Subject: Social Studies Type of Discussions, group

Lesson: presentations, internet use,

surveys, use of handouts, tape
recordings

Grade: 10 CSEC OBJ: A 2 describe the major functions

of families in contemporary
Caribbean society

Term: 1 Unit # 1 - Individual, Family and

Number Society
and Title:

Duration: 2 x35minutes Week

number: 2

Lesson # 6 The Functions of the Family

Number (procreation, socialization)
and Title:

Objectives
As a result of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1) infer from dramatic presentation, two functions of the family.

2) state the importance of the act of procreation.
3) explain the meaning of socialization.
4) share ideas in completing group activity on the family.

Prerequisite Student Knowledge

The student should be familiar with:

1) practices within the family unit although not necessarily in a

formal manner i.e. they might not think of these practices as
functions of the family.

Important Points
1) The main functions of the family are procreation, socialization,
economic maintenance and emotional and psychological
support.

Teacher Instructional Material

 2) Procreation, or bringing into existence new life, is important to
the survival of the human race. If we do not produce children,
then the species will become extinct.

3) The average number of children born per woman is referred to

as the fertility rate. The fertility rate for Jamaica 2012 is 2.12
children [ Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/public]

4) In Jamaica, there is treatment for couples who are unable to

produce children naturally. One form of treatment is called in
vitro fertilization.

5) Socialization is the process by which the norms, values, skills,

beliefs, customs and traditions of a society are passed on to the
individual; it can be thought of as a major agent of
socialization

6) Other agents of socialization are religious institutions, the

school, the mass media, government institutions

7) All members of a family must cooperate with each other to

execute all of its functions.

Key Terms
Beliefs Customs Functions

Norms Procreation Skills

Socialization Traditions Values

Challenge Areas
(To be done after students complete this lesson)

Encourage the students to visit the link Jamaica - Total fertility

rate - Historical Data Graphs per Year and examine the chart
showing Jamaicas fertility rate for the period 2000 2011. They
are to indicate the period of (a) highest fertility (b) lowest fertility
and make an educated guess as to what might have contributed to
these two extremes. They are also to indicate whether or not the
fertility rate is trending up or down and to support the answer that
they give.

Teacher Instructional Material

Equipment/Materials Needed
Computers with internet access (enough to allow two students
to share one), multimedia projector, handouts, MOE book
rental scheme recommended Social Studies text books for
CSEC examinations { (a) Ramsawak, Rampersad et al (2010)
Modules in Social Studies 5th Edition; La Romaine, Trinidad,
W.I: Caribbean Educational Publishers (b) Sandy, Mervyn C.
et al (2000) Social Studies Essentials Kingston, Jamaica, W.I:
Carlong Publishers }

Note to Teacher
Encourage the students to read the sections in their text books that
are relevant to the topic. The questions and activities in this lesson
are not exhaustive. You may ask additional questions as well as
generate other activities. The Challenge activity is not intended to
preempt the topic on population but rather to make students aware
of how the act of procreation plays out in the society

Teachers Lesson Notes

Teacher Instructional Material

Introduction
1) Introductory Activity,
Mr. Clives Lament - Discussion of audio clip

a. Play recording entitled Mr. Clives Lament. Get students

reaction by asking questions such as: What is Mr. Clives
grouse? How could he have avoided the situation that he is
in?

b. Get students to identify those social benefits , as relayed in

the recording, that Mr. Clive could not provide for his
children as well as those that he could give to them .
Expected answers: love, care, protection, shelter, food,
lunch money, books, more brothers and sisters

c. Students tell to what extent their families provide these

benefits. They identify other benefits that their family
provides.

