Me, my family, and school
Students start the year by looking at who they are, who is in their family, and how their classroom works. They practice asking good questions and listening to classmates who see things differently.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students step outside their own family and start seeing themselves as part of a school, a neighborhood, and a town. Students ask questions about how people live and work together, then look at pictures, simple maps, and short stories to find answers. They learn why communities have rules, how people earn and spend money, and how the land around them shapes daily life. By spring, students can point to their town on a map, explain one rule and why it matters, and share what they learned in a short talk or drawing.
- Community helpers
- Maps and globes
- Rules and laws
- Needs and wants
- Past and present
- Asking questions
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
Rules, fairness, and leaders
Students look at the rules at school and at home and talk about why fair rules matter. They learn that towns and states have leaders too, and that voting is one way people make choices together.
- 3
Needs, wants, and money choices
Students sort needs from wants and notice that people cannot have everything they want. They practice simple choices about saving and spending, and learn what jobs people do to earn money.
- 4
Maps and our place
Students use simple maps and pictures to find their school, their town, and New Jersey. They notice how weather, rivers, and roads change the way people live and where they build homes.
- 5
Long ago and today
Students compare life now with life long ago, using photos, stories, and objects. They hear from people who have lived in New Jersey and notice what has changed and what has stayed the same.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Inquiry and Disciplinary Skills
Inquiry and Disciplinary Skills
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Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries
Students come up with questions they genuinely want to answer, then figure out how to find that answer. It's the starting point for learning how to investigate a topic instead of just memorizing facts.
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Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence
Students look at photos, stories, and other sources to figure out which ones can be trusted, then use what they find to back up an idea they want to share.
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Communicate Conclusions and Take Informed Action
Students share what they found out about a question or topic by writing, drawing, talking, or making something. Then they decide what to do about it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries | Students come up with questions they genuinely want to answer, then figure out how to find that answer. It's the starting point for learning how to investigate a topic instead of just memorizing facts. | NJ-SS.INQ.1.1 |
| Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence | Students look at photos, stories, and other sources to figure out which ones can be trusted, then use what they find to back up an idea they want to share. | NJ-SS.INQ.1.2 |
| Communicate Conclusions and Take Informed Action | Students share what they found out about a question or topic by writing, drawing, talking, or making something. Then they decide what to do about it. | NJ-SS.INQ.1.3 |
Civics, Government, and Human Rights
Civics, Government, and Human Rights
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Civics and Government Institutions
First graders look at how governments are set up and what they do, from the rules a town makes to the laws a country follows. Students learn why communities need leaders and how different levels of government each handle different jobs.
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Civic Virtues and Human Rights
Civic virtues are habits like fairness, honesty, and respect. Students practice these habits at school and in their community, and learn why they matter for how people live and work together.
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Processes, Rules, and Laws
Students look at a real problem in their school or town and talk through the rules that apply to it. They practice thinking about what's fair and what decision makes sense for everyone.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civics and Government Institutions | First graders look at how governments are set up and what they do, from the rules a town makes to the laws a country follows. Students learn why communities need leaders and how different levels of government each handle different jobs. | NJ-SS.CIV.1.1 |
| Civic Virtues and Human Rights | Civic virtues are habits like fairness, honesty, and respect. Students practice these habits at school and in their community, and learn why they matter for how people live and work together. | NJ-SS.CIV.1.2 |
| Processes, Rules, and Laws | Students look at a real problem in their school or town and talk through the rules that apply to it. They practice thinking about what's fair and what decision makes sense for everyone. | NJ-SS.CIV.1.3 |
Economics, Innovation, and Technology
Economics, Innovation, and Technology
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Economic Decision Making
Scarcity means there isn't enough of something for everyone who wants it. Students learn how having limited money, time, or supplies forces people to make choices and give something up to get something else.
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Markets, Innovation, and Technology
Markets are places where people buy and sell things. Students learn how new tools and ideas change what people make, sell, and buy in their own town and around the world.
