Grade 1
Social Studies
Geography
Map Skills
Timelines
Calendar Skills
Economics
Goods and Services
History
American Symbols
Current President
Patriotic Songs
Pledge of Allegiance
National Holidays
Folk Tales/Famous Americans/Biographies
American Customs and Celebrations
Geography/History
Strand 1
Map Skills
Essential Questions:
- What are the four cardinal directions?
- Where are the North and South Poles and the Equator on the globe?
- Where are the continents, mountains, rivers, lakes and oceans on a map?
Vocabulary:
Cardinal directions: north, south, east and west,
rivers, oceans, mountains, equator, north pole, south pole, continents
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman social studies leveled readers (need to be purchased)
Beginning Map Skills (Learning Horizons)
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Evan-Moor Daily Geography practice
Compass, maps, globe
Timelines
Essential Question:
- What information does a timeline give us?
Vocabulary:
timeline, changes, sequence
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman social studies leveled readers
Scott Foresman Unit 4, Week 2: see pages 64-65
Everyday Math lesson 4.9
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Calendar Skills
Essential Questions:
- What are the days of the week?
- What are the names of the months?
- What are the four seasons?
Vocabulary:
date, day, month, year, season, winter, spring, summer, fall,
sequence, past, now, future
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman social studies leveled readers
Everyday Math lesson 1.9
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Calendar
Morning Meeting activities
Economics
Strand 9
Goods and Services
Essential Questions:
- What are some products that people buy and use?
- What are some examples of goods and what are some examples of services?
Vocabulary:
goods, services, products, needs, wants, use, jobs, money, choices
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman social studies leveled readers
Scott Foresman Unit 2: Who Works Here?
and leveled readers
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
History
Strand 1.1
National capital and the state capital
Essential Question:
What are the capital of the United States and the capital of Massachusetts and why are they important?
Vocabulary:
capital, law, state, country, governor, government, Washington D.C., Boston, Massachusetts
Suggested Resources:
Leveled readers
Maps
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.2
The Presidents of the United States
Essential Questions:
- Who is our President?
- Describe the President’s job.
- Explain how a person becomes the President of the United States.
Vocabulary:
President, election, vote, ballots, majority
Suggested Resources:
Write & Read Book: Our Country
Scholastic: Our Country
Scholastic: Arthur Meets the President by Marc Brown
Scholastic: My Teacher for President by Kay Winters
Caldecott: So You Want to be President By Judith St. George
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.3
United States leaders, symbols, events, and holidays
Essential Question:
Identify and explain the meanings of the following American symbols: eagle, flag, Statue of Liberty, White House.
Vocabulary:
symbol, freedom
Suggested Resources:
Big Book: The City
State map
Scott Foresman reading leveled reader: Special Buildings
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.4
Pledge of Allegiance and national songs
Essential Questions:
- Demonstrate the ability to recite the “Pledge of Allegiance” and to explain its general meaning.
- Demonstrate the ability to sing national songs such as “America the Beautiful”, “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”, “God Bless America”, and “The Star Spangled Banner” and explain the general meaning of the lyrics.
Vocabulary:
pledge, allegiance, united, republic, nation, national anthem, indivisible, liberty, justice, respectful
Suggested Resources:
Our National Anthem by Stephanie St. Pierre
Patriotic Traditions by Alyson Kieda
Patriotic music
American Flag
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.5
National and Massachusetts Holidays
Essential Question:
Why do we celebrate: Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Patriots Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day?
Vocabulary:
celebrate, customs, parade, holiday, honor, patriotic
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman Unit 4, Week 4: “My Fourth of July”
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.7
Individuals, Families, and Communities Now and Long Ago
Essential Question:
Describe the main characters and their qualities in various legends and folktales (See Frameworks for suggestions.)
Vocabulary:
fable, folktale, legend, character, moral
Suggested Resources:
What Your First Grader Needs to Know
Scott Foresman, unit 1 “Big Blue Ox”
Various legends and folktales
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.8
Famous Americans
Essential Question:
Describe the qualities or distinctive traits of famous Americans of different ethnicity, faith, and historic periods.
Vocabulary:
famous, courage, leadership, strength
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman Unit 4 – “The Dot”
Scott Foresman Unit 5 – “Ben Franklin”, “Wright Brothers”, “Alexander Graham Bell”
Scholastic - Fifteen Easy to Read Biography Mini-Books” “Famous Americans”
Biographies
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Strand 1.9
Celebrations and Customs
Essential Question:
Explain and describe various celebrations and customs observed in America.
Vocabulary:
celebration, customs, tradition, holiday
Suggested Resources:
Scott Foresman – unit 4 “The Lady in the Moon” story and leveled readers
Scott Foresman – unit 4 “Mama’s Birthday Present” story and leveled readers
Classroom Magazines: TIME for Kids, Scholastic News, Weekly Reader
Websites:
ushistory.org
whitehouse.gov
libertybellmuseum.com
whitehouse.gov/kids/index.html
enchantedlearning.com
americaslibrary.gov
abcteach.com
weeklyreader.com/teachers/resources
scholastic.com
sfsocialstudies.com
timeforkids.com
Assessments:
This guide was created with the understanding that Social Studies is integrated into all areas of the curriculum.
Teacher observation:
- vocabulary related to each unit
- participation in discussion
- teacher-made rubrics
- students' responses through illustrations
Open response questions: oral and written
Brainstorming
Graphic organizers
Various teacher-created materials