A Community and Its A Community and Its HelpersHelpers

By:By:

Mindy Shardo & Kate JanningMindy Shardo & Kate Janning

ED 417-01ED 417-01

The Community and Its HelpersThe Community and Its Helpers

Target Grade for lessons: 2Target Grade for lessons: 2ndnd

Activities:Activities: Discuss what makes a community and Discuss what makes a community and

describe its helpers, followed by a word describe its helpers, followed by a word search of community helperssearch of community helpers

Most Wanted postersMost Wanted posters Have a community helper come in and Have a community helper come in and

speak to the children about their speak to the children about their occupationoccupation

Community HelpersCommunity Helpers

FiremanFireman PolicemanPoliceman Postal workerPostal worker DoctorDoctor LibrarianLibrarian Trash CollectorTrash Collector DentistDentist School teacherSchool teacher

NursesNurses ElectricianElectrician PlumberPlumber BakerBaker Military personnelMilitary personnel ChefChef Political leadersPolitical leaders Construction Construction

workerworker

Activities continued…Activities continued…

Visit post office for a tour and mail Visit post office for a tour and mail thank you letters to guest speakerthank you letters to guest speaker

Show equal importance of helpers Show equal importance of helpers in the communityin the community

1. What Makes a Community?1. What Makes a Community?

Objective: Objective: Students will learn and Students will learn and

understand the various understand the various workers and helpers in workers and helpers in their community.their community.

Materials: Materials: Chart paperChart paper MarkersMarkers Word search Word search Pictures of workers and Pictures of workers and

helpers for referencehelpers for reference Paper and pencilPaper and pencil

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

Teacher will lead discussion asking the Teacher will lead discussion asking the children who makes up their community, children who makes up their community, and what those people do. The teacher will and what those people do. The teacher will make a list of these people and their jobs make a list of these people and their jobs while students do the same at their desks. If while students do the same at their desks. If not all occupations are named by the not all occupations are named by the students, teacher may give the students students, teacher may give the students hints in figuring out all occupations included hints in figuring out all occupations included in the word search.in the word search.

After all occupations have been named, After all occupations have been named, students will complete word search of students will complete word search of occupations and helpers .occupations and helpers .

2. Most Wanted2. Most Wanted

Objective: Students will describe tools Objective: Students will describe tools used by community helpers and make used by community helpers and make a class book.a class book.

Materials:Materials: White paper, black construction paper, White paper, black construction paper,

crayons, markers, scissors, glue, pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, glue, pencils, classmate names on individual pieces of classmate names on individual pieces of paperpaper

The LessonThe Lesson

Students will draw a name of their Students will draw a name of their classmate out of a hat. They will then classmate out of a hat. They will then draw a picture of their “criminal” draw a picture of their “criminal” classmate on white paper. When classmate on white paper. When finished, students cut out black strips finished, students cut out black strips of construction paper and glue over of construction paper and glue over picture so it looks as if the criminal is in picture so it looks as if the criminal is in jail. At the bottom, students must write jail. At the bottom, students must write why the “criminal” is in jail. (Ideas must why the “criminal” is in jail. (Ideas must be approved by the teacher)be approved by the teacher)

Lesson Continued…Lesson Continued…

Students may then share their Students may then share their posters with the class.posters with the class.

Drawings will be kept and made into Drawings will be kept and made into a class book.a class book.

3. Guest Speaker3. Guest Speaker

Objectives: Objectives: Students will meet a community helper Students will meet a community helper

first hand and gain a deeper first hand and gain a deeper understanding of the helper’s job.understanding of the helper’s job.

Students will write letters in writing Students will write letters in writing center.center.

Materials:Materials: Paper, pencils, envelopes, stampsPaper, pencils, envelopes, stamps

The LessonThe Lesson

Find a community helper (fireman, police Find a community helper (fireman, police officer, postal worker, etc) who is willing to officer, postal worker, etc) who is willing to come to your classroom to speak. Parents come to your classroom to speak. Parents may be helpful in contacting these may be helpful in contacting these workers. Speaker will talk to students workers. Speaker will talk to students about his/her occupation and bring in tools about his/her occupation and bring in tools they use at their job to show the students.they use at their job to show the students.

