Standard Course of Study :: Social Studies — Grade 1

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

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Aligned lesson plans

Resources on the web

Xpeditions express: City scavenger hunt: Students take a virtual trip on National Geographic's Xpeditions Express through Europe to the cities of London, Paris, Innsbruck, Venice, Budapest, and Istanbul. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Wildebeest migration: Students will make maps of the wildebeest migration route in eastern Africa. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Whooping cranes and their human friends: Students will learn about endangered whooping cranes and trace their migration route in the United States. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

To build an island: Students gain a basic overview of the geography of islands. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Pioneer America: Journey west: In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students learn about the early pioneers in America and their motivations for moving West. They discover what life was like for these explorers and list items necessary for westward travel during the mid-1800s. Students also create... (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–3 Social Studies); Provided by: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Native American cultures across the U.S.: Students discuss the differences between five Native American tribes within the U.S. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

Mission geography: Continents: In this Xpeditions lesson, students identify characteristics of the physical geography of each continent of the world. Students start by identifying each of the continents and reassembling continental maps. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Mars mobiles: Students compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and create mobiles showcasing some of the features of the Martian landscape. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Life in the mountains: Students are introduced to the idea that people in different parts of the world have different customs and habits of daily life, even if they live in similar landscapes. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

The land of the Inca: Students learn basic facts about the Inca and show where they lived on a map. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Jimmy Chin sees adventure: What do you see?: In this Xpeditions lesson, students begin to explore how culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Introduction to the Grand Canyon: Students look at photographs of three canyons and then focus on the Grand Canyon, discussing how the Colorado River carved it into its present form. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Forest features: Students concentrate on the tropical rain forest and learn about explorer Michael Fay's Congo Trek through the African rain forest. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

El Niño: More Than Just Hot Air?: Students are introduced to the El Niño phenomenon by doing a brief experiment and looking at pictures of El Niño. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Designing a native plants garden: Students compare native vegetation in different parts of the United States. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Caribou migration: Students will learn some basic facts about caribou and map the migration route of the Porcupine caribou herd of Alaska and northwestern Canada. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Big island pool: Igneous rocks and the anatomy of a volcano: Students will learn about the rocks that are formed when a volcano erupts: igneous rocks. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Beautiful Blue Nile: Students learn about the Blue Nile and compare it to a river in the United States. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Barbaloot suits: Preserving biodiversity: Students learn about how and why National Geographic Emerging Explorer Mark Olson studies plants. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

Arctic terns from north to south: Students map the arctic tern's migration route and consider why it migrates so far. (Learn more); Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Science and Social Studies); Provided by: National Geographic

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