The first unit we cover in Social Studies is Rules and Laws. It is essential in first grade for the students to understand their surroundings.  This includes in the classroom, at home and in our community.  This is the time in a child's life when (s)he is growing out of the "me" stage and realizing that we actually live in a society and interact with different people on a daily basis. Basically the first few weeks of school we will focus on how your child treats and interacts with his/her classmates, the teachers here at Brock and how well the rules are understood. Understanding the Order of Events An ongoing unit in first grade social studies is time.  It is sometimes difficult for first graders to understand the chronology of the events we discuss in class.  We jump around from when Columbus came to America in 1492, to Martin Luther King, Jr. leading the Civil Rights Movement in the 50's, and then back to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln (as well as many important historical events and other historical American figures).  We make historical time lines in class and talk about the order of the important events of our country, but it would be very beneficial to your child if you were to also make timelines at home.  You could make family timeline or a simple timeline of the summer's events.  Don't forget to have fun while you learn!!