First Grade

A Child-Led, Natural Learning Curriculum

by Leah McDermott, M.Ed. © 2017

MYWORLD
 INTRODUCTION
Welcome t o Your Nat ural Learner Overall Focus
First Grade - My World! Geography and People Around the World

In this theme, your child will discover how they fit Int ent ion
into the big world around them!
As your child is becoming more aware of their
How t o Use This Theme surroundings and realizing that there is a much
bigger world around them, it is a great time to
The theme is divided into sections to make it easy
learn about the world, the people in it, what it is
for you to pull the activities that you want to focus
made of, and where your child belongs in it! The
on each day/week. Try to vary the subject areas
intention of the "My World" theme is to help your
you pull from, though you'll notice that many of
child discover both abstract ideas like culture and
the activities are cross-curricular and touch on a
people around the world and concrete ideas like
variety of subject areas within a singular activity
map reading skills and coin counting. Your child
(notice the guide below). Each activity also has
will discover more about themselves as they learn
suggestions for which books to pair it with and
about others and the world around them.
which other activities in the theme it goes well
with. Keep in mind that these are merely Not e t o Parent s
suggestions - feel free to flow through this theme
This theme contains similar intentions to others in
as your child is interested in a particular area and
the First Grade Curriculum, particularly "My
as it suits your schedule and needs.
Neighborhood" and "My Family." Feel free to use
Subject Area Guide these several themes interchangeably as you talk
about culture, travel, and history!
Look for these symbols on each activity page to let
you know which subject areas your child will be Key Learning
learning about while doing the activity!
My world is a big and beautiful place made up of

= Literacy = Social so many different and unique places and people.

Connections Just like everyone else in the world, I have a
unique place where I belong.

= Math = Art and Focus Words

Expression
map, map key, landform, erosion, weathering,
people, continents, world
= Science = Nature

M Y WORLD THEM E 1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Use t his t able of cont ent s t o quickly find t he
act ivit y or sect ion t hat you're searching for.

If you are viewing thisdigitally, you can click the CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS INTRO.....14
activity or section and it will take you directly
My Initial Island.....15
there!
Edible Country.....16

Painted Flag Rocks.....17

INTRODUCTION.....1
Playdough Continents.....18

RECOMMENDED READING.....3

LITERACY SKILLS FOCUS.....4

NATURE ADVENTURES INTRO.....19

Find a Pirate Treasure.....20

Go Geocaching.....21
MATH EXPLORATIONS INTRO.....5
Explore a Landform.....22
Geometry Map....6
1
Money, Money, Money....7

Make an Apple Pie and See the World.....8

Traveling Through Time Zones.....9

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS INTRO.....23

Where Do I Belong?.....24

GPS in My Neighborhood.....25
SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS INTRO.....10
Cultural Foods Taste Test.....26
How Does the Earth Change?.....11

Build Landforms.....12
EXTRA RESOURCES.....27
How are Mountains Made?.....13

M Y WORLD THEM E 2
RECOM M ENDED READING
This is a list of suggested books for this topic. They are not necessary for the activities and anything
you can find similar to this list will be a great supplement/addition should you have trouble finding
these texts. These are simply ideas to help support your ?My World?learning journey! Pick them up
at your local library, bookstore, or order through an online retailer like Amazon.com. In this list you
will find a variety of levels of text, allowing for a balance of read-alouds, read togethers, and
independent readers. All are important for a meaningful literacy experience.

Asthe Crow Fliesby Gail Hartman

Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney
Follow That Map: A First Book of Mapping Skillsby Scot Ritchie
If you Lived Here: Houses Around the World by Giles Laroche
Mapping Penny?sWorld by Loreen Leedy
The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World by Lonely
Planet Kids
1
Swift Walker: A Continental Journey by Verlyn Tarlton
Children Around the World by Donata Montanari
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
Somewhere In the World Right Now by Stacey Shuett

People by Peter Spier

How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty
Looking at Landformsby Ellen Mitten
Map Keysby Rebecca Olien
An Island Grows by Lola Schaefer

M Y WORLD THEM E 3
 LITERACY SKILLS FOCUS

Import ant First Grade Skill:

Underst anding St ory St ruct ure wit h St ory Mapping

Your child has spent the early years of their lives listening to you and others read to them, so most
likely they have a good grasp of what story structure in fiction texts looks like, and first grade is the
perfect time to help them put the proper vocabulary to what they already know and have a good
understanding of.

