Our classroom and community
Students start the year learning how rules, jobs, and fair choices help a group work together. They talk about leaders at school and in town and what it means to be a good citizen.
What does a student learn in
This is the year social studies stretches beyond the classroom and into the neighborhood. Students learn what it means to be part of a community, with rules that keep people safe and jobs that help everyone get what they need. They start using simple maps to find their town, their state, and places further away. By spring, students can name a few community helpers, point to New Hampshire on a map, and explain why people trade and share.
- Community
- Rules and laws
- Maps
- Community helpers
- Needs and wants
- New Hampshire
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 use simple maps and pictures to find places in their neighborhood, town, and state. They learn that New Hampshire sits inside a bigger country and notice how rivers, hills, and weather shape daily life.
- 3
Needs, wants, and choices
Students sort the things people need from the things people want. They practice making choices with limited money or time and talk about saving, spending, and the work people do to earn a paycheck.
- 4
People long ago and today
Students compare life now with life in the past, from early New Hampshire families to people in other parts of the world. They use stories, photos, and timelines to see what has changed and what has stayed the same.
- 5
Our country and the wider world
Students learn about national symbols, holidays, and a few key figures in American history. They also look at how families and traditions differ around the world and why people move from one place to another.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Civics and Government
Civics and Government
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Foundations of US Government
Students learn why the U.S. and New Hampshire governments were set up the way they were. They look at the rules and ideas that became the foundation for how the country and state are run today.
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Structure and Function of Government
Local, state, and national governments each handle different things. Students learn what those jobs are and how the levels work together to make rules and decisions for communities.
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Rights and Responsibilities
Citizens have both rights (things they're free to do) and responsibilities (things they're expected to do). Students learn what those are and how people take part in making decisions together in a democracy.
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International Relations
Students look at how the United States gets along with other countries, like trading goods, asking for help after a disaster, or working together on shared problems.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations of US Government | Students learn why the U.S. and New Hampshire governments were set up the way they were. They look at the rules and ideas that became the foundation for how the country and state are run today. | NH-SS.CIV.1.1 |
| Structure and Function of Government | Local, state, and national governments each handle different things. Students learn what those jobs are and how the levels work together to make rules and decisions for communities. | NH-SS.CIV.1.2 |
| Rights and Responsibilities | Citizens have both rights (things they're free to do) and responsibilities (things they're expected to do). Students learn what those are and how people take part in making decisions together in a democracy. | NH-SS.CIV.1.3 |
| International Relations | Students look at how the United States gets along with other countries, like trading goods, asking for help after a disaster, or working together on shared problems. | NH-SS.CIV.1.4 |
Economics
Economics
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Economic Decision Making
Students weigh simple trade-offs, like choosing between spending or saving a dollar, and explain what they give up with each choice.
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Markets and Exchange
Markets are places where people buy and sell things. Students learn how prices change when something is popular or hard to find, and how choices by buyers and sellers decide who gets what.
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Economic Systems and Institutions
Students compare how different communities decide who makes things, who sells them, and who sets the rules. They look at what governments, stores, and workers each do to keep an economy running.
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Personal Finance
Saving means setting money aside instead of spending it now. Students learn basic money choices: when to spend, when to save, and what it means to borrow money or make it grow over time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Students weigh simple trade-offs, like choosing between spending or saving a dollar, and explain what they give up with each choice. | NH-SS.ECON.1.1 |
| Markets and Exchange | Markets are places where people buy and sell things. Students learn how prices change when something is popular or hard to find, and how choices by buyers and sellers decide who gets what. | NH-SS.ECON.1.2 |
| Economic Systems and Institutions | Students compare how different communities decide who makes things, who sells them, and who sets the rules. They look at what governments, stores, and workers each do to keep an economy running. | NH-SS.ECON.1.3 |
| Personal Finance | Saving means setting money aside instead of spending it now. Students learn basic money choices: when to spend, when to save, and what it means to borrow money or make it grow over time. | NH-SS.ECON.1.4 |
Geography
Geography
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The World in Spatial Terms
Students use maps, photos, and simple tools to explore what different places look like and where they are in the world.
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Places and Regions
Students look at what makes a place look and feel the way it does, like its hills, rivers, weather, and the towns people have built there. They practice this with New Hampshire and the broader United States.
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Human Systems
Students look at maps or pictures to notice where people live, why they moved there, and what ideas or traditions spread from place to place.
