Week 3: Exploring Our Community | 1st Grade PBL (Part of a 9 Week Unit)

Want to try a sample? Get FREE Week 1: We Belong to a Community here.

Looking for the full unit? This resource is Week 3 of a connected 7-Week First Grade Project Based Learning series focused on community, citizenship, and belonging.

Teachers who want a cohesive unit with built-in progression can save by purchasing the Weeks 1–7 First Grade PBL Bundle.

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Driving Question: How can we make our classroom a place where everyone feels like they belong?

Build a stronger classroom community with this weeklong project-based lesson—part of a 9-week unit that guides first graders through exploring maps, community helpers, rules, and their classroom environment in meaningful, hands-on ways!

This resource includes 5 days of integrated lessons across ELA, Social Studies, Science, and Math — all centered around creating a classroom map and exploring what makes a safe, welcoming, and purposeful learning space.
Standards-Aligned Activities Include:
✅ Mapping the classroom using cardinal directions
✅ Identifying community helpers and their roles
✅ Using five senses to observe the environment
✅ Retelling stories with 3-finger strategy
✅ Collecting and graphing data through class votes
✅ Exploring rules, safety, and responsibility
Featured Read-Alouds:

• Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney
  
• My Five Senses by Aliki
  
• Helpers in Your Neighborhood (Nat Geo Kids)
  
• Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
  

✏️ What’s Included:

• Daily mini-lessons + journal prompts
  
• Map and graph templates
  
• Anchor chart suggestions
  
• Visuals for sorting, labeling, and sensory exploration
  
• TEKS-aligned objectives for 1st grade
  
• Integration of retelling, main idea, data collection, and community awareness
  

Perfect for the beginning of the year, this resource helps students learn where they belong — on the map and in their classroom family.