Since you are spending this theme learning about the world, geography, and maps, what better
time to create a story map for your literacy skill focus!? If your child is a very visual learner, you can
draw this out on paper, but you can just as easily talk about it as you read without anything formal.
1
The important elements of story structure that your first grader needs to know are Charact ers
(who is in the story?), Set t ing (where is this story happening?), and retelling the Sequence (What
happened at the beginning of the story? Middle?End?). A more advanced or older learner will be
able to identify a Problem and Solut ion in a story and the overall Lesson or moral of the story.

While you are reading fiction texts with your child, ask them to identify these important parts of
the story. If you feel at the end of first grade that your child is still struggling with some of these
concepts, try some more visual methods of showing them - models for the characters, drawing
pictures or pointing on a map the location, etc.

M Y WORLD THEM E 4
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS

W hy Learn Mat h t his Way?

Children are best able to learn complex mathematics concepts when they can practice them in
real-life situations. While it may seem impressive for a child to complete a page full of addition
problems while a timer counts down, in reality, this common "drill and kill" practice is generally not
creating meaningful learning that your child will remember. Most importantly, they are rarely able
to apply this knowledge to real life situations (which is the whole point we learn something
anyway!). For learning to happen in a meaningful way that can be applied across a variety of
situations, the new information and skills should be taught through a real-life situation.

W hat is t he Mat h Focus in t he "My World Theme?

In the "My World" Theme, your child will explore a variety of topics related to studying geography
and beyond. Map skills require a great amount of mathematic knowledge and ability, using spatial
reasoning, and understanding time and space. They will practice geometry, coin counting, and more.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

Your first grader should be able to memorize the denominations of your coins and recognize the
names of them by the end of first grade. Simple addition and subtraction with coin counting is a skill
most first graders can pick up on easily, but it is not abnormal for it to be a struggle. Your first grader
should be able to identify most shapes and their names/characteristics, even the challenging ones
by the middle of the first grade year.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

Map skills practice is a fantastic way to start a dialogue and determine what your child is learning
and what they have retained. By having your child create their own maps and follow others, they
are using spatial reasoning skills that will be very beneficial when they begin to learn more
advanced math techniques.

M Y WORLD THEM E 5
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Geomet ry Map

Key Learning: By first grade, your child has a good understanding of the basic shapes and should be
able to recognize some of the more difficult and challenging ones. This fun activity will help your
child practice these shape names and how they fit together.

Need: variety of shape cutouts from different construction Suggest ed Reading:

paper colors, large piece of posterboard (if you can find the
kind that has 1?squares already drawn on it like a grid, even
Asthe Crow Fliesby Gail
better!), glue
Hartman
Direct ions: Cut out the shapes in advance or have your child
help you cut them out. Make sure to include a mix of both Me on the Map by Joan
familiar and challenging shapes like squares, rectangles,
Sweeney
triangles, circles, ovals, rhombuses, diamonds, pentagons,
hexagons, etc. Challenge your child to use the shapes to
create a map of something they are familiar with - maybe the
neighborhood, the downtown of your city, their house, their
bedroom, Grandma?s house, anything goes - using all of the
various shapes. Ask your child to name the shapes
periodically as they are using them. When finished, have your child explain what they have created
and walk you through the map.

Ext ension idea: Have your child practice writing skills by labeling their map.

M Y WORLD THEM E 6
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Money, Money, Money

Key Learning: First grade is a great time to introduce money skills to your child if you haven?t
already. Learning the names and denominations of your country?s money is an important skill, as it
builds a solid foundation for healthy spending and budgeting habits. This is a fun theme to
introduce and practice money counting because you can compare coins and bills from all around
the world!
Suggest ed Reading:
Need: a handful of coins (make sure there is an example of all
of your coin denominations), some bills, craft or popsicle
The Travel Book: A
sticks, marker
Journey Through Every
Direct ions: If you haven?t spent much time talking about
money yet, you?ll want to start very simple with this activity Country in the World by
and come back to it a few times as you practice more. Help Lonely Planet Kids
your child recognize the names and denominations of the
coins you use in your country and some of the bills you use as Children Around the
well. Explain that around the world, different countries and World by Donata
regions use different types of money that is all worth
Montanari
different amounts of money. Do some research online to find
images of money that other countries use to compare to
yours. Practice counting different combinations of coins together, starting simple with coins that
are of 1 or 10 value, and slowly make it more challenging using other denominations. To turn
money counting into a fun and challenging game, write a variety of totals on a handful of craft
sticks, put them in a jar or hold them in your hand, and have your child choose one. Have them use
the coins to create the total amount on the stick. Is there more than one way they can make the
amount? As your child gets better, have races with others where two players grab a stick and race
to make their amount.

