Importance of graveyards and cemeteries in primary school social studies education

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of graveyards and cemeteries on teaching basic components of values of Social Studies Lesson, by using the graveyards and cemeteries in Social Studies education.In this research, a ?descriptive analysis? technique is used which is a quantitative research type used in the analysis of data collected by means of a semi-structured interview form. A semi-structured interview form is prepared to determine the opinions of the students on graveyards, cemeteries, and state cemeteries. The semi-structured interview form is applied to the students before and after the visits to the cemeteries and state graveyards.Application phase of the research is the students of the 8th class of Ankara a private school in 2008-2009. The student population consists of 19 students. Among these, there are 12 boys and 7 girls.Quantitative results of the research study have shown that the feelings and opinions of the students have changed positively, before and after the visits to the cemeteries and state graveyards. The negative feelings of the students about the graveyards before the visit have changed positively with such a visit experience.The investigation of benefits of the 8th class of the ?Türkiye Cumhuriyeti İnkılâp Tarihi ve Atatürkçülük? lesson have shown that this research study is in parallel with the aim and values that the subject lesson tries to give to the students. The aim and benefits are defined as; responsibility, patriotism, solidarity, freedom and independence, studiousness, respect to the Turkish people, and sensitivity. The fact that the majority of these values are expressed by the students after the visit has shown that the usage of the cemeteries and graveyards in the Social Studias Lesson is favourable.Key Words:Cemetery, Graveyard, Social Studies Education, Values