Our classroom and community
Students start the year by looking at the people and places closest to them. They ask questions about their school and neighborhood and learn how rules help a group get along.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students step outside their own family and look at the wider community. Students ask questions about how their town works, who makes the rules, and how people get what they need. They start using simple maps to find places and notice how the land shapes daily life in Maine. By spring, students can describe a rule in their community, point out their town on a map, and share what they learned from a picture or story about the past.
- Community helpers
- Maps
- Rules and laws
- Maine and Wabanaki
- Needs and wants
- Past and present
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 the places we live
Students use simple maps, pictures, and globes to find where things are. They notice how the land, weather, and water around them shape how people live and work in Maine.
- 3
Wants, needs, and choices
Students learn the difference between what they need and what they want. They talk about saving and spending, and think through small choices when there is not enough of something to go around.
- 4
Long ago and today
Students compare life now with life in the past. They hear stories from Wabanaki people and other Mainers, and notice what has changed over time and what has stayed the same.
- 5
Sharing what we learn
Students pull their work together and share it with others through drawings, writing, and talking. They use what they found out to suggest a small action that helps their class or community.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Application of Social Studies Processes
Application of Social Studies Processes
-
Ask Questions and Plan Inquiries
Students come up with big questions worth investigating and smaller follow-up questions that keep the research going. This is the starting point for learning about history, places, people, and how communities work.
-
Use Sources and Evidence
Students look at photos, books, and other sources to figure out which ones can be trusted. Then they use what they find to back up what they think is true.
-
Communicate and Take Action
Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, drawing, or presenting. Then they use what they learned to do something about it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Ask Questions and Plan Inquiries | Students come up with big questions worth investigating and smaller follow-up questions that keep the research going. This is the starting point for learning about history, places, people, and how communities work. | ME-SS.INQ.1.1 |
| Use Sources and Evidence | Students look at photos, books, and other sources to figure out which ones can be trusted. Then they use what they find to back up what they think is true. | ME-SS.INQ.1.2 |
| Communicate and Take Action | Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, drawing, or presenting. Then they use what they learned to do something about it. | ME-SS.INQ.1.3 |
Civics and Government
Civics and Government
-
Civic and Political Institutions
Students learn why governments exist and what they do, from the people who run a town to the leaders who run the country. They look at how local, state, and national governments each handle different jobs.
-
Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation
Students learn what it means to be a good citizen: what rights they have and what responsibilities they carry, like taking turns, following rules, and having a say in class decisions.
-
Maine and Wabanaki Governance
Students learn how Maine's state government works, how the Wabanaki Nations govern themselves, and where those two systems connect and overlap.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civic and Political Institutions | Students learn why governments exist and what they do, from the people who run a town to the leaders who run the country. They look at how local, state, and national governments each handle different jobs. | ME-SS.CIV.1.1 |
| Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation | Students learn what it means to be a good citizen: what rights they have and what responsibilities they carry, like taking turns, following rules, and having a say in class decisions. | ME-SS.CIV.1.2 |
| Maine and Wabanaki Governance | Students learn how Maine's state government works, how the Wabanaki Nations govern themselves, and where those two systems connect and overlap. | ME-SS.CIV.1.3 |
Economics
Economics
-
Economic Decision Making
Students look at a simple choice, like spending a dollar on a snack or saving it, and think through what they gain and what they give up. That trade-off thinking is the start of economic reasoning.
-
Economic Systems and Markets
Markets are places where buyers and sellers agree on prices. Students learn how those prices signal what gets made, bought, and sold in their town, their country, and around the world.
