Welcome to our Social Studies page!  This site will be updated as the units we study change.  On this site you will find information as to what we are learning about as well as activities and links.  Any new link will appear on this page as well as the "Links" page. 


October 10, 2009

First Term in Social Studies is all about Rules, Relationships, and Responsibilities! And what a great time for it - beginning of a new school year, new routine in grade 1, etc.

In this unit, students will be learning about people with whom they have significant relationships and the rules and responsibilities associated with people, places, and events in their lives and communities. I.e. principal - at the school, in Unionville, takes care of us, gives us rules, keeps us safe. Toogood Pond - don't run around the pond, don't litter, keep it clean, stay with an adult that we know, etc. Students will also be exploring rules people follow in their daily life and the responsibilities of family members and other people in their school and community.

Students will also be learning about, and discuss why rules and responsibilities change over time, what happens when rules are not followed, and why new rules are made.

The start of the unit is "All About Me".  Students need to know that they are very important people, important to our school and local community and family.  All the rules and responsibilities they have are very important as well (not just adults telling them what to do!).  Students have learned about timelines in class.  They know that their life, and the events that occur in it are very important to who they are. The project they will be completing at home will then be presented to the class.  Please practice with them so they are able to feel comfortable talking about all the EXCITING things that have happened already in their lives!



Please click here to view the letter home for the timeline project. 


October 27, 2009

Thank you so much for all the fabulous timeline projects!!  I am so pleased to see the the children took a very active role in completing these timelines.  The presentations went so well.  You never would have known that this was their first presentation of the year!!  At the moment, the timelines are being displayed in the classroom.  I know a lot of the timelines have some very special pictures and keepsakes attached, so I will be sure they all get returned to you in the very near future.  I would love to keep them on display until the end of the term (min).  If there is anything that you REALLY don't want left at school, please let me know and I will be sure to send it home with your children.

Thank you.


November 1, 2009
As a continuation to our Social Studies Unit, Relationships, Rules, and Responsibilities, we will be creating a diorama of our family (expectation 1z6: identify important relationships in their lives, and expectation 1z7: describe significant people and places in their lives).  The dioramas will be completed in class over the next 2 weeks and then the children will all have the opportunity to present their diorama to the class during of the week starting Monday, November 16.  As a teacher, we are always trying to help students improve their work.  One way we do this is by doing "Stars and Stairs", or, what they have done well, and what they can improve on for the next time.  This process is done with/discussed with your child.  I have completed this with your children after completing their first presentation (timeline).  I will be sending this home, along with a template for their next presentation, next Tuesday, November 10th.  Please help your child prepare for their next presentation keeping their stars and stairs in mind.  What they say, or fill out on the template is not what is being marked, but their oral presentation itself.

Thanks!


November 29, 2009

For our second term, we will be beginning our strand of Canada and World Connections - Map, Globe and Graphic Skills.  The children will be learning to:

  • make models and read maps of familiar areas in their local community (I.e. the school, their house/bedroom, Main Street Unionville),
  • use non standard units to measure distance on a graph (this will be tied in with our Measurement unit in math),
  • use scale,
  • read and create symbols on maps (road, house, tree),
  • recognize that different colours represent different things on maps,
  • use appropriate words (left/right, up/down, etc.) to describe relative locations of places and objects,
  • identify routes within the school using familiar symbols and landmarks (washroom, drinking fountain, office).
This is one half of the Canada and World Connections.  In term three, our focus will be on community helpers.


 
Make a Free Website with Yola.