Your Kindergartner and Social Studies
In Your Child's Classroom
Developing curiosity about the world
Kindergartners learn about time and space as an introduction to the concepts of history and geography. They learn to distinguish past, present and future time in their own lives. They practice finding locations at school.
Kindergartners learn about national holidays, and the stories of the people whose contributions we commemorate. They learn the concepts of courage, heroism and justice from examples in history.
"Social studies for young children needs to develop from children's natural curiosity about the world around them and their immediate environment," says our teacher consultant Donna Adkins, Arkansas Teacher of the Year in 2004.
Learning about the rules of government
As members of a classroom community, kindergartners get an introduction to the study of government as they discuss rules and appropriate behavior. They learn that being a good citizen means behaving in certain ways.
Donna Adkins explains: "One of the most important skills young children can develop is the ability to get along and work with others. Teachers of young children spend much time helping children see the importance of being able to work and play with others."
Here is what you can expect your child to do in kindergarten social studies:
- Become familiar with the events and people associated with U.S. national holidays
- Put days, weeks and months in the proper order
- Recognize national and state symbols and icons, such as the flags and the Statue of Liberty
- Learn that the world is divided into countries and that there are similarities and differences among cultures
- Tell or show the difference between land and water on a globe or map
- Begin to learn how his experience in his family, school and community differs from that of people in other countries and other times
What to Look for When You Visit
- Maps and a globe
- Calendars that reinforce the concept of time
- Books with folktales from other cultures and biographies of historical figures
- The teacher leading children in songs and games from other countries or other eras
- Posted lists of rules about sharing, taking turns and other aspects of good classroom citizenship
