Here at Deira International School, we deliver the Social Sciences curriculum providing students with the opportunities to explore the UAE, our world and develop an understanding of the past, present and future. It is an integrated and holistic course of study, contextualised to meet the needs of students in the United Arab Emirates, promoting students moral, social and cultural development. Using relevant topical content, the curriculum provides scaffolded spiral learning opportunities in which students develop relevant and up-to-date information literacy skills to explore interesting content and concepts in History, Geography, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology, Psychology, Law and Archaeology.
Our aim is to provide our students with the skills and knowledge to explore real life issues within our community and the wider world. Delving into the past allows students to analyse the present and pave the way for their future. The goal for each learner is to explore the following themes throughout the curriculum: teamwork and leadership, critical thinking and problem solving, technological literacy, national identity and citizenship, innovation and creativity, honesty and responsibility and physical well-being.
Lessons are taught through various methods including group work, collaborative learning, role-play, drama, independent research and audio-visual presentations to engage and excite the students in their learning. A range of stimulus is used as hooks to learning including stories, news articles and video clips. Lessons are grouped into themes which build upon each other in terms of complexity and sophistication of understanding. Students are encouraged to drive their own learning through exploration and research opportunities guided and facilitated by the teachers who further challenge each student through questioning and tasks to enable each individual to reach their full potential.
The Social Sciences curriculum is subdivided into nine standards
Standard One: History | Students will identify significant people, event, developments that shaped communities and regions around the world in different periods. Students explore the effects of technological developments on societies and social change over time. |
Standard Two: Civics | Students will identify responsibilities and and privileges of belonging to communities inside and outside the UAE. Students will explain the facts that shape the nations and governing structures in the larger global community. |
Standard 3: Geography | Students will identify important features of the earth, including surface structures, natural resources and climates. Students will explain how human activities affect the earth and how human activities are affected by it. |
Standard 4: Sociology | Students will explain how and why communities and societies are formed. Students will identify reasons for social change and describe social transitions across geographical regions and time periods. |
Standard 5: Economics | Students will describe economic principles, markets and systems. Students will explain the role of the government in developing national and international economics. |
Standard 6: Information Literacy | Students will identify and evaluate sources. Students will provide evidence to support their claims using appropriate sources. |
Standard 7: Information Processing (Research) | Students will collect data and information on various topics using a range of methods, which may include digital and technology-based applications. Students will work collaboratively with others. Students will prepare arguments and explanations, arrive a conclusion and critique their own conclusions and the conclusions of others. |
Standard 8: Moral Education | Students will demonstrate an awareness of moral principles to assist them in ethical reasoning and decision making based on fairness and tolerance. |
Standard 9: UAE Culture, Heritage and Tolerance | Students will identify milestones of UAE national development and elements of its heritage events and activities. Students will explain the responsibilities and privileges of living in the UAE and demonstrate a sense of belonging to the UAE community as a citizen or resident. |
Year | Topics | ||
Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | |
Year 1 | · People and Stories of the past · Home and School · Belongings · Behaviour and Fairness · Appreciation of Stories | · Individuals and Groups · My Neighbourhood · Jobs · My Unique Self | · Rules and Regulations · Our Environment · Feelings-Mine and Others · Saying Sorry |
Year 2 | · Living in Social groups-My Family · My Community-Ali’s Family · My Community-My School · My Community-Home Rules and School Rules · UAE Culture · UAE Heritage and Traditions | · The United Arab Emirates · My UAE · Birthdays · Grandad’s photo album · Ali’s Friends · Cultures Around Us | · The Seven Emirates · My UAE · UAE Culture · Museums in the UAE · Money in the UAE · Baqala, Souqs, Markets and Malls · UAE Emergency Services · Job Fair |
Year 3 | · The UAE during the Last Century · Natural Resources in the UAE · Life by the Sea · Life in Coastal Cities · Life in the Desert · Life in the Desert Oasis · Modern-Day UAE · UAE Heritage Project
| · The Formation of the UAE · Founding Fathers of the UAE · Leadership in the UAE · Abu Dhabi · Dubai · Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah · Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Ajman | · Schools in the UAE · Higher Education in the UAE · Healthcare in the UAE · Emergencies in the UAE · Famous Landmarks in the UAE · Malls and Shopping Centres in the UAE · Airports and Sea Ports |
Year 4 | · Continents · Oceans · Landforms · Bodies of Water · Reading a map · Using Longitude and Latitiude on a Map | · Farming and Irrigation · Invention of Writing · Number Systems · Developments in Medicine · Using Electricity · Powered Engines · Developments in Transportation · A New Invention | · Natural Resources- Land and Water · Natural, Capital and Human Resources · Conservation of Resources · New Ideas for Resources · Resources and Trade · UAE National Industries · Improving Our School Project |
Year 5 | · Weather and Climate · Climate Zones · Impact of Landforms and Climate on People · Nature and Wildlife · Climate Changes · Energy Sources and Presrving the Planet · UAE National Day | · Institutions and People in the Community · Social Responsibilities · Goods and Services · Producers and Consumers · Costs and Benefits · Saving, Budgeting and Spending | · Government Services · Courts and Councils · Security and Services · Healthcare · Infrastructure · Social Organisations · Citizenship |
Year 6 | · Prehistory · Ancient Egypt and the Nile · Mesopotamia and Agriculture · Indus Valley · Ancient China-Shang ang Zhou dynasties · Minoan Civilisation · Transport and Trade in Ancient Civilisations | · Classical Civilisations · Greek City-States and Governments · The Achaemenids and Alexander the Great · Trade Routes in Classical Times · The Roman Empire · City Planning in Classical Civilisations · Fall of the Western Roman Empire | · Classical Civilisations- east and west · Baghdad · Science and Innovation · Art, Scholarship and the House of Wisdom · Health and Medicine · Cordoba-Islamic architecture · End of the Golden Age |