Our classroom community
Students learn how a group of people lives and works together. They practice classroom rules, take turns, and start asking questions about the people around them.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start to see themselves as part of a group beyond their family. Students learn the rules of the classroom, why we take turns, and what it means to be a good neighbor. They begin asking questions about the world, looking at simple maps, and noticing how people long ago lived differently than we do today. By spring, students can explain a class rule, point out their home on a map, and tell a short story about something that happened in the past.
- Classroom rules
- Community helpers
- Maps
- Asking questions
- Past and present
- Wants and needs
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Maps and where we live
Students look at simple maps and pictures of their school, neighborhood, and town. They notice what makes a place feel like home and how people use the land around them.
- 3
Needs, wants, and choices
Students sort what people need from what people want. They talk about how families spend and save money and make small choices about sharing classroom supplies.
- 4
People then and now
Students compare life today with life long ago using photos, stories, and family memories. They notice what has changed over time and what has stayed the same.
- 5
Being a good citizen
Students think about fair ways to solve problems at school and in the neighborhood. They share an idea, listen to others, and take a small action to help their community.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Inquiry Skills
Inquiry Skills
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Construct Compelling Questions
Students practice asking big "why" and "how" questions about people, places, and the world around them. Good questions lead to more questions, not just a quick answer.
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Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence
Students learn to ask whether a source can be trusted before using it. They practice backing up what they say with real examples instead of guessing.
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Communicate Conclusions
Students share what they learned by drawing a picture, telling the class, or writing a sentence about a topic they studied.
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Take Informed Action
Students look at a real problem in their school or neighborhood and use what they know about people, places, and fairness to think of a way to help.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Construct Compelling Questions | Students practice asking big "why" and "how" questions about people, places, and the world around them. Good questions lead to more questions, not just a quick answer. | IL-SS.IS.K.1 |
| Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence | Students learn to ask whether a source can be trusted before using it. They practice backing up what they say with real examples instead of guessing. | IL-SS.IS.K.2 |
| Communicate Conclusions | Students share what they learned by drawing a picture, telling the class, or writing a sentence about a topic they studied. | IL-SS.IS.K.3 |
| Take Informed Action | Students look at a real problem in their school or neighborhood and use what they know about people, places, and fairness to think of a way to help. | IL-SS.IS.K.4 |
Civics
Civics
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Civic and Political Institutions
Students learn what schools, towns, and governments are for and how they make rules that affect everyday life.
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Participation and Deliberation
Students practice taking turns, listening to others, and following rules at school. Those habits are the building blocks of how communities and governments work together.
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Processes, Rules, and Laws
Students practice following classroom rules and talk about why rules matter. They start connecting everyday decisions, like taking turns or being fair, to how communities make choices together.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civic and Political Institutions | Students learn what schools, towns, and governments are for and how they make rules that affect everyday life. | IL-SS.CIV.K.1 |
| Participation and Deliberation | Students practice taking turns, listening to others, and following rules at school. Those habits are the building blocks of how communities and governments work together. | IL-SS.CIV.K.2 |
| Processes, Rules, and Laws | Students practice following classroom rules and talk about why rules matter. They start connecting everyday decisions, like taking turns or being fair, to how communities make choices together. | IL-SS.CIV.K.3 |
Economics and Financial Literacy
Economics and Financial Literacy
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Economic Decision Making
Students practice choosing between two options, like spending a coin on a snack or saving it. They think about what they give up and what they gain when they pick one thing over another.
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Exchange and Markets
Students learn why some things cost more than others and how buyers and sellers decide what to trade. It's an early look at how prices and choices shape what's available at a store.
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The National and Global Economy
Kindergartners start learning that big decisions, like how much things cost or how many people have jobs, are made by leaders and groups beyond their town or school.
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Financial Literacy
Students learn that money can be saved, spent, or set aside to grow over time. They practice basic choices about what to do with money before spending it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Students practice choosing between two options, like spending a coin on a snack or saving it. They think about what they give up and what they gain when they pick one thing over another. | IL-SS.ECON.K.1 |
| Exchange and Markets | Students learn why some things cost more than others and how buyers and sellers decide what to trade. It's an early look at how prices and choices shape what's available at a store. | IL-SS.ECON.K.2 |
| The National and Global Economy | Kindergartners start learning that big decisions, like how much things cost or how many people have jobs, are made by leaders and groups beyond their town or school. | IL-SS.ECON.K.3 |
| Financial Literacy | Students learn that money can be saved, spent, or set aside to grow over time. They practice basic choices about what to do with money before spending it. | IL-SS.ECON.K.4 |
Geography
Geography
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Geographic Tools
Students look at maps and photographs to learn what a place looks like and where it is in the world.