Body of Lesson
1) What are the functions of the family? Group work, viewing
of chart, discussion.

a. Place students in groups and get them to categorize the

benefits as discussed in the introductory activity (e.g. love,
care, protection to be grouped together while shelter, food,
lunch money, books to be another group). Define the term
function and allow students to suggest a name for each
group that they have created.

b. Teacher projects a flow chart showing the main functions

of the family
i. Have students discuss each major function
ii. Get students to compare their groupings with the
flow chart.
iii. Guide students in placing benefits into the correct
categories

Teacher Instructional Material

 2) What is the purpose of procreation? Discussion, text book
reading

a. Reiterate that the family has specific functions. Refer to

recording in the introductory activity and ask questions
such as What is the size of Mr. Clives family? Is it good to
have a large family? Give reasons for your answer. Lead
into the definition of procreation

b. Inform students that this function is important in the

continuance of the human race. Ask questions such as
What would happen if the family unit did not exist? Would
the race become extinct? How do parents cooperate in the
performance of this function? How does the society ensure
that this function of the family is preserved? Let them share
their answers with the class.

c. Direct students to read, from their class texts, on ways in

which the society tries to balance the population i.e.
maintaining a stable fertility rate/ assisting those who have
difficulty in producing children

3. What is the function of socialization? Group work,

internet activity

a. Define socialization for the students ( Socialization is

the process by which the norms, values, skills, beliefs,
customs and traditions of a society are passed on to the
young to fit them into that society. The family is
responsible for the primary socialization of the
individual; it can be thought of as a major agent of
socialization)

b. Other agents of socialization are religious institutions,

the school, the mass media, government institutions.

c. Explain to students that the family unit

is the first group in which individuals find themselves,
hence that group is responsible for teaching them the
ways of the society and how best they can fit into that
society.

Teacher Instructional Material

 d. Get students to identify some of the practices that are
generally inculcated at home, for example, take a bath
each day, do not steal, be on time for school

e. Place students in groups of two and tell them to go to

the website below and search for
definitions/explanations of the following terms
customs, norms, values, skills, traditions, beliefs. They
are to continue the compilation of a glossary [started in
a previous class]

Values, Norms and Personality Development in Jamaica

f. In their groups, students will explain the terms and give

examples of each.

Closure
In Class Assignment

1) Why is the function of procreation so important to the human

race?
2) Describe how family members through their various roles
socialize the child.
3) Discuss the effectiveness of the family as an agent of
socialization.

- Supplemental
Out-of-Class Assignment
1) Identify four agents of socialization [apart from the family].

2) Describe in two paragraphs how ONE of these agencies

socializes the child.

Glossary of Terms
Belief What is held to be true

Custom Practice that has been maintained for a long

time

Teacher Instructional Material

 Function The purpose for which something exists

Norms Guidelines that set the appropriate behaviour

for persons in a given situation

Procreation Bringing new life into existence

Skill The ability to do things well with ones body

or with tools

Socialization The process through which people acquire

personality and learn the way of life of their
society

Tradition The handing down of beliefs, customs,

opinions, folk tales from one generation to
the other

Values Socially shared ideas about what is good,

right, and desirable

Teacher Instructional Material

 CSEC Questions
Read the following passage and answer the questions below.

In every family the children should be taught how to

behave. They should be given the necessary skills at
home to survive in the wider society.

(a) (i) What function of the family is illustrated

above?(1mk)
(ii) Name one other function of the family.(1mk)
(b) Describe how TWO of these functions are carried
out in the family.(4mks)
(c) Give TWO reasons why these functions are
important to the development of the family (6mks)
(d) (i) Suggest to a church group TWO ways it can best
assist parents in carrying out the functions of the
family. (4 mks)
(ii) Explain why you think your suggestions will
work (4mks)

Recommended Materials
http://gtuwi.tripod.com/stonearticle.htm
http://www.unicef.org/info by country/Jamaica

Bibliography
Ramsawak, Rampersad et al (2010) Modules in Social Studies 5th
Edition; La Romaine, Trinidad, W.I: Caribbean Educational
Publishers.

Sandy, Mervyn C. et al (2000) Social Studies Essentials Kingston,

Jamaica, W.I: Carlong Publishers

Waterman, Ivan et al (2007) Social Studies for CSEC Examinations

2nd Edition: Oxford, Macmillan Publishers

Teacher Instructional Material