Our classroom community
Students learn what it means to be part of a group. They practice classroom rules, take turns, and talk about why fairness and kindness matter at school and at home.
What does a student learn in
This is the year social studies starts with the world students already know: their family, their classroom, and their neighborhood. Students learn what rules are and why we follow them. They look at simple maps, talk about jobs people do, and hear stories about people from long ago. By spring, they can name a few class rules, point out their home and school on a basic map, and share a short story about someone from the past.
- Rules and fairness
- Family and community
- Simple maps
- Jobs and money
- Stories from the past
- 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
Families, homes, and neighborhoods
Students talk about the people they live with and the places near home. They notice that families do things differently and that neighborhoods have houses, stores, and parks.
- 3
Maps and where we live
Students start using simple maps and a globe. They point to land and water, find their town on a map, and learn that the country they live in is the United States and the state is Pennsylvania.
- 4
Wants, needs, and money
Students sort what people need from what they want. They talk about why a family cannot buy everything at the store and how coins and bills are used to pay for things.
- 5
Then and now
Students compare life today with life long ago. They look at old photos, hear stories about people from the past, and notice how toys, schools, and clothes have changed.
- 6
Holidays and people we remember
Students learn about American holidays and a few well-known figures from Pennsylvania and the country. They talk about why these days and people are remembered.
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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Principles and Documents
Students learn what the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and basic rules of their community mean. These are the first ideas behind how the U.S. and Pennsylvania governments work.
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Rights and Responsibilities
Students learn that living in a community means following shared rules and that everyone has basic rights that protect them. Think of it as why the class has rules on the wall and why those rules apply to everyone the same way.
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Government Structure
Students learn that governments exist at different levels: their town, their state, and the whole country. Each level has its own leaders and rules.
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International Relations
Countries work together (or disagree) in ways kindergartners can see: sharing food and goods, making agreements, and sometimes arguing. Students learn the basics of how nations get along with each other.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Principles and Documents | Students learn what the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and basic rules of their community mean. These are the first ideas behind how the U.S. and Pennsylvania governments work. | PA-SS.CIV.K.1 |
| Rights and Responsibilities | Students learn that living in a community means following shared rules and that everyone has basic rights that protect them. Think of it as why the class has rules on the wall and why those rules apply to everyone the same way. | PA-SS.CIV.K.2 |
| Government Structure | Students learn that governments exist at different levels: their town, their state, and the whole country. Each level has its own leaders and rules. | PA-SS.CIV.K.3 |
| International Relations | Countries work together (or disagree) in ways kindergartners can see: sharing food and goods, making agreements, and sometimes arguing. Students learn the basics of how nations get along with each other. | PA-SS.CIV.K.4 |
Economics
Economics
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Scarcity and Choice
People can't have everything they want, so they choose what matters most. Students learn why families decide between one thing and another when time, money, or supplies run short.
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Markets and Economic Systems
Markets are places where people buy and sell things. Students learn why prices change and how choosing between sellers affects what goods cost.
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Money and Banking
Students learn what money is and why people use it to buy things they need or want. They explore basic ideas about saving and spending.
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Economic Decision Making
Students look at a simple choice, like spending or saving a coin, and think through what they give up to get what they want.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Scarcity and Choice | People can't have everything they want, so they choose what matters most. Students learn why families decide between one thing and another when time, money, or supplies run short. | PA-SS.ECON.K.1 |
| Markets and Economic Systems | Markets are places where people buy and sell things. Students learn why prices change and how choosing between sellers affects what goods cost. | PA-SS.ECON.K.2 |
| Money and Banking | Students learn what money is and why people use it to buy things they need or want. They explore basic ideas about saving and spending. | PA-SS.ECON.K.3 |
| Economic Decision Making | Students look at a simple choice, like spending or saving a coin, and think through what they give up to get what they want. | PA-SS.ECON.K.4 |
Geography
Geography
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Geographic Tools and Spatial Concepts
Students learn to read simple maps and globes to talk about where places are in the world, using words like near, far, above, and below to describe locations.
