SOCIAL STUDIES IN IMAGINATIONS: PERCEPTIONS OF 3TH GRADE STUDENTS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION
Social studies is a course which aims to acquire students knowledge, skill, value, attitude, and behavior related life for the purpose of training individuals as effective citizens. Social Studies is a vitally important course in primary education. Therefore, it is needed to determine understandings, expectations, and perceptions of students regarding Social Studies course to develop Social Studies program and teaching. In this study, it is seen important to determine the imaginations and ideas of third grade students not having a planned course or study related to Social Studies course. For this reason, the question of “What are the imaginations of third grade students about Social Studies course?” forms the problem of the research. This study which was designed as survey model was conducted with 144 students. Data were collected via the texts in which students explain their imaginations about Social Studies course. Data were analyzed by content analysis technique. At the end of the research, it was determined that students’ imaginations regarding Social Studies were listed under the themes as aims of Social Studies course, subjects of Social Studies, teaching-learning process regarding Social Studies and affective characteristics toward to Social Studies course.

Keywords
Primary Education, Social Studies