Ext ension idea: If you live somewhere with a money exchange, take some money and exchange it
into a variety of different denominations for your child to explore what the money around the
world looks like! Even better - if you have a coin collector in your family, reach out to them to show
off their collection!

M Y WORLD THEM E 7
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Make an Apple Pie and See t he World!

Key Learning: This activity is based off of the phenomenal book How to Make an Apple Pie and See
the World by Marjorie Priceman. In this activity, your child will practice baking and cooking skills,
reading a recipe, and identifying where in the world the various ingredients come from to put
together a delicious apple pie.

Need: apple pie recipe, ingredients for the apple pie, book (if Suggest ed Reading:
you can find it easily), world map

Direct ions: If you can find this book at your local library or How to Make an Apple
buy it somewhere, that would be amazing, but you don't have
Pie and See the World by
to have the book to complete this activity. Do a quick search
online for the book before beginning the activity (if you don't Marjorie Priceman
have the book )to find out where the various ingredients
originate. Work with your child to read the recipe and bake
The Travel Book: A
the apple pie together. With each ingredient, show your child Journey Through Every
on the map where that ingredient comes from. Did it have to Country in the World by
travel far to reach your home? Practice measuring and using
fractions if included in the recipe. There are so many things
Lonely Planet Kids
related to math to talk about and learn when you are cooking
together in the kitchen! Embrace it!

Ext ension idea: Enjoy the apple pie with friends and family and have your child share what they can
remember about where around the world the various ingredients came from.

M Y WORLD THEM E 8
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Traveling Through Time Zones

Key Learning: As your child discovers how big the world is, an important thing to learn is that it is
not the same time all over the world!

Need: several analog clocks (get these cheap from Ikea or other box store), or make some with
paper plates and hands and brads that you can manually
adjust Suggest ed Reading:
Direct ions: Ask your child what time it is right now. (Note:
this activity will pair nicely with the ?My Time?theme!)
Somewhere In the World
Explain that if the sun is shining on your side of the world
Right Now by Stacey
right now, that means that the other side of the world is not
Shuett
facing the sun, so it is nighttime in other places. It?s cool to
know that there are 24 hours in a day and there are 24 ?time Children Around the
zones?on the planet, so that it is always a different time World by Donata
somewhere else around the world! Have your child identify Montanari
on a map a few places where they have friends/family that
live in other time zones or simply choose places of interest.
1 locations and set a
Look up the current time for each of these
clock to that local time. Stand or hang the clocks in a row and
have your child help you label them. Practice telling time,
discovering how far ahead or behind another time zone is from yours, and identify the time zones
represented by your clocks on a map. Leave these clocks up throughout the duration of this theme
to encourage ongoing practice and learning.

Ext ension idea: If you have a friend or family member that lives somewhere else in the world, set
up a Skype date with this person so that your child can see firsthand the different time that it is
elsewhere in the world. Are they eating breakfast while you?re eating dinner? Are they getting
ready for bed right when you?re getting up? Is it dark there while it?s light at your house?

M Y WORLD THEM E 9
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS

W hy Learn Science t his Way?

Hands-on learning is the best way to understand science concepts. When a child is able to
deconstruct or take something apart, it helps them to see how it fits together in the first place. This
is true in nature learning, and it is true in almost all science concepts.

W hat is t he Science Focus in t he "My World" Theme?

