Social Studies - 1st Grade (2024)
Lesson Plans

Strand 2: Geography

Students will use geographic tools and map skills to explore the ways geography, climate, and natural resources affect the way people live and work.

Compelling Questions:

• How does food that does not grow in our state end up in our lunchroom and homes?
• Which geographic features are made by humans, and which are natural?
• What are some of the reasons people or animals move from place to place?
• How do geography, climate, and natural resources affect the way people live and work (for example, crops that can be grown in Utah and why they can be grown there)?

Standard 1.2.3

Use maps and globes to locate their local community, Utah, the United States, the seven continents, and the five oceans (that is, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America; Antarctic [Southern] Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean).

• 1st Grade - Act. 25: Making Maps
  Students will create a map of their classroom that can be used to find a hidden treasure. The concept of two-dimensional objects and three-dimensional objects will be explored during this activity.
• 1st Grade - Act. 26: Going Places
  During this activity students will become familiar with a variety of directional words such as North, South, East, West, up, down, etc.
• 1st Grade Lesson Ideas: Code & Go Mouse
  This is a list of potential ideas based off a specific technology. None of these ideas are fully developed lessons. Please make changes and adaptations as necessary for the students in your class.
• Around the World
  Students will play continent and ocean games to learn more about maps, globes and the world.
• Cultural Lit. 4: Learning to Read a Map
  Students will be able to identify the map and globe symbols: Cardinal Directions; Compass Rose; Mountains; Rivers; Lakes; Towns; Roads, after receiving direct instruction and carrying out activities in cooperative group settings, in 1-2 class periods.
• Cultural Lit. 6: Learning to Read a Regional Map
  Students will be able to locate the local community, surrounding communities and major geographic features of the SE Utah and the Four-Corners region on a map, after receiving direct instruction and carrying out activities in cooperative group settings.
• Delightful Directions
  Students will play a variety of games and activities to understand Cardinal directions.
• Ticky Goes to Jr. Map School
  Students will become familiar with the compass rose and North - East - South - West.
• Ticky Plans His Trip to Antarctica to See Tacky
  Students participate in a Creative Problem Solving Activity to get from Utah to the Atlantic Ocean.
• Where in the World is Tacky the Penguin?
  Students will complete an art activity and a classroom graph that ties with the "Tacky the Penguin Series" by Helen Leste.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Robert  Austin and see the Social Studies website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.