Our Curriculum › History & Social Studies › Kindergarten
History K
A year of introductory history and geography for kindergartners: the seven continents, American symbols and landmarks, the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims, famous Americans, voting, community jobs and life long ago, with songs and many review games.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
8 units
Each opens to its lessons
7 continents, 2 passes
Overview first, then a deeper visit each
Standards
Core Knowledge Kindergarten history & geography
What's taught, unit by unit
Our world and our countryDays 1–10
What history is, the seven continents, your town, state and country, reading a simple map, and the American flag, Statue of Liberty, White House and Mount Rushmore.
- 1 · Welcome to History and Social Studies!
- 2 · Our Big World: The Seven Continents
- 3 · Continents Song and Practice
- 4 · My Town, My State, My Country
- 5 · Reading a Simple Map
- 6 · Our American Flag
- 7 · The Statue of Liberty
- 8 · The White House
- 9 · Mount Rushmore
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
The Wampanoag, Columbus and early presidentsDays 11–25
The Wampanoag people (homes, Three Sisters crops, clothing, tools, stories), George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and today's president.
- 11 · The Wampanoag People
- 12 · Wampanoag Homes: The Wetu
- 13 · Wampanoag Food: The Three Sisters
- 14 · Wampanoag Clothing
- 15 · Wampanoag Tools and Daily Life
- 16 · Wampanoag Stories and Traditions
- 17 · George Washington: Our First President
- 18 · Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration
- 19 · Washington and Jefferson: Two Early Leaders
- 21 · Christopher Columbus Sails the Ocean
- 22 · What Columbus’s Voyage Means
- 23 · Abraham Lincoln, a President Who Helped
- 24 · Theodore Roosevelt and the National Parks
- 25 · Our Country’s President Today
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
Maps, symbols, then and nowDays 26–50
Children's songs with simple art lessons, map directions and map keys, the bald eagle and Liberty Bell, then-and-now comparisons of travel, communication and food, firefighters, doctors, teachers and mail carriers; reviews from day 47.
- 26 · Singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
- 27 · Singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat + Colors
- 28 · The Hokey Pokey + Lines in Art
- 29 · Singing Bingo + Review of Colors and Lines
- 31 · Following a Map: Go to the Tree, Then Turn
- 32 · What Is a Map Key?
- 33 · Make Your Own Map with a Key
- 34 · The Bald Eagle, Our National Bird
- 35 · The Liberty Bell
- 36 · Singing Old MacDonald Had a Farm + Shapes in Art
- 37 · The Wheels on the Bus + Loud and Soft Sounds
- 38 · Singing This Land Is Your Land
- 41 · Long Ago and Today: How People Traveled
- 42 · Long Ago and Today: How People Talked to Each Other
- 43 · Long Ago and Today: How People Got Food
- 44 · Long Ago and Today: Putting It All Together
- 45 · Community Helpers: Firefighters and Doctors
- 46 · Community Helpers: Teachers and Mail Carriers
- 47 · Big Review: Our World and Our Country
- 48 · Big Review: The Wampanoag and Our Historical Figures
- 49 · Big Review: Songs and Long Ago and Today
- 50 · Fifty Days Together: Our Big Celebration Review
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Voting, landmarks and families long agoDays 51–80
Voting as a fair way to choose, songs, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Golden Gate Bridge and Great Lakes, family history and a family tree, greetings, games and foods around the world, more community helpers, and reviews.
- 51 · What Is Voting?
- 52 · Everyone Gets a Say
- 53 · Our Family’s Big Vote
- 54 · Song: The Itsy Bitsy Spider
- 55 · Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb
- 56 · Song: You Are My Sunshine
- 57 · Song Celebration: Fast and Slow
- 60 · Sixty Days Together: Big Review
- 61 · The Grand Canyon
- 62 · Niagara Falls
- 63 · The Golden Gate Bridge
- 64 · The Great Lakes
- 65 · Talking with Grandma and Grandpa About Long Ago
- 66 · What Is a Family Tree?
- 67 · My Family, Long Ago and Today
- 68 · Community Helper: Police Officer
- 69 · Community Helper: Farmer
- 71 · Saying Hello Around the World
- 72 · Games Children Play Around the World
- 73 · Foods Families Share Around the World
- 74 · The Librarian
- 75 · The Veterinarian
- 76 · Jobs in My Family
- 80 · 80 Days of History: A Big Celebration Review
Plus 6 review days, not listed.
Famous Americans and the PilgrimsDays 81–100
Betsy Ross, Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart, Veterans Day, traditions, then the Mayflower, the Pilgrims' hard first winter, the Wampanoag helping them, the first Thanksgiving harvest and gratitude; with halfway and 100-day reviews.
- 81 · Betsy Ross and the Flag
- 82 · Neil Armstrong: A Long-Ago Astronaut
- 83 · Amelia Earhart: A Brave Pilot
- 84 · Veterans Day: Thanking Those Who Served
- 85 · Traditions That Bring Us Together
- 86 · Halfway Review: Geography and Symbols
- 87 · Halfway Review: People and Figures
- 88 · Halfway Review: Songs and Culture
- 89 · Halfway Review: Landmarks and Community
- 90 · 90 Days of History: A Big Celebration
- 91 · The Mayflower: A Long Voyage Across the Ocean
- 92 · A Hard First Winter
- 93 · The Wampanoag Help the Pilgrims
- 94 · The First Thanksgiving Harvest
- 95 · Saying What We Are Thankful For
- 96 · A Thank-You Book of Our Own
- 100 · 100 Days of History K!