In this theme, your child will spend time looking at how the Earth is put together, how various
elements work together, and what happens when things like erosion and weathering make
changes to the Earth. Depending on your child's interests throughout this theme, you can spend
more time discovering how humans impact the Earth through pollution, forestry, development,
etc.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

1 natural for your first grader to have a very small
The world is a very big place, so it is perfectly
worldview, isolated almost entirely to their neighborhood. Until now, unless your family travels
frequently, most of what your child has seen and done every day has been very focused on
themselves and looking only at their immediate surroundings. Now that they are moving out of
that stage and into a developmental stage where they are aware of a bigger world around them,
they are more ready to learn about geography, other cultures, and things like map skills. Your child
should be able to understand the basic principles behind how erosion happens and should be able
to recognize and explain the details of a handful of landforms - particularly those that exist near
where they live.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

With the science experiments in this theme, your child's hands-on practice and discussion about
what they see happening each step of the way is all the assessment that you need to know that
they are understanding the information.

M Y WORLD THEM E 10
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
How Does t he Eart h Change?

Key Learning: Your child has been spending time in this theme learning about landforms and the
way the world is pieced together in a unique design. It?s hard for a young child to imagine that the
Earth can change, but indeed it does! This activity will show your child how weathering and erosion
affect the

Need: 2 containers to hold materials (about 2?thick), dirt, loose

Suggest ed Reading:
plant material like grass clippings, leaves, moss, etc., straw,
stick, container of water
Looking at Landformsby
Direct ions: Outside, have your child create a similar landforms
in the containers by piling dirt along one short edge. Pack it Ellen Mitten
tightly so it stays in place. In one of the containers, have your
How to Dig a Hole to the
child pile plant like materials in front of the dirt landform.
Explain that this represents the plant life that typically forms Other Side of the World
naturally on landforms like mountains. The landform without by Faith McNulty
the plants represent a mountain that has had the plant life
destroyed - either naturally like from a fire or because of a
man-made cause like the trees have been cut down for lumber.
Explain that there are two ways that landforms change over
time - weathering and erosion. To demonstrate weathering,
have your child gently blow through the straw on the dirt pile landforms on both containers. This
represents winds blowing over the landforms. What happened? Maybe a few particles moved
around, but it would take a long time and a lot of wind to make a huge difference. Did the plants
make a difference in how much dirt moved? Next, have your child use a stick to poke at the
landforms in patterns. Explain that this is like animals walking across a path over time, weathering
the rock. What changed? Finally, have your child pour some water onto the landform to mimic heavy
rains and floods. Explain that this is weathering when it breaks it up, and erosion when it moves the
elements to another location. What happened to the landforms? Did they break apart or move? Did
the one with plants help to hold the landform in place more than the other? What do you know how
about how erosion and weathering effects landforms over time, and how does plant life help to keep
landforms intact against weathering and erosion?

Ext ension idea: Brainstorm some other events and situations that might cause damage to a
landform, either rapidly or over time. How can you mimic these events in your trays to visualize?

M Y WORLD THEM E 11
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
Build Landforms

Key Learning: Depending on where you live, you likely are unable to see every time of landform
that your child will be learning about in this theme. To get a good visual of what these landforms
look like, build models of them!

Need: air dry clay, something firm to build on like stiff

cardboard, paint, photos/examples of various landforms Suggest ed Reading:
Direct ions: Read through a landform book or look over some
pictures of different landforms and challenge your child to Looking at Landformsby
build models of a few of their favorites using clay to
Ellen Mitten
demonstrate what they look like. If you work together,
challenge yourselves to make models of all of the landforms! An Island Growsby Lola
Let them dry for the allotted time (likely a few days) and paint
Schaefer
them. Create labels for the landforms (if your child is willing,
have them create them to practice writing). Use these models
to decorate your activity shelves or learning area for the
remainder of this theme to reference in reading and other
learning activities. 1
Ext ension idea: Ask your child to write or dictate something
that they know about each landform and write on an index card or small piece of paper to attach to
the base of the different landforms. This encourages both writing skills and retelling information -
an important literacy skill.

M Y WORLD THEM E 12
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
How are Mount ains Made?

Key Learning: Obviously understanding plate tectonics is going to be a bit beyond what your first
grader is ready to learn, but that doesn?t mean that they can?get a hands-on visual of how mountains
are created!

