Social Studies — Kindergarten

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.

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 Mathematics and Social Studies)

By Michelle Hensley.

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

World view: National anthems around the world

Students visit the World Viewer exhibit in National Geographic's Xpedition Hall and explore the different geographic information about countries around the globe. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Geographic

What is a tornado?

Students will learn about how tornadoes are formed and why most tornadoes occur in “tornado alley.” Students will create a tornado in a bottle and review basic safety information about what to do in a tornado. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Geographic

What are manatees?

Students learn about manatees' behavioral characteristics and how manatees in captivity interact with people. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Geographic

A vacation to the polar regions

Students learn about the characteristics of the Arctic and Antarctic by looking at a globe and at pictures of the polar landscape and animals. They'll plan a vacation to one of these regions and draw pictures or write stories depicting themselves on the trip. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Geographic

Traveling Along: Measuring and Mapping -- Looking Back and Moving Forward

Students are provided with non-standard measuring tools such as paper clips, pencils, and Tangrams and are instructed to create and label a treasure map that leads to a special play area, a hidden treasure, or a favorite toy. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Traditional towns and modern suburbs

Students will visit a virtual community and view aerial photographs to compare and contrast these two types of towns. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Geographic

Taking care of our oceans

Students consider why so many people live near the coast and learn about the impacts of this trend on ocean animals. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: 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)

Provided by: National Geographic

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)

Provided by: National Geographic

Pioneer America: Journey west

Students learn about the early pioneers in America and their motivations for moving West. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Personal boundaries and forbidden places

In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the concept of boundaries between places—in this case, places where they are welcome versus places where they are unwelcome. Activities in this lesson engage students in whole class discussion and development... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: Xpeditions

Modeling Shadows

Students observe the daytime and nighttime sky regularly to identify sequences of changes and to look for patterns in these changes. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

The Middle East region: Flags and facts

Students will learn basic facts about the Middle East by exploring maps of the region. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 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

Marco Polo takes a trip

Students learn about the travels of Venetian adventurer Marco Polo. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

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)

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