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
School long ago, the continents in depth and reviewsDays 101–130
Two more songs, one-room schools versus today, trivia and matching games, then a closer visit to South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Antarctica and the Arctic, a map project, and review games on heroes.
- 101 · “Yankee Doodle” and the Idea of Tempo
- 102 · “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain” and Pitch
- 103 · Practice Day: Songs and Music Words So Far
- 104 · School Long Ago: One Room, One Teacher
- 105 · School Long Ago vs. School Today
- 106 · Practice Day: Then and Now at School
- 107 · History Trivia Game!
- 108 · Match the Picture to the Fact!
- 109 · Which Came First? A History Line-Up
- 110 · 110 Days of History K: The Big Review!
- 111 · South America: The Amazing Amazon Rainforest
- 112 · Africa: The Sandy Sahara and Grassy Savanna
- 113 · Asia: The Great Wall and Giant Pandas
- 114 · Australia: Kangaroos and the Great Barrier Reef
- 115 · Antarctica: The Icy Home of the Penguin
- 116 · The Arctic: The Icy Home of the Polar Bear
- 117 · History Trivia Game: All Seven Continents!
- 118 · Match the Picture to the Fact: World Places Review
- 119 · Which Continent Am I? A Guessing Game
- 120 · 120 Days of History K! The Big Review
- 121 · My Map of Learning, Part 1: Drawing the Seven Continents
- 122 · My Map of Learning, Part 2: One Thing I Remember
- 123 · My Map of Learning, Part 3: Finishing Touches and Show-and-Tell
- 124 · Which Hero Am I? Washington and Jefferson
- 125 · Which Hero Am I? Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt
- 126 · Which Hero Am I? Betsy Ross and Neil Armstrong
- 127 · Big Review, Part 1: People and Places
- 128 · Big Review, Part 2: Symbols and Celebrations
- 129 · Big Review, Part 3: Around the World
- 130 · Day 130: Heading Into the Final Stretch!
Jobs, imaginary trips, thank-yous and gamesDays 131–160
Builders and teachers, imaginary trips to the Amazon, Sahara and Great Wall, detective-style reviews, New Year, birthdays and harvest festivals, thank-you letters, charades and sorting games, packing for Australia and the poles, class votes, and the first yearbook pages.
- 131 · Jobs That Build Things
- 132 · Jobs That Help Us Learn and Grow
- 133 · Jobs Review: All the Helpers We Know
- 134 · If I Could Travel: The Amazon Rainforest
- 135 · If I Could Travel: The Sahara Desert and Savanna
- 136 · If I Could Travel: The Great Wall of China
- 137 · History Detective: Case One, Places on Earth
- 138 · History Detective: Case Two, People from the Past
- 139 · History Detective: Case Three, Jobs and Symbols
- 140 · History Detective: The Final Case, 140 Days Solved!
- 141 · New Year, New Start
- 142 · Everyone Celebrates Birthdays Differently
- 143 · Harvest Festivals Around the World
- 144 · A Thank-You Letter to George Washington
- 145 · A Thank-You Letter to Squanto
- 146 · A Thank-You Letter to Amelia Earhart
- 147 · History Charades
- 148 · History Sort
- 149 · True or False: History Time
- 150 · 150 Days of History: Grand Practice Day
- 151 · Packing for Australia: Kangaroos and the Great Barrier Reef
- 152 · Two Icy Places: Packing for Antarctica and the Arctic
- 153 · Stamps in My Pretend Passport
- 154 · Vote for the Class Pet’s Name
- 155 · Family Movie Night: A Fresh Vote
- 156 · Start Your Kindergarten History Yearbook: My Favorite Place
- 157 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Person
- 158 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Symbol
- 159 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Song
- 160 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Celebration
History yearbook, final review & field dayDays 161–180
A bound yearbook with a page each on favorite person, place, symbol, song, landmark, job, voting and family history, followed by four review days, a two-day review field day, a reflection and a completion celebration.
- 161 · My History Yearbook: The Wampanoag
- 162 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Landmark
- 163 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Job
- 164 · My History Yearbook: My Favorite Continent
- 165 · My History Yearbook: How We Vote
- 166 · My History Yearbook: My Family, Long Ago and Today
- 167 · Yearbook Review: Flipping Through Eleven Pages
- 168 · History Practice: People, Symbols, and Places
- 169 · History Practice: Celebrations, Jobs, and Voting
- 170 · 170 Days of History: Getting Ready to Bind
- 171 · My Yearbook Cover: A Picture of the Historian
- 172 · Binding Day: Sharing My Yearbook With Family
- 173 · Final Review, Part 1: Our World and Our Country’s Symbols
- 174 · Final Review, Part 2: The Wampanoag, Columbus, and the Pilgrims
- 175 · Final Review, Part 3: Historical Figures I Have Learned
- 176 · Final Review, Part 4: Jobs, Voting, Celebrations, and World Travel
- 177 · History K Field Day, Part 1: Games and Challenges
- 178 · History K Field Day, Part 2: The Grand Challenge
- 179 · Looking Back: My History K Reflection
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed History K!
By the end of the year, your child can
- Name the seven continents and find them on a map or globe
- Recognize American symbols and landmarks such as the flag, Statue of Liberty and Liberty Bell
- Tell simple stories about the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving
- Say who George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were
- Explain that voting is a fair way for a group to choose
- Compare life long ago with life today, such as school, travel and food
Other Kindergarten subjects: Math K · Reading K · Writing K · Science K