Need: two graham crackers, whipped cream, plate, bowl of

water Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: Ask your child if they know how mountains are
formed. Believe it or not, they haven?t always been there - An Island Growsby Lola
they?re created over time by changes in the Earth! Let your
Schaefer
child know that you are going to let them see first hand how
this happens. First, spread a layer of whipped cream on the
plate - this is the movable ground. Next, dip each of your
graham cracks in the bowl of water, just one side and only for a
second or two, as you don?t want it to get too mushy. Place the
two crackers side by side on the whipped cream, wet sides
facing each other. Explain to your child that when the Earth?s
1
crust shifts or moves because of something like an earthquake
or volcanic eruption, it causes parts of the Earth to separate
(creating things like canyons) and other parts of the Earth to smash together. Have your child slowly
push the two graham crackers together and notice that the graham crackers bend and shift to create
a mountain shape. This is exactly what happens to create real-life mountains!

M Y WORLD THEM E 13
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS

W hy Creat e t his Way?

As your child moves into first grade and beyond, it is critical that you continue to give them every
opportunity to express themselves creatively. This helps them to develop problem solving skills, be
inventive and creative, and claim their self-expression as an important part of who they are. It is
especially important for learners who do not enjoy, or struggle with, writing their thoughts, as being
able to create helps them share their knowledge and thoughts through a different medium.

W hat is t he Creat ive Focus in t he "My World" Theme?

This theme allows for a wide variety of creative expression as your child creates their own maps,
explores the globe and its countries through a variety of mediums, and even has some fun sensory
food play with landform creation. Since your child hasn't seen most of the world up close and
personal, being able to explore with their hands is a great way to make the big abstract thoughts
seem more real.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

Art and creative expression is completely personal to the individual child. If you see interest in a
particular area, allow space for your child to explore and research with them.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

The beauty of creative expression is that anything a child puts time and effort into shows that they
are learning and applying that knowledge. You can ask your child to share with you about what they
have created, but don't pressure them. For many children, the work shows their knowledge and
putting it into words is the challenge.

M Y WORLD THEM E 14
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
My Init ial Island

Key Learning: Have your child envision and create an island in the shape of their first name initial.
This creative project will allow your child to showcase what they?ve learned in this theme about
maps, landforms, and the physical world around them, and will help you assess what they have
learned in the process.

Need: depends on the chosen method of creation Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: Leave this open-ended for your child to create as

they prefer. This can be 3-D, drawn, painted, made on a An Island Growsby Lola
computer program, etc. Simply challenge your child to create
Schaefer
an island the shape of their initial that shows all of their
favorite things, and give them materials needed to create as If You Lived Here:
they wish!
Houses Around the
Ext ension idea: If your child enjoyed this activity, have them
World by Giles Laroche
create Initial Islands for other members of the family! It can be
a lot of fun to see what your child views as your favorite things!

M Y WORLD THEM E 15
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Edible Count ry

Key Learning: As your child learns about your individual country or region, creating an edible
version of your country is a great way to practice learning it?s various landforms and features!

Need: large tortilla, food safe marker/pen, variety of food objects to create with (examples:
marshmallows, peanut butter, spaghetti noodles, berries,
grapes, nuts, cereal, etc.), plate or tray to build on, paper and Suggest ed Reading:
markers to create a map key

Direct ions: Invite your child to create an edible version of your Swift Walker: A
country by using food to showcase its landforms and features. Continental Journey by
Start by having your child draw the shape of your country on Verlyn Tarlton
the tortilla with the food-safe pen (if your country has
Me on the Map by Joan
challenging boundary lines, you can print and cut out a
template to trace). Now have your child decorate the country Sweeney
with food landforms and prominent features. If it would help,
have your child look at some satellite photos or images in their
books to determine what they?re going to place where. When
1
they?re finished, have your child create a map key to designate
what the different food elements represent.

Ext ension idea: Do you have friends or family that live in another country? Have your child talk with
them and/or learn about their country?s landforms and features to create another edible country.

M Y WORLD THEM E 16
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Paint ed Flag Rocks

Key Learning: One of the most creatively enticing parts of learning about all of the countries around
the world is looking at their unique flags! Have fun exploring the flags of your country, nearby
countries, favorite countries, or heck - all of the countries!

Need: rocks, acrylic paint in colors of the flags you plan on

painting, paintbrushes, flag pictures Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: Show your child your country?s flag and ask them
to describe what they see. Do some research together or share Children Around the
with your child the story behind your country?s flag, what it
World by Donata
means and represents, and any other important details about
how it came to represent your country. Explain that a country?s Montanari
flag is a symbol of pride, and that it represents all of the people
Somewhere In the World
of the country, including you! Paint your flag on one of the
rocks. Now, look through the list of flags together and have Right Now by Stacey
your child point out their favorites, talk about the countries Shuett
close to your or where you have friends/family. Have fun
1
painting the flags on rocks. These make great loose parts
pieces when finished.

