A Christ-centered exploration of community history, American heroes, geography, citizenship, and basic economics. First graders learn about their community's story, discover heroic Americans who shaped our nation, explore maps and directions, understand what it means to be a good citizen, and practice making wise choices with resources. All content is taught through the lens of God's providence and biblical principles.
Understand how communities begin and change over time, recognizing God's hand in our community's story
Identify American heroes and the character traits that made them great, connecting to biblical virtues
Read and create simple maps using cardinal directions, map keys, and basic geography skills
Explain what it means to be a good citizen and demonstrate patriotic traditions with gratitude for our freedoms
Make wise economic choices understanding saving, spending, scarcity, and stewardship of God's resources
Click any week to see daily lesson details.
Introduction to what a community is—a group of people living and working together in the same place. Students explore their own community.
Define communitydiscussionIdentifying the different people who make up a community: families, workers, helpers, and neighbors.
Identify community membershands-onExploring important places in the community like schools, stores, parks, libraries, and churches.
Recognize community locationspicture sortUnderstanding how people in a community help each other and work together for the common good.
Explain community cooperationrole-playBiblical connection: God places us in communities to love and serve one another (Acts 2:44-47). Drawing our community.
Connect community to biblical principlesprojectLearning how communities start when people choose a place to live and build homes together.
Describe community foundingstoryExploring why people choose certain places for communities: near water, good land, safe location.
Analyze location factorsdiscussionUnderstanding what early settlers built first: homes, then stores, schools, and churches.
Sequence community developmentsequencing activityLearning how communities grow from just a few families to many people over time.
Understand community growthcomparisonBiblical connection: God directs people to places for His purposes (Proverbs 16:9). Creating a simple community founding timeline.
Create basic timelinehands-onFinding out when our community was founded and who the first settlers were.
Research local historyresearchLearning how our community got its name and what it means.
Investigate community namingdiscussionHearing stories about what life was like in our community many years ago.
Compare past and presentstoryLearning to ask questions about community history. Preparing to interview someone who has lived here a long time.
Conduct simple interviewpreparationCreating a simple timeline showing important events in our community's history.
Create community timelineprojectComparing old and new photos of community streets, buildings, and landmarks.
Identify physical changescomparisonExploring how people traveled in our community long ago versus today: horses, trains, cars.
Compare transportation changespicture sortIdentifying things in our community that haven't changed: some old buildings, traditions, natural features.
Recognize continuitydiscussionUnderstanding reasons for change: more people, new inventions, different needs.
Explain causes of changediscussionBiblical connection: While communities change, God never changes (Hebrews 13:8). Creating a then/now community poster.
Synthesize change conceptsprojectDefining what makes someone a hero: courage, helping others, doing what's right even when it's hard.
Define heroismdiscussionRecognizing heroes in our own lives: parents, teachers, community helpers who serve others.
Identify everyday heroessharingLearning about important character traits: honesty, bravery, kindness, perseverance, responsibility.
Identify character traitssorting activityExploring biblical heroes like David, Esther, and Daniel who showed courage and faith in God.
Connect heroes to faithstoryUnderstanding that we can be heroes by showing kindness, helping others, and standing up for what's right.
Apply hero characteristics personallydiscussionLearning about George Washington's childhood, his family, and early life in Virginia.
Describe Washington's early lifestoryExploring the famous cherry tree story and Washington's reputation for honesty and integrity.
Identify character trait: honestystory discussionLearning how George Washington led the American army during the Revolutionary War with courage and perseverance.
Understand Washington's military leadershipstoryDiscovering how George Washington became the first President of the United States and helped start our country.
Explain Washington's presidencydiscussionUnderstanding why George Washington is called the Father of Our Country and how his faith guided him.
Evaluate Washington's legacyprojectLearning about Abraham Lincoln's humble beginnings in a log cabin and his love of reading.
Describe Lincoln's childhoodstoryExploring stories of Lincoln's honesty, including walking miles to return a few pennies.
