Respect: A Social Studies Unit Designed for the Kindergarten Classroom
I developed this unit during my fourth semester in the Elementary Education: Early Childhood-Middle Childhood certification program in UW-Madison's School of Education. The unit was a part of my social studies methods class course requirements. I taught some of the lessons found on this web page to my kindergarten practicum class during this semester, however, some of them I have yet to teach myself. I used the Understanding by Design approach to unit planning to design this unit, and developed it with my future career goal of becoming a kindergarten or 4K teacher in mind.
This unit is designed to facilitate the building of a caring classroom community among kindergarten students and their teachers, as well as in the school as a whole. The unit should begin at the beginning of the school year and will continue throughout the entire school year. It is imporant that students understand what respect is and how to show respect beginning at a young age so that they will be successful students and citizens. This web page outlines the main points of the unit, includes lesson plans to be used in the unit, and provides helpful resources for teachers wanting to use the unit.
It is important to note that the teaching and use of respect should be an important aspect of any classroom throughout the entire school year. This unit is by no means all that a teacher should do in regards to teaching respect during the school year. Most of the lessons provided are planned to take between 30 minutes and an hour because these were the time frames I was given to teach during my kindergarten practicum placement while I was developing the unit. I have added ideas of extension activities to the end of the lessons, however, these also do not encompass all that a teacher should do to bring respect into his/her classroom. Having and showing respect is a never-ending process and students and teachers (as well as all people) should always be expanding their knowledge and experience in regards to respect throughout their entire lives.
This unit is designed to facilitate the building of a caring classroom community among kindergarten students and their teachers, as well as in the school as a whole. The unit should begin at the beginning of the school year and will continue throughout the entire school year. It is imporant that students understand what respect is and how to show respect beginning at a young age so that they will be successful students and citizens. This web page outlines the main points of the unit, includes lesson plans to be used in the unit, and provides helpful resources for teachers wanting to use the unit.
It is important to note that the teaching and use of respect should be an important aspect of any classroom throughout the entire school year. This unit is by no means all that a teacher should do in regards to teaching respect during the school year. Most of the lessons provided are planned to take between 30 minutes and an hour because these were the time frames I was given to teach during my kindergarten practicum placement while I was developing the unit. I have added ideas of extension activities to the end of the lessons, however, these also do not encompass all that a teacher should do to bring respect into his/her classroom. Having and showing respect is a never-ending process and students and teachers (as well as all people) should always be expanding their knowledge and experience in regards to respect throughout their entire lives.
Unit Essential Questions:
1. What is respect?
2. How do we show others that we respect them?
2. How do we show others that we respect them?
Madison Metropolitan School District Kindergarten Social Studies Performance Standards Addressed in this Unit:
Geography:
3. Tell how to get to and from school, name school, state their name, address, and phone number, and be aware of necessary pedestrian rules
History:
2. Describe themselves and family in past, present, and future terms
4. Identify events that are planned for the future or that happened in the past
Political Science & Citizenship:
1. Make appropriate choices and discuss consequences of inappropriate choices
2. Support the need for fair rules and suggest fair solutions
3. Take care of personal belongings and respect those of others
4. Describe how all home and school members have rights and responsibilities
Economics:
2. Participate in activities that require the division of labor
Behavioral Science:
1. Describe different ways of expressing emotions and feelings
2. Describe themselves as unique individuals with both capabilities and limitations and demonstrate acceptance of others' uniqueness
3. Demonstrate confidence in expressing one's own beliefs and feelings
4. Identify similarities and differences in individuals
5. Assess self and others' behavior in a variety of groups and situations
7. Demonstrate responsibility for their role within the school environment
9. Exhibit an awareness that children grow up in different parts of the world with similar and different experiences
10. Identify customs, traditions, and celebrations that have special meanings for their family
3. Tell how to get to and from school, name school, state their name, address, and phone number, and be aware of necessary pedestrian rules
History:
2. Describe themselves and family in past, present, and future terms
4. Identify events that are planned for the future or that happened in the past
Political Science & Citizenship:
1. Make appropriate choices and discuss consequences of inappropriate choices
2. Support the need for fair rules and suggest fair solutions
3. Take care of personal belongings and respect those of others
4. Describe how all home and school members have rights and responsibilities
Economics:
2. Participate in activities that require the division of labor
Behavioral Science:
1. Describe different ways of expressing emotions and feelings
2. Describe themselves as unique individuals with both capabilities and limitations and demonstrate acceptance of others' uniqueness
3. Demonstrate confidence in expressing one's own beliefs and feelings
4. Identify similarities and differences in individuals
5. Assess self and others' behavior in a variety of groups and situations
7. Demonstrate responsibility for their role within the school environment
9. Exhibit an awareness that children grow up in different parts of the world with similar and different experiences
10. Identify customs, traditions, and celebrations that have special meanings for their family
National Council for Social Studies Thematic Strands in Social Studies Addressed in this Unit:
Culture: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity
People, Place, and Environment: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments
Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and
identity
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among
individuals, groups, and institutions
Civic Ideals and Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of
citizenship in a democratic republic
People, Place, and Environment: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments
Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and
identity
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among
individuals, groups, and institutions
Civic Ideals and Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of
citizenship in a democratic republic
