H. Social Studies
Social Studies helps children understand themselves and their place in the world. It includes recognizing diversity, understanding roles within the community, participating in group decision-making, exploring geography and time concepts, and learning the importance of caring for the environment.
53. Diversity: Children understand people have diverse characteristics, interests, and abilities.
54. Community roles: Children recognize that people have different roles and functions in the community.
55. Decision-making: Children participate in making classroom decisions.
56. Geography: Children recognize and interpret features and locations in their environment.
57. History: Children understand the past, present, and future.
58. Ecology: Children understand the importance of caring for their environment.
Lesson 1
Name of Activity
Who Helps Us? – Exploring Community Helpers
Originating Idea
Children see helpers in their neighborhoods every day. Learning about community helpers helps children understand people's roles in keeping communities safe, healthy, and running smoothly.
Curriculum Area
53. Diversity, 54. Community Roles, 56. Geography:
Materials
Picture cards or toy figures of community helpers (e.g., firefighter, doctor, mail carrier, police officer, teacher, construction worker, etc.), Dress-up props (optional: hats, badges, tools, jackets), Book: “Whose Hat Is This?” or “Helpers in My Community,” Chart paper or a large poster board, Markers or stickers
Appropriate Age
Group 4-year-olds
Beginning of Activity
Gather the children and say: “Today, we’re going to talk about the people who help us daily in our community. These are called community helpers. Let’s look at some pictures and talk about what they do!” Show pictures of a few helpers and name their jobs.
Middle of Activity
Early
Introduce 2–3 helpers with simple explanations. “This is a firefighter. What do firefighters help us with?”Let children pass around the picture or prop and repeat the helper's name.
Middle
Add more community helpers and describe the tools or uniforms they use. Ask guiding questions: “Who helps when we are sick?” “Who delivers the mail?”Encourage matching games with job pictures and tools
(e.g., stethoscope → doctor).
Later
Children explain helper roles independently: “A police officer helps keep us safe!” Introduce basic social concepts like teamwork and helping others. Children may act out roles with props or dramatic play items.
End of Activity
Make a class chart titled “People Who Help Us” and let each child pick one helper to add to the chart with a picture or sticker. Wrap up with a question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “How can we be helpers in our classroom?”
Follow-Up Ideas
Create a pretend-play “community center” with costumes and props.
Invite a guest speaker like a nurse, firefighter, or postal worker.
Walk around the school or center and identify real-life helpers
(custodian, cook, etc.). Make thank-you cards for local community helpers.
Lesson 2
Name of Activity
My Family – Learning About Roles and Responsibilities
Originating Idea
Children are curious about their families and those of their peers. Talking about family roles helps them recognize how people care for and support each other in different ways.
Curriculum Area
53. Diversity, 54. Community roles, 55. Decision making
Materials
Family role picture cards (parent, sibling, grandparent, pet, etc.), Chart paper titled “What Families Do,” Children’s drawings of their family, Book: “The Family Book” by Todd Parr or “All Kinds of Families” by Mary Ann Hoberman, Mirror or pretend play props (for role-playing family helpers)
Appropriate Age Group
4-year-olds
Beginning of Activity
Gather children in a circle and say: “Let’s talk about families! Every family is special. Families can look different, but one thing is the same—they all take care of each other.” Read “The Family Book” and point out different types of families.
Middle of Activity
Early
Show family role cards and name them: “This is a dad. This is a grandma. This is a baby.”Ask children who live in their homes what they do together.
Middle
Begin a group chart titled “What Families Do” and add ideas from the children. “Who cooks at home? Who helps clean up? Who reads stories to you?”Children share what their family members do, and you write or draw their answers on the chart.
Later
Children draw a picture of their family and describe each person’s role. “This is my sister. She helps me clean up my toys.”Encourage dramatic play with children pretending to do different family jobs
(e.g., setting the table, rocking a baby, fixing something).
End of Activity
Have children share their family drawings or one thing they love about their family. Ask reflective questions: “How do you help your family?” “How do your family members help you?”
Celebrate all families and post the drawings for display.
Follow-Up Ideas
Create a class “Our Families” book with each child’s drawing and description. Invite families to send a photo or create a family collage at home. In dramatic play, role-play different family routines: bedtime, dinner, and grocery shopping. Compare family roles with classroom jobs: “Who helps at school like a parent does at home?”
Lesson 3
Name of Activity
Our Classroom Rules – Helping Everyone Stay Safe and Happy
Originating Idea
Young children thrive in environments where they feel safe and included. Involving them in creating classroom rules helps build responsibility, cooperation, and a sense of community.
Curriculum Area
53. Diversity, 54. Community roles, 55. Decision making
Materials
Chart paper or poster board, Markers or crayons, Visual rule cards or drawings
(e.g., walking feet, kind hands, listening ears) Book: “David Goes to School” by David Shannon or
“Know and Follow Rules” by Cheri Meiners,
Stickers or pictures for decorating the rule chart
Appropriate Age Group
4-year-olds
Beginning of Activity
Gather the children in a circle and ask: “What helps us all have fun and stay safe at school?” Show pictures of basic rules (e.g., helping hands, walking feet, raising hands) and explain: “These are called rules! Rules are like kind reminders that help everyone know what to do.”
Middle of Activity
Early: Read a story that models classroom behavior (e.g., “David Goes to School”). Pause to ask: “Was David following the rules? What should he do instead?”Introduce 2–3 visual rules and ask children to act them out.
Middle: Guide a group discussion to brainstorm rules together. “What are some rules we need to be safe and kind?” “Why is that important?” The teacher writes the rules on chart paper with drawings or symbols to help children remember.
Later: Children begin explaining or teaching the rules to each other. Encourage children to develop classroom agreements: “We agree to use kind words.” “We agree to clean up our toys.”Introduce the idea of being a “rule helper” or “classroom leader” to support peer responsibility.
End of Activity
Review the final classroom rules chart together and let children decorate it with stickers or their names. Ask reflective questions: “Which rule is your favorite?” “How can we help each other follow the rules every day?” Display the chart at the child level as a visual reminder.
Follow-Up Ideas
Assign daily “rule helpers” or kindness monitors to encourage ownership. Role-play scenarios, such as “What should you do if someone forgets a rule?”Revisit the rule chart weekly and revise it together if needed.