TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES

IN ELEMENTARY GRADES
(HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT)

BASICS OF
INSTRUCTION
AL PLANNING
F E L I X B E R T O T. L U C A B O N , J R . , M . A . P O L . S C I .
COURSE INSTRUCTOR
TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING
Instructional planning takes on many forms. One way of categorizing it is
by looking at the time frame for planning. Under this, three
classifications arise; Long-Range Planning, Unit Planning, and Lesson
Planning.
A. Long-Range Planning

This type could prove to be the most challenging for beginning teachers,
especially since this involves planning for the whole year. The curriculum
guide serves as the teachers most important tool in long-range planning.

In curriculum mapping a particular grade level,

it is important to look at the following:

a.) Grade Level Standard, which states the overall goal for the year;
b.) Topic, which describes the general theme of the grade level;
c.) Content, which outlines the lessons that will be covered.
THE TABLE BELOW, SHOWS THE INFORMATION LIFTED FROM THE
SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE 1 CURRICULUM GUIDE.
Grade Level Topic Content
Standard
Naipamalas ang Ako, ang Aking I. Ako ay Natatangi
kamalayan at pag- Pamilya at Paaralan A. Pagkilala sa Sarili
unawa sa sarili bilang B. Ang Aking Kuwento
C. Pagpapahalaga
kasapi ng pamilya at Ang sarili bilang II. Ang Aking Pamilya
paaralan at kabahagi ng pamilya A. Pagkilala sa mga Kasapi ng
pagpapahalaga sa at paaralan tungo sa Pamilya
kapaligirang pisikal pagkakakilanlan B. Ang Kuwento ng Aking Pamilya
gamit ang konsepto bilang indibidweal at C. Mga Alintuntunin sa Pamilya
ng pagpapatuloy at kasapi ng komunidad, D. Pagpapahalaga sa Pamilya
pagbabago, gamit ang konsepto ng III. Ang Aking Paaralan
interaksiyon, pagpapatuloy at A. Pagkilala sa Aking Paaralan
distansya at pagbabago, B. Ang Kuwento ng Aking
direksyon tungo sa interaksiyon, Paaralan
pagkakakilanlan distansya at direksyon C. Pagpapahalaga sa Paaralan
bilang indibidwal at at ang pagpapahalaga IV. Ako at ang Aking Kapaligiran
kasapi ng pangkat ng sa kapiligirang pisikal A. Ako at ang Aking Tahanan
lipunan at at paaralan. B. Ako at ang Aking Paaralan
komunidad. C. Pagpapahalaga sa Kapaligiran
 TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING

B. Unit Planning

A unit is a major division of the year-long plan. It is a cluster of

related lessons organized around a central topic, theme, issue, or problem
and developed in a logical sequence. It can be designed for any length of
time, some raging for just a week while others cover a whole quarter.
While the existing curriculum is already divided into units; teachers
should practice good decision-making in developing and organizing
units.
 IN PLANNING A UNIT, BEAL AND BOLICK (2013), RECOMMEND TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS AND PROCESSES:

1.) Unit Title. Develop an idea or adopt a topic for study and translate it into
a brief, clear statement of your theme or problem focus.
2.) Time Requirement. Determine approximately how much time will be
spent on the unit.
3.) List of Topics. Brainstorm and break the big idea or theme for the unit
into set of more specific ideas and subtopics.
4.) Target Students. Indicate for which group of students or grade levels the
unit is intended. Include them in the planning by allowing them to
identify big questions and issues of interest to them.
5.) Rationale. Construct a brief overview of what the unit is about and why
it is important to learn it.
 IN PLANNING A UNIT, BEAL AND BOLICK (2013), RECOMMEND TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS AND PROCESSES:

6.) Goals. Identify a goal or set of basics goals that the unit will be designed
to accomplish.
7.) Objectives. Outline the specific objectives that enable the goals to be
accomplished. Make sure to arrange them in logical and sequential order.
8.) Teaching Strategies. Identify and develop related significant teaching
strategies and activities.
9.) Resources. Identify, locate and organize all the individuals and the
instructional resources that are available and will be needed.
10.) Evaluation Procedures. Develop a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of
the unit. Include formal and informal assessment.
 TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING

C. Lesson Planning
After doing curriculum mapping and producing a unit plan, the next
challenge for teachers is to come up with a lesson plan. This document
serves as an outline of what you will be teaching in a given day or days. It
should follow a logical sequence that will facilitate maximum learning for
students.
In the Philippines, lesson planning is a major requirement for
teachers in basic education. Newly-hired teachers are required to prepare
a daily Detailed Lesson Plan (DLP) during their first year, while those
with at least one year of teaching experience are expected to fill out a
Daily Lesson Log (DLL).
THE TABLE BELOW SHOWS THE DEFINITION OF THE DLP AND DLL BASED ON
DEPED ORDER NO. 42, S. 2016.

Daily Lesson Plan (DLP) Daily Lesson Log (DLL)

A teacher’s “roadmap” for a A template teachers use to log

lesson. It contains a detailed parts of their daily lesson. It covers a
description of the steps a teacher will day’s or week’s worth of lessons and
take to teach a particular topic. A contains the following parts:
typical DLP contains the following Objectives, Content, Learning
parts: Objectives, Content, Learning Resources, Procedures, Remarks and
Resources, Procedures, Remarks, and Reflection.
Reflection.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL
PLANNING

To some teachers, instructional planning is a burdensome task. In the

Philippines, teachers accomplish many paper works, attend to school
meetings and parent-teacher conferences, check student’s outputs, serve as
class advisers or club moderators, and perform various teaching and non-
teaching duties. As such, instructional planning is not given priority or is
done hastily. Why, then, is it important for us teachers to allot ample time for
planning? How will this activity benefit us?
Instructional planning is an important activity for those who aspire to be
effective teachers. In the words of Ellis (2010, p. 120) : “Careful planning
empowers you. It makes you a true professional. Careful planning helps
distinguish teachers who do it from those who, content with mediocrity,
merely make their way through textbooks with no strategic vision,
occasionally hitting on a good activity here and there. That’s not a teaching;
that’s monitoring.” Thus, amidst the multitude of teaching and non-teaching
tasks assigned to teachers, instructional planning should always be a top
priority.