Social Studies

Social Studies

Social studies teach students about how people live, work, get along with others, solve problems, make changes in their world and are changed by their world. For young children, the family, school, neighborhood and community offer first-hand experiences that introduce them to the foundation for learning social studies.

Tips and Activities:

1. Use a family calendar to plan and talk about school days, weekends and special days. Mark and talk about special days on the calendar.

2. Share stories about your child’s life as a baby and a toddler, as well as stories about when you were a child. Share photo albums of when your child was little and talk about how much he/she has changed.

3. Read magazines and newspapers with your child and show him/her pictures or photographs of different landforms such as mountains, valleys, streams, deserts and forests.

4. Look at the night sky with your child for three days in a row. Talk about what you see such as clouds, moon and stars. Talk about what is different and what is the same.

5. When taking a trip, show your child the route you will follow on the map. Point out the symbols that stand for the things you will see as you travel. Ask your child to make his/her own map.

6. Praise your child for making good choices such as sharing and working with others by saying, “I likes the way you shared your toys today with Susie.”

7. Talk about family customs and traditions during the year such as how you celebrate birthdays, Thanksgiving and special holidays, vacations and time with grandparents.