Identify character trait: honestystory discussionUnderstanding how Lincoln taught himself by reading books and became a lawyer through hard work.
Recognize perseverancediscussionLearning how Lincoln became president during the Civil War and worked to keep the country together.
Understand Lincoln's presidencystoryDiscovering how Lincoln helped end slavery and believed all people are created equal by God.
Explain Lincoln's legacydiscussionLearning about Martin Luther King Jr.'s childhood and experiencing unfair treatment because of his skin color.
Describe King's early lifestoryUnderstanding Dr. King's dream that all people would be treated fairly and judged by their character.
Explain King's dreamdiscussionLearning how Dr. King taught people to stand up for what's right using peaceful words and actions, not violence.
Understand peaceful protestrole-playExploring how Dr. King followed Jesus's teaching to love everyone, even people who were unkind to him.
Connect to biblical principlesstory discussionUnderstanding how Dr. King's work changed America and how we honor him today. Celebrating equality.
Evaluate King's legacyprojectLearning about Harriet Tubman's bravery in leading enslaved people to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
Identify courage and sacrificestoryDiscovering how six-year-old Ruby Bridges showed courage as the first Black child in an all-white school.
Recognize childhood couragestory discussionExploring Benjamin Franklin's inventions, wisdom, and help in founding America.
Appreciate diverse contributionsdiscussionLearning how Helen Keller overcame being blind and deaf to help others and inspire the world.
Identify perseverancestoryReviewing all the heroes we've learned about and creating a class hero display with their traits.
Synthesize hero characteristicsprojectComparing how children woke up, got dressed, and ate breakfast 100 years ago versus today.
Compare daily routinescomparisonLearning about children's chores long ago: fetching water, feeding animals, helping with farming.
Contrast work responsibilitiesdiscussionDiscovering games and toys children played with long ago: hoops, jacks, dolls, outdoor games.
Compare recreationhands-onUnderstanding how families prepared and ate meals without modern kitchens: cooking fires, no refrigerators.
Analyze food preparation changesdiscussionLearning about evening routines: candlelight, no electricity, early bedtimes. Creating a then/now daily life chart.
Synthesize daily life comparisonsprojectLearning about schools long ago where all grades learned together in one room with one teacher.
Describe historical schoolsstoryDiscovering how children wrote on slates with chalk or used quill pens and ink instead of pencils and paper.
Compare writing toolshands-onComparing what children learned long ago (reading, writing, arithmetic) to what we learn today.
Compare curriculumdiscussionUnderstanding strict school rules from the past and comparing to today's classroom expectations.
Contrast school culturecomparisonExperiencing what a school day was like long ago through simulation activities.
Synthesize historical school knowledgesimulationLearning how people went from candles to oil lamps to electric lights. Understanding life before electricity.
Trace lighting evolutionstoryDiscovering how people kept food cold before refrigerators: ice boxes, cellars, canning.
Compare food preservationdiscussionExploring how communication changed: letters to telegraph to telephone to internet.
Sequence communication technologytimelineLearning how household chores were done by hand and how machines made work easier.
Analyze labor-saving inventionscomparisonBiblical connection: Using our God-given creativity to help others (Genesis 1:28). Creating an invention timeline.
Synthesize technology changesprojectLearning how people traveled long ago: walking, horses, horse-drawn wagons and carriages.
Describe early transportationstoryDiscovering how trains changed travel, making it faster to go long distances and move goods.
Explain railroad impactdiscussionLearning about the invention of cars and how they changed the way people lived and worked.
Analyze automobile impactstoryExploring the Wright Brothers' invention of the airplane and how air travel connects the world.
Understand aviation developmentdiscussionCreating a timeline showing how transportation changed from walking to modern vehicles.
Sequence transportation historyprojectLearning about the first homes: caves, tents, simple shelters made from natural materials.
Describe early dwellingsstoryDiscovering how pioneers built log cabins and early American homes from wood and stone.
