Social Studies Learning Activity
These activities are intended for first grade students. The first activity is to be used while studying Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. The second activity can be used when studying maps and/or while learning about a sense of community.
Lesson Activity #1:
Standards:
1.SS.1.1.2 Compare differences in the ways American families live today to how they lived in the past. (386.01b)
1.SS.1.1.4 Compare personal histories, pictures, and music of other selected times and places in America’s past. (388.01f)
Instructions:
Read students the book Follow the Drinking Gourd by Bernardine Connelly.
Optional:
Have students watch the movie Follow the Drinking Gourd.
Have students watch the movie Harriet Tubman - Animated Hero Classics . This version does a great job of telling the story of Harriet Tubman appropriately for First Grade students. It also provides some good background information for the students.
Primary Sources*:
*Due to the age of first grade students, using pictures seemed the most age appropriate rather than looking at documents.
View each original picture and painting of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad to provide students with an accurate and original picture. Allow time for discussion about how times were in the past. Ask the students to describe differences they notice from the pictures about clothes then and now and any other differences. Give the students time to talk with a partner about the pictures/paintings. After each picture/painting is viewed, have students write a letter to Harriet Tubman as if she were still alive today.
Each letter should include the following:
Lesson Activity #2:
Standards:
1.SS.1.1.1 Recognize that each person belongs to many groups such as family, school, friends and neighborhood. (388.01a)
1.SS.2.1.1 Explain what maps and globes represent and how they are used. (394.01a)
1.SS.2.1.2 Use directions on a map: East, West, South, and North. (394.01b)
1.SS.2.1.3 Identify legends and keys on maps. (394.01c)
1.SS.2.1.4 Identify continents and large bodies of water on a globe or a map. (394.01d)
1.SS.2.1.5 Name and locate continent, country, state, and community in which the class lives. (394.01e)
Instructions:
Begin this activity by showing students a globe. Explain what a globe is and what it can be used for. Name and show students what continent, country, and state they live in. Then open Google Maps and show the students how it works. Start by showing them the United States and zoom in to show Idaho (or your state). Find the town you live in and then your school. Ask students to volunteer to give their address or already have addresses on hand and show students how to find directions from the school to their house and vice-versa. Discuss the directions and how to follow them. Show the students street views so they can see their house. Once the students are fairly comfortable enough to navigate Google Maps on their own, break them into 4 groups. Assign each group an address to somewhere in the community from the school.
Examples:
Group #1 - Police Department
Group #2 - Library
Group #3 - Fire Station
Group #4 - Post Office
Each group will need to find the directions to their assigned address using Google Maps and write them down in paragraph form.
Optional Extension: Have students create a map (on paper) showing their route and writing their directions at the bottom of the page. With assistance, have them include North, East, South, and West indicators on their maps. Again with assistance or for extra credit, have them include a legend and keys for their map.
Lesson Activity #1:
Standards:
1.SS.1.1.2 Compare differences in the ways American families live today to how they lived in the past. (386.01b)
1.SS.1.1.4 Compare personal histories, pictures, and music of other selected times and places in America’s past. (388.01f)
Instructions:
Read students the book Follow the Drinking Gourd by Bernardine Connelly.
Optional:
Have students watch the movie Follow the Drinking Gourd.
Have students watch the movie Harriet Tubman - Animated Hero Classics . This version does a great job of telling the story of Harriet Tubman appropriately for First Grade students. It also provides some good background information for the students.
Primary Sources*:
*Due to the age of first grade students, using pictures seemed the most age appropriate rather than looking at documents.
- Harriet Tubman picture #1
- Harriet Tubman picture #2
- Painting of Harriet Tubman
- Harriet Tubman with family and neighbors
- The Underground Railroad Painting
View each original picture and painting of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad to provide students with an accurate and original picture. Allow time for discussion about how times were in the past. Ask the students to describe differences they notice from the pictures about clothes then and now and any other differences. Give the students time to talk with a partner about the pictures/paintings. After each picture/painting is viewed, have students write a letter to Harriet Tubman as if she were still alive today.
Each letter should include the following:
- An introduction of themselves including their first name, age, and where they are from.
- An opinion, with a reason for the opinion, about Harriet Tubman and her mission to free slaves.
- Ask Harriet Tubman at least two questions.
- A closing.
Lesson Activity #2:
Standards:
1.SS.1.1.1 Recognize that each person belongs to many groups such as family, school, friends and neighborhood. (388.01a)
1.SS.2.1.1 Explain what maps and globes represent and how they are used. (394.01a)
1.SS.2.1.2 Use directions on a map: East, West, South, and North. (394.01b)
1.SS.2.1.3 Identify legends and keys on maps. (394.01c)
1.SS.2.1.4 Identify continents and large bodies of water on a globe or a map. (394.01d)
1.SS.2.1.5 Name and locate continent, country, state, and community in which the class lives. (394.01e)
Instructions:
Begin this activity by showing students a globe. Explain what a globe is and what it can be used for. Name and show students what continent, country, and state they live in. Then open Google Maps and show the students how it works. Start by showing them the United States and zoom in to show Idaho (or your state). Find the town you live in and then your school. Ask students to volunteer to give their address or already have addresses on hand and show students how to find directions from the school to their house and vice-versa. Discuss the directions and how to follow them. Show the students street views so they can see their house. Once the students are fairly comfortable enough to navigate Google Maps on their own, break them into 4 groups. Assign each group an address to somewhere in the community from the school.
Examples:
Group #1 - Police Department
Group #2 - Library
Group #3 - Fire Station
Group #4 - Post Office
Each group will need to find the directions to their assigned address using Google Maps and write them down in paragraph form.
Optional Extension: Have students create a map (on paper) showing their route and writing their directions at the bottom of the page. With assistance, have them include North, East, South, and West indicators on their maps. Again with assistance or for extra credit, have them include a legend and keys for their map.