Unit Plan 21 (Grade K Social Studies): Important People and Holidays
Important people and holidays that teach fairness, freedom, and helping others, while introducing children to leaders and helpers who keep communities safe.
Focus: Introduce children to important people and holidays that celebrate fairness, freedom, and helping others. Students learn that some leaders and helpers are remembered with special days, and that authority figures in our school and community keep us safe and help things run smoothly.
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • History • Inquiry)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students become “Celebration Detectives” who learn about important people and holidays. They explore simple stories and pictures of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. or community helpers, and connect them to ideas of fairness, freedom, and helping others. Students also learn that authority figures—both in history and in their own school—have jobs that keep people safe and cared for.
Essential Questions
- Who are some important people we remember and celebrate?
- Why do we have holidays for fairness, freedom, and helping others?
- Who are the leaders and helpers in our school and community, and what do they do?
- How can we show fairness, respect, and gratitude to these people?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Name at least one important person and one holiday we celebrate at school or in the community.
- State a simple reason why we remember or celebrate that person or holiday (fairness, freedom, helping others).
- Identify at least one authority figure or community helper (principal, nurse, police officer, librarian) and describe what they do.
- Match pictures of people to the holiday or role connected to them (e.g., MLK Jr. → MLK Day; firefighter → fire safety).
- Create a simple “Important Person or Holiday” page and explain why that person or holiday matters.
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (C3-based custom)
- K.C3.Hist.3 — Identify important people, holidays, and commemorations; state simple significance.
- K.C3.Civ.2 — Identify authority figures and community helpers; describe what they do.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name an important person or holiday.
- I can give one reason why we celebrate that person or holiday.
- I can point to and name a leader or helper and tell how they help us.
- I can share my picture page and say, “This person/holiday is important because __.”