Our classroom community
Students start the year learning what it means to belong to a group. They practice classroom rules, take turns, and talk about what a fair choice looks like at school and at home.
What does a student learn in
This is the year social studies starts with the world right around students: their classroom, their family, and their town. Students learn what rules are and why people follow them, what a map shows, and how people get the things they need. They begin to notice that other places and other times are different from their own. By spring, they can name a few classroom rules, point to land and water on a simple map, and tell the difference between something they want and something they need.
- Rules and fairness
- Maps
- Community helpers
- Needs and wants
- Holidays and traditions
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, globes, and pictures of their town. They learn that New Hampshire is a state, the United States is their country, and a map can show where home, school, and the park sit.
- 3
Needs, wants, and choices
Students sort what people need from what people want. They talk about how a coin or a dollar is used to buy things and why a family might save for something bigger instead of spending now.
- 4
People then and now
Students hear stories about people from long ago, including families in New Hampshire and the people who lived here first. They compare how children played, traveled, and learned then with how life looks today.
- 5
Our country and the wider world
Students learn about national symbols like the flag, holidays the country shares, and a few customs from other places around the world. They notice how families everywhere have food, music, and stories of their own.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Civics and Government
Civics and Government
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Foundations of US Government
Students learn why the United States has rules and laws for everyone. They hear the basic story of how the country decided, long ago, to write those rules down so the government would treat people fairly.
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Structure and Function of Government
Students learn that towns, states, and the country each have their own leaders and rules. They explore how those different levels of government connect and work together.
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Rights and Responsibilities
Kindergartners learn what it means to follow classroom rules, take turns, and have a say in group decisions. That's the same idea behind how citizens participate in the country's government.
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International Relations
Students look at how the United States gets along with other countries, like sharing food, solving problems together, or working as a team with groups of nations.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations of US Government | Students learn why the United States has rules and laws for everyone. They hear the basic story of how the country decided, long ago, to write those rules down so the government would treat people fairly. | NH-SS.CIV.K.1 |
| Structure and Function of Government | Students learn that towns, states, and the country each have their own leaders and rules. They explore how those different levels of government connect and work together. | NH-SS.CIV.K.2 |
| Rights and Responsibilities | Kindergartners learn what it means to follow classroom rules, take turns, and have a say in group decisions. That's the same idea behind how citizens participate in the country's government. | NH-SS.CIV.K.3 |
| International Relations | Students look at how the United States gets along with other countries, like sharing food, solving problems together, or working as a team with groups of nations. | NH-SS.CIV.K.4 |
Economics
Economics
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Economic Decision Making
Students practice choosing between two options, like spending money on a snack or saving it. They learn that picking one thing means giving up another.
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Markets and Exchange
Students look at a simple example, like a lemonade stand, to see how price and choice decide who gets what. When sellers compete, prices shift and resources go where buyers want them.
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Economic Systems and Institutions
Students learn that people have different ways of buying, selling, and trading things, and that businesses, workers, and rules all play a part in how a community gets what it needs.
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Personal Finance
Saving means setting money aside for later. Students learn the difference between spending money now and saving it for something bigger, and why some people borrow money or put it to work over time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Students practice choosing between two options, like spending money on a snack or saving it. They learn that picking one thing means giving up another. | NH-SS.ECON.K.1 |
| Markets and Exchange | Students look at a simple example, like a lemonade stand, to see how price and choice decide who gets what. When sellers compete, prices shift and resources go where buyers want them. | NH-SS.ECON.K.2 |
| Economic Systems and Institutions | Students learn that people have different ways of buying, selling, and trading things, and that businesses, workers, and rules all play a part in how a community gets what it needs. | NH-SS.ECON.K.3 |
| Personal Finance | Saving means setting money aside for later. Students learn the difference between spending money now and saving it for something bigger, and why some people borrow money or put it to work over time. | NH-SS.ECON.K.4 |
Geography
Geography
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The World in Spatial Terms
Students look at maps and photos to figure out where places are and what they look like. They use simple tools to notice patterns, like which areas have water nearby or where roads connect.
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Places and Regions
Students look at what makes a place look and feel the way it does, like its land, water, and weather, alongside the buildings and communities people have created there. They practice this with their own state and country.
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Human Systems
Students look at where people live and why they moved there. They notice how groups of people bring their food, language, and customs to new places.
