What Do You Know?

NAME ________________________________________ DATE _____________ CLASS ______

The Geographer's World Lesson 1: Studying Social Studies

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How does the study of social studies help us understand the world around us?

Terms to Know

geography the study of Earth's physical features and the living things--humans, animals, and plants--that inhabit it

analyze to examine primary source a description of an event by someone who witnessed or lived through that event secondary source a source created by people who were not present at an event point of view the ideas held by a person or group that cause them to take a side on an issue bias unreasoned, emotional judgment about people and events frame of reference the experiences and cultural and historical factors that influence a person or

group at a specific time

What Do You Know?

In the first column, answer the questions based on what you know before you study. After the lesson,

fill in the last column.

Before Study

Questions What is geography?

What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source? What is bias?

After Study

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Reading Essentials and Study Guide 1

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The Geographer's World Lesson 1: Studying Social Studies, continued

Defining

1. Define analyze.

Marking the Text

2. Look at the graphic organizer of social studies subjects. Underline the subject in which you will learn about how laws are made. Circle the subject in which you will learn about a country's traditions. Highlight the subject in which you will learn about businesses in a country or region.

Making Connections

3. Why might a place located near water be involved in trade?

Reading Progress Check

4. What is geography?

The Social Studies

Guiding Question What do you learn about when you study social studies?

Geography is the study of Earth's physical features and the living things--humans, animals, and plants--that inhabit it. Geographers are people who study geography. They study where these elements are located and how they are related. You will learn about more than only geography in your social studies classes.

A person who studies social studies learns about different subjects besides geography. These many subjects help people understand events and ideas more clearly. You will learn about these subjects:

Government

Culture

Social Studies Subjects

Geography

Economics

History

You will learn how these different subjects are related. For example, physical geography can affect a region's economy. A place that is located near water might have an economy based on trade or fishing. People who study the social studies analyze this kind of information. To analyze means "to examine or look at." They use many tools and skills to do this. You will learn these skills so you can understand the social studies more clearly.

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2 Reading Essentials and Study Guide

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The Geographer's World Lesson 1: Studying Social Studies, continued

Sources of Information

Guiding Question What different types of sources can be used to gather social studies information?

The two types of information you will use in social studies are primary sources and secondary sources. A primary source is a description of an event by someone who witnessed or lived through an event. A secondary source is created by people who were not present at an event. The table shows examples of primary and secondary sources.

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

letters

textbooks

diaries

biographies

autobiographies official records photographs paintings artifacts (clothing and tools) interviews

encyclopedias

Sometimes it is more difficult to tell if a source is a primary source or secondary source. A song could be either a primary source or a secondary source. If the song was written by someone who was at the event, it is a primary source. "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a primary source. If the song was written about an event the author did not attend, it is a secondary source. Books and newspapers may also be primary or secondary sources.

You should analyze primary and secondary sources carefully. Ask yourself these questions as you read:

? Who created the source?

? Why was the source created? What was its purpose and for whom was it written?

? What is the source about?

? When was the source created?

? How was the source created?

? Is the source a primary source or a secondary source?

Contrasting

5. Describe how primary sources and secondary sources are different.

Making Generalizations

6. Which is likely to be the more reliable--a primary source or a secondary source? Why?

Determining Word Meaning

7. Use the definitions of primary source and secondary source to determine meanings of the words primary and secondary. Write their meanings in your own words.

Reading Essentials and Study Guide 3

Copyright ? McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

NAME ________________________________________ DATE _____________ CLASS ______

The Geographer's World Lesson 1: Studying Social Studies, continued

Explaining

8. Why is it important to look for bias when analyzing primary and secondary sources?

Reading Progress Check

9. List three examples of primary sources.

You need to decide if primary sources and secondary sources are dependable and reliable. A description of an event is often written from a point of view. Point of view refers to the ideas held by a person or a group. These ideas cause them to take a side on an issue. A point of view is sometimes expressed as a bias, which is an unreasonable, emotional judgment about people and events. A source with bias is not always reliable.

You should also think about frame of reference when you analyze a source. Frame of reference refers to the experiences and historical and cultural factors that influence a person or group at a specific time. Taking historical influences into account when analyzing past events or writings is very important. For example, we might laugh about how people were once afraid of solar eclipses. But at that time, there was no explanation for such an event. So it makes sense that people would have been frightened.

You should remember point of view, bias, and frame of reference when you research and write. Check new sources against sources that you know are trustworthy. Different sources about the same event may have different points of view. Looking at many sources will help you bring together believable evidence. Then you can draw conclusions. To draw conclusions, you use what you know about the past to explain the meaning of events.

Writing

Check for Understanding

1. Expository What steps would you take to analyze an article on the Internet?

2. Expository How does point of view differ from frame of reference?

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