The effects of cooperative learning method in teaching social sciences in 4th grade primary school students towards their academic success and their attitudes to this lesson

It this research, the effects of Cooperative Learning Method in the academic success of primary school students of 4th grades and their attitudes towards the Social Sciences lesson, are tried to be determined. The truthiness of four hypothesis is tested with this aim. These hypothesis are put forward as; 1. There is a significant difference between the post-test success points of experiment and control groups. 2. There is a significant difference between the post-test attitude points of experiment and control groups. 3. There is a significant difference between Social Science success test (pre-test/ post-test) points of control and experiment groups. 4. There is a significant difference between pre-test, post-tests? points of groups? attitudes towards lesson. With the aim of pointing out the truthiness, a study with pre-test and post-test with control and experiment groups, an empirical study has been done.This research is done with the students of 4th grades in Cumhuriyet Primary School in Kırıkkale/Sulakyurt and with the students of 4th grades in Namık Kemal Primary students in Kırıkkale/Yahşihan. In this research, Group Research Technique is applied in one class and Traditional Method is applied in the other class. An application continuing through six lesson hours has been done in both classes about Social Sciences Lesson of primary school 4th grade students with regard to learning field of `Power, Administration and Community? and two objectives belonging to `The People and Administration?.In the application, a teaching process emphasizing the activities developed according to the Cooperative Learning Method has been applied to the experiment group. In Cooperative Learning Method, the students study cooperatively in groups to solve a problem or to accomplish a task. In control group, the same objectives are tried to be gained by traditional method.The academic success of the students in Social Sciences lesson are tried to be evaluated by a success test including twenty questions prepared by the researcher. The prepared success test has been applied to experiment and control groups in pre-test and post-test processes. Social Attitudes Scale developed by Kurnaz (2000) has been applied to point out the attitudes of the students toward Social Sciences lesson. In data analysis, gathered from Social Sciences Success Test and Social Sciences Attitudes Scale.At the end of research the truthiness of four hypothesis is confirmed through the data gained from control and experiment groups. The result of the research shows that cooperative learning method is an effective method for both students? success in lesson and their attitudes towards the lesson. Some implications for teaching that can be used in teaching the determined objectives of Social Sciences lesson are also presented.Keywords: Cooperative Learning, Group Research, Social Studies Teaching, Attitude.