Grade 1 Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 1 social studies in the Ontario Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- A1 Application: Why Roles and Responsibilities Change: Describe some of the ways in which people’s roles, relationships with, and responsibilities to others and the world around them relate to who they are and what their situation is, and how and why changes in circumstances might affect people’s roles, relationships, and responsibilities as well as their sense of self (FOCUS ON: Continuity and Change)
- A2 Inquiry: Roles, Responsibilities, and Identity: Use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some aspects of the interrelationship between their identity/sense of self, their different roles, relationships, and responsibilities, and various situations in their daily lives (FOCUS ON: Interrelationships)
- A3 Understanding Context: Roles, Relationships, and Respect: Demonstrate an understanding that they and other people experience a range of different roles, relationships, and responsibilities, and that all people and the environment should be treated with respect (FOCUS ON: Significance)
- B1 Application: Interrelationships within the Community: Describe some aspects of the interrelationship between people and the natural and built features of their community (FOCUS ON: Interrelationships)
- B2 Inquiry: Interrelationships and Their Impact: Use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some aspects of the interrelationship between people and different natural and built features of their local community, with a focus on significant short- and long-term effects of this interrelationship (FOCUS ON: Cause and Consequence)
- B3 Understanding Context: The Elements of the Local Community: Describe significant aspects of their community, with reference to different areas, services, and natural and built features, demonstrating an understanding of some basic ways of describing location and measuring distance (FOCUS ON: Significance; Patterns and Trends)
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
My Roles & Responsibilities
Seeing that we have different roles (student, friend, sibling, helper), that these change from place to place, and how our actions affect others.
Changes in My Life
Big life events (a new sibling, a move, starting school), how people's experiences are alike and different, and ordering events as a simple timeline.
My Community
Community helpers and places, plus rights, rules, roles and responsibilities at home, at school and in the community.
Respect & Inclusion
Sharing, taking turns, listening, including others, and showing respect for people, belongings and the places we share.
Different & Alike
How families, languages, cultures and celebrations differ, what we all share, and how to show respect for each other.
Our Land
Natural and human-made features, how the land shapes how we live, and caring for it by reducing, reusing and recycling.
Places in My Community
Natural and built features, residential and commercial areas, and describing where places are with relative location words (near, far, beside, across).
Community Services
Jobs that serve the community (fire, health, sanitation, libraries, transit) and services the government or community provides for everyone.
Maps
Reading a simple map with north at the top, using north, south, east and west, map symbols and legends, and near and far.
Measure & Draw Maps
Measuring distance with footsteps, blocks and hands, map titles, symbols and legends, and making a simple map of a familiar place.
Social Studies Detectives
The inquiry process: asking good questions, finding clues in people, photos, maps and charts, thinking about what they show and sharing what we learned.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Level 1
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Level 2
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Level 3
- Has it! Level 3 is the provincial standard. Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Level 4
- 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 Ontario report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 1 child with social studies?
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.
What does my child learn in Grade 1 social studies in Ontario?
The Ontario Curriculum Grade 1 social studies units include my roles & responsibilities, changes in my life, my community, respect & inclusion, different & alike, our land.
Free printable Grade 1 social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.