This unit plan outlines a two-month kindergarten Social Studies unit titled "Self and Others," developed for a New York City public school classroom. The plan covers four interconnected topics: self-identity, diversity, American symbols, and the United States flag. Using the Danielson Framework for formal observations, each of the four lesson plans includes learning objectives, Common Core and New York State history standards, differentiated instruction strategies, formative assessment methods, and detailed step-by-step procedures. Students engage with read-alouds, self-portraits, songs, symbol cards, coloring activities, and a hands-on flag-making project to build foundational citizenship skills and cultural awareness.
Subject Area: Social Studies
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Unit Title: Self and Others
Approximate Time Needed: Two months
In this unit, four topics are covered: (1) self-identity, (2) diversity, (3) American symbols, and (4) the United States flag. Students will draw and label body parts, learn a new song about diversity, listen to stories, color the Bald Eagle and the American flag, and make the United States flag. Overall, students will learn to draw and label ears, nose, mouth, eyes, and hair; describe their interests and unique talents; and identify and explain the meaning of the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, and the Bald Eagle.
The unit develops citizenship skills, coloring skills, drawing skills, and listening skills.
Reading Standards:
Key Ideas and Details 1. With support and prompts, ask and respond to critical details in a text.
Craft and Structure 5. Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.
Writing Standards:
Text Types and Purposes 2. Use a combination of dictating, drawing, and writing to compose informative/explanatory content in which students name the topic and supply information about it.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge 7. With support and guidance from adults, recall information from experiences or collect data from provided sources to answer a question.
Listening Standards:
Comprehension and Collaboration 2. Confirm understanding of a text that is read aloud or information presented verbally or via other media by asking and responding to questions about critical details, and requesting clarification when something is not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 5. Add drawings and other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 6. Speak clearly and express feelings, thoughts, and ideas openly.
K.1a A sense of self-worth is acquired through cultural and physical characteristics and through the growth of personal dislikes, likes, talents, and skills.
K.2a Each individual is unique but also shares identical attributes with other family members, school, and community members. Students will distinguish their characteristics that are the same as their classmates and those that are different, making use of specific descriptors and terms such as race, gender, or ethnicity.
K.3b The study of American symbols, together with holidays and celebrations, helps develop awareness of history, community, and culture. Students will identify American symbols including the Liberty Bell and the Bald Eagle. Students will also learn the parts of the American flag (stars and stripes) and how to show respect toward the flag.
Students will be able to:
Essential Questions: How can learning a new song about diversity help students develop a sense of self and celebrate diversity? What do national symbols tell us about American culture and traditions? How does coloring help students identify vital American symbols?
Unit Questions: How will songs about diversity help students celebrate diversity? Which American symbols will students color? How do students develop a healthy sense of self?
Content Questions by Lesson:
The main vocabulary terms students will master in order to understand the content are: Identity, Diversity, Symbol, Colony, and Independence.
Printed Materials: Beaumont, K. (2004). I Like Myself! Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; F Is for Flag by Wendy Cheyette Lewis; American Symbols Cards (the American flag, the Bald Eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Bell); American flag coloring page; Bald Eagle coloring page; Self-Portrait worksheet.
Supplies: Crayons, white blank paper, one handheld mirror per student, blue plastic plates, 7 red ribbons per student, 6 white ribbons per student, 13 foil star stickers per student, tape, and a stapler.
Technology — Hardware: Computers, speakers.
Technology — Software: Internet browser.
Internet Resources: "Everyone Belongs" song (YouTube).
Other Resources: Self-portraits drawn by other students.
Lesson 1. Students will be asked to draw and fill in self-portraits using correct colors. The teacher will assess each student's ability to identify, draw, color, and label body parts.
Lesson 2. Students will draw a picture of themselves on a white sheet of paper and write their interests and talents. The teacher will assess each student's ability to identify their likes and interests.
Lesson 3. Students will color the Bald Eagle and the American flag. The teacher will walk around the class and check whether students can color the American flag and the Bald Eagle using correct colors.
Lesson 4. The students will make the United States flag. The teacher reviews a checklist to ensure each student is completing each part of the activity.
Before Project Work Begins: Students will listen to a story or learn a new song related to the content presented in the lesson. The teacher will lead a classroom discussion on questions posed after reading a story.
While Students Work on Projects: Students will be given coloring pages to complete and self-portraits to fill in. The teacher will monitor students as they work and will circulate the room to observe each student's progress.
After Project Work Ends: The teacher will collect each student's work and check it against the unit rubric.
Students will demonstrate independence; be oriented toward evidence; develop knowledge; respond to the differing demands of task, audience, and discipline; analyze and summarize; use digital media and technology capably and strategically; and build an understanding of other cultures and perspectives.
Primary Subject Area and Grade Level: Kindergarten Social Studies
Lesson Duration: One 60-minute class period
Students will understand why people look different from one another.
Students will draw, color, and label self-portraits, and describe their favorite part about themselves.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 5. Add drawings and other visual assets to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 6. Speak clearly and express feelings, thoughts, and ideas openly.
A quiz on body parts was given to students before teaching this lesson. Writing and labeling body parts was the area where students were not yet proficient. All students were able to identify eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair. These are the prerequisite skills for drawing, labeling, and coloring the self-portrait.
Two students in this class have difficulties with writing and reading. These students will be paired with students who can help them improve their writing and reading skills.
This is the first lesson in the Self and Others unit. Students will listen to a story titled I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont and fill in self-portraits. To understand the content of this lesson, students must be able to identify and name body parts and distinguish different colors.
Key terms for this lesson: Wild, Tame, Protruding, and Identity. Protruding means sticking out (as in horns coming out of the little girl's nose in the story). Identity simply means who you are.
Students will be grouped based on their capabilities into three categories: students who can identify body parts and write and label them independently; students who can identify body parts but cannot yet spell the words; and students who need extra modeling.
Introduction (10 minutes):
Procedures (30 minutes):
Assessment (10 minutes): The teacher will monitor students and walk around to see how each group is doing, reviewing the checklist to ensure each student is completing each part of the activity. For students at the lower end, the teacher will sit and confer with them to ensure they are grasping the concept. The teacher will help these students label what they need, ensuring they can identify their body parts and articulate what they like about themselves.
Closure (10 minutes): The teacher will pull out the checklist and check off each completed step with the class, then collect students' work and check it against the unit rubric.
For students who can identify body parts but cannot yet spell the words, the teacher will create word tables that students can cut out and glue alongside their portraits. For students who need extra modeling — including English Language Learners and students at the lower end — the teacher will create tables with both pictures and words.
Class discussions and the self-portrait activity are the primary means of gauging the learning process. If students can identify and label body parts, they will demonstrate this by labeling and coloring the self-portraits accurately.
Some students may not know the meaning of key vocabulary. The teacher will explain all vocabulary terms before reading the story.
Primary Subject Area and Grade Level: Kindergarten Social Studies
Lesson Duration: One 60-minute class period
"Diversity song, story, and drawing activity"
"Symbol cards, coloring, and workstation rotation"
"Flag read-aloud, coloring, and hands-on construction"
"Five-phase backward design with resources listed"
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