primary source
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
evidence made at the time or by someone who was there
Learn it in: Primary sources (Grade 3), Primary and secondary sources (Grade 4), Finding suitable sources (Grade 4)
Glossary: Terms Starting with P
126 definitions in Social Studies with links to the lessons that teach each word.
Showing Social Studies only. Show all subjects
All terms starting with P
Pan-African
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
relating to the unity of African peoples and countries
Learn it in: African Union introduction (Grade 6)
Pan-Africanism
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
the idea that African peoples should work together and support each other
Learn it in: Independence movements (Grade 5), Colonial history and independence (Grade 6)
pandemic
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
an epidemic that spreads across many countries and continents
Learn it in: Global public-health cooperation (Grade 6)
papyrus
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a paper-like material made from a river plant
Learn it in: Ancient Egypt (Grade 4)
paraphrase
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
to say something in your own words
Learn it in: Recording evidence (Grade 4), Citing sources (Grade 6)
participate
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
to take part
Learn it in: Responsible participation (Grade 2), Citizen participation (Grade 4)
participation
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
taking part in an activity or decision
Learn it in: Community participation (Grade 3), Children’s rights (Grade 6)
partner
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a person you work with
Learn it in: Sharing and cooperation (Grade 1)
partnership
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
working together for shared benefit
Learn it in: Connections between rural and urban communities (Grade 3), Africa’s global connections (Grade 6)
passenger
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a person who travels in a vehicle
Learn it in: Rules in public places (Grade 1)
past
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
time that has already happened
Learn it in: What is the past? (Grade 1), Community history (Grade 2)
pastoralist
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a person who raises herds of animals and moves them to find grass and water
Learn it in: Food production (Grade 4)
pasture
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
land with grass for animals to eat
Learn it in: Grassland communities (Grade 2)
pattern
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a design that repeats
Learn it in: Music and art (Grade 2), Local environmental enquiry (Grade 3), Traditional arts (Grade 3)
peace
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
calm and harmony without fighting
Learn it in: Global friendship (Grade 2), Peaceful conflict resolution (Grade 3)
peacebuilding
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
long-term work to repair relationships and create fair conditions for lasting peace
Learn it in: Peacebuilding and diplomacy (Grade 6)
peaceful assembly
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a gathering of people for a lawful, peaceful purpose
Learn it in: Responsible civic participation (Grade 5)
peacekeeping
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
sending trained people to help keep peace and protect civilians after conflict
Learn it in: Regional cooperation (Grade 6), United Nations introduction (Grade 6)
pedestrian
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a person who travels on foot
Learn it in: Transportation (Grade 3)
pen-pal
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a person you write to as a friend
Learn it in: Communication across distances (Grade 2)
period
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
a block of time with shared features, used by historians to organise the past
Learn it in: Historical periods and chronology (Grade 6)
permanent
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
lasting for a long time
Learn it in: Permanent settlements (Grade 4)
permission
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
being allowed to do something
Learn it in: Rules at home (Grade 1), Planning responsible action (Grade 5)
personal space
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
the area around your body
Learn it in: Respecting others (Grade 1)
perspective
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a way of looking at something, shaped by who you are and what you know
Learn it in: Respecting different perspectives (Grade 4), Comparing accounts (Grade 4), Different historical perspectives (Grade 5)
petition
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a written request signed by many people asking for a change
Learn it in: Citizen participation (Grade 4), Responsible civic participation (Grade 5), Civic participation (Grade 6)
pharmacist
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a person who prepares and gives medicines
Learn it in: Healthcare workers (Grade 2)
pharmacy
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a place that gives medicine
Learn it in: Health facilities (Grade 1)
photograph
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a picture made with a camera
Learn it in: Family history introduction (Grade 1), Historical photographs (Grade 2), Historical photographs (Grade 3)
physical map
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a map that shows natural features of land and water
Learn it in: Physical maps (Grade 3), Physical geography mapping (Grade 4)
physical region
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
an area with similar landforms, climate and natural features
Learn it in: Physical regions (Grade 5), Physical regions (Grade 6)
picture
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a drawing or photo seen from the side
Learn it in: Pictures and simple maps (Grade 1)
pillar
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
one of the main parts that support an idea, here social, economic or environmental
Learn it in: Sustainable development (Grade 6)
place
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a particular area or building
Learn it in: Places in our community (Grade 1), Places around us (Grade 1)
place of worship
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a building where believers gather, such as a church, mosque, temple or shrine
Learn it in: Religion and belief systems as historical and cultural subjects (Grade 4)
plagiarism
