First Grade Garden: Social Studies Explore Tubs

Thursday 8 September 2016

Social Studies Explore Tubs - I Belong

Explore Tubs were a huge hit in my classroom last year and I can't wait to bring them out again next year! I've been putting some finishing touches on my Social Studies and Health Explore Tubs so I'm ready to go when I return from mat leave next fall. The first theme I teach is Social Studies "I Belong". We talk about the groups we belong to, our family, our culture, friendship, conflict resolution, and emotions. I use my Social Studies Interactive Journal to teach the lessons and then students are free to play with the Explore Tubs when they are finished their journals. September is a pretty busy month and we are just learning our routines and procedures, so I kept these tubs pretty simple. I didn't want the tubs to need much of an explanation, so I kept them pretty play-based. Here's a look at our first round of Explore Tubs:

*I Belong Books: Families, The Family Book, Family, Families, Who's in a Family?, Where I Belong, We All Come from Different Cultures, What Is Culture?, Making Friends Is an Art, How To Be a Friend, and Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend

*Play-Doh Body and Face Mats {free from picklebums.com}: Students can decorate or dress up the people/faces on the mats by using Play-Doh and various other pieces.
*Various Loose Parts (beads, pipe cleaners, pom poms, sequins, wiggly eyes, etc.)
*Play-Doh {from Amazon}

*Colourful House Sorting Mats {idea from playtolearnpreschool.us}: Students can sort or graph the family counters.
*All About Me Family Counters {from Amazon}

*I Belong Board Game {freebie from dancingintofirst.blogspot.ca}: Such a cute idea for students to practice talking about groups they belong to. Check out Dynelle's blog to see other game and centre ideas for Social Studies!

*Good Friend/Not a Good Friend Sorting Activity {free from me here}

*Inside Out Game of Emotions {free from printablecrush.com}: Students move around the game board. If they land on a circle, they have to share a memory.
*Inside Out Box of Mixed Emotions Books {from Amazon}
*Inside Out Mini Figures {from Amazon}