1. Community Helpers
Marie Pitsenbarger
ED 417

2. Community Helpers Grade: 2nd
Objective: Children will be able to identify the following community helpers and the roles they play through the services they offer.
* Fire Fighters * Teacher
* Police Officer * Trash Collector
* Nurse * Postal Worker
* Doctor * Librarian
* Dentist

3. Standards
Economics
3. Recognize that most people work in jobs in which they produce a few special goods or services.
4. Explain why people in different parts of the world earn a living in a variety of ways.
Government
2. Explain how a system of government provides order to a
group such as a school or community and why government is necessary including:
a. Making and enforcing laws;
b. Providing leadership;
c. Providing services;
d. Resolving disputes.
Social Studies Skills and Methods
1. Obtain information from oral, visual and print sources.

4. What is a Community?
A community is made up of different groups of people who live and work together. The community has a specific location (it is in one place), it has rules and laws that people must follow and the people work together to solve their problems.

5. Activity 1: Newspaper Search/ Collage
Materials:
-newspapers/ magazines
-scissors
-glue
-markers l

6. Activity 1: Newspaper Search/ Collage
Procedure:
* Community workers have been
in the news recently. Have students
look through the newspaper or magazines for words and pictures of community workers.
* Have students use the words and pictures they found to create a collage
* Students should share collages and compile a list of all the community workers they found as a class.

7. Activity 2: “I am…” Materials:
* Clothing and uniforms of community helpers
* Hats and other accessories worn by certain community workers
* Tools and props of community workers

8. Activity 2: “I am…” Procedure: * Provide clothing, hats, and props
for the various community workers.
* Allow children to role play different jobs and consider how the service they offer impacts others by completing the sentence: “I am…”
* Discuss with the students what it would be like if one member (community helper) was not there. What kind of effect would this have on the community at large?

9. Activity 3: Tour Time Materials: -notebooks -pencils
-list of interview questions

10. Activity 3: Tour Time Procedure:
*Visit a local post office, fire station, or
other community helper’s work.
*Take a tour
*Discuss with children the role of given community helper
*Have students interview community worker with previous established questions and record the answers.

11. Activity 4: Writing Assessment
Materials:
-Paper
-Pencil
-Organizational Chart
(Four Square Writing)
-Writing Checklist

12. Activity 4:
Procedure:
*Children will select three of the community workers from those discussed throughout the week
*Using the organizational chart, the child will write three ways that each worker helps the community
*The students will use the organizational chart to write about their selected community helpers.
*Students will edit their own work using the provided writing checklist.

13. Activity 5: Community Helper Bingo
Materials:
-empty bingo cards
-writing utensil
-bingo markers
-job description cards for
teacher

14. Activity 5: Procedure: *Students will fill in their empty cards with
the names of community workers
*When completed the teacher will begin by using the job descriptions to tell of a service provided by a community worker.
*Students will identify the worker by the service or job description provided.

15. Unit Books On the Town: A Community Adventure by Judith Caseley
Community Helpers from A to Z by Bobbie Kalman
People Who Keep You Safe by Cathy French
My Dentist by Harlow Rockwell

16. Community Helper Song Chorus:
Community Helper That’s what I am. I’m in the neighborhood doing what I can. Community Helper That’s what I am. I’m in the neighborhood doing what I can.
Verse 1:
I am a doctor. I am here to help you … If you get a cold or the flu… Come see me I’ll tell you what to do You might take a pill, you might get a shot Let me feel your head. Whoah, that's hot!
Repeat Chorus
Verse 2:
I am a fireman. I am here to help you .. If you see fire or a cat in a tree, D ial 911 that’s how you get me.. Your shirts on fire, stop drop and roll I don’t care if you’re 90 years old.
Verse 3:
I am the policeman I am here to help you If you get lost don’t know what to do Just talk to me and I’ll show you I help good people take the bad ones to jail Put the handcuffs on, and we throw ’em in a cell.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 4:
I am the mail carrier I am here to help you I bring you the mail, and I pick it up too I’m postal, that what I do Raining, hot, cold or snow Nothing stops the mail from going I can’t see your address when I’m in the fog.

17. More Songs I'm a Police Officer
Sung to: "I'm a little Teapot"
I'm a police officer With my star, I help people Near and far. If you have a problem, Call on me, And I will be there One, two, three!
I'm a Firefighter
Sung to: "I'm a little teapot"
I'm a firefighter Dressed in red, With my fire hat On my head. I can drive the fire truck, Fight fires, too, And help to make things Safe for you.

18. Websites Fire Station Virtual Tours
Our Community Helpers (additional resources for lessons)
Community Helper Resource Page

19. More Websites Printable Community Helper Word Searches and other Games
Your Neighborhood (online tool for kids in learning about their community)

20. THE END!