The “Social Studies Center” allows a student to practice many life skills. Students learn more about the world around them. They learn about the different places and people in the world.
Teachers need to model how to:
· Use and store materials
Materials
· Tape of songs from around the world
· Foreign language tapes
· Stamps from around the world
· Post cards from around the world
· Posters / objects from around the country / world
· Maps
· Globes
· Map puzzles
· Books about around the world
General
· Read books about social studies
· Read about state and national symbols
School and
Family Life
· Make a family tree
· Make a classroom quilt (each student makes 1 part)
· Draw your house
· Draw houses from around the world
· Draw a picture of a family (and pet) and draw/write about what they need
Neighborhoods
· Make a map of your neighborhood
Communities
· Fold 11” x 17” paper into 1/3 and illustrate the following: left side draw city life, middle draw suburban life, and right side draw rural life
· Create a collage of jobs people do in the community
· Write a letter to a community leader
History
· Make a timeline
· Look at historical pictures and describe them
Geography
· Put together a map puzzle
· Make a map of room, home, school, etc.
· Practice reading maps
· Using a simple intersection, have students follow directions. Examples: Draw a store on the northwest corner. Draw a house on the southeast corner.
· Read a weather prediction (from a newspaper). Answer questions such as, “Is it supposed to rain on Sunday?”
· Design a flag
· Make a brochure about a community or state