Understand pioneer housingdiscussionExploring fancy homes from the late 1800s with many rooms and decorative details.
Identify architectural changespicture studyComparing homes today with electricity, plumbing, heating, and modern conveniences to homes long ago.
Compare modern and historical homescomparisonBiblical connection: God provides shelter (Psalm 91:1). Drawing and labeling a then/now home comparison.
Synthesize housing historyprojectLearning about clothing long ago: heavy fabrics, layers, formal dress for daily life.
Describe historical clothingpicture studyUnderstanding how clothes were made: spinning thread, weaving fabric, hand-sewing everything.
Understand clothing productiondiscussionComparing what children wore long ago to what we wear today: formal vs. casual, comfort changes.
Compare children's fashioncomparisonExploring footwear and accessories through time: buckle shoes, bonnets, hats, simple vs. elaborate.
Identify accessory changesdiscussionCreating paper dolls or drawings showing clothing from different time periods we've studied.
Synthesize clothing historyprojectUnderstanding that a map is a picture of a place from above, showing where things are located.
Define mapdiscussionComparing regular pictures to maps, understanding how maps show locations differently.
Distinguish maps from picturescomparisonCreating a simple map of our classroom, looking down from above and placing furniture.
Create simple maphands-onLearning that maps use symbols (small pictures) to stand for real things like trees, houses, roads.
Identify map symbolsmatching activityUsing a simple map to find locations, understanding that maps help us find our way.
Read and follow simple mapgameLearning that a map key (or legend) explains what the symbols on a map mean.
Define map keydiscussionPracticing using a map key to understand what different symbols represent on various maps.
Use map key to interpret symbolsworksheetDesigning symbols for a map and creating a key to explain what they mean.
Create map symbols and keyhands-onUsing a map key to read a neighborhood map showing houses, stores, parks, and streets.
Apply map key skillsmap readingCreating a map of a real or imaginary place with symbols and a complete map key.
Synthesize map key knowledgeprojectIntroduction to the four main directions: North, South, East, and West.
Identify cardinal directionsdiscussionLearning that North is at the top of most maps and using a compass to find north in the room.
Locate northhands-onUsing our bodies to practice directions: facing north, turning to face south, east, and west.
Practice directional orientationmovementUsing cardinal directions to describe where things are on a map: north of, south of, east of, west of.
Use directions to describe locationmap activityFollowing directional clues (go north, turn east) to find locations or solve a puzzle.
Apply directional knowledgegameLooking at a map of our community and finding familiar places: school, library, parks.
Read community mapmap explorationIdentifying important landmarks in our community and locating them on a map.
Locate landmarksmatching activityUnderstanding how streets are shown on maps and learning our school's street name.
Identify streets on mapdiscussionUsing a community map to trace routes from one place to another using directional language.
Trace routes on mapmap activityCreating a simple map of our community showing important places with symbols and a key.
Create community mapprojectUnderstanding that we live in a state, which is part of a larger country called the United States.
Define statediscussionLocating our state on a map of the United States and learning its shape and neighboring states.
Locate state on US mapmap activityLearning that our country is made up of 50 states and seeing them all on a map.
Understand US compositionmap explorationIdentifying the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on a US map and understanding that water surrounds our country.
Locate major water bodiesmap activityCreating a simple map showing our state within the United States and labeling important features.
Synthesize state/country knowledgeprojectLearning about mountains (very high land) and hills (smaller raised land) and finding them on maps.
Identify mountains and hillsdiscussionUnderstanding that rivers are moving water and lakes are still water surrounded by land.
Distinguish rivers and lakespicture studyLearning that oceans are huge bodies of salt water that cover most of Earth.
Identify oceansglobe activityDiscovering flat lands (plains) and low areas between mountains (valleys).
Identify plains and valleysdiscussionCreating landforms with play dough and labeling them, understanding how they appear on maps.
Model landformshands-onIntroduction to planet Earth and understanding that it has large land areas (continents) and water (oceans).
