A Closer Look: First Grade’s Study of Community and St. Louis Neighborhoods

Written by Jennifer Thomas

First grade is a benchmark year at Community School as students transition to the “Big Building” and engage in smaller teaching groups that allow for increased differentiation and academic skill building. Students also develop lasting friendships with older peers through Community’s Family Groups program, which begins in first grade and consists of a child from each grade paired with a teacher.

When sharing highlights from the year, many students mention social studies, and more specifically, the field trips. In the fall, students research the history of Community School through artifacts and oral history, and in the spring, they explore The Hill and Delmar Loop neighborhoods. Learn more about these units and how they fit within Community’s broader curriculum below.

History of Community School

Each fall, students spend approximately three months studying the history of Community School. They tour different parts of campus, talk with school administrators and staff, and learn about key figures and events that have shaped the school since its founding in 1914. This year, the students performed “We Are Community,” a play written and directed by our drama teacher, Alissa Rowan, and featuring an original song by our Lower Division music teacher, Meriam Dwidar. Characters include the Founding Mothers, Ruth Ferris, John Hartford, class pets, and the Liberty Tree. First graders transformed into their characters, bringing our school’s history to life on stage. Students do not perform this play every year, but each of their plays incorporates a historic perspective that relates to what they learn in social studies.

Study of Neighborhoods

In the spring, students transition to a focus on neighborhoods, investigating the neighborhood surrounding Community School with the neighborhoods they live in and The Hill and Delmar Loop areas. Lori Branch is a co-lead teacher in First North, and she has planned the unit and field trips for roughly 20 years. “I created a neighborhood booklet,” she shared, “and we start off by discussing the meaning of ‘neighborhood’ – what it is, what it contains, and how a neighborhood can be in the city, the country, or the suburbs. We also talk about manmade structures and physical features of neighborhoods, like a swimming pool versus a pond.”

After learning about the characteristics of neighborhoods, students describe their own homes and make a map of their neighborhood. After each field trip, they reflect on what they learned about the neighborhoods, share their thoughts and ideas, and complete written and hands-on activities. Lori chose The Hill and Delmar Loop for field trips due to their diversity. “We are so fortunate here in St. Louis to have such distinctive neighborhoods, and we like to show the students how neighborhoods can be so different yet alike.”

A Taste of the Delmar Loop and The Hill

Lori starts planning each field trip in September. The process involves a lot of phone calls, coordination, and flexibility as Lori determines the locations they’ll go to. “I had to readjust our itinerary for the Loop this year,” she explained, “because the library flooded and is now closed to visitors, and City Hall is no longer able to offer tours. On the other hand, we didn’t know that the Loop trolley would be opening the very day First North went on the trip, and that was a fun addition. Everything always comes together.”

In addition to going on the trolley, students enjoyed a tour of the University City fire station (and practice using a water hose!), a birds-eye view of the neighborhood from the top of City Hall, lunch at Fitz’s, and a visit to the post office where they mailed postcards to themselves. At the end of their visit, one of the parent volunteers told Lori it was the most wonderful field trip they’ve been on, and that experiences like these are what make Community School so special.

While First North explored the Loop, First South took a trip to The Hill. A couple of weeks later, they went to opposite locations. The Hill field trip included a variety of stops including St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Milo’s Bocce Garden, Herbaria Soap Shop, Missouri Baking Company, Volpi Foods, DiGregorio’s Italian Market, Gelato Di Riso, Favazza’s on the Hill, and the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company. Students loved learning about the history of each neighborhood from their teachers, the fire fighters, the bakers, the tour guides, and restaurant staff. They also enjoyed a mix of sweet and savory food samples while on The Hill and an Italian-style picnic when back at school the following week.

A School-Wide Curriculum

The study of history flows through Community School, with each grade responsible for an area of focus that continues to broaden in scope as they get older. In Nursery, for instance, students discuss the meaning of ‘family’ and share about their family members. In second grade, students talk about St. Louis more generally, and in third grade they focus on the history of Missouri. This approach helps build students’ understanding of various perspectives, traditions, and cultures. First grade’s study of Community and St. Louis neighborhoods provides an excellent example of how our program connects learning to real-world experiences and events, which in turn helps our students develop as critical thinkers and civically aware citizens.