Grade 1 Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 1 social studies in the New Brunswick Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Literacies and Communications: Communicative Practices. Examine how language learning is beneficial.
- Literacies and Communications: Multimodal Literacies. Refer to environmental print in multiple languages.
- Literacies and Communications: Literate Identities. Demonstrate being a reader, writer, and communicator in multiple languages.
- Well-Being: Emotional Health and Positive Identities. Explore activities that foster enjoyment and well-being.
- Well-Being: Belonging and Interconnectedness. Define and express needs, wants, and choices.
- Well-Being: Physical Health and Active Participation. Analyze personal safety and healthy practices.
- Play and Playfulness: Imagination and Creativity. Practise using flexible and fluid thinking in new and familiar situations.
- Play and Playfulness: Exploration and Problem Solving. Negotiate, compromise, and work together.
- Play and Playfulness: Play and Inquiry. Engage in activities that introduce elements of risk, novelty, and the unknown.
- Diversity and Social Responsibility: Inclusiveness and Equity. Honour differences and uniqueness.
- Diversity and Social Responsibility: Democratic Practices. Act as responsible and responsive community members.
- Diversity and Social Responsibility: Sustainable Futures. Recognize patterns in nature.
Easy ways to practise social studies at home
- Talk about your family, your neighbourhood and the people who help in it.
- Make a simple map of your home or street together.
- Share a family tradition or story and ask your child to share one back.
- Practise taking turns and sharing, and talk about why fairness matters.
What each unit covers
Different & Alike
How families, languages, cultures and celebrations differ, what we all share, and how to show respect for each other.
Respect & Inclusion
Sharing, taking turns, listening, including others, and showing respect for people, belongings and the places we share.
My Community
Community helpers and places, plus rights, rules, roles and responsibilities at home, at school and in the community.
Community Services
Jobs that serve the community (fire, health, sanitation, libraries, transit) and services the government or community provides for everyone.
Our Land
Natural and human-made features, how the land shapes how we live, and caring for it by reducing, reusing and recycling.
Maps
Reading a simple map with north at the top, using north, south, east and west, map symbols and legends, and near and far.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Working below
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Excelling
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the New Brunswick report card guide.
Common questions
Talk about your family, your neighbourhood and the people who help in it. Make a simple map of your home or street together. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The New Brunswick Curriculum Grade 1 social studies units include different & alike, respect & inclusion, my community, community services, our land, maps.
Free printable Grade 1 social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.