SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASS FOUR
UNIT ONE: THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Country where our school is located
Our country is made up of several districts
There are 47 counties in Kenya
Our school is located in Nakuru County
Counties that neighbor our county
Baringo county to the north
Laikipia county to the north east
Nyandarua county to the east
Kiambu county to the south east
Kajiado county to the south
Narok county to the south west
Bomet county to the west
Kericho county to the west
Activity 1
Pupils draw a map of Nakuru County and list its neighbors
Comprehensive s/s 4 page3
Districts making Up Nakuru county
Naivasha
Gilgil
Nakuru central
Rongai
Kuresoi
Molo
Njoro
Nakuru north
Subukia
Bahati
Work to do
Comprehensive Bk 4 pg 4
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
COMPASS DIRECTIONS
The four points of a compass (cardinal/points)
North (N)
WEST (W) EAST(E)
SOUTH(S)
A compass is used to show direction on a map
The arrow of the compass always point to the north
THE EIGHT COMPASS POINTS
NORTH WEST NORTH NORTH EAST
WEST EAST
SOUTH WEST SOUTH SOUTH EAST
The eight compass points can be also be written using letters to stand for words
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
N E – North East
S E – South East
S W – South West
N W – North West
Work to do
Comprehensive s/s Bk 4 pg 6-7
Major physical features in Nyandarua County
Physical features are natural things we see on the surface of the earth
They show how the land looks like
Examples of physical features
Rivers
Lakes
Mountains
Plains
Valleys
Swamps
Plateaus
Springs
RIVERS
A river is a natural flow of water in a valley
Rivers flow throughout the year are called permanent rivers
Rivers flowing only during wet season are called seasonal rivers
An area where the river starts is called a source
Small streams that join the main river are called
Tributaries
A point where two or more rivers meet is called a confluence
Where the river drains forms its mouth
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Examples of rivers in our county
River Subukia
River Amalo in Olenguruone
River Molo
River Chawai in Mau forest
River Chinga in Subukia
River Kabazi
River Chania in Bahati
Shrine stream
Some seasonal rivers
River Nyarugu in Njoro
River Bagaria
River Lolderi
River Kirimu
River
Igwamiti
River Hakinga
WATER FALLS
It is the flow of a river over a very high place to the ground
Bagaria water falls along R.Bagaria
Songongo water falls along R.Chewai
Glory and along the Subukia escarpment
LAKES
It is a large depression on the surface of theearth that is filled with water
Examples
Lake Nakuru
Lake Elementaita
Lake Naivasha
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Lake Oloidien
HILLS
It is an area that is higher than the surrounding land
Hills are smaller than mountains
Examples
Hyrax hills
Lions hills
Man hills
Eburu hills
Kerugue hills
Gilgil hills
Jogoo hills
Lesirwa hills
Jumatatu hills
Kasambara hills
Kianjoya hills at miti mingi
Elge wood hills
Arashi hills
Kerima Ndege hills in mbogoini
Gitunga hills
Mwiteithia hills in Mbogoini lower subukia
Honeymoon hill in Nakuru National park
MOUNTAINS
It is a large part of the earth surface that is much higher than its surrounding
Examples
MT. Menengai
MT, Longonot
MT. Suswa
The highest mountain in Nakuru County is MT. Longonot near Maai – mahiu, Naivasha
District
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
PLAINS
It is a large low land that is generally flat
Elementaita plains
Kigio plains
Rongai- boror – ngata plains
VALLEYS
It is a depression between two areas that are high or raised
Valleys that rivers flow through them are called Valley Rivers
Examples
Great rift valley
Nyatoru valley in Kiambogo
Subukia valley
SWAMPS
Are lowlands filled with water and covere by swamps
Examples
Kiptungar swampsnear Mau forest
Sasumua swamp near Muchorwe moto
Wila swamp in kuresoi
Silbwet swamp in keringet in kuresoi
SPRINGS
It forms where water flows out of the ground from an underground source
Examples
Lake Elementaita springs
Lake Nakuru springs
Labere springs
Oljorai springs
Kariandusi springs
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Chamuka springs
PLATEAUS
It is a raised piece of land that is flat at the top
Examples
Metha plateau
Kiambogo – Ndabibi area near Nyatoru valley
Importances of physical features
Water for domestic and industrial use
Home for wildlife
Used for irrigation
Tourist attraction
Used for transport
Clay collected at the river banks is used for modeling
