Connecting Hockey and Social Studies in the Classroom: Building Communities Through Canada’s Game (Kindergarten–Grade 3)
Why Hockey and Social Studies Belong Together
For many Canadian children, hockey is more than a game—it is part of family life, community identity, and national culture. From small hometown rinks to provincial teams and professional clubs, hockey offers a meaningful and familiar entry point into Social Studies learning.
In the early years (Kindergarten–Grade 3), students are developing an understanding of community, belonging, identity, and place. Hockey naturally reflects these ideas: teams represent towns and provinces, jersey colours symbolize identity, and arenas bring communities together. By connecting hockey to Social Studies, teachers can create lessons that are engaging, culturally relevant, and deeply connected to students’ lives at home and at school.
This lesson builds on themes commonly explored in Canadian Social Studies curricula—including community, citizenship, identity, and local connections—while incorporating the excitement, meaning, and accessibility of hockey.
Curriculum Connections (Kindergarten–Grade 3)
Across Canada, Social Studies curricula emphasize similar foundational concepts in the early years (e.g., belonging, community, similarities and differences; local communities, roles, and responsibilities; communities past and present, traditions, and symbols; and communities in Canada, provinces, mapping, and identity).
This hockey-based lesson, therefore, aligns well with Social Studies curricula across Canada, such as: community, identity, and place; local communities, cultural connections, and symbols; and citizenship, shared traditions, and regional identity.
Ultimately, the game of hockey serves as a lens, not a replacement, for learning outcomes through Social Studies curricula.
Lesson Overview: “Our Hockey Communities”
Grade Level: Kindergarten–Grade 3 | Subject: Social Studies
Big Idea: Communities are shaped by shared interests, traditions, and places
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
Identify what makes a community (e.g., people, places, shared interests)
Explore Canadian communities through hockey towns and teams
Recognize provinces and local hometown connections
Use colours and symbols (e.g., jerseys, logos) to represent identity
Make connections between home, school, and community life
Materials
Images of Canadian hockey teams and jerseys (a beginning point could be the Official Site of the NHL)
Map of Canada (floor map or wall map)
Chart paper; Construction paper in team colours
Crayons, markers, glue
Optional: Hockey cards, mini sticks, or photos of local rinks
Access to age-appropriate content from the Official Site of the NHL (team logos, maps, jerseys)
Learning Activities (80–85 minutes)
1. Community Warm-Up: “What Is a Community?” (10–15 minutes)
Begin with a class discussion:
What is a community?
Who is part of your community? (e.g., family, school, teams)
Has anyone been to a hockey rink or watched a hockey game?
Create a class anchor chart with student ideas.
Introduce hockey as one example of how people come together.
2. Hockey Towns and Hometowns (20 minutes)
Show images of: (1) small Canadian hockey towns; (2) local rinks; (3) professional and junior teams
Using a map of Canada, identify: (1) students’ hometowns; (2) provinces/territories; and (3) where different hockey teams are located
Discuss how teams represent: (1) a town or city; (2) a province/territory; and (3) a group of people cheering together
Younger students may simply point and name places, while older students can begin to describe regional differences.
3. Jersey Colours and Community Identity (25 minutes)
Explain how jersey colours and logos help show: (1) who a team is; and (2) where they are from
Ask the students to design a hockey jersey using their favourite team colours
Optional: ask students to design a jersey for their school or town, or a jersey representing a Canadian province, including colours and symbols
Provide time for the students to share their hockey jersey designs and explain what their colours, etc. represent.
4. Connecting to Home and School (15 minutes)
Lead a class discussion with questions, such as:
Do you talk about hockey at home?
Does your family cheer for a team? (e.g., Edmonton Oilers)
How does hockey bring people together?
Note: This part of the lesson intentionally connects to students’ lived experiences, reinforcing that Social Studies is about real life—not just what is written in textbooks.
5. Reflection and Assessment (10 minutes)
Ask the students to complete one of the following:
Draw and label their hockey community
Finish the sentence: “A community is…”
Share one new thing you learned about Canada and hockey
Cross-Curricular Connections
Art: Logo and jersey design
Language Arts: Community stories or shared writing
Math: Counting players, analyzing player stats, sorting jersey colours
Final Whistle: Why This Cross-Curricular Hockey Lesson Works
This hockey-based Social Studies lesson has proven effective because it meets students where they are. Hockey is a common and meaningful sport for many Canadian children, making the learning immediately relatable. When students see their hometowns, provinces, and family conversations reflected in the classroom, engagement increases and understanding deepens.
By blending community concepts with hockey culture, students develop:
A stronger sense of belonging
A clearer understanding of Canadian communities
Positive connections between school learning and home life
Ultimately, this lesson shows that Social Studies is not just about places on a map—it’s about people, passions, and shared experiences. And for many young Canadians, hockey is the perfect place to start.