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Personal Finance
Saving means setting money aside for later. Spending means using it now. Students learn the basics of how money works, including why people borrow it and how saving today can mean having more to use later.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Scarcity means there isn't enough of something for everyone who wants it. Students learn how having limited money, time, or supplies forces people to make choices and give something up to get something else. | NJ-SS.ECON.1.1 |
| Markets, Innovation, and Technology | Markets are places where people buy and sell things. Students learn how new tools and ideas change what people make, sell, and buy in their own town and around the world. | NJ-SS.ECON.1.2 |
| Personal Finance | Saving means setting money aside for later. Spending means using it now. Students learn the basics of how money works, including why people borrow it and how saving today can mean having more to use later. | NJ-SS.ECON.1.3 |
Geography, People, and the Environment
Geography, People, and the Environment
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Geographic Reasoning
Students use maps and photos to look at places and spot patterns, like why towns grow near rivers or roads. It's an early look at how geography tools help explain the world around them.
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Human-Environment Interaction
Students look at how the land, weather, and water around them affect how people live, and how people in turn change that land and water. They also learn how things like rising temperatures affect communities.
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Movement, Migration, and Diffusion
Students look at why people move to new places and how they bring their food, language, and traditions with them. Over time, those ideas spread and change the places where people settle.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Reasoning | Students use maps and photos to look at places and spot patterns, like why towns grow near rivers or roads. It's an early look at how geography tools help explain the world around them. | NJ-SS.GEO.1.1 |
| Human-Environment Interaction | Students look at how the land, weather, and water around them affect how people live, and how people in turn change that land and water. They also learn how things like rising temperatures affect communities. | NJ-SS.GEO.1.2 |
| Movement, Migration, and Diffusion | Students look at why people move to new places and how they bring their food, language, and traditions with them. Over time, those ideas spread and change the places where people settle. | NJ-SS.GEO.1.3 |
History, Culture, and Perspectives
History, Culture, and Perspectives
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Change, Continuity, and Context
Students look at how life has stayed the same or changed over time, like comparing how people traveled or went to school long ago versus today.
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Perspectives
Students look at a historical event from more than one person's point of view, including what people from different New Jersey communities saw, felt, or experienced at the time.
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Causation and Argumentation
Students look at why something happened in the past and what changed because of it. They practice backing up their answer with evidence, like a picture, a story, or something a real person said.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Change, Continuity, and Context | Students look at how life has stayed the same or changed over time, like comparing how people traveled or went to school long ago versus today. | NJ-SS.HIST.1.1 |
| Perspectives | Students look at a historical event from more than one person's point of view, including what people from different New Jersey communities saw, felt, or experienced at the time. | NJ-SS.HIST.1.2 |
| Causation and Argumentation | Students look at why something happened in the past and what changed because of it. They practice backing up their answer with evidence, like a picture, a story, or something a real person said. | NJ-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 first grade social studies actually cover?
Students learn how families, schools, and neighborhoods work together. They look at maps, talk about rules and fairness, learn what money is for, and hear stories from the past. The focus is on the world right around them before stretching out to the wider state and country.
How can I help with social studies at home?
Talk about everyday choices and where things come from. Point out street signs and landmarks on a short walk, name the people who help in the neighborhood, and ask why a rule at home exists. Ten minutes of real conversation does more than a worksheet.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should ask good questions about a place or event, find an answer in a picture or short text, and explain it in their own words. They should read a simple map, name a few community helpers, and tell a short story about the past with a beginning, middle, and end.
My child says social studies is boring. What helps?
Make it about people, not facts. Share a family story from when grown-ups were little, cook a recipe from a grandparent, or visit a local park or library and ask who built it. Curiosity grows when students see that history is made of real people.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common path moves from self and family to school, neighborhood, and town, then to New Jersey and the wider country. Weave map skills, asking questions, and timelines into every unit instead of teaching them alone. That way each new topic reinforces the last.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Map reading and time vocabulary trip up the most students. Words like before, after, long ago, near, and far need repeated practice in real contexts. Short daily routines, such as a calendar talk or a quick map question, work better than one long lesson.
How do I talk about money and choices with a six year old?
Use real moments. At the store, point out that picking one snack means not picking another, and that saving a few coins now means a bigger treat later. Students this age understand trade-offs through small, concrete choices.
How do I handle hard history topics with first graders?
Keep the focus on fairness, kindness, and what people did to help. Use picture books with clear stories and let students ask questions. Honest, age-appropriate answers build trust and lay the groundwork for deeper history in later grades.
How do I know students are ready for second grade social studies?
Look for students who can describe their community, locate home and school on a simple map, explain a classroom rule and why it matters, and retell a short story from the past in order. Confidence with questions matters as much as facts.