Social Studies Curriculum

Let’s talk social studies curriculum!ย  Today I am here to share with you about my kindergarten and first grade social studies curriculum!

I am also giving away a set of mentor texts from Unit 4!ย  You can enter to win those under the Unit 4 header!

For far too long we have shoved social studies away! ย Hand raised high here, too! ย So, there’s no finger pointing coming from me! ย So as I started to get my curriculum programs out I was beyond excited to hear request after request for social studies… I just heard in my head, “It’s baaaaccccck!” ย I think to my own classroom and why/where it went! ย Well, there was the huge, “Math and ELA are all kids need to know now-a-days.” Hmmm! ย There was also the, “It’s okay just teach it at small-group reading and whole-group reading.” ย Yes, that is totally doable but is it really the same?

Then I flashback to my grade school years and social studies time was: open the book, everyone take turns reading aloud (YIKES) and morning daily geography! ย Now I’m sure I am not being fair because there were probably some memorable moments in there, ha! ย So I had an idea in my head of what I wanted and I went for it! ย I am so excited how (Kinder) Social Studies turned out! ย I seriously want to be the kiddos in the class learning these fun lessons!

You will notice that I use parentheses around the word (Kinder) when talking about this curriculum! ย That is because this curriculum is designed for primary students in mind, NOT just kinder kiddos! ย I have included two differentiated versions to all practice sheets. These two versions work for non-writers (coloring) and writers (writing 3-4 simple sentences). ย Please note that NO student materials and NO teacher materials have the “KINDER” name on them so you do not have to worry about this!

As we get more into the units and you are more a visual learner- you can watch this video of me taking you through unit 1!

What’s in the Social Studiesย Curriculum?

KinderSocialStudies Curriculum is a social studies curriculum for primary aged students. KinderSocialStudies is an engaging social studies curriculum with young learners in mind! KinderSocialStudies encourages young learners to think โ€œoutside the boxโ€ and prove their thinking through hands-on and engaging learning experiences. KinderSocialStudies is based upon five units: Rules, United States/Community Helpers, Maps, Cultures and Economics. Each unit is broken down to 10 lessons and each lesson can take from 1-2 days to complete. This gives you 50+ days of instruction. ย The units cover at least two weeks of instruction. The lesson plan has the listed objective, โ€œI canโ€ statement, vocabulary, detailed activity lesson plans and all necessary student follow-up practice sheets.

KinderSocialStudies encourages a daily routine, but please know that as the teacher you can adjust the lessons and make them best work for your daily schedule and time allotment. Within each lesson the students will partake in a quick lesson opener, whole-group skill lesson and the students will take part in a follow-up task. Please note that all student follow-up practice sheets can be shrunk and placed into a student journal. All of the follow-up sheets are also differentiated so that you can use these units anytime during the school year, and they will be applicable to your writers or nonwriters. You can also choose to have students track their daily activities in their journal with or without the included response sheets.

Let’s get into the units!

Unit 1 is all about rules and laws! ย Basically we are learning all about how to be a good citizen and the quality characters of citizen! ย Here is an overview of the lessons in unit 1!

kindergarten social studies
Unit 1 includes an included interactive OR custom printable book! ย These books are written for the curriculum so they contain the week’s vocabulary words!

kindergarten social studies
The vocabulary words have included “real-life” picture cards included within the unit!

kindergarten social studies
Unit 1 of the social studies curriculum uses a few AWESOME read alouds! ย I have included free online view links for all of the books in case you do not own them or can’t get your hands on them! ย The books are really great for the start of the year and all have paired activities within the curriculum! ย All of my curriculum programs pair with literature and OH THE LEARNING that blossoms!

kindergarten social studies
Below is an example of an included paired text activity for the students to follow up with! ย You can do this in a pocket chart whole-group or down at the carpet!

kindergarten social studies
As I mentioned above, all of the student practice sheets are differentiated! ย That means there are TWO versions for each sheet! ย You can choose between the two for what words best for your kiddos!

