NY Social Studies Standards (Kindergarten)

Children have basic universal rights or protections as members of a family, school, community, nation, and the world. Students will identify basic rights they have (e.g., provision of food, clothing, shelter, and education, and protection from abuse, bullying, neglect, exploitation, and discrimination).

Children can be responsible members of a family or classroom and can perform important duties to promote the safety and general welfare of the group. Students will be given the opportunity to perform duties in the classroom (e.g., cleaning up a center, serving as line leader, straightening up the library, serving as a messenger).

Children and adults must follow rules within the home, school, and community to provide for a safe and orderly environment. Students will discuss rules for fire, water, traffic, school, and home safety, and what would happen if rules were not followed.

People in authority make rules and laws that provide for the health and safety of all. Students will discuss classroom routines and rules (e.g., raise hand to ask or answer a question during circle time, walk quietly in the halls when going to specials).

Children and adults have opportunities to contribute to the development of rules and/or laws. Students will be given an opportunity to create new rules as needed for class activities.

A need is something that a person must have for health and survival, while a want is something that a person would like to have. Students will identify basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter). Students will distinguish between a need and a want.

Goods are objects that can satisfy people’s needs and wants; services are activities that can satisfy people’s needs and wants. Students will identify examples of goods and services.

Scarcity is the condition of not being able to have all of the goods and services that a person wants or needs. Students will identify examples of scarcity.

A globe represents Earth, and maps can be used to represent the world as well as local places or specific regions. Students will identify the differences and similarities between a globe and a map.

Places and regions can be located on a map or globe, using geographic vocabulary. Students will locate on a map familiar places or buildings in the community (e.g., school, grocery store, train station, hospital).

Places, physical features, and man-made structures can be located on a map or globe and described using specific geographic vocabulary. Students will correctly use words and phrases to indicate location and direction (e.g., up, down, near, far, left, right, straight, back, behind, in front of, next to, between).

Climate, seasonal weather changes, and the physical features associated with the community and region all affect how people live. Students will describe and give examples of seasonal weather changes and illustrate how weather affects people and communities.

A sense of self is developed through physical and cultural characteristics and through the development of personal likes, dislikes, talents, and skills.

Personal experiences shape our sense of self and help us understand our likes, dislikes, talents, and skills, as well as our connections to others. Students will create A BOOK ABOUT ME that includes information about their gender, race/ethnicity, family members, likes and dislikes, talents, and skills.

Each person is unique but also shares common characteristics with other family, school, and community members. Students will identify characteristics of themselves that are similar to their classmates and characteristics that are different, using specific terms and descriptors such as gender, race or ethnicity, and native language.

Unique family activities and traditions are important parts of an individual’s culture and sense of self. Students will explain how their families celebrate birthdays or other special days.

Children and families from different cultures all share some common characteristics, but also have specific differences that make them unique. Students will learn about and respect individual differences.

Diverse cultural groups within the community and nation embrace unique traditions and beliefs, and celebrate distinct holidays. Students will compare ways diverse cultural groups within the community and nation celebrate distinct holidays.

The study of American symbols, holidays, and celebrations helps to develop a shared sense of history, community, and culture. Students will explain when and why national holidays such as Labor Day, Constitution Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Law Day, and Independence Day are celebrated. Students will identify American symbols, such as the Liberty Bell and the bald eagle. Students will learn the Pledge of Allegiance. Students will learn the parts of the American flag (stars and stripes) and how to show respect toward the flag. Students will learn patriotic songs, including the national anthem, “America the Beautiful,” and “America.”

Specific words and phrases related to chronology and time should be used when recounting events and experiences. Students will correctly use words related to chronology and time when recounting events and experiences (e.g., first, next, last; now, long ago; before, after; morning, afternoon, night; yesterday, today, tomorrow; last or next week, month, year; and present, past, and future tenses of verbs).

People use folktales, legends, oral histories, and music to teach values, ideas, traditions, and important events from the past. Students will retell a story and explain the value, idea, tradition, or important event that it expressed.