After classroom discussions and activities to exemplify positive relationships through fair play and friendship, the higher level students in the class will each make their own ABC books to illustrate many ways to play fairly and how to treat friends. This lesson was developed by NCDPI as part of the Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project. This lesson plan has been vetted at the state level for standards alignment, AIG focus, and content accuracy.

After reading books about obeying the rules and discussing the positive results that occur when rules are obeyed and the negative consequences when rules are broken, all students will help produce a Cause and Effect chart like the one I have attached as an example for obeying rules at school. Then higher-level students will extend their learning by working in a small group to create a Cause and Effect chart of obeying rules in the neighborhood and one for adults obeying rules/laws in the community. Their charts that they create will actually provide an opportunity for all students to be challenged to think about rules further. This lesson was developed by NCDPI as part of the Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project. This lesson plan has been vetted at the state level for standards alignment, AIG focus, and content accuracy.

If you’ve taken time to glance at the Kindergarten “Myself and Others” book, or its sequel First Grade “Families and Schools”, you’ll know that the authors of those books envisioned them being “big books” which were meant to be experienced with the teacher projecting the materials on a big screen. This book begins the transition from “big book” to an individualized tool. It doesn’t mean that the book is meant to be read without teacher interaction, but this resource was designed to be in the hands of students in conjunction with daily classroom instruction.

Students will explore the idea that they are interconnected to many larger communities (classroom, school, family, neighborhood, city, world, etc.) They will also explore the need for these communities to have systems in place where each person plays a role in making the systems function. We will specifically explore the need for, and create, systems that allow us to work, learn and play together in our kindergarten classroom. The creation of rules, jobs, and routines will be the core of this unit. Documenting and sharing these systems will be the product.

Students will learn about equality and the work of Martin Luther King Jr. Students will listen to the Dr. Seuss story Sneetches to get an understanding about being treated unfairly. Then students will compare and contrast Martin Luther King Jr and the Sneecthes. 

You may be tempted to skip this short section. It is brief in comparison to previous chapters but it is ultimately one of the most important. Students have spent their entire class period up to this point exploring and learning more about foundational social studies concepts. This is the chapter that puts it all together.

After classroom discussions and activities to exemplify positive relationships through fair play and friendship, the higher-level students in the class will work in small groups to write skits and role play examples demonstrating fair play and friendship. This lesson was developed by NCDPI as part of the Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project. This lesson plan has been vetted at the state level for standards alignment, AIG focus, and content accuracy.