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
using someone else’s words or ideas as if they were your own
Learn it in: Citing sources (Grade 6)
plain
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a wide flat area of land
Learn it in: Major landforms (Grade 3), Plains and valleys (Grade 4), Physical regions (Grade 5)
plan
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
something you decide to do
Learn it in: What is the future? (Grade 1), Community care project (Grade 1), Planning simple purchases (Grade 2)
planned
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
thought about and decided in advance
Learn it in: Spending choices (Grade 2)
planned city
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a city laid out with an organised pattern of streets
Learn it in: Indus Valley societies (Grade 4)
planning
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
deciding how to arrange places
Learn it in: Built environments (Grade 2)
plant
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a living thing that grows in soil
Learn it in: Caring for plants (Grade 1)
plastic waste
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
discarded plastic items that persist in the environment
Learn it in: Pollution (Grade 6)
plateau
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a high flat area of land
Learn it in: Major landforms (Grade 3), Plains and valleys (Grade 4), Physical regions (Grade 6)
playground
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
an outdoor place to play
Learn it in: Places in our school (Grade 1), Places around us (Grade 1)
playground rule
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a rule for play areas
Learn it in: Rules at school (Grade 1)
pole
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
one of the two ends of Earth
Learn it in: What is a globe? (Grade 2), Equator and hemispheres (Grade 6)
police
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
officers who help keep people safe and enforce laws
Learn it in: Public services (Grade 3)
police officer
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a person who keeps people safe and upholds laws
Learn it in: People who provide services (Grade 1), Public safety services (Grade 2)
policy
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
a plan of action chosen by a government or organisation
Learn it in: Executives (Grade 6)
polite
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
showing good manners
Learn it in: Respecting others (Grade 1), Respecting others (Grade 1), Respecting different traditions (Grade 1)
political map
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a map that shows boundaries, countries, regions and cities
Learn it in: Political maps (Grade 3)
pollutant
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a substance that causes pollution
Learn it in: Pollution (Grade 5)
pollution
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
harmful dirt in air, water or land
Learn it in: Urban communities (Grade 2), Waste reduction (Grade 2), Environmental impacts (Grade 3)
population
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
the number of people living in a place
Learn it in: Population and settlements (Grade 3), Population and community needs (Grade 3), Human settlement patterns (Grade 4)
population density
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
the number of people living in each square kilometre
Learn it in: Population distribution (Grade 5), Population distribution (Grade 6), Population distribution (Grade 6)
population growth
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
an increase in the number of people in a place
Learn it in: Population (Grade 4)
population pyramid
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
a graph showing the numbers of people of each age and sex
Learn it in: Migration and population (Grade 6)
port
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a place where ships load and unload
Learn it in: Coastal communities (Grade 2), Transportation and trade (Grade 3), Transportation networks (Grade 4)
pottery
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
pots and dishes made from baked clay
Learn it in: Early technological developments (Grade 4)
practise
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
to do something again and again to get better
Learn it in: My abilities and strengths (Grade 1)
prehistory
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
the time before writing
Learn it in: Early human societies (Grade 4), Early societies (Grade 6)
prejudice
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
judging people before knowing them
Learn it in: Respecting diversity (Grade 2), Cultural diversity (Grade 3), Respecting different perspectives (Grade 4)
preparedness
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
planning and training before an emergency happens
Learn it in: Humanitarian assistance (Grade 6)
present
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
time that is happening now
Learn it in: What is the present? (Grade 1), Community history project (Grade 2), Presenting findings (Grade 4)
presentation
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a talk or display that shares findings
Learn it in: Presenting findings (Grade 3), Community comparison project (Grade 3), Creating regional maps (Grade 3)
preservation
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
protecting something so that it is not lost
Learn it in: Cultural preservation (Grade 5)
preserve
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
to keep safe and unchanged
Learn it in: Preserving heritage (Grade 2), Preserving community memories (Grade 2), Preserving historical evidence (Grade 3)
press freedom
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
the freedom of the media to report without unfair control
Learn it in: News and information (Grade 6)
price
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
the amount of money asked for something
Learn it in: Prices (Grade 2), Markets and trade (Grade 3), Trade (Grade 4)
printing press
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
a machine that prints many copies of a text
Learn it in: Communication through history (Grade 6)
priority
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
something that comes first because it matters most
Learn it in: Needs before wants (Grade 2), Identifying community issues (Grade 3), Resource-allocation activity (Grade 4)
private good
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
a good that one person buys and uses, and others cannot use at the same time
Learn it in: Public goods and services (Grade 6)
private place
