Social Studies · Grade 1

Active learning ideas

Sharing and Cooperation

Active learning helps Grade 1 students grasp sharing and cooperation because these skills require lived experiences more than abstract lessons. Hands-on activities let children feel the difference between taking all the crayons and passing them around, or building a tower alone versus with a partner. Movement and social interaction make abstract concepts concrete and memorable.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies, Grade 1, A1. Application: describe some of the ways in which people’s roles, relationships, and responsibilities relate to who they are and what they do
• Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies, Grade 1, A1.1: describe some of their own roles, relationships, and responsibilities (e.g., their role as a student, a sibling, a friend)
• Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies, Grade 1, A1.3: demonstrate an understanding that it is important to treat people with respect

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 30 min · Pairs

Role Play: Sharing Scenarios

Prepare cards with everyday situations like sharing blocks or crayons. Pairs act out a selfish response first, then a cooperative one. Follow with a class share-out on feelings and outcomes.

Explain why sharing and cooperation are important.

Facilitation Tip

During Role Play: Sharing Scenarios, stand close enough to gently model language like, 'May I have a turn, please?' when students pause.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple drawing of two children building a block tower. Ask them to draw one way the children are sharing and one way they are cooperating. Write one sentence explaining why working together is good.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Placemat Activity
• 40 min · Small Groups

Collaborative Build: Team Towers

Provide blocks or LEGO to small groups with a goal to build the tallest tower in 10 minutes. Assign roles like planner and builder. Discuss what helped or hindered success.

Analyze how working together helps us achieve goals.

Facilitation Tip

For Collaborative Build: Team Towers, provide exactly one set of blocks per pair to force negotiation and fair distribution.

What to look for

After a group activity, ask students: 'What was one thing that was easier because we worked together? What was one thing that was difficult? How did sharing help us?' Record student responses on chart paper.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Placemat Activity
• 35 min · individual then small groups

Puzzle Race: Alone vs Together

Give each student a simple puzzle to complete alone, then have small groups tackle a larger one. Time both and chart results on a class graph. Reflect on why teams finished faster.

Compare the outcomes of working alone versus working with others.

Facilitation Tip

In Puzzle Race: Alone vs Together, time each round with a visible stopwatch so students see how speed changes when they work as a team.

What to look for

Observe students during a partner activity, such as a simple puzzle. Note instances of sharing materials, taking turns, and offering help. Ask individual students: 'Are you sharing your puzzle pieces? How is working with your partner helping you?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Placemat Activity
• 25 min · Whole Class

Group Story Creation: Chain Tale

In a circle, students add one sentence at a time to a class story. Model turn-taking signals. Record the story and reread to celebrate collective creativity.

Explain why sharing and cooperation are important.

Facilitation Tip

During Group Story Creation: Chain Tale, give each child a different colored marker and a single sentence strip to ensure every voice is recorded in order.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple drawing of two children building a block tower. Ask them to draw one way the children are sharing and one way they are cooperating. Write one sentence explaining why working together is good.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with short, clear demonstrations of what cooperation sounds and looks like. Use think-alouds to name your own decisions, such as, 'I’m putting two pieces together so my partner can add the roof.' Avoid praising outcomes like 'great tower' and instead highlight behaviors like 'You shared the glue without asking.' Research shows young children learn social skills best when adults narrate actions and emotions in real time.

Successful learning looks like students using materials, taking turns, and adjusting actions to include others without reminders. They speak in complete sentences to explain their choices, such as saying, 'Let’s share so everyone can play.' Small groups show growing comfort in planning together and celebrating shared success.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Role Play: Sharing Scenarios, children may say, 'Sharing means giving up my things forever.'

  Use the props from the role play to show students that sharing means taking turns with a timer or color chart, so everyone gets the item back and has equal time.

• During Puzzle Race: Alone vs Together, students may insist, 'Working alone is always faster and better.'

  Set up two identical puzzles side by side, one for solo and one for pairs, and time both. Students will see the paired team finish first, proving cooperation can be quicker.

• During Collaborative Build: Team Towers, some may believe, 'Cooperation only works with close friends.'

  Assign mixed groups for the tower activity and provide sentence stems like, 'My idea is... How about yours?' to guide interactions with new partners.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Placemat Activity