CBSE Class 9 Social Science: Important Topics and Tips for SA1 Exam

The SA1 or the CBSE Summative Assessment I is almost here now. Class 9 Students are busy with their last minute revisions and social studies is the most daunting of the exams as one needs to cover the vast syllabus contained in the subjects of History, Geography, Civics and Economics.

But you do not need to panic as the team of experts at Meritnation has come up with some great insights into each chapter for your Social Studies exam. These key revision points and quick tips will help you prepare intelligently for the exams. Even if you have left out certain chapters for last minute preparations or revisions, these tips will help you get through them better.

MUST READ FOR CBSE CLASS 9 > Important Topics & Tips for: MATHS | SCIENCE | ENGLISH

HISTORY

Below are the important chapters and topics within them for CBSE History for Class 9, along with important tips for your SA1 exam.

Chapter 1 – The French Revolution

Important Topics:

1. Causes of the French Revolution
2. Outbreak of the Revolt
3. The Period of the Jacobian Rule
4. Effects of the Revolution

Chapter 2 – Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution

Important Topics:

1. Factors Leading to the Rise of Socialism
2. The Advent of Socialism
3. The Revolt of 1905
4. Russian Participation in the First World War
5. The February and October Revolution
6. Changes in Russia after the October Revolution

Chapter 3 – Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

Important Topics:

1. Germany under the Weimer Republic
2. Rise of Hitler
3. Nazi World View
4. Propagation of Nazi Ideology

MERITNATION TIPS:   a) As you read through the text write down names, places, events and, of course, dates. Make a chart of the people and places involved in a particular event. Learn this information. Sometimes it helps to make up rhymes: “In fourteen hundred and ninety two Columbus sailed the ocean blue” and, to remember the demise of the six wives of Henry VIII of England, “Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived”.   b) Since studying History involves memorising a lot of information, it is necessary that you test your knowledge before facing the real exam. Bearing this in mind, multiple choice tests are a simple yet effective way to check if you have memorised specific info correctly. Ask your friends and classmates to share their quizzes with you and this way you’ll benefit from their perspective too.   c) Many history exams include specific questions relating to key dates and names. This means that some memorisation skills are required and should be part of your learning process when studying history. Flashcards are a great tool in such cases as they allow you to quickly test you levels of retention and quickly recap. Here’s a quick lesson on European history.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Revision Notes | Sample Papers | Textbook Solutions | Ask & Answer

GEOGRAPHY

Below are the important chapters and topics within them for CBSE Geography for Class 9, along with important tips for your SA1 exam.

Chapter 1 & 2 – India – Size and Location and Physical Features of India

Important Topics:
1. Formation of Landforms
2. The Himalayas
3. The Northern Plains
4. The Peninsular Plateau
5. The Indian Desert, Coastal plains and Islands

Chapter 3 – Drainage

Important Topics:
1. Introduction to the Drainage System
2. Himalayan Rivers
3. Peninsular Rivers
4. Lakes and the Problem of Pollution

MERITNATION TIPS:   a) Maps: The best way to learn a map is to draw it. Trace the outline of the map and make some photocopies. Study the original and then try to redraw it on the outline map. Continue to do this until you can reproduce the map accurately.   b) Use Flashcards as geography involves a lot of terms, definitions and details to remember. Create your own system of information so that you will not forget what you have learnt. Every time you learn a new term or definition, create a flash card for it. Use 3×5 cards available from your local stationery store. Make it a game to try to remember what you have written on the flashcards. Use a friend to quiz you on the content of the flashcards. This method is very effective and sharpening your memory.   c) Organize your materials: When you are studying new material and lessons, use notes to narrow down what you have learnt. Keep the notes together with your flashcards. When approaching a test, keep your material at hand. Make it your goal to understand the main points, and then use the flash cards to check yourself. With each main point, take a moment to think of how the detailed information fits with the main points. For instance, how come country borders are along natural barriers like rivers and mountain ranges? Learn one main point a day, and if you can handle more, do 2-3. However, don’t try to cram all the information into your mind at once.   d) Take time to study and review notes: As with anything else, geography needs your full attention. Even if you are studying other major subjects, do your best to invest at least an hour a day to review and study notes. Keep the reviewing period to a minimal extent and if you do not understand any points, ask for further clarification so that you understand how the different aspects fit together.   e) Use the last 4-5 days before a test to refine and narrow down the main points and terms you will need for the test. Cover all the basics and new information as well using diagrams, flowcharts, organizing your materials and making the time to study and reviewing new information.

MUST READ FOR CBSE CLASS 9 > Important Topics & Tips for: MATHS | SCIENCE | ENGLISH

CIVICS

Below are the important chapters and topics within them for CBSE Civics for Class 9, along with important tips for your SA1 exam.

Chapter 1 & 2 – Democracy in the Contemporary World and What is Democracy? Why Democracy?

Important Topics:
1. What are the different ways of defining democracy?
2. Why has democracy become the most prevalent form of government in our times?
3. What are the alternatives to democracy?
4. Is democracy superior to its available alternatives?
5. Must every democracy have the same institutions and values?

Chapter 3 – Constitutional Design

Important Topics:
1. How and why did India become a democracy?How was the Indian constitution framed?
2. What are the salient features of the Constitution?
3. How is democracy being constantly designed and redesigned in India?

MERITNATION TIPS:   a) Gather your materials together and find a quiet place to work. Get rid of distractions. Get away from the computer (or log out of email, Facebook, and your instant messenger) and put your phone away.   b) Start by making a very broad outline of the material you need to remember. Chronological order is a good basic way to start. Use your textbook as a guide (many of them have an outline or list of key concepts). Just list the big events in chronological order. Leave a lot of space between them because you will be filling them in with details.   c) Read your assigned text. As you read, fill in key details on your outline. Don’t write everything down – you can’t memorize everything. Instead, think about what are the most important things and write them on your outline.   d) Follow your reading by reviewing any class notes. The information covered in class will be what your teacher thinks is really important. So be sure to include that in your outline.   e) Continue building your outline until you have a complete description of the main events you need to learn in your own words. You can draw arrows from one person or event to another and add notes to them to show relationships between events.   f) Make a timeline. There are many online places that allow you to make a digital timeline of your own. When you make it yourself, it tends to stay in your memory better, as it’s your own creation.   g) Study your outline. You can review your outline much faster than you can read the whole text or go over all your notes. Make flashcards for important things you need to review.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Revision Notes | Sample Papers | Textbook Solutions | Ask & Answer

ECONOMICS

Below are the important chapters and topics within them for CBSE Economics for Class 9, along with important tips for your SA1 exam.

Chapter 1 – The Story of Village Palampur

Important Topics:
1. Economic transactions of Palampore
2. Palampur’s interaction with the rest of the world through which the concept of production (including three factors of production (land, labour and capital) can be introduced.

Chapter 2 – People as Resource

Important Topics:
1. Introduction of how people become resource/asset
2. Economic activities done by men and women
3. Unpaid work done by women
4. Quality of human resource
5. Role of health and education
6. Unemployment as a form of non utilisation of human resource
7. Sociopolitical implication in simple form

MERITNATION TIPS:   Overview – review your notes and any assignments you had Big Ideas – review the course’s main ideas Small Ideas – for each big idea review its sub-topics and supporting details Practice – use old exams to get a feel for the style of questions you might be asked.

All the best with your SA1 revisions and exams! 🙂

Please take a moment to spread these tips with your friends. After all, Knowledge is the only thing that grows when shared! 🙂