Ext ension idea: Just like you researched the history behind your country?s flag, do some more
reading about another country?s flag history and compare. Are there any similarities?

M Y WORLD THEM E 17
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Playdough Cont inent s

Key Learning: With only seven continents to learn, it is a great place for children to start with
recognition by shape. Learning the continents by shape and name will help with their world map
skills.

Need: playdough, shaping tools, world map or pictures of individual continents

Direct ions: Show your child the seven continents on the planet Suggest ed Reading:
- Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South
America, and Antarctica. Have your child point them out on a
Swift Walker: A
world map. Which continent do you live on? Have you visited
Continental Journey by
any others?Invite your child to explore making the outlines of
Verlyn Tarlton
the continents with playdough, using whichever tools they
might need. Once they?ve all been made, have your child Me on the Map by Joan
identify what they are and compare them to the world map Sweeney
again.

Ext ension idea: if your child is enjoying this activity, you can
continue the discovery by making the shape of your state or
province, creating maps, or more.
1
Note: My favorite homemade playdough recipe is this:

Ingredients:

- 1 cup flour
- 1/3 cup salt
- 2 teaspoonscream of tartar
- slightly lessthan 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- Optional: essential oils, coloring

Directions: In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add any essential oils or coloring to the oil, then add to dry
ingredients, stir briefly. Add water, carefully so asnot to splash. Mix well, dough will begin to form. Turn
out onto lightly floured surface and knead until it's no longer sticky. Dough will keep for 2-3 weeksin an
airtight container.

M Y WORLD THEM E 18
 NATURE ADVENTURES

W hy Learn W it h Nat ure?

If you and your child learned together through the Pre-K/Kindergarten Your Natural Learner
Curriculum, then you know that the benefits of learning through and exploring in nature are
innumerable for your child! Every plane of development grows in leaps and bounds when your child
is able to use nature to help them learn - social, emotional, physical, academic, mental, and beyond.

W hat is t he Nat ure Focus in t he "My World? Theme?

This theme is quite nature-focused in general as it looks at geography, landforms, etc. The nature
focus in your "My World" learning journey should be to spend as much time as you can outdoors,
exploring landmarks and landforms, learning about how maps start with being aware of your
surroundings, and looking for the small "treasures" that are always outdoors waiting to be found!
1
W hat Should My First Grader Know?
Very simple map skills should be understood easily by your first grader, but recognizing and
remembering directional words like North, South, East, and West may still be challenging. Let your
child lead with this theme as much as possible, especially in nature!

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

When you're outdoors, if your child is moving or exploring, they are learning! Discussion is
obviously a great way to assess what your child is thinking, but be aware of the quiet moments too.
If your child is focused and thinking or exploring, allow them to have that space without
bombarding them with questions. Learn to appreciate the calm, quiet learning moments as much as
the ones filled with discussion.

M Y WORLD THEM E 19
 NATURE ADVENTURES
Find a Pirat e Treasure

Key Learning: Being able to read a map is a great skill for young children to learn. This simple and
fun outdoor activity will not only get your child exploring in nature but will also have them eagerly
practicing their new map skills.

Need: a ?treasure?to find, an already created map, paper,

crayons/markers/pencils Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: The best way to begin this activity is to surprise

your child with a pirate treasure map that you?ve already Map Keysby Rebecca
created for them that leads to a hidden ?treasure!?Surprise
Olien
them when they wake in the morning or after an afternoon
quiet time. Be sure to utilize the features of a map that you?ve Follow That Map: A First
been reading/learning about throughout the theme to allow
Book of Mapping Skills
your child to practice. Once your child has used the map to find
their treasure, have them practice creating their own pirate by Scot Ritchie
treasure map and hiding a treasure for a friend, sibling, or
family member to find! Explain that they need to first pick a
1
treasure and decide where to hide it. Then, they have to make a
map leading to that spot! What important elements or
landmarks should they add so the reader knows exactly where the treasure is hiding? Should they
use a Map Key to be able to use symbols for things on the map? Are additional directions needed?
How will they know which way to hold the map? Discuss these important elements of map creating
and help your child create a pirate treasure map! When the time is right, have a friend or sibling or
parents seek the treasure!