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Environment and Society
Students look at how people change the land around them (like building roads or farms) and how the land shapes what people do (like living near water for fishing).
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The World in Spatial Terms | Students use maps, photos, and simple tools to explore what different places look like and where they are in the world. | NH-SS.GEO.1.1 |
| Places and Regions | Students look at what makes a place look and feel the way it does, like its hills, rivers, weather, and the towns people have built there. They practice this with New Hampshire and the broader United States. | NH-SS.GEO.1.2 |
| Human Systems | Students look at maps or pictures to notice where people live, why they moved there, and what ideas or traditions spread from place to place. | NH-SS.GEO.1.3 |
| Environment and Society | Students look at how people change the land around them (like building roads or farms) and how the land shapes what people do (like living near water for fishing). | NH-SS.GEO.1.4 |
United States and New Hampshire History
United States and New Hampshire History
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Political Foundations
Students learn why the U.S. has a government and how New Hampshire fits into the country. They look at basic rules, rights, and the decisions that shaped the nation from its early days.
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Movements and Change
Students look at big moments in U.S. history, like wars, westward settlement, and movements that pushed for change, and talk about what caused them and what shifted afterward.
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Cultural and Economic Development
First graders look at how people in New Hampshire and across the country lived, worked, and traded goods over time, starting before Europeans arrived and continuing to today.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Political Foundations | Students learn why the U.S. has a government and how New Hampshire fits into the country. They look at basic rules, rights, and the decisions that shaped the nation from its early days. | NH-SS.USH.1.1 |
| Movements and Change | Students look at big moments in U.S. history, like wars, westward settlement, and movements that pushed for change, and talk about what caused them and what shifted afterward. | NH-SS.USH.1.2 |
| Cultural and Economic Development | First graders look at how people in New Hampshire and across the country lived, worked, and traded goods over time, starting before Europeans arrived and continuing to today. | NH-SS.USH.1.3 |
World History and Contemporary Issues
World History and Contemporary Issues
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Civilizations and Cultural Encounters
First graders look at how early groups of people lived, built communities, and met other groups. They notice what those communities had in common and how they changed when people from different places came together.
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Political and Economic Systems
Students look at how different countries and communities have been ruled and how people earn, spend, and trade. They compare these systems across places and time periods.
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Contemporary Issues
Students look at a problem happening in the world today, like a food shortage or a conflict, and trace it back to events that happened in the past. History helps explain why things are the way they are now.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civilizations and Cultural Encounters | First graders look at how early groups of people lived, built communities, and met other groups. They notice what those communities had in common and how they changed when people from different places came together. | NH-SS.WH.1.1 |
| Political and Economic Systems | Students look at how different countries and communities have been ruled and how people earn, spend, and trade. They compare these systems across places and time periods. | NH-SS.WH.1.2 |
| Contemporary Issues | Students look at a problem happening in the world today, like a food shortage or a conflict, and trace it back to events that happened in the past. History helps explain why things are the way they are now. | NH-SS.WH.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 look like this year?
Students learn about their community, their state, and the country. They look at maps, talk about rules and leaders, and hear stories about people from the past. Most lessons start with something close to home and then stretch out to bigger places.
How can families help with social studies at home?
Talk about where you live and who helps the community, like firefighters, librarians, and town workers. Look at a map together when you go somewhere new. Point out coins, road signs, and the flag, and let students ask questions.
Does a six year old really need to learn about government?
At this age it stays simple. Students learn that towns have leaders, that rules help people get along, and that voting is how grown-ups make choices together. Nothing about politics or current events is expected.
What should students know about money?
Students learn to tell coins apart, understand that things cost money, and see the difference between saving and spending. A piggy bank, a small allowance, or letting students pay at the register builds this faster than any worksheet.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common path is self and family, then school and neighborhood, then town and state, then country and a light look at the wider world. Civics, geography, economics, and history fold in along the way rather than living in separate units.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Map skills trip students up most often, especially cardinal directions and reading a simple key. Past, present, and future also need steady practice. Short, repeated map and timeline routines work better than one big unit.
How does New Hampshire fit into the year?
State content shows up through local landmarks, the state map, and stories about people who lived here. A field trip, a guest from town hall, or a walk to a nearby historical marker gives students something concrete to remember.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can name their town and state, point them out on a map, and explain a few rules and why they matter. They can tell a short story about something that happened in the past and say how it is different from today.