KINDERGARTEN

Self and Family

 

In kindergarten, students view changes that occur in their lives, in the history of the school, and in the community with a perspective that provides a foundation for them to begin to understand events in the past, present, and future.  They begin the development of representational thought about things not present and learn to tap their imaginations as they explore the importance of building positive relationships with others.  The kindergarten classroom may be the first place in which students realize how they are like and different from other students.  Students begin to accept these similarities and differences and to develop a sense of respect and purpose regarding their learning experiences.

 

Initial citizenship education in kindergarten includes the significance of following rules and respecting the rights of other people.  Students are introduced to the concepts of justice, courage, autonomy, and leadership as they develop an awareness of their roles as family members, individuals, and members of a social group.  Appropriate learning environments reflect a thematic, interdisciplinary approach with emphasis on flexibility, attention to individual learning styles, and active participation in learning, including opportunities for exploration and discovery.  Thus, instructional materials that expose students to concrete examples of abstract concepts of civic competence are meaningful.

 

Cherokee County Schools:  The content standards, bullets and examples contained within this local version of the Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies are minimum content and are required for instruction and student mastery.  The activities and resources listed in this document are not all-inclusive, but are a representation from which one can pick, choose and blend with activities and resources already employed within the kindergarten setting.

 

 

 

 

Alabama Course of Study:  Social Studies

 

 

 

 

AHSGE

 

Activities

 

Resources

 

 

Self and Family

 

Students will:

 

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1.       Use daily schedules and timelines

       from birth to present to relate self

       and family to changes over time.

 

 

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Using vocabulary to describe periods of time

Examples:   long ago, yesterday, today, tomorrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2.        Compare families of today with

            families of the past in relation to

            work, home, and school.

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Examples:  present—one or both parents working outside the home, families sharing household responsibilities, students having choices of transportation; past—parents working together

 

 

 

 

 

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3.       Identify historically significant

       events as they relate to self and

       family.

 

 

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Examples:  Veterans Day, Independence Day

 

·         Identifying famous individuals associated with holidays and celebrations

Examples:  Presidents’ Day—George Washington, Abraham Lincoln; Thanksgiving—Squanto, Pilgrims; Black History Month—Rosa Parks, Martin Luther
King, Jr., Booker T. Washington 

·         Describing  personal and family experiences related to holidays and celebrations

 

 

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4.       Identify personal use of goods

          and services.

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·         Demonstrating ways money is used in everyday life

Examples:  saving money in piggy banks, using money to buy pencils at the school supply store

·         Identifying various community helpers and their roles in the community

Examples:   farmers providing food, firefighters putting out fires, health care professionals giving vaccinations, police officers protecting citizens

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5.       Identify personal wants and

           needs.

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·         Discussing differences between purchasing and bartering for materials

Examples:  purchasing candy at the grocery store, trading candy for baseball cards

·         Discussing reasons for making choices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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6.       Identify vocabulary related to

            location and direction.

 

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·         Locating objects and places to the right or left, up or down, in or out, and above or below

·         Giving directions

·         Following directions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7.       Identify representations of Earth

       using technology, maps, and

       globes.

 

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·         Creating simple maps

Examples:   home, classroom, school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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8.       Describe effects of different

            seasons on self and family.

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Example:  needing to wear a coat in winter

 

·         Discussing economic factors affected by seasonal changes

Example:  heating and cooling expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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9.       Describe ways people celebrate

       their diverse cultural heritages.

 

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Examples:  literature, language, games, songs, dances, holidays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10.   Discuss rights and

       responsibilities of individuals

       in relation to different social

       groups, including family,

       peer group, and classmates.

 

 

 

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·         Explaining the importance of manners and social etiquette

·         Explaining the necessity for rules and laws and consequences of failing to obey them

Examples:   raising hand before speaking to eliminate noise and allow every person to be heard, obeying traffic signs and signals to avoid traffic tickets and accidents, recognizing that playing with matches could lead to getting burned

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11.    Identify historic symbols of

       patriotism.

 

 

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