Abstract:

The social studies course aim to help students develop positive attitude and values. This study tries to indicate the status of fifth grade students' values such as sensitivity/responsibility, solidarity/collaboration, tolerance, diligence, respect towards the environment and people. According to the 2005 Primary School Social Studies Curriculum, the students are expected to gain these values in the fourth and fifth grade. This study was conducted in the 2008-2009 Academic Year, with 60 fifth grade students from Istanbul and Erzurum and qualitative research method was used. The students answered open-ended questions, prepared by experts, about the selected values. The result was analyzed by content and descriptive analysis. As a result, at the end of the fifth grade, students can define the values discussed and mostly possess them. Monitoring students to see if they internalize the appropriate attitudes and values through convenient activities in the social studies lessons is one of the suggestions.

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