Evaluation of the concepts of elementary school social studies course in terms of content management strategies

The aim of this research is to study the content elements of some concepts selected out of concepts which are targeted to be taught in Teacher?s Books of 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grades of Social Studies Course of Elementary School. Every concept has been analyzed by scanning of the literature and by assistance received from the experts. Concept analyses formed by these studies have been taken as a criterion in evaluation of information about some concepts in the Teacher?s Books. Below steps have been followed during concept analysis.o Identification of definition of the concepto Identification of hierarchy of the concepto Identification of the critical attributes of the concepto Identification of the variable attributes of the conceptso Identification of the examples of the concepto Identification of the nonexamples of the concepto Demonstration of the distinguishing features of the concepts by examplesFirstly, chapters in the Teacher?s Books of 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grades that target teaching of the corresponding concepts and then other chapters that refer to the concepts have been identified. Thus, total 30 chapters have been analyzed for each concept as 8 chapters from 4th grade Teacher?s Book, 8 chapters from 5th grade Teacher?s Book, 7 chapters from 6th grade Teacher?s Book, 7 chapters from 7th grade Teacher?s Book. Afterwards, information given regarding to the content element of the concept in Teacher?s Book have been analyzed and some comparison and evaluations have been made by taking the info obtained by concept analysis as criterion.Results drawn from the findings of the research could be summarized as follows:1. It has been derived from the Curriculum of the Social Studies course that concepts are aimed to be taught at entry level in 4th grade, at development level in 5th grade, mostly at development and reinforcement level in 6th grade and almost at reinforcement level in 7th grade.2. It has been observed that concepts analyzed under the study are aimed to be taught at entry level in 4th grade, generally at development level in 5th grade, at reinforcement level in 6th grade and totally at reinforcement level in 7th grade.3. It has been understood that concepts are aimed to be taught from entry level to reinforcement level both in curriculum of the Social Studies course and in Teacher?s Book.4. There are some conflicts between curriculum of the Social Studies course and Teacher?s Book. For example, chapters of 9 concepts that are told to be taught at reinforcement level in the Curriculum are not referred in the Teacher?s Book of 7th grade.5. It has been comprehended that teaching the content elements of concepts studied at entry, development and reinforcement level have not been prepared as proper to these levels.6. Other results obtained about the concepts could be summarized as follows:? Some content elements of some concepts have been repeated regularly at all grades? Content elements of some concepts have been concentrated to one or two grades and almost no content element have been presented in other grades? Scope and number of the content elements of concepts have been presented without consideration of the improving cognitive development of the students.? Some concepts (transportation, pollution and national sovereignty) have very little number of samples.? Too many samples (population, settlement, region) have been presented at different grades? No or very few information has been given about 9 concepts in the teacher?s book of 7th grade which are told to be taught at reinforcement level.Keywords: Social Studies Curriculum, Teacher?s Books, Concept Learning Levels, Concept Teaching, Concept Analysis, Content Elements of Concepts.