Social Studies learning in a kindergarten classroom occurs throughout the day, beginning with a class meeting (often called “morning meeting” or “circle time”) at the start of the day. During this time, many classes review the calendar and the weather, the number of days of school, as well as any other “class news” for the day. Students may also share their own news during this time. Social studies continues throughout the day as kindergartners follow classroom rules and build their social skills, interacting with each other and learning to share, take turns, and work together, ultimately helping them become successful students and classroom citizens. In addition, most kindergarten classrooms in the U.S. include teaching children about their communities, outside of their home, and the American holidays.
In order to build social studies skills, your kindergartner:
- Works in groups, sharing and taking turns.
- Develops conflict resolution skills.
- Develops communication and conversation skills.
- Learns about his community, outside of his home.
- Learns about the calendar.
- Learns about American holidays.
Social Studies Activities
- Study Your Community: Walk around your local neighborhood and help your child take photos, draw pictures, and write about what she notices. Encourage your child to talk to different people in the community and ask them questions. Then make a poster or short book about your town. Your child can then send this info to a friend or family member who lives somewhere else.
- Take a trip: Compare your own town and community to ones around you. If you live in a city, visit a more rural or suburban area. If you live in a rural area or suburb, visit a city. Talk about the differences and similarities or make a chart of them.
- Act it Out: Use role play to help your child work on his conflict resolution skills. Act out small situations of conflict, such as what happens if someone is playing with a toy you want or what happens if you don’t agree with someone about something. Help your child figure out specific strategies he can use in different situations.
- Make a Group Plan: Work with other family members or friends on a specific task such as cleaning up a yard or room, cooking, or setting up a meal or party. Assign everyone specific roles and figure out how to work together in the best way possible.
