Unit Plan 1 (PreK Social Studies): Building Our Classroom Community

Focus: Help children feel safe, known, and included in their new classroom community. Students learn classroom routines, practice kindness rules, and build habits of taking turns, sharing materials, and cleaning up together. Through stories, songs, and play, they begin asking simple “who/what/where/why” questions about classroom rules and helpers.

Grade Level: PreK

Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • Inquiry • Community)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 15–20 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this opening unit, children are welcomed as important members of a PreK classroom team. They explore what it feels like when a classroom is safe, fair, and kind, and they learn that rules and routines help everyone learn and play together. Through circle time, simple games, and guided practice, students begin to follow everyday routines—lining up, using materials, cleaning up, and using gentle hands and kind words.

Essential Questions

• How can we make our classroom a safe and happy place?
• Why do we have rules and routines at school?
• What does it look and sound like when we are kind, fair, and sharing?
• Who helps us at school, and how do we help each other?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Follow key classroom routines (lining up, sitting at circle, using centers, cleaning up) with visual and adult support.
2. Name or point to at least one classroom rule that keeps everyone safe or kind (e.g., “We use walking feet.”).
3. Practice taking turns and sharing materials during simple games and center time with adult modeling.
4. Show care and responsibility by helping clean up and treating classmates kindly.
5. Ask or answer simple “who/what/where/why” questions about classroom rules, people, and places.

Standards Alignment — PreK (C3-based custom)

• PK.C3.Civ.1 — Follow classroom routines and rules; understand that rules keep us safe, fair, and kind.
  • Example: Taking turns during centers or lining up safely for recess.
• PK.C3.Civ.5 — Show care and responsibility for the classroom community; help clean up, share materials, and treat others with respect.
  • Example: Returning blocks to the correct shelf after play.
• PK.C3.Inq.1 — Ask and answer simple questions about the world using “who/what/where/why” to learn about people and places.
  • Example: “Why do we have stop signs?” or “Who helps us in the cafeteria?”

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can follow our classroom rules with help from grown-ups and pictures.
• I can take turns and share toys or materials during play.
• I can help clean up our classroom when it’s time.
• I can ask or answer a simple question about our classroom (who, what, where, why).