In my first couple of years teaching, I really focused on building the fiction section of my library. As I’ve said before, I pretty much started with nothing! After I built up my fiction section I turned to non-fiction and started searching for the best social studies and science books I could find for my kindergarten classroom.
In the search for non-fiction literature, I tried to find as many books as possible that would align with my science and social studies standards. Providing rich literature to go along with the district-mandated curriculum really helps the subject come alive!
Today I wanted to share with you my very favorite social studies books for kindergarten!
What to Look for in a Social Studies Book
I tried out and tested A LOT of books for this category and here is what I’ve found kept my students engaged:
- Real-life pictures – I like to have an illustrated book along with a book that contains real-life pictures. My students LOVE to see what people looked like during different times in history.
- Stories that provide a little excitement, or a story arc. The telling of a smaller tale within the larger history of an object or person.
- Books that aren’t too long. They provide educational details, interesting pictures, and are the perfect length for kindergarten attention spans.
Social Studies Recommendations
I rounded up all my favorite social studies literature choices and added them to my website. I’ll share the link below if you would like to get some recommendations on a wide range of social studies reading material!
Kindergarten Social Studies Book Recommendations
Now I have the books, when do I read them?
When I first started teaching I had ZERO social studies material! I would piecemeal everything together by spending countless hours on Pinterest and Google.
One year I finally decided to sit down and make my own social studies resource that I could use throughout the entire school year and stop my endless searching!
Kindergarten Social Studies – Interactive Notebook
I built up my social studies library so that I would read a book on the subject and then use my social studies journal to reinforce and assess the concepts we were learning. Here a few examples of books I would use followed up by an assessment:
If you want another example of how I use this resource in my classroom, check out the post below:
Social Studies – Past vs. Present
Are there any social studies books that you recommend? Comment below!
