In kindergarten social studies, students explore the concepts of self and others, including family and community.
By the end of the school year, all students should be able to:
■ Understand how families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities work.
■ Know that families have needs and wants and that people help each other.
■ Identify themselves as members of a community, city, state, and country.
■ Recognize symbols of citizenship, such as the flag of the United States. Know that citizens have responsibilities to their country and community.
■ Show respect for others and work well with others.
■ Know that people make and change rules.
■ Show that they are aware of current events, such as a presidential election.
■ Look at or read different fiction and nonfiction books about children, families, schools, or neighborhoods.
■ Identify with their family’s cultural roots (such as Italian, African-American, or Puerto Rican).
■ Listen to folktales and other texts to learn about the values and traditions of different cultures.
Learning at Home
Talk about things that are happening in your child’s school or neighborhood. What has your child noticed that is new and different?
Take your child to the local library and explore books about the history of your community.
Read your child folktales that reflect your family’s heritage. The public libraries in New York City have books of folktales from many countries.
Make a family tree or create a photo album of your family and talk to your child about how families are different.