Rivers act as boundaries
Plains are good grazing grounds
Valleys are good for farming
Activity
Pupils answer questions
Comprehensive s/s Bk 4 pg 26
TYPES OF NATURAL VEGETATION
Vegetation refers to plants that grow on the surface of the earth
There are two types
Natural
Planted
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Examples
Grass
Forest
Scrub
Bushes
Shrubs
Wood land
Distribution of natural vegetation
FORESTS
It is a group of trees that grow together
They grow in areas with high rainfall
The forest is either natural or planted
Trees in natural forest
Mvule
Meru oak
Campor
Teek
Examples in natural forests
Mau forest Naivasha
Eburu forests in county
Sururu forest in Nakuru county
Menengai forest
Kiptagich forest in Kuresoi District
SAVANNAH GRASSLAND
It is a large area covered by grass with few scattered trees
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
They receive low rainfall
They are found
Elementaita
Suswa
Longonot
Ngata Rongai
SAVANNA WOODLAND
It is made up of grassland with trees growing close to each other
Trees are mainly acacia
They are found
Gilgil
Rongai
Naivasha
Lake nakuru national park
SCRUB VEGETATION
It is made up of shirt trees, grass and thorny bushes
Are found in areas with low rainfall
Are found
Mbaruk
Rongai
Soysambu
Miti mingi
SEMI – DESERT VEGETATION
Consist mainly of short, dry, thorny plants which take long to mature
These areas receive very low rainfall
Are found
Kambi ya moto
Lower subukia
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Banita in solai
SWAMP VEGETATION
Found mainly in low- lying areas especially in swampy areas
Are found
Silbwet swamp
Kiptungar swamp
Around lake Nakuru
Importance of vegetation
Pasture for animals
Homes for wild animals
Source of timber
Source of medicine
Source of firewood
Used in weaving industry
Makes the land beautiful
Makes air fresh
Source of food
Hold soil particles together
Activity
Comprehensive s/s Bk 4 pg 34
WEATHER
It is the condition of the atmosphere of a place at a particular time
Elements of weather
Rainfall
Temperature
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Wind
Air pressure
Weather measuring instruments
Thermometer
Wind vane
Rain gauge
THERMOMETER
It measures the hotness or coldness of a place
It uses two liquids
Mercury
Alcohol
Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius
A maximum and minimum thermometer uses mercury and alcohol
Activity
Draw a maximum and minimum thermometer on pg 36
WINDVANE
-It shows the direction of the wind
-It is made up of a pole, a vane and compass points
– vane points where the wind is blowing from
Activity
Diagram on pps Bk 4 pg 36
RAINGAUGE
-Used to measure the amount of rainfall
-Rainfall is measured in units called millimeters (mm)
-It is made up of a funnel, metal container and measuring cylinder
It is placed 15cm underground and 30cm above the ground
Activity
Diagram on pg 37
PEOPLE AND POPULATION
LANGUAGE GROUPS IN OUR COUNTY
A language group consists of people who speak in a similar way
The people in the same language group use some common words
Examples of language groups
Nilotes
Bantus
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Cushites
Semites
Asians
Europeans
NILOTES
They include
Kipsigis
Maasai
Luo
Tugens
The nilotes are divided in to two
Plain nilotes
Highland nilotes
Plain nilotes
Mainly live in lowlands
Are mainly animal keepers
They are nomadic pastrolists
Highland nilotes
They keep animals and grow crops
Kipsigis
Keiyo
Okiek
Tugen
Terik
Pokot
Saboat
Nandi
Marakwet
BANTUS
They include
Kikuyu
Meru
Kamba
Luhya/abaluhya
Kuria/abakuria
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
They are mainlly cultivators so they were looking for fertile lands
EUROPEANS
They settled in the highlands where they kept cattle and sheep
They also grew cash crops and food crops
A few of them practice commercial farming in the Dairy and flower farms in
Naivasha
ASIANS
They are mainly Indians
They are traders
They are found in towns like Nakuru, Naivasha, Molo, Gilgil and Njoro
SEMITES
They are mainly Arabs; Nubians and Jews
They are found in major towns
They are mainly traders
CUSHITES
They are mainly Somali and boran
They are mainly pastoralists
They are found in urban areas
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
Population refers to the number of people who live in a particular area
Areas with many people are densely populated
Areas with few people are sparsely populated
Areas of high population
In major towns like Naivasha, Gilgil
Most settlements have high population
e.g.
