Department of Defense Education Activity Curriculum
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Social Studies
| Citizenship

Children learn about good citizenship.

Children will learn the basic principles of living in a democratic society. They will learn how to be cooperative and share by working with others in interest areas, in the cafeteria, in gym, in art and music, and on the playground.


 
You can help by having your child
| | | dentify examples of good citizenship (e.g., taking turns, sharing, listening, group problem solving).
  |   Work with a partner.
  |   Participate in large group activities as a sharing experience (e.g., attend a neighborhood picnic).
  |   Compromise as a way to cooperate.
  |   Recognize the American flag as a symbol of the United States.


  Culture

Children learn about culture and cultural diversity.

Children will learn about their own family and families in other countries. They will recognize that families vary in size and that families change over time. They will explore ways that the lives of children in different countries are both similar to and different from their own.

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Define and use appropriate vocabulary to describe the family structure (e.g., grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin).
  |   Identify various types of food, clothing, and money from different cultures (e.g., attend various cultural events in the community to help him understand his heritage and the heritage of others).
  |   Describe customs of specific holiday celebrations.


  Time, Continuity, and Change

Children learn how people view themselves in and over time.

Children will learn about the concepts of self and others, and how human beings change as they grow. They will learn about time in relationship to themselves and their activities.

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Identify personal information about himself.
  |   Recognize people from different times and places (e.g., share family history with him using photo albums and memorabilia).
  |   Sequence the events of a daily routine (e.g., talk with him about the predictable routines of a school day).


  Space and Place

Children learn about their world and where they fit geographically.

Children will learn where they live in the world and its relationship to other places. They will be able to recognize major features of Earth on a globe (e.g., mountains, oceans, and landmasses).

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Recognize the globe as a model of Earth.
  |   Understand that maps describe locations and show where people live (e.g., have him draw or paint a map of your neighborhood and mark where you live, places to go).
  |   Use a globe to describe features (e.g., land, water, mountains) of Earth.
  |   Compare/contrast relative locations of people, pla- ces, and things (e.g., near, far, over, under).


  Individual Development and Identify

Children learn about individual development and identify.

Children will learn to recognize their own feelings and how to respond appropriately in different situations.

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Describe how he is feeling (e.g., happy, sad, angry).
  |   Show responsibility for his own actions (e.g., express the way he feels by using feeling words such as, "I feel sad because..." or "I feel angry because...").
  |   Exhibit friendliness, helpfulness, and thoughtfulness in his everyday life.
  |   Show respect for others.


  Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

Children learn about the interaction among individuals, groups, and organizations.

Children will learn how people live together and get along with each other. They will explore the different roles of people in the community.

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Explain the reason for rules and laws (e.g., cars have to stop at red lights or there will be accidents and people could get hurt).
  |   Recognize the need for authority.
  |   Learn about community helpers (e.g., have him identify the different types of jobs, workplaces, tools, uniforms, and vehicles that are associated with them).
  |   Relate information gained on community trips with family and school.


  Production, Distribution and Consumption

Children learn how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Children will identify the basic needs of families and understand that families make or buy some of their needs. They will distinguish the difference between a “want” and a “need,” and they will recognize that wants are not necessary for people to live.


 
You can help by having your child
| | | Tell the difference between a need and a want in the distribution of goods (e.g., needs are things-such as food-that we must have to live, and wants are things-such as a toy-that we would like to have/buy). 
  |   Participate in activities that require a division of jobs (e.g., chores at home).
  |   Identify the uses of money and how families use money to buy some of their needs.


  Power, Authority, and Governance

Children learn how people create and change structures of power and authority.

Children will understand that school rules are necessary for order and fairness as well as for safety and health. They will identify rules in and around the school, and recognize the consequences of not following school rules.

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Explain the responsibilities of students at school.
  |   Identify rules at school.
  |   Describe the consequences of breaking rules.


  Science, Technology, and Society

Children learn about the relationships among science, technology, and society.

Children will explore Earth's different environments, and will understand how to take care of the earth and its people and animals. They will identify litter and learn how to recycle objects. They will discover that people and societies all over the world use
technology.

 
You can help by having your child
| | | Read books about the different environments on Earth (e.g., deserts, rain forests, the South Pole) and the people and animals that live in those environ- ments.
  |   Recycle, reduce litter, and reuse recyclable items.
  |   Explore the uses of technology (e.g., computers, answering machines).


  Global Connections

Children learn about global connections and interdependence.

Children will explore how their classroom and school are made up of individuals of diverse backgrounds.


 
You can help by having your child
| | | Develop friendships with people of various backgrounds.
  |   Develop and use skills to communicate with individuals and groups (e.g., if you live or travel in a foreign country, help your child learn key words in that country's language).
  |   Participate in activities with people from diverse backgrounds (e.g., take part in community cultural events).