Social Studies

Our social studies curriculum centers on the concept of community building and connections. Students develop the necessary social skills needed to be part of the school community with ever increasing responsibilities to their families, local and Jewish communities, and as citizens of the world. Our social studies program reflects the mission of the school in trying to teach students to aspire to the highest values of the Judaic heritage and the principles of American democracy.

The core social studies disciplines such as geography, history, politics, economics and sociology are taught throughout the grades. The courses are taught through a variety of media including literature, guest speakers, field trips and internet links.

Kindergarten

Our students are given a taste of a variety of topics. They are introduced to people and events that make us who we are and where we live today. We compare what we know about ourselves to places and cultures around the world and showcase our knowledge of new places in a performance and in individual country reports.

  • All About Me: What makes me unique? Who are my classmates? Who is in your family? What are feelings?
  • Mapping: What information is on a map? How do you make a map? Our Country/Elections/Who are the leaders in the USA? Why do we vote? How do we vote?
  • Thanksgiving/Native Americans: Who are the Native Americans? How are our lives similar to Native Americans past and present?
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Who was Martin Luther King? How were people treated in those times?
  • Children around the World: How are we similar to other children around the world? What makes different countries around the world unique?
  • Community Helpers: Who are the people who keep us safe and healthy? What does each of them do?

“Knowing more about other countries will make the world a better place. Knowing more about each other will help us coexist on this planet together. But we need to try to be better friends like we are here at school. It has to start somewhere; it’s up to us.” – HMJDS Student

First Grade

Community and citizenship are a focus of first grade social studies. Basic mapping skills are introduced and students will examine and contrast the characteristics of St. Louis Park with their home communities.

  • The Classroom as a Community: Community building through Responsive Classroom, core values, student responsibilities
  • Mapping: Classroom, bedroom, house, block; map vocabulary (compass rose, legend, key)
  • St. Louis Park: Meeting people’s basic needs; services offered by a community
  • Minneapolis and surrounding communities: Compare and contrast with home community

Second Grade

Second graders examine family heritage and traditions. They discover information about the countries and cultures of their family members and will compare and contrast daily life of the past with the present.

  • Family heritage
  • Seven continents: Family origins
  • Traditions: Celebrating secular and Jewish holidays
  • Contrast and comparison of life 100 years ago and today: food, shelter, clothing, transportation, jobs, school, and responsibilities

Third Grade

Third graders study how the Mississippi River has influenced the rise of cities and towns, industry and life style of the people of Minnesota. Third graders will also learn about basic economic principles by organizing a sale and learning about charitable organizations to which they can donate the profits. Through interaction with Good Shepherd Catholic School, students gain an understanding cultural and religious diversity. Third graders learn about:

  • Mississippi River and its impact on life in Minnesota
  • Economics: supply and demand, retail, wholesale cost, overhead, needs and wants, monetary systems, profit
  • Diversity: compare and contrast basic beliefs of other religions with our own as it relates to our visit to a local Catholic school.
  • Tzedakah/Charitable Institutions: Rambam’s ladder of tzedakah, organizations in the community which could benefit from donations

Fourth Grade

Geography of the United States is central to the teaching about regions. Native Americans are studied to introduce fourth graders to indigenous people. Students learn from written materials to gain knowledge about different tribes. Among the units of study are:

  • Minnesota
  • Midwest Region
  • Northeast Region
  • Southeast Region
  • Southwest Region
  • Western Region