Ngashura
Bahati
Ronda
Njoro
Ngata
Kiambogo
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
mbogoini
subukia
nyangachu
Areas that receive high rainfall and fertile soils
Major towns because of good facilities and business opportunity
Areas of low population
Parts of Rongai, miti mingi, lower subukia, kangasi, gilgil, Longonot and
Elementaitaescarpments
Areas with low rainfall
Areas under game reserves and national parks
Areas with poor soils
Revision questions
Activity
Comprehensives/s Bk 4 pg 42-43
SOCIAL RELATIONS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
MORAL VALUES
These are the rules that guides the behavior of people in the society
Each society has its own moral values
Examples
Respect
Sincerity
Justice
Love
Obedience
Generosity
Responsibilities
Other moral values
Assisting one another
Being tolerant
Being humble
Being patient
Being faithful
Being loyal
Respecting others
Importance of moral values
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
They promote unity and harmony
Promote love and kindness
Promote responsible people in the society
Promote honesty
Good morals are rewarded
They develop good habits
Traditional way of life
The way of the people is called culture
Culture is passed from the elders to the young members of the community
Our cultures include
Our language
The way we dress
The food we eat
The way we greet one another
The way we build our house
Games we play
The way we worship our God
The way we learn from one another
Our traditional food
Kalenjins
Drink such as mursik(sour milk)
Animal’s blood mixed with fermented milk
Cereals such as millet (bek/kilipsiongik) andsorghum (mosongik)
Meat (pendo)
Mushroom (popek)
Vegetables such as isoik
Maasai
Drink milk and blood and soup
Meat from goats, sheep and cattle
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Agikuyu
Cereals such as lablab beans (njahi), peas (njugu) and beans (mboco)
Crops like sweet potatoes (ngwaci),cassava (mwanga),yams (ikwa),and arrowroots (nduma)
Fruits such as terere(aramantha) stinging nettle kahurura and manage
Irio(mashed beans, maize, potatoes and green vegetables)
Dressing
The mode of dressing depended mainly on the occasion
Most communities used to dress from animal skins, grass and leaves
Among the Maasai, adults plaited their hair and decorated their bodies
Warriors had special dressing and weapons
Leaders wore special clothes like hats
Women wore bangles around their arms and legs and necklaces around their necks
Girls wore special dressing before and after initiation
Songs and dances
They were sang for entertainment and pass important messages
Song were sang during
Marriage
Initiation
Work
War
Child naming ceremony
Funerals
Traditional medicine practices
People were treated by traditional doctors and medicines
Learning was done through experts
This was called apprenticeship
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Some women were trained as midwives who assisted mothers when giving birth
Ceremonies and festivals
Ceremonies
A ceremony is an activity or event held to mark a certain accession
The ceremony may involve songs, dances and celebrations
They were held during important events such as birth, circumcision, funerals
Birth and naming
children were named after
events
times of the day or night
great people
seasons
clans
animals
places
the dead
Initiation ceremony
perfomed to mark the passage from child hood to adult hood
It was accompanied by singing, dancing, eating and drinking
Both boys and girls were circumcised
Today there are some changes
Circumcision for girls is discouraged
Boys are circumcised in hospitals
Initiation ceremonies are organized in churches
The initiates are taught
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Moral values of the society
How to behave well
The culture of the community
How to behave as adults
Festivals
They are days or the periods of the celebrations
They are held to celebrate whensomething special has happened
Examples
music festivals
harvesting festivals
drama festivals
Importance of working together
The members support each other
Promote interaction and sharing of ideas
Working together making difficult things easy
Promote peace and understanding
Helps the needy in the society
Promotes faster development
Promotes unity
Some of the community activities in which people work together include
Cleaning the environment
Helping children and the old
Building social halls
Contributing money to pay for fees for children from poor homes
Building bridges
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
Constructing schools and hospitals
Planting trees
Revision questions
Comprehensive s/s Bk 4 pg 64-65
PopsBk 4 pg 65-66
EDUCATIONNEWSHUB.CO.KE
____