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Place and Environment
Students name what a place looks, feels, and sounds like, such as hills, roads, or buildings, and explain how people change the land around them or how the land changes how people live.
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Movement and Migration
Students learn why people move to new places and how those moves spread food, language, and traditions from one community to another.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Tools | Students look at maps and photographs to learn what a place looks like and where it is in the world. | IL-SS.GEO.K.1 |
| Place and Environment | Students name what a place looks, feels, and sounds like, such as hills, roads, or buildings, and explain how people change the land around them or how the land changes how people live. | IL-SS.GEO.K.2 |
| Movement and Migration | Students learn why people move to new places and how those moves spread food, language, and traditions from one community to another. | IL-SS.GEO.K.3 |
History
History
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Change, Continuity, and Context
Students look at how life has changed over time and how some things stay the same. They might compare how people dressed or traveled long ago to how we live today.
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Perspectives
Students hear how different people felt about the same event and talk about why they might have seen it differently. Understanding that people have different points of view helps students make sense of the past.
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Historical Sources and Evidence
Students look at old photos, objects, or stories from the past and use what they find to explain why something happened or what life was like.
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Causation and Argumentation
Students look at a story from the past, talk about why something happened and what changed because of it, and then explain their thinking using details from that story.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Change, Continuity, and Context | Students look at how life has changed over time and how some things stay the same. They might compare how people dressed or traveled long ago to how we live today. | IL-SS.HIST.K.1 |
| Perspectives | Students hear how different people felt about the same event and talk about why they might have seen it differently. Understanding that people have different points of view helps students make sense of the past. | IL-SS.HIST.K.2 |
| Historical Sources and Evidence | Students look at old photos, objects, or stories from the past and use what they find to explain why something happened or what life was like. | IL-SS.HIST.K.3 |
| Causation and Argumentation | Students look at a story from the past, talk about why something happened and what changed because of it, and then explain their thinking using details from that story. | IL-SS.HIST.K.4 |
No state assessments at this grade
Students take their next one in Grade 4.
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
- When given:
- biennial in winter
- Frequency:
- every two years
Common Questions
What does social studies look like at this age?
Most of the year is about students, families, classrooms, and neighborhoods. Students learn how to ask questions about the world around them, follow rules at school, use simple maps, and notice how their family is alike and different from others.
How can families help with social studies at home?
Talk about your day. Point out community helpers, street signs, and stores when running errands. Ask what your child noticed and what questions they have. A short walk around the block can be a geography lesson if you talk about what you see.
Does my child need to memorize facts like state capitals or presidents?
No. The focus is on observing, asking questions, and learning that rules and choices matter. Memorizing dates and names comes later. Right now the goal is curiosity about people and places.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common path is self and family first, then classroom and school, then neighborhood and community, and finally a wider look at other places and times. Inquiry skills like asking questions and using pictures as evidence run through every unit.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can ask a question about a topic, share what they noticed in a picture or story, follow class rules, read a simple map, and explain a choice they made about wants and needs. They can also say one way the past was different from today.
How do I teach economics to five-year-olds?
Keep it concrete. Use classroom jobs, snack choices, and play stores to show needs versus wants, saving versus spending, and trading. A simple choice between two things, with a quick talk about what was given up, is enough at this age.
What is a compelling question for a kindergartner?
A compelling question is one a student actually wants to answer, like why do we have rules, or where does our food come from. Start with something they noticed, then help them turn it into a question the class can investigate together.
How can I help if my child is shy about sharing in class?
Practice at home in low-pressure ways. Ask about one thing they saw at school and let them answer in their own time. Reading picture books about communities and asking what they think gives them a chance to share opinions without being put on the spot.
How do I know my child is ready for next year?
Look for a child who asks questions about people and places, can name a few rules and why they matter, can point out their home or school on a simple map, and can talk about how their family is the same or different from a friend's family.