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Environment and Society
Students look at how weather, land, and water affect where people build homes and how people change the land around them by farming, building roads, or making parks.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The World in Spatial Terms | Students look at maps and photos to figure out where places are and what they look like. They use simple tools to notice patterns, like which areas have water nearby or where roads connect. | NH-SS.GEO.K.1 |
| Places and Regions | Students look at what makes a place look and feel the way it does, like its land, water, and weather, alongside the buildings and communities people have created there. They practice this with their own state and country. | NH-SS.GEO.K.2 |
| Human Systems | Students look at where people live and why they moved there. They notice how groups of people bring their food, language, and customs to new places. | NH-SS.GEO.K.3 |
| Environment and Society | Students look at how weather, land, and water affect where people build homes and how people change the land around them by farming, building roads, or making parks. | NH-SS.GEO.K.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 rules and leaders, and how New Hampshire fits into the country. They begin to see that towns, states, and the nation all work together under shared laws.
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Movements and Change
Students look at big moments that changed the United States, like wars, westward settlement, and movements for equal rights. They start building a sense of how the country got to where it is today.
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Cultural and Economic Development
Kindergartners learn how people in America have lived, worked, and traded over time, from the first Native American communities to today. Students look at how daily life, jobs, and traditions have changed across generations.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Political Foundations | Students learn why the U.S. has rules and leaders, and how New Hampshire fits into the country. They begin to see that towns, states, and the nation all work together under shared laws. | NH-SS.USH.K.1 |
| Movements and Change | Students look at big moments that changed the United States, like wars, westward settlement, and movements for equal rights. They start building a sense of how the country got to where it is today. | NH-SS.USH.K.2 |
| Cultural and Economic Development | Kindergartners learn how people in America have lived, worked, and traded over time, from the first Native American communities to today. Students look at how daily life, jobs, and traditions have changed across generations. | NH-SS.USH.K.3 |
World History and Contemporary Issues
World History and Contemporary Issues
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Civilizations and Cultural Encounters
Kindergartners look at how people long ago built communities, what those communities were like, and how different groups of people met and learned from each other over time.
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Political and Economic Systems
Students look at how different groups of people make rules and trade or share goods. They learn that communities around the world solve these problems in different ways.
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Contemporary Issues
Students look at a problem happening in the world today, like hunger or pollution, and connect it to events from the past that helped cause it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civilizations and Cultural Encounters | Kindergartners look at how people long ago built communities, what those communities were like, and how different groups of people met and learned from each other over time. | NH-SS.WH.K.1 |
| Political and Economic Systems | Students look at how different groups of people make rules and trade or share goods. They learn that communities around the world solve these problems in different ways. | NH-SS.WH.K.2 |
| Contemporary Issues | Students look at a problem happening in the world today, like hunger or pollution, and connect it to events from the past that helped cause it. | NH-SS.WH.K.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 in kindergarten?
Students learn about their place in the world, starting close to home. They talk about rules at school, jobs people do, families, maps of the classroom, and holidays. The big idea is that students belong to groups like a family, a class, and a town.
How can I help my child with social studies at home?
Talk about your day together. Point out community helpers like mail carriers, bus drivers, and store clerks. Look at a simple map before a trip, name your town and state, and let students help with small choices about spending or saving coins.
Do students need to memorize facts about presidents or dates?
No. Kindergarten is about ideas, not memorizing names and dates. Students learn that there are leaders, that rules help groups get along, and that people in the past lived differently than we do now.
How should the year be sequenced?
Start with self, family, and classroom rules in the fall. Move out to the school and neighborhood in the winter, then to the town, state, and country by spring. Map skills, holidays, and community jobs can thread through each unit.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can name a few classroom and community rules and explain why rules matter. They can point to land and water on a simple map, name some community jobs, and notice that money is used to buy things people want or need.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Map skills and the difference between wants and needs tend to take the longest. Students also mix up town, state, and country. Short, repeated practice with picture maps and sorting activities works better than one long lesson.
How do I help with map skills at home?
Draw a picture map of the bedroom or the route to school together. Use words like above, below, next to, and behind. A globe or a placemat map is plenty. Five minutes once a week builds a strong sense of place.
How is money introduced this year?
Students learn that people work to earn money and that money is used to buy things. They start to tell the difference between something they want and something they need. Sorting coins, playing store, or saving for a small goal at home all support this.