Understand Earth's compositionglobe explorationLearning the names of the seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica.
Name continentssong/chantLocating each continent on a world map and globe, noticing their different sizes and shapes.
Locate continents on mapmap activityLearning the names of major oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, Southern.
Name major oceansdiscussionBiblical connection: God created all the land and seas (Genesis 1). Creating a world map poster.
Synthesize world geographyprojectUnderstanding that a citizen is a person who belongs to a community or country.
Define citizendiscussionLearning that citizens have rights: freedom to speak, worship, learn, and be safe.
Identify basic rightsdiscussionUnderstanding that citizens also have responsibilities: follow rules, help others, take care of our community.
Identify responsibilitieschart activityPracticing good citizenship in our classroom: being kind, following rules, helping classmates.
Apply citizenship at schoolrole-playBiblical connection: We are citizens of our country and God's kingdom (Philippians 3:20). Making citizen badges.
Connect citizenship to faithcraftLearning about our flag: 50 stars for states, 13 stripes for original colonies, red/white/blue colors.
Understand flag symbolismdiscussionLearning what the Pledge means: promising loyalty to our flag and country, with liberty and justice for all.
Understand Pledge meaningdiscussionDiscovering why the bald eagle is our national bird: strong, free, lives only in North America.
Understand national bird symbolismstoryLearning about the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and what it represents: freedom and independence.
Understand Liberty Bell significancediscussionReviewing American symbols and creating a patriotic poster showing what we've learned.
Synthesize symbol knowledgeprojectLearning about local leaders: mayor, city council members, and what they do for our community.
Identify local leadersdiscussionUnderstanding that local government makes rules (laws) to keep everyone safe and help the community.
Understand local lawmakingdiscussionLearning about services local government provides: police, firefighters, libraries, parks, roads.
Identify government servicesmatching activityUnderstanding that citizens vote to choose their leaders in elections.
Understand voting basicsdiscussionBiblical connection: God tells us to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Practicing voting.
Connect government to faithsimulationUnderstanding that rules keep us safe, help us get along, and make things fair.
Explain purpose of rulesdiscussionIdentifying rules we follow at home and school and understanding why each rule is important.
Identify and explain rulessharingLearning that laws are rules for everyone in a community or country: traffic laws, safety laws.
Distinguish laws from rulesdiscussionUnderstanding consequences for breaking rules: time-out, losing privileges, fines, helping fix problems.
Understand consequencesscenario discussionBiblical connection: God gives us rules because He loves us (Ten Commandments). Creating a class rule poster.
Connect rules to biblical principlesprojectLearning that July 4th celebrates America's birthday when we became a free country in 1776.
Understand Independence DaystoryUnderstanding that Presidents' Day honors George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and all U.S. presidents.
Understand Presidents' DaydiscussionLearning that Memorial Day honors soldiers who died protecting our country and freedom.
Understand Memorial DaydiscussionUnderstanding that Veterans Day thanks all people who served in the military to protect us.
Understand Veterans Daythank you card activityBiblical connection: Give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Creating a patriotic holiday calendar.
Synthesize holiday knowledgeprojectLearning that needs are things we must have to live: food, water, clothing, shelter, love.
Identify basic needsdiscussionUnderstanding that wants are things we would like to have but don't need to survive: toys, treats, extras.
Identify wantsdiscussionPracticing telling the difference between needs and wants by sorting pictures into categories.
Distinguish needs from wantssorting activityUnderstanding that we have to make choices because we can't have everything we want.
Understand scarcity basicsdiscussionBiblical connection: God promises to provide what we need (Matthew 6:25-33). Creating a needs/wants poster.
Connect economics to faithprojectUnderstanding that we make choices all the time: what to wear, eat, play, buy.
Recognize decision-makingdiscussionLearning that when we choose one thing, we give up another thing (opportunity cost).
Understand opportunity costscenario discussionPracticing making good choices by thinking about what we need and what's most important.
