First GradeCourse Title: _Social Studies_ Duration: _September__
Unit/Topic: Theme 1
Big Ideas/Enduring Understanding
- There are rules and laws in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation in order to keep people safe and treat people fairly.
- We use maps and globes to help us locate places.
Essential Questions
- Why do we need rules and laws?
- How and why do we use maps and globes?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment
5.1: Principles and Documents of Government
• Explain the purposes of rules and laws and why they are important in the classroom, school, community, state and nation
• Describe the purpose of the United States Flag, The Pledge of Allegiance and The National Anthem
• Explain why government is necessary in the classroom, school, community, state and the basic purposes of government in Pennsylvania
and the United States
• Explain the importance of respect for the property
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
• Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
• Identify personal rights and responsibilities.
• Explain the benefits of following rules and laws and the consequences of violating them
5.3 How Government Works
• Identify reasons for rules and laws in the school and community
• Identify positions of authority at school and in local, state and national governments
8.1Historical Analysis and Skills Development
• Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present and future time
• Understand historical research / There are indoor and outdoor rules in school.
Manners are a kind of rule.
Rules keep us safe.
Signs tell us rules.
A map is a view from above.
There are different kinds of maps.
You can trace routes on a picture map.
- The Constitution of the United States is honored every year in September.
Explain the need for rules in school.
Explain why it is important to participate in rule making.
Identify different views of the same location
Read/create a picture map
Use picture maps to trace routes
List ways to get to school / Observation of students participating in developing class rules, following class, school, and playground rules.
evaluate student-created picture map
Teacher-created picture maps
Suggested Resources/Readings
Responsive Classroom, The First Six Weeks
Olweus Curriculum (“The Story of Ridley”)
See Sharepoint for complete list of Social Studies Trade Books
First GradeCourse Title: _Social Studies Duration: October/November_
Unit/Topic: Theme 2
Big Ideas/Enduring Understanding
- The contributions of individuals and groups of the past affect us today in many ways.
- We use teamwork to get what we want and need by working cooperatively with others.
- We use maps and globes to help us locate places.
- Voting is a way to make decisions.
Essential Questions
- How does what happened in the past affect us today? How do the events of the past affect us today?
- How do we depend on others to get the things we want and need?
- How and why do we use maps and globes?
- Why do we need rules and laws?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment
5.3 How Government Works
• Identify reasons for rules and laws in the school and community
• Identify services performed by the local, state and national governments
• Identify positions of authority at school and in local, state and national governments
• Explain what an election is
• Explain why being treated fairly is important
6.5 Work and Earnings
• Identify different occupations
7.1Basic Geography Literacy
• Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions / Clothing, lifestyle, etc. change over time.
Christopher Columbus was an explorer that came to America.
Teamwork has benefits.
A map key is used to read a map.
Election Day and Thanksgiving are national holidays that occur in the fall.
Thanksgiving is a celebration of cooperation and teamwork. / Distinguish between photos of past, present, and future times.
Identify Christopher Columbus’ contribution to world history.
Recognize teamwork and tell how teams work together.
Read picture symbols on a map to locate places
Describe voting as one way to share decision-making in a neighborhood.
Explain the history of Thanksgiving. / Verbal responses
Teacher observation
Type 2 writing or picture
Cooperative Learning activities (cross curricular)
Class election
Color-code a map using a map key
*Suggested Resources/Readings:
See Sharepoint for complete list of Social Studies Trade Books
First GradeCourse Title: Social Studies Duration: December/January
Unit/Topic: _Theme 3 __
Big Ideas/Enduring Understanding
- We use maps and globes to help us locate places.
- The contributions of individuals and groups of the past affect us today in many ways.
- Money can be earned to buy things we want and need.
Essential Questions
- How and why do we use maps and globes?
- How does what happened in the past affect us today?
- How do we depend on others to get the things we want and need?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment
5.3 How Government Works
• Explain why being treated fairly is important
6.1Economic Systems
• Describe how individuals, families and communities with limited resources make choices
• Identify local economic activities
—Employment
— Output
6.2Scarcity of Choice
• Define scarcity and identify limited resources
• Identify and define wants of different people
• Identify costs and benefits associated with an economic decision
6.3Economic Interdependence
• Explain why people trade
• Explain why goods, services and resources come from all over the nation and the world
6.4• Explain why some products are produced locally while others are not
6.5Work and Earnings
• Explain why people work to get goods and services
• Describe businesses that provide goods and businesses that provide services
• Identify different occupations
• Define saving and explain why people save
7.2Basic Geography Literacy
• Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.3The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.4The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics / Directions (N, S. E, W) can be shown on a map
Key vocabulary--globe, direction, land, water
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an important historical figure and civil rights leader.