-
Personal Finance
Saving means setting money aside for later. Students learn the difference between spending money now and saving it for something bigger, and get a first look at why people borrow money or let savings grow over time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Students look at a simple choice, like spending a dollar on a snack or saving it, and think through what they gain and what they give up. That trade-off thinking is the start of economic reasoning. | ME-SS.ECON.1.1 |
| Economic Systems and Markets | Markets are places where buyers and sellers agree on prices. Students learn how those prices signal what gets made, bought, and sold in their town, their country, and around the world. | ME-SS.ECON.1.2 |
| Personal Finance | Saving means setting money aside for later. Students learn the difference between spending money now and saving it for something bigger, and get a first look at why people borrow money or let savings grow over time. | ME-SS.ECON.1.3 |
Geography
Geography
-
Geographic Reasoning
Students look at maps, photos, and simple geographic tools to figure out what different places look like and how they compare.
-
Human-Environment Interaction
Students look at how weather, land, and water affect where people build homes or grow food, and how people in turn change the land around them.
-
Movement and Migration
Students look at why people move to new places and how they bring their food, language, and customs with them. They notice how those changes spread from one community to the next.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Reasoning | Students look at maps, photos, and simple geographic tools to figure out what different places look like and how they compare. | ME-SS.GEO.1.1 |
| Human-Environment Interaction | Students look at how weather, land, and water affect where people build homes or grow food, and how people in turn change the land around them. | ME-SS.GEO.1.2 |
| Movement and Migration | Students look at why people move to new places and how they bring their food, language, and customs with them. They notice how those changes spread from one community to the next. | ME-SS.GEO.1.3 |
History
History
-
Change, Continuity, and Context
Students look at how things change over time and how some things stay the same, comparing life in their town, across the country, and around the world.
-
Perspectives
Students look at the same historical event through more than one set of eyes, including the views of Wabanaki and other Indigenous peoples. They learn that different groups often experienced the same moment in very different ways.
-
Causation and Argumentation
Students look at why something happened in history and what changed because of it. They back up their thinking with facts and details from what they've read or learned.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Change, Continuity, and Context | Students look at how things change over time and how some things stay the same, comparing life in their town, across the country, and around the world. | ME-SS.HIST.1.1 |
| Perspectives | Students look at the same historical event through more than one set of eyes, including the views of Wabanaki and other Indigenous peoples. They learn that different groups often experienced the same moment in very different ways. | ME-SS.HIST.1.2 |
| Causation and Argumentation | Students look at why something happened in history and what changed because of it. They back up their thinking with facts and details from what they've read or learned. | ME-SS.HIST.1.3 |
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 actually look like this year?
Students learn about their community, simple maps, basic rules and fairness, money choices, and stories from the past. They ask questions, look at pictures and short readings, and share what they learned by talking, drawing, or writing a sentence or two.
How can I help with social studies at home?
Talk about your neighborhood on short walks or drives. Point out street signs, stores, and helpers like firefighters or librarians. Ask what students notice and why a place might look the way it does. Five minutes of real conversation goes a long way.
What should students know about maps by the end of the year?
Students should read a simple map, find a key, and tell the difference between land and water. They should be able to point to Maine on a map of the country and describe where home is in relation to nearby places.
How do I sequence the year across so many topics?
Start with self and community, then move outward to Maine, the country, and the wider world. Weave in map skills and history stories all year rather than saving them for one unit. Civics ideas like rules and fairness fit naturally into daily classroom routines.
How should Wabanaki history and perspectives show up in lessons?
Bring in Wabanaki voices when teaching about Maine's land, history, and governance, not only during a single unit. Use books and resources made by Wabanaki authors when possible. Treat Wabanaki nations as present-day communities, not only part of the past.
What does money and economics look like at this age?
Students learn that people make choices because they cannot have everything. They notice the difference between wants and needs, and they start to understand saving and spending. At home, talking through small choices at the store helps a lot.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Reading a map key and using direction words like north and south often need extra practice. Asking a real question instead of stating a fact is also hard at this age. Short, repeated practice across the year works better than one long unit.
What if my child says social studies is boring?
Tie it to something they already care about. Look at old family photos, visit a local cemetery or historical marker, or read a picture book about Maine. Curiosity grows fastest when the topic feels close to home.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By spring, students should ask thoughtful questions about places and past events, use a simple map, and explain why rules matter. They should also share what they learned in a few clear sentences and back it up with something they saw or read.