kindergarten social studies

You might also choose to print the worksheets in a scaled down version and have the kiddos keep a social studies notebook!

kindergarten social studies
In unit 1 we work on the definition of fair! ย This is an included activity that you can do whole-class or the kids can do with a partner! ย They are working on pairing the correct amount of food to the animal- fair is getting what we need, not what we want!

kindergarten social studies
In all of the lessons, I have included MANY options for teaching the skill! ย This allows you to choose what best fits your students. ย Below is a look at an included activity in the laws lesson! ย Using the included mat, students will work on following the stop sign law! ย You will have them come up front and use the toy cars and demonstrate how each follow the law and why it is important….(CRASH)!

kindergarten social studies

We discuss the difference between rules and laws!

kindergarten social studies
We then look at “real-life” pictures and decide if a law has been broken!

kindergarten social studies
We also discuss who the authority figures are in our lives and why we must respect them!

kindergarten social studies
Below is a look at a way to organize unit one! ย All of the lessons, included custom book, tradebooks, cards and necessary extra pieces all fit nicely into the IRIS box! ย The labels are included within the units as well!


Let’s take a look at unit 2! ย Unit 2 is really two units in one! ย You see week one is about the USA (symbols and presidents). ย Week 2 is not specific to the USA and works well for any classroom learning about their community!
kindergarten social studies
Unit 2 starts out with introducing students to American symbols!

kindergarten social studies

The students work on labeling each of the symbols as well.
kindergarten social studies

There’s am included symbols memory match!

kindergarten social studies

The students then work on their own little American symbols memory keepsake books!

kindergarten social studies

Kinder version

kindergarten social studies

kindergarten social studies

Firstie version

kindergarten social studiesAs I stated above, all of the practiced sheets are differentiated! ย You get two version of each to choose from!

kindergarten social studies

The students learn about the history of the American flag!

kindergarten social studiesThere’s an included tissue paper craft.

kindergarten social studies

Next, we go into the role of the president! ย You can have students generate ideas prior to reading the included book! ย Once you have read the book, you can go back through and circle their jobs!

kindergarten social studies

kindergarten social studies
The custom written books also include vocabulary and the included cards are presented as well with “real-life” pictures!
kindergarten social studies

During the president’s lessons, the students will create their own president keepsake books!

kindergarten social studies
Fristie version

kindergarten social studies

Kinder version

kindergarten social studies
During this week the students will also learn about American democracy and put it into action by taking a vote on the book, Duck! ย Rabbit!

kindergarten social studies

This unit concludes with a study on respecting our rights!

kindergarten social studies
As I mentioned above, week 2 is like a completely different unit within itself! ย Week 2 is all about communities! ย The students will be reading about what makes a community and then the focus will turn to community helpers!

kindergarten social studiesA look at the two page spread of lesson plans!

kindergarten social studies
Unit 2, Week 2 vocabulary cards

kindergarten social studies
Included community poster
kindergarten social studies
Community bingo

kindergarten social studies

Rural verses urban communities picture sort
kindergarten social studies
In unit 2 the students will be working alongside you and possibly a home/parent connection as well to create a 3D replica community! ย I have included teacher instructions and a parent letter if you should choose to involve families!

kindergarten social studies
Below you can see an example of the replica community! ย You will work with the students to decide what exactly a community needs and the make sure those are added!

kindergarten social studies

Students would work with parents as a home project to create their favorite businesses/places

kindergarten social studies

kindergarten social studies

kindergarten social studies

If you have partial parent involvement, you could send home the classroom “bagged” community buildings and a lunch sack for those parents to complete with their child!

kindergarten social studies
The “bagged” building are included!

kindergarten social studies
Students can make the homes in class! ย You will simply fold and staple the bag and they can then decorate it with a roof, chimney, door, windows, etc.

kindergarten social studies
So fun, right?
kindergarten social studies

Let’s take a look at Unit 3! ย Unit 3 is all about maps, landforms and climate!

kindergarten social studies
Unit 3 contains ten lessons! ย The lessons are meaty enough to make it through 1-2 classroom days!
Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies

Each of the units also contain their own custom written book!

