Social Studies — Kindergarten

Kindergarten Walk

This is an introductory lesson in a series of lessons on our community and community helpers. Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins will be used as the pattern to plan our own walk around our school playground. Students will then create a simple map of our school playground.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Information Skills, Social Studies, and Mathematics)

By Michelle Hensley.

Story Map: The Gingerbread Manhunt

The purpose of this lesson is to present a fun, memorable way for children to learn where the secretary, principal, nurse, janitor, cafeteria, playground, and other grade levels are located while matching a face and job with each of these locations and its importance to the functioning of the school.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Social Studies)

By Tina Baker.

Lesson plans on the web

Designing a native plants garden

Students compare native vegetation in different parts of the United States. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies and Science)

Provider: National Geographic

Getting lost

Students practice their knowledge of the cardinal directions by describing the directions in their classroom. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Information Skills and Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

The great migration

Students learn about the migration of African Americans to Harlem, beginning with the original migration of blacks to North America. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–3 Social Studies)

Provider: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Handy Map

The teacher draws an outline of his or her hands and begins mapping them using words the students suggest. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies and Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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 Social Studies and Science)

Provider: National Geographic

Mail time! An integrated postcard and geography study

Provides motivation for writing and reading and provides a wonderful opportunity to learn about maps as students discover where their family members and friends live. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Mathematics)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Mapping what matters

In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the idea that everyone has mental maps they use to store and recover information. Students come to realize that certain places on these maps are more important to us than others. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

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)

Provider: National Endowment for the Humanities

Regions of a grocery store

In this Xpeditions lesson, students learn about how regions are created by categorizing grocery store products into different regions of the classroom, which they pretend is a grocery store. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

Submarines: The classroom fleet

Students will study the submarine and the challenges humans face when traveling underwater. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

What's your favorite place?

Students think of their favorite place or a place they find particularly interesting. They then draw pictures of that place and share information about it with a partner. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

What's your territory?

Introduces international territorial defense through considering how students, their pets, and their parents define and defend their personal spaces or territory. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Information Skills and Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

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)

Provider: National Geographic