M Y WORLD THEM E 20
 NATURE ADVENTURES
Go Geocaching

Key Learning: Continuing with the learning about using GPS and map following skills, geocaching is
a super fun way to explore these new skills in nature! Even better, if this is something your family
has never done before, it?s a super fun new activity for a family adventure!

Need: do your research, but basically just a reliable GPS and

hiking gear Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: You?ll need to do some research on a geocaching

site (there are several great ones - just hit up Google) to find a Follow That Map: A First
location and certain difficulty level near you. Most sites
Book of Mapping Skills
designate caches that are specifically for children and families -
these will have fun little trinkets to find for the kids. Show your by Scot Ritchie
child the process and what you?re planning and work together
Somewhere In the World
to create a map and plan for how you will find the location
you?re looking for. Head out on a family geocaching adventure Right Now by Stacey
and see what you can find! Shuett
Ext ension idea: This can be pretty addicting, so be prepared to
1
make it a family tradition. Once you?ve gotten some practice,
try creating your own geocaches with your child to leave for
other families to find - have them help you map it and create the online link for it.

M Y WORLD THEM E 21
 NATURE ADVENTURES
Explore a Landform

Key Learning: Wherever you live, there is going to be at least one landform that is close enough for
you and your child to explore together and see firsthand! The more your child can see something in
real life, the more meaningful the learning experience is!

Need: nothing

Direct ions: Look at a local map with your child and find a Suggest ed Reading:

landform that is nearest to you. What do you live close to? Mapping Penny?sWorld
Mountains?Rivers? Beach? Desert? Identify at least one and by Loreen Leedy
make a plan to visit it and explore. The best way to do this is to
Looking at Landformsby
plan a family adventure or day trip. Plan ahead by
brainstorming what you expect to see and what you will look Ellen Mitten
for. Read about the landform before going and have your child
make a list, draw pictures, or take notes in their nature journal
about what they will look for at the landform. When you are
there, try to find answers to the things your child brainstormed
or put down. Take pictures, look for evidence of weathering or
1
erosion, explore the animal habitats, and just have fun being in
a place you?ve been learning about!

Ext ension idea: Do you live close to more than one type of landform? How many different types of
landforms can you visit in a day trip near your home? Plan ahead with some great landform family
adventures.

M Y WORLD THEM E 22
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

W hy Make Social Connect ions?

Especially in the first grade years as your child is discovering how they fit into the world around
them, it is important that they begin to make social connections to their learning. Sometimes this
includes connecting with others (i.e. "socialization"), but this is not the point of making social
connections. Simply learning about how we are the same/different from those in the world around
us helps to build awareness and connection.

W hat is t he Social Connect ion Focus in t he "My World" Theme?

The biggest focus of this theme is social connection through the world around your child - both
through physical understandings of the planet and its many countries and regions, and through a
connection and cultural understanding with other. The activities in the social section of this theme
will help your child see exactly where they1belong in this great big world.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

Every child's abilities and interests will be different in this area, so don't feel like they need to walk
away from this theme having the globe memorized! Focus your time on connection and cultural
awareness about other places around the world and your child will get everything that they need
right now!

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

Discussion is always key to a successful social connections learning experience! Leave space for
your child to ask questions and be open and honest with them.

M Y WORLD THEM E 23
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
W here Do I Belong?

Key Learning: As your child begins to become aware of the great big world around them, it can be
hard to figure out exactly where they belong in all of that big-ness! This activity helps your child
slowly narrow down piece by piece exactly how they fit into the big world they live in.

Need: 7 pieces of different colored construction paper, scissors, crayons/markers/pencils, hole