Holidays around the world.
Money can be earned and traded for goods.
There is vocabulary related to economics. / Indicate cardinal directions on a map, globe, or in the classroom.
Use key vocabulary when describing location on a map
Explain how Dr. King helped to make the U.S. better for all children.
Explain ways we show respect to others.
View portion of “I have a Dream” speech.
Create a list of ways to make, save, and spend money.
Use economic vocabulary in discussions about money. / Teacher observation
Creative Writing “I have a Dream”
Type 2 writing
Teacher observation
*Suggested Resources/Readings:
See Sharepoint for complete list of Social Studies Trade Books
First GradeCourse Title: _Social Studies_ Duration: February/March
Unit/Topic: Theme 4
Big Ideas/Enduring Understanding
- The contributions of individuals and groups of the past affect us today in many ways.
- We use maps and globes to get information about places.
- We depend on farmers and their seasonal planting to provide us with a variety of foods.
Essential Questions
- How does what happened in the past affect us today?
- How and why do we use maps and globes?
- How do we depend on others to get the things we want and need?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
• Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
• Identify the importance of political leadership and public service in the school, community, state and nation
7.1Basic Geography Literacy
• Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.2The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.3The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their political activities
8.1Historical Analysis and Skills Development
• Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present and future time
• Understand historical research
8.3 United States History
• Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history / George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were important leaders.
Washington, D.C. is our nation’s capital.
Rain is important to all living things. / Recall facts to support idea that Washington and Lincoln were American heroes and what made them good leaders.
Compare/Contrast Washington, D.C. long ago to today.
Read abstract symbols on maps/compare rainfall amounts in different locations. / Persuasive Writing
“If I Were President”
Venn Diagram
Teacher observation/informal assessment
*Suggested Resources/Readings:
See Sharepoint for complete list of Social Studies Trade Books
First GradeCourse Title: Social Studies Duration: April/May
Unit/Topic: Theme 5
Big Ideas/Enduring Understanding
- We depend on the Earth to satisfy many of our needs.
- There are other countries that share our world.
- Every country has people, both in the past and present, who worked hard to make their country great.
Essential Questions
- How do we depend on others to get the things we want and need?
- We use maps and globes to help us locate places.
- How does what happened in the past affect us today?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment
6.1Economic Interdependence
• Explain why people trade
• Explain why goods, services and resources come from all over the nation and the world
6.4 • Explain why some products are produced locally while others are not
7.1Basic Geography Literacy
• Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.2The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
• Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.4 The Interaction Between People and Places
• Identify the impacts of physical systems on people
• Identify the impacts of people on physical systems / The Earth provides us with materials to meet our basic needs.
Earth Day is a day we recognize our responsibility to care for the Earth.
We all share one Earth. / Identify materials (water, air, food, natural resources) the Earth provides.
Match products to the natural resources from which they are made.
Identify ways we care for the Earth.
Identify the world map and locate continents and oceans. / Discussion
Type 2 writing
Class List/Shared Writing
Teacher Observation
_First GradeCourse Title: _Social Studies_Duration: June – some content may be done at beginning of year or in May (Memorial Day)
Unit/Topic: _Theme 6
Big Ideas/Enduring Understanding
- Maps and globes can help you locate landforms and bodies of water.
- Following rules and laws demonstrates good citizenship.
Essential Questions
- How and why do we use maps and globes?
- Why do we need rules and laws?
Standards / Content / Skills/Competency / Assessment
5.1: Principles and Documents of Government
• Describe the purpose of the United States Flag, The Pledge of Allegiance and The National Anthem
• Identify framers of documents of governments
• Explain why government is necessary in the classroom, school, community, state and the basic purposes of government in Pennsylvania
and the United States
7.1Basic Geography Literacy
• Identify geographic tools and their uses
• Identify and locate places and regions
7.2The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
• Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions
8.3 United States History
• Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history / We have important patriotic symbols, customs and traditions in the U. S.
Parades follow routes through a town/city.
Maps show land and water. / Identify and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Identify the bald eagle and the flag as symbols of the U. S.
Describe the characteristics of the American flag.
Trace a route on an illustrated map.
Distinguish between land and water on a map / Teacher observation
Teacher-created maps
Labeled map