Social Studies - Kindergarten

OVERVIEW

The Social Studies program focuses on helping children develop awareness of self as a growing individual. The child’s unique qualities, as well as similarities to others, are stressed through the following concepts and themes:

           Identity- each person is unique and important.

           Change- people change over time.

           Identity- families are similar and different.

           Culture– ideas, values and traditions are transmitted through families.

           Interdependence- people rely on each other.

Needs and Wants- unlimited needs and wants conflict with limited natural and human resources.

           Places and regions- awareness of community and nation through maps.

           Citizenship- children and adults have responsibilities in the community.

           Government- people make and change rules to govern and protect.

GRADE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1.     Describe their role in the family and the roles of other family members.

2.     Identify verbally/pictorially ways in which families are alike and different.

3.     Discuss needs and wants of families.

4.     Identify ways in which family members meet needs.

5.     Identify community services.

6.     Describe some goods and services found in the community.

7.     Discuss how people use the money that they earn.

8.     Demonstrate location using directional words, e.g. left/right, above/below, near/far, front/back, here/there, up/down, top/bottom, and over/under.

9.     Recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

10.   Describe the American flag.

11.   Celebrate national holidays in the classroom.

12.   Identify basic classroom rules and explain why people make rules.

13.   Identify cultural customs, such as food, dress, or special holidays.

14.   Gather information from pictures.

15.   Listen for information.

16.   Make inferences and draw conclusions.

17.   Rank order pictures in sequence.

18.   Describe illustrations that communicate ideas.

19.   Cooperate with other children during classroom activities.

20.   Take responsibility according to the task.

21.   Demonstrate a willingness to accept others' points of view in decision making.

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY

alike/different

celebrations

change

choices

community

decisions

family

globe

goods and services

govern

holidays

legends

map

neighborhood

rights

responsibilities

rules

school

self

wants and needs

HOME ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT LEARNING

Readingto your child daily will support social studies instruction.

INTERNET RESOURCES

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/social.html

New York State Education Department: Social Studies Information