punch, brad
Suggest ed Reading:
Direct ions: You?ll need 7 circles of decreasing size (about ½-1?
difference each, one from each color paper for this activity. If
If you Lived Here:
your child is comfortable with their scissor skills, have them cut
the circles out. If not, you can do this part in advance. First, get Houses Around the
the largest circle, and along the edge have you or your child World by Giles Laroche
write ?My Planet.?Ask your child what planet they live on -
Earth, obviously, and have them write and/or draw this on the The Travel Book: A
circle. Explain that every single person that is alive also lives on Journey Through Every
Earth - so we share this circle of our belonging with everyone!
Country in the World by
The next circle will say ?My Continent.?Look at a map if needed
1 they live on and
and have your child identify which continent Lonely Planet Kids
draw or write this on the circle. Explain that this narrows it
down a little bit more depending on which continent you live
on. The next circle will be ?My Country.?Identify and write or draw this on the circle. We?re getting
smaller and smaller! Next, use ?My State?(this is optional depending on whether or not your
country has states - it may be ?Province?or something else). Next, ?My City.?What is the name of
your city - draw or write it on the circle. Your child should be getting excited that they?re getting
closer and closer to them as an individual! Next, write ?My Street?on the smaller circle and have
your child draw or write the name of their street. Finally, on the smallest circle, write ?My Home.?
How many people do you share this circle with? Hold the circles so they line up together at the top
and punch a hole. Add the brad so the circles are movable. Look back at how you started with
something your child shared in common with every single person and slowly narrowed down where
they belong to just their immediate family!

Ext ension idea: Do some research about population numbers for each of the circles on your project.
How many people are on the planet, on your continent, in your country, etc. This is a great way to
get a visualization of the numbers of people around the world.

M Y WORLD THEM E 24
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
GPS In My Neighborhood

Key Learning: Reading a map is a great skill, but as you know, we have quickly moved into a world
where technology dominates everything, including our map use! Helping your child use the GPS
feature on a map could be life-saving, and give them a great foundation of technology skills that will
come in handy as they get older.

Need: phone with GPS-capable map Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: If your child has never used or looked at the GPS
map on your phone, show them how it works. Spend some time Follow That Map: A First
zooming in and out, looking at and recognizing your
Book of Mapping Skills
neighborhood and city, finding your home, switching to
satellite view, etc. Explain that when the phone moves, it sends by Scot Ritchie
signals to satellites and back to your phone to show you where
Mapping Penny?sWorld
you are. Watch this happen by going out for a walk in your
neighborhood, watching the phone as you move. Your child by Loreen Leedy
will be able to see their location in real-time as they walk past
familiar places. This is really fun for a child to see!
1
Ext ension idea: Let your child use the GPS on your phone the
next time you are driving to a nearby location so they can track
a further distance. Let your child try to guide you where you need to go to practice directional
language like right/left/straight, turn, and even north/south/east/west.

M Y WORLD THEM E 25
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
Cult ural Foods Tast e Test

Key Learning: One of the most important elements of a culture is the food that they eat! Explore a
local or new culture through experiencing their popular foods.

Need: recipes and ingredients OR an authentic restaurant

Direct ions: With your child, choose a culture or region of the

world that they would like to discover more about. If you?re just Suggest ed Reading:

starting the theme, your child can choose randomly by pointing

at a map, but if you wait until the end of the theme when you?ve The Travel Book: A
done more reading and learning about various places and
cultures, your child will likely have more of an idea of what
Journey Through Every
they?d like to learn more about. Once your child chooses a Country in the World by
culture to learn more about, propose you begin with trying the Lonely Planet Kids
foods that they eat! Do some research together to discover
what their most popular dishes are, and search for some People by Peter Spier
recipes or a local restaurant that serves authentic food from
that region/culture. I highly recommend doing both of these
1
things actually - get some recipes and try to make some of the
foods together, and then visit a restaurant together! Have a
conversation about the flavors they notice and how it compares to the common foods you eat in
your home. Are there any similarities? Does your child enjoy the food or certain parts of it?

Ext ension idea: Expand your horizons and host a ?Tastes Around the World?party for friends or
family. Choose from a variety of cultures and regions in the world and try making food from all of
the regions to explore. Even more fun - make the list and have each guest volunteer to bring
something from each region.

M Y WORLD THEM E 26
EXTRA RESOURCES/ IDEAS
Websit es/Apps
Kid World Cit izen is a great resource for learning about cultures and places around the world

App Geography by Kids Discover - fun ipad app for exploring geography

Free Resources
I highly encourage you to choose a culture to explore more throughout your study in this theme.
Check out books from the library, browse the internet, reach out to local people who are a part of
that culture for help, etc.

Cool Supplement s t o t his t heme t o purchase

World Playground CD - Music from around the world

For the child that is really enjoying learning about facts around the world, the game Brain Box
Around t he World is fun!

M Y WORLD THEM E 27