Apply decision-makingrole-playUnderstanding that when we spend money on one thing, we can't spend it on something else.
Apply opportunity cost to moneygameBiblical connection: Ask God for wisdom in choices (James 1:5). Making a choice decision chart.
Connect choices to stewardshipprojectUnderstanding that money is what we use to buy things we need and want.
Define money's purposediscussionLearning to identify and name the four common coins and their values.
Identify coinshands-onPracticing counting pennies and simple coin combinations to find totals.
Count moneypractice activityUnderstanding that people sell things for money and use money to buy things they need.
Understand exchangeplay storeLearning that money is a tool God gives us to use wisely for needs, wants, and helping others.
Understand stewardship of moneydiscussionLearning that saving means keeping money instead of spending it right away so we can use it later.
Define savingdiscussionUnderstanding reasons to save: for something special we want, for emergencies, to help others.
Explain reasons for savingdiscussionLearning to think before spending: Do I need it? Can I afford it? Is it worth the money?
Evaluate spending decisionsscenario discussionPracticing setting a goal for something to save for and planning how to reach that goal.
Set saving goalplanning activityBiblical connection: The wise person saves and plans (Proverbs 21:20). Creating a saving plan.
Apply saving principlesprojectLearning that producers are people who make or grow things that others need or want.
Define producerdiscussionUnderstanding that consumers are people who buy and use things that producers make.
Define consumerdiscussionDiscovering that most people are both producers (at their jobs) and consumers (when they shop).
Understand dual rolesexamples activityLearning that producers make goods (things we can touch) or provide services (helpful actions).
Distinguish goods from servicessorting activityUnderstanding that producers and consumers need each other. God designed us to depend on one another.
Understand economic interdependencediscussionExploring the variety of jobs people do in our community: teachers, doctors, farmers, builders, and more.
Identify various occupationsdiscussionUnderstanding how different jobs help meet people's needs and make the community better.
Explain job purposesmatching activityThinking about jobs we might want to do when we grow up and why those jobs interest us.
Consider career interestssharingIdentifying tools and equipment that people use for different jobs: stethoscope, hammer, computer.
Match tools to occupationssorting gameBiblical connection: Whatever we do, work for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). Drawing future career pictures.
Connect work to serviceprojectLearning that resources are things we use: natural resources (water, trees), human resources (workers), money.
Define resourcesdiscussionUnderstanding that we don't have unlimited resources, so we need to use them carefully and wisely.
Understand resource scarcitydiscussionLearning ways to take care of resources: use less, use again, recycle materials.
Identify conservation methodshands-onUnderstanding that when we have more than we need, we can share with others who have less.
Apply generositydiscussionBiblical connection: God made us stewards of His creation (Genesis 1:28). Creating conservation pledges.
Connect stewardship to faithprojectReviewing what we learned about how communities begin, change over time, and our own community's story.
Recall community history conceptsreview gameRemembering the American heroes we studied and the character traits that made them great.
Recall hero characteristicsmatching gameComparing life long ago to today in daily life, school, transportation, homes, and technology.
Compare past and presentsorting activityPracticing map reading: using keys, cardinal directions, finding locations on community and US maps.
Apply map skillsmap activitiesReviewing continents, oceans, landforms, and water bodies through games and activities.
Recall geography knowledgegameReviewing what it means to be a good citizen: rights, responsibilities, patriotic symbols, and holidays.
Recall citizenship conceptsdiscussion and gameRemembering what we learned about local government, leaders, and why we have rules and laws.
Recall civics conceptsreview activityReviewing economic concepts: needs/wants, choices, money, saving/spending, producers/consumers, jobs.
Recall economic conceptsgameCelebrating all we've learned this year through presentations, sharing favorite lessons, and reviewing portfolios.
Synthesize year's learningcelebrationReflecting on how we are part of God's ongoing story in history. Looking forward to continued learning and growth.
Connect learning to faith journeyreflection and celebrationStart with Day 1 and work through at your own pace. Each lesson builds on the last!