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Physical Characteristics
Students name and describe natural features of a place, such as whether the land is flat or hilly, whether it is hot or cold, and what plants and animals live there.
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Human Characteristics
Students look at how people live, work, and build communities in different places. They notice things like what jobs people do, what homes look like, and how groups of people share customs and traditions.
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Human-Environment Interaction
People change the land around them (building roads, clearing trees) and also adjust to it (dressing for cold weather, living near water). Students learn why those choices happen and what changes as a result.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Tools and Spatial Concepts | Students learn to read simple maps and globes to talk about where places are in the world, using words like near, far, above, and below to describe locations. | PA-SS.GEO.K.1 |
| Physical Characteristics | Students name and describe natural features of a place, such as whether the land is flat or hilly, whether it is hot or cold, and what plants and animals live there. | PA-SS.GEO.K.2 |
| Human Characteristics | Students look at how people live, work, and build communities in different places. They notice things like what jobs people do, what homes look like, and how groups of people share customs and traditions. | PA-SS.GEO.K.3 |
| Human-Environment Interaction | People change the land around them (building roads, clearing trees) and also adjust to it (dressing for cold weather, living near water). Students learn why those choices happen and what changes as a result. | PA-SS.GEO.K.4 |
History
History
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Historical Analysis
Students look at pictures, stories, and artifacts from the past to figure out what happened and why. This is the foundation of thinking like a historian.
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Pennsylvania History
Students learn about important people and events in Pennsylvania's past and see how those stories connect to what was happening across the country at the same time.
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United States History
Students learn about important moments in American history that are right for their age, like how the country began or how key holidays got their start.
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World History
Students hear short stories about important events and people from around the world, like explorers, ancient celebrations, or famous leaders. This is their first look at how people lived and what happened long before they were born.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Analysis | Students look at pictures, stories, and artifacts from the past to figure out what happened and why. This is the foundation of thinking like a historian. | PA-SS.HIST.K.1 |
| Pennsylvania History | Students learn about important people and events in Pennsylvania's past and see how those stories connect to what was happening across the country at the same time. | PA-SS.HIST.K.2 |
| United States History | Students learn about important moments in American history that are right for their age, like how the country began or how key holidays got their start. | PA-SS.HIST.K.3 |
| World History | Students hear short stories about important events and people from around the world, like explorers, ancient celebrations, or famous leaders. This is their first look at how people lived and what happened long before they were born. | PA-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 in kindergarten?
Most of the year is about students learning who they are and where they fit. Students talk about rules at home and school, jobs people do in the neighborhood, simple maps, and stories from the past. It is more about noticing the world than memorizing facts.
How can I help with social studies at home?
Talk while you do errands. Point out the post office, the firehouse, and the grocery store, and ask who works there and what they do. Look at a map before a trip, even a short one, and let students find your street.
Do students need to know the President or the state capital?
Students start to learn that there are leaders who make rules for the country and for Pennsylvania. Knowing names by heart is not the goal in kindergarten. Recognizing that rules and leaders exist, and that voting is how grown-ups choose them, is plenty.
What should students understand about money this year?
Students learn that things cost money, that people work to earn money, and that you cannot buy everything you want. A good home practice is letting students hand over coins at a register and talk about needs versus wants when something catches their eye in a store.
How should the year be sequenced?
Start close to home and move outward. Self and family, then classroom and school rules, then neighborhood jobs and places, then city and state, then country and world. Holidays and seasons give natural anchor points for history and culture along the way.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Map skills and the difference between needs and wants. Five-year-olds mix up left and right, near and far, and often call anything they like a need. Short, repeated practice with a classroom map and sorting picture cards works better than one long lesson.
How do I weave geography in without a textbook?
Use a classroom map and a globe every week. Mark where students live, where families have visited, and where stories take place. Talk about hills, rivers, and weather as they come up in read-alouds, and tie clothing and houses to climate.
What does mastery look like by the end of kindergarten?
Students can name some rules and why we have them, point to a few jobs in the community, find their state on a map of the country, and tell a simple story about a person or event from the past. They can also explain a choice they made when they could not have both things.