Unit Plan

The People and Places Around Us

By  Tracey Roudez
  • Grades: 1–2

Overview

After studying all about themselves and their classmates, my students are ready to focus on a bigger picture — their homes and their neighborhoods!

Objective

Students will:
  1. Understand that there are many different kinds of habitats for humans, animals, and things
  2. Illustrate the interior and exterior views of their homes
  3. Use their senses to describe the environment around their school neighborhood
  4. Create a map key and block map of their school neighborhood

Lesson Plans for this Unit

Culminating Activity

  1. Using your block area, ask students to create a representation of your school neighborhood using blocks. Set up student committees responsible for making signs, buildings, transportation, and people. Build in the "Neighborhood" as part of one of your centers, allowing small groups to build, rebuild, and add to the structure.
  2. Create a large block mural that represents your school neighborhood. Cut out felt shapes of stores and items that are in your school neighborhood. Indicate important buildings, businesses, street names, and the school. Have students work together in small groups to write one or two facts that they learned about their school neighborhood.

Supporting Books

Books for Teaching About Our Homes and Neighborhoods

  • Everything You Need:
    Community: Everything You Need
  • Subjects:
    Social Studies, Cooperation and Teamwork, Arts and Creativity, Habitats and Ecosystems, Early Science, Real-World Science, Science Experiments and Projects, Five Senses, Homes and Housing, Neighborhood Life, Maps and Globes
  • Skills:
    Maps
  • Duration:
    2 Weeks
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