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a place only some people can use
Learn it in: Schools and public places (Grade 1)
problem
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
something that needs solving
Learn it in: Resolving disagreements (Grade 1), Solving simple problems (Grade 1), Working together (Grade 2)
procedure
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a set of steps that must be followed to do something correctly
Learn it in: Public administration (Grade 5)
process
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
to change a raw material into a finished product
Learn it in: Production (Grade 4)
processing
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
changing farm products into other forms
Learn it in: Agriculture (Grade 3)
processor
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a person or business that prepares food for sale
Learn it in: Farmers and food providers (Grade 2)
producer
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a person or business that makes goods or provides services
Learn it in: Producers (Grade 2), Specialisation (Grade 4), Producers and consumers (Grade 5)
product
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
something made or grown
Learn it in: Goods (Grade 1), Natural resources (Grade 3)
production
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
making goods or providing services
Learn it in: Production (Grade 3), Production (Grade 4), Production and consumption (Grade 6)
productivity
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
how much can be made in a certain amount of time
Learn it in: Capital resources (Grade 4), Trade and specialisation (Grade 6)
profit
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
money left after costs are paid
Learn it in: Traders and businesses (Grade 2), Production (Grade 3), Prices (Grade 5)
progress
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
change that makes things better for many people
Learn it in: Continuity and change (Grade 4), Historical continuity and change (Grade 6)
project
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a task planned and carried out over time
Learn it in: Community care project (Grade 1), Community history project (Grade 2)
project plan
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a written plan with goals, steps, roles, time and resources
Learn it in: Sustainable development project (Grade 5)
projection
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a way of drawing the curved Earth on a flat map
Learn it in: Historical maps (Grade 5)
promise
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
to say you will do something
Learn it in: Being responsible (Grade 1)
property
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
things that belong to someone
Learn it in: Caring for school property (Grade 1), Shared spaces (Grade 1), Respect for others (Grade 2)
proposal
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a plan suggested for others to consider
Learn it in: Community improvement proposal (Grade 3), Environmental action proposal (Grade 4)
protect
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
to keep safe
Learn it in: Family roles (Grade 1), What are rights? (Grade 2)
protected area
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
land kept safe for nature and people
Learn it in: Land use (Grade 3), Protected areas (Grade 4), Conservation (Grade 5)
protection
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
keeping people safe from harm
Learn it in: Children’s rights (Grade 6)
protectionism
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
policies that protect local producers from foreign competition, such as taxes on imports
Learn it in: Benefits and challenges of trade (Grade 5)
protectorate
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a territory under the protection and control of a stronger state
Learn it in: Colonialism and its historical contexts (Grade 5), Colonialism and independence (Grade 6), Colonial history and independence (Grade 6)
provenance
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
where a source came from and who owned it
Learn it in: Historical photographs (Grade 3), Primary and secondary sources (Grade 4), Source reliability (Grade 5)
proverb
Social StudiesFrom Grade 2
a short wise saying
Learn it in: Cultural stories (Grade 2), Oral traditions (Grade 3)
public
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
for everyone to use
Learn it in: Shared spaces (Grade 1), Public institutions (Grade 4)
public administration
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
the organisations and people that carry out government decisions and deliver public services
Learn it in: Public administration (Grade 5)
public good
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
something that benefits everyone, such as safety, roads and clean air
Learn it in: Purposes of government (Grade 5), Public responsibility (Grade 6), Public goods and services (Grade 6)
public issue
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
a problem or question that affects many people in a community
Learn it in: Identifying a public issue (Grade 5)
public place
Social StudiesFrom Grade 1
a place anyone can use
Learn it in: Schools and public places (Grade 1)
public property
Social StudiesFrom Grade 6
things owned and used by the community or state
Learn it in: Public responsibility (Grade 6)
public service
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
a service provided for the benefit of everyone
Learn it in: Public services (Grade 3), Public services (Grade 4), Purposes of government (Grade 5)
public transport
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
vehicles that many people share, such as buses
Learn it in: Transportation (Grade 3)
pull factor
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
something that attracts people to a place
Learn it in: Migration and settlement (Grade 5), Migration and settlement (Grade 6)
purify
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
to make water clean and safe to drink
Learn it in: Water management (Grade 4)
purpose
Social StudiesFrom Grade 3
the reason something was made
Learn it in: Secondary sources introduction (Grade 3), Reading historical documents (Grade 4), Source reliability (Grade 5)
push factor
Social StudiesFrom Grade 5
something that makes people leave a place
Learn it in: Migration and settlement (Grade 5), Migration and settlement (Grade 6), Rural-to-urban migration (Grade 6)
pyramid
Social StudiesFrom Grade 4
a huge stone building with sloping sides, built as a tomb
Learn it in: Ancient Egypt (Grade 4)