In first grade, the social studies curriculum is a year long study of “Communities”. We move beyond the basic community of family, step by step through the larger communities the children belong to: the classroom community, the school community, neighborhood communities, and the city community. We begin to explore the idea of the state and national communities. We end with learning about community action and the impact people have in their communities.
Students also delve into the Discovering Justice curriculum. This curriculum engages students in exploring the laws and rules that help us to work together as a group. The curriculum focuses on four central questions: What is a rule? Why do we need rules? Who makes the rules? What is a good reason to challenge a rule? Through literature and written responses, students develop literacy skills while tackling questions relevant to their lives, their classrooms, and their country. Books include Charlotte Zolotow’s William’s Doll, King of the Playground by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles. Students are very involved in thinking about how their lives may have been different in the past and acknowledging courageous people who have tried to change communities and societies for the better.