching. Their safe custody also will be quite difficult. But if all these
are stored and arranged systematically in a Social Science laboratory the pupils can
be brought to this spot and the items can be demonstrated as and when required in the
course of the class.
7. 7
THE WAY TO ORGANIZE SOCIAL SCIENCE
LABORATORY
The Social Science laboratory might be of any size. It should have the following basic
elements.
Good lighting and ventilation
Adequate book cases and other storage facilities
Tables and chairs to accommodate the students and teachers who are to work in it.
The wall-space could be utilized for display of the chalk-board, bulletin board,
models, maps and book shelves.
The laboratory should be suitably arranged to provide an inviting stimulating
atmosphere.
The arrangement of furniture and display should be informal to give an
impression that something interesting is happening in the room.
8. 8
NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS FOR A SOCIAL SCIENCE
LABORATORY
There should be the following equipments in the Social Science laboratory
1. FURNITURE
The necessary items of furniture in a Social Science laboratory are working tables,
chairs, shelves, stands, map-racks, almirahs and black-boards. The tables should be
small and flat which can be easily rearranged for group work.
Seating arrangement should make for comfort, health and efficient of the pupils.
Seats, individual desks or dual desks or table and chairs should be movable and easy
to arrange for a variety of purpose for the teachers lessons or group work.
The teacher’s desk should also be moveable, so that it may be used for general
administration as well as instruction. It should be equipped with an atlas, a table
dictionary, a memorandum pad and a desk – blotter.
A permanent projection screen may be fixed above the black board which can be
easily lowered for projection work any time. The windows should be provided with
dark curtains which could be used when a film is to be screened.
It will be very helpful if a permanent channel riling with sliding books is fixed along
the chalk-board wall for hanging maps, pictures or graphs during teaching.
9. 9
2. AIDS AND EQUIPMENTS
A Social Science laboratory should possess
Maps – Historical, Economic, Geographical, Political, Social and Pictorial
Maps of all the Countries.
Charts - Different types of charts - tabulation charts, time charts, and
relationship charts need to be provided
Time Lines – Every Social Science laboratory should provide a time line which
should run half-way along the wall. It should be pained or made of
either the hard- board or card-board. Important dates and persons
should be marked appropriately all along with the while teaching.
The pictures of the important persons about whom the class is to
study can be nailed. This will help in making the pupils familiar
with the distance between the lives of great persons.
Time Graph – These may be provided to show the gradual and incidental rise and
fall of the dynasties the progress of rival powers, ideas and
cultures, personages and movements.
Models – There should models depicting dams and projects, the solar
system, motion of earth, changes of seasons etc and relief models
on life in different parts of the world, sources of history, great men
of different lands.
10. 10
Slide Album – Containing slides showing architecture, sculpture, painting,
dancing, music etc should also be there.
Flags - Flags of different nations of the world may be provided with
explanatory notes.
Goods – Locally manufactured goods of cloth, pottery, wood, metal,
lacquer. Agricultural Product – rice, wheat, millets, tea, oil,
seeds and fiber etc.
Rocks – Stones and mineral stamps – coins
3. METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS
Rain Gauge, Wind Vane, Barometer, Tube Barometer, Centigrade Thermometer,
Maximum and Minimum Thermometer, Wet and Dry bulb thermometer.
4. SURVEY INSTRUMENTS
Plane table, Spirit level, Box compass, Tripod, Poles, Flags, Chain and arrows,
Prismatic compass, Survey Field book, Tape, Scale of Foot Rule, Compass, Divider
Protractor. Statistical data regarding climatology should be diagrammatically
represented by mans of the wheel diagram and the bar graph.
5. AUDIO VISUAL AIDS
Tape recorder, Projector, Filmstrip, Projector, Magic lantern, Epidiascope etc
should also be provided.
11. 11
6. REFERENCE BOOKS
Provision should be made for good historical novels, dramas, pictorial books,
illustrating the life and customs of different peoples, important historical and
geographical works of eminent writers, good books on Sociology, History and
Geography, besides biographies, auto biographies and travel stories and Social
Science encyclopedias books of the peoples in different lands etc. these books should
be always at hand when the subject is being taught.
7. BULLETIN BOARD
It is a necessary piece of equipment of Social Science laboratory. It may be
displayed relevant cuttings and pictures collected by pupils from magazines and
newspapers. Maps, pictures, cartoons, newspaper reports on topics done or in
progress in the classroom can be displayed on the bulletin board with a caption or
study questions for pupils.
12. 12
CONCLUSION
The main purpose of laboratory work is to develop skills, original thinking, planning and creative
expression among the pupils. The laboratory must be extended into the world outside, as far as
teacher and his pupils can go. The Social Science laboratory should become the hub of Social
Science teaching activities in school. It should be able to produce dynamic sparkling interaction
among physical things and students.
Social Science laboratory should become a miniature world to exhibit and to record the
developments of explorations, research and discovery. It should serve the purpose of a class –
room, a library, a workshop, an amateur theatre, a student’s club, a stock room all rolled into
one.
13. 13
REFERENCE
1. Teaching of Social Science – N.R. Saxena, B.K. Mishra, R.K. Mohanty – Vinay Rakheja
Publications
2. Teaching of Social Studies – S.K. Kochhar – Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd.
3. Social Science Education Methodology of teaching and Pedagogic Analysis –
Dr. K. Sivarajan, Dr. T.V. Thulasidharan, DR. N.K. Vijayan – Calicut University
