Most Primary Social Studies curriculums include the teaching of Rules and Laws. It makes sense to cover this in the first weeks of school, since you need to teach classroom rules to make a solid foundation for the rest of your school year. It can be tricky to teach such abstract concepts as rules and laws.
Social Studies Objectives
You can find your Social Studies objectives on your district or state website. This will not only list the topics to be covered, but the exact objectives for your grade level. Many curriculum objectives include the words “differentiate between rules and laws”. So, this should be your starting point could be the definitions. Instead of giving them to the class to memorize, you could start with a word web activity to find out what they already know. This could be done whole group in Kinder and First Grade. For 2nd, it could be done in pairs. The pairs could then share out, with you recording the words.
Definitions
I start with the definition of rules written out word by word on my pocket chart, providing a simple icon for each. Then, when we agree on a certain word, I turn that word around in the definition. By the end, the have the two defined. I have the students copy the definition, then illustrate each. This activity is the input. It sets the ground for further learning.
Pictures
To make things more comprehensible to primary kids, it’s a good idea to use pictures. Those can be photos or clipart. There are several ways to do this:
- You can project a good photo onto your screen and talk about it whole group.
- You can use photo cards for the kids to sort or discuss with a partner.
- You can have your students illustrate rules and laws, then share out to the group.
You could use sorting cards on the pocket chart by rule or law, or by place (home, grandma’s school, daycare). If you want a more interactive game, you could post the headings in different corners of the classroom. Give each student or pair of students a card and have them go to the right place. They could then share their rule with the small group. You may also choose to use them as a learning station.
Output
For every teaching objective, there needs to be output, or data. Usually, this is a writing activity that proves that the student retained the new learning. At the end of the unit, it can be a quiz or test. Your district or team may have common assessments they employ.
I personally am not a “worksheet” teacher, so the writing activities I include in my resources all have a purpose. I find it useful to give the students the opportunity to illustrate. It gives the teacher insight into their thinking. Short answers are better than fill in the blank in my opinion. I see Social Studies as the perfect opportunity to display the skills they learn during Language Arts.
If you would like to see some Rules/Laws resources already created for you, click on the left or right to go to my Tpt shop.
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