Please help me with my 1st grade social studies curriculum!

[sarah_bella1050]

We belong to a charter homeschool, it is a very relaxed one, but I still have to do thing like social studies even for my 1st grader. I do however get to design my own curriculum and don't have to use a single text book. This year I have in mind a study of the world and cultures, one country a month or more which I want to include geography, cooking, culture, government, art etc. Honestly I just feel like I am at a loss for resources. I started out September with America and all we have done is paint flags & do map puzzles (oh and I plan on buying the Barack Obama level 2 reader at B&N). Other then that I am so lost. I need more homeschooling resources! Please, please, please give me some links, suggestions or whatever you can. Thank you!

[shoefairy3]

oh oh oh Galloping the Globe sounds perfect for you. Now we haven't used it, but it is something we looked in to at one point in time
http://www.geomatters.com/products/details.asp?ID=75
You wouldnt even need to do it all since you are just wanting the Social Studies portion

[earthmama369]

These are the World Book standards for first grade.

Social Studies
* Holidays, traditions, and customs
* Our American Heritage
* Different cultures at different times
* Family, school, neighborhood, community
* Farm and zoo
* Neighborhood helpers
* Jobs and careers
* Social skills and responsibilities
* Basic geography terms
* Making and reading a simple neighborhood map

[elizawill]

with my daughter, we used galloping the globe & liked it a lot. with my son (in first grade this year), we are just beginning to use five in a row for science, history, geography, and art. it's our first week - but so far so good. we used it some last year too, but i kinda put it away and forgot about it. someone in a thread here mentioned it, so i brought it back out...perfect for grade 1!

[emilys_mom1]

http://www.littlepassports.com/

[kijip]

We have really enjoyed a few of the "If you lived..." books. There is one on the San Francisco Fire, Civil Rights Movement, Civil War, Covered Wagon westward bound etc. I think they are pretty balanced (for example the American Revolution one talks about what life was like for each the loyalists and the patriots vs. simply idealizing the patriots and it also highlights that at least of 1/3 of european americans living during the war were neither patriots or loyalists and it doesn't leave out the issue of slavery.) My son loves reading about what life was like for children in the period.

[AAK]

Originally Posted by emilys_mom1

http://www.littlepassports.com/

This is what we are trying this year. It looks like a lot of fun. Then we will expand by making food from the countries, going to museums, having Christmas around the world, etc.

Amy