After speaker has left, students will write a After speaker has left, students will write a thank you note to the speaker, including thank you note to the speaker, including something new they learned during the something new they learned during the presentation or something they especially presentation or something they especially liked. Students will mail these letters liked. Students will mail these letters personally during another activity.personally during another activity.

Lesson Continued…Lesson Continued…

After speaker has left, students will After speaker has left, students will write a thank you note to the write a thank you note to the speaker, including something new speaker, including something new they learned during the presentation they learned during the presentation or something they especially liked. or something they especially liked. Students will mail these letters Students will mail these letters personally during another activity.personally during another activity.

4. Visit a Post Office4. Visit a Post Office

Objective: Students will gain a deeper Objective: Students will gain a deeper understanding of how the mail is understanding of how the mail is processed by touring the post officeprocessed by touring the post office

Materials: Bus (if needed), thank you Materials: Bus (if needed), thank you letters, permission slips, medical letters, permission slips, medical forms for traveling with studentsforms for traveling with students

The LessonThe Lesson

Students will travel to post office Students will travel to post office either by foot or by bus. Postal either by foot or by bus. Postal worker will speak to the students worker will speak to the students about how the mail is processed and about how the mail is processed and give them a tour of the building. give them a tour of the building. Postal worker will also explain how to Postal worker will also explain how to mail a letter and the other services mail a letter and the other services they provide.they provide.

5. Equally Important Helpers5. Equally Important Helpers

Objective: Students will recognize Objective: Students will recognize the equal importance of each role the equal importance of each role played by helpers in the communityplayed by helpers in the community

Materials: Chart of helpers listed in Materials: Chart of helpers listed in first lesson, overflowing trash cans first lesson, overflowing trash cans

The LessonThe Lesson Previous to lesson (at the beginning Previous to lesson (at the beginning

of the week) , secretly talk to the of the week) , secretly talk to the janitor and ask him/her not to empty janitor and ask him/her not to empty your trash cans all week. Do not let your trash cans all week. Do not let the students know about this the students know about this arrangement. This lesson should be arrangement. This lesson should be taught several days into the week.taught several days into the week.

Lesson Continued…Lesson Continued…

Bring back the chart of helpers the Bring back the chart of helpers the students named in the first lesson. students named in the first lesson. One at a time, take away a helper. One at a time, take away a helper. Ask students to brainstorm possible Ask students to brainstorm possible problems in the community from this problems in the community from this helper no longer providing his/her helper no longer providing his/her service.service.

Chart the possible problems on the Chart the possible problems on the board next to each helper’s name.board next to each helper’s name.

Lesson Continued…Lesson Continued… Point out the trash bins and how Point out the trash bins and how

they are overflowing, making a they are overflowing, making a mess, and probably not smelling mess, and probably not smelling so pleasant. Use this as a first so pleasant. Use this as a first hand example to show how trash hand example to show how trash collectors and cleaners are just as collectors and cleaners are just as important as doctors and fireman. important as doctors and fireman. Students can then help take their Students can then help take their own trash out to the dumpster, own trash out to the dumpster, hopefully providing more hopefully providing more appreciation for the helpers within appreciation for the helpers within the building.the building.

Helpful WebsitesHelpful Websites

www.edhelper.com/community_helpers.htwww.edhelper.com/community_helpers.htmm

http://people.csp.edu/pickel/helpers.htmhttp://people.csp.edu/pickel/helpers.htm

http://teacherexchange.mde.k12.ms.us/teachnett/http://teacherexchange.mde.k12.ms.us/teachnett/helpers.htmhelpers.htm

http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lessohttp://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/history/comm/n_plans/history/comm/

http://comsewogue.k12.ny.us/~rstewart/khttp://comsewogue.k12.ny.us/~rstewart/k2001/Themes/community/helpers.htm2001/Themes/community/helpers.htm