Kindergarten Social Studies
Unit 3 also contains included vocabulary cards.

Kindergarten Social Studies
Differentiated printables are included! ย There is a kinder (color) version and firstie (writing).

Kindergarten Social Studies

In unit 3 students will be studying maps and globes! ย I snagged this mini globe from Amazon!

Kindergarten Social Studies
The kiddos will also make their own globes using a balloon and paper mache!

Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies

Unit 3 utilizes rich texts to expand the learning.
Kindergarten Social Studies
We also make our own maps!
Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies

Landforms are part of unit 3 as well! ย This is a fun and hands-on activity for landforms!

Kindergarten Social Studies

The students also have landform sort cards!
Kindergarten Social Studies
Kindergarten Social Studies

We also discuss climate in Unit 3!
Kindergarten Social Studies
Kindergarten Social Studies In unit 3 the kiddos also get to explore with treasure maps!

Kindergarten Social Studies

Maps keys are also important and taught in Unit 3!
Kindergarten Social Studies
Kindergarten Social Studies
Don’t forget the compass rose! ย We cover that, too!

Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies
Kindergarten Social Studies
Kindergarten Social Studies
Kindergarten Social Studies
Another important skill taught in unit 3 is teaching the kiddos about “their place in the world”.

Kindergarten Social Studies

Unit 4: Countries Around the World

A look at the lesson plans!

Unit 4 includes an included interactive OR custom printable book! ย These books are written for the curriculum so they contain the week’s vocabulary words!

As I stated above, all of the practiced sheets are differentiated! ย You get two version of each to choose from! This unit’s response sheets actually are for a flags around the world book!

The unit includes anchor chart pieces!


The unit includes a follow-up activity or craft for each lesson!


Let’s talk unit 5 of KinderSocialStudies— Economics!ย  When thinking about teaching social studies to young kiddos it can see a tad bit frightening ha! However, this unit breaks it all down for the kiddos and really turns it into an easy and fun process!


Included lesson plans!

kindergarten social studies

Unit 5 includes a custom book as well!

kindergarten social studies
Differentiated recording sheets for K-1!

kindergarten social studies

Included vocabulary cards!

kindergarten social studiesTeaching about wants and needs!
kindergarten social studies
Hands-on sorts for the kiddos!

kindergarten social studies
Dogs have needs, too!
kindergarten social studies
What is a want and a need inside your house?

kindergarten social studies
The kiddos will make their own wants/needs house!
kindergarten social studies
Tracking wants through a “want” organizer!

kindergarten social studies

Printable sort as well!

kindergarten social studies

Learning about supply and demand with SKITTLES!
kindergarten social studiesLots of hands-on sorts included!

kindergarten social studies

kindergarten social studiesWhat is a good?

kindergarten social studies“Yes” or “No” “goods” sort.

kindergarten social studies
Who provides services?

kindergarten social studies

We learn about consumers!

kindergarten social studies

Can the consumer find their good?
kindergarten social studies
There are producers, too!

kindergarten social studies

Learning about payment options!
kindergarten social studies

In unit 5 we learn about money and get to earn our own money!

kindergarten social studies

The mentor texts used in unit 5!

kindergarten social studies

If you would like to snag all of THIS then you can grab it on the link HERE or the picture below!

8 Comments

  1. I bought this over the summer, we just finished Unit 1, and my Kinders have been loving it! They ask all the time if we’re going to hear more about Howard B. Wigglebottom! The paired texts are great and very well thought through! Thank you so much, I actually like teaching Social Studies! What?! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    -Korinn

  2. I am in love with Kinder Social Studies. My school has a home grown social studies curriculum that needs a lot of modifications for me to be able to teach it. This helps so much!

Leave a Reply