Community Helpers

Thematic Unit of Study 

Community helpers is a common thematic unit for early childhood classrooms. As students share and learn about themselves and their classmates, they often expand to look at their school neighborhood and the helpers who work nearby. LessonPix provides a wealth of resources to teach about community and various jobs. 

 

Objectives

This unit can cover a number pf learning objectives. Here are a few basic objectives: 

• Students will identify various community helpers and their roles.
• Students will understand the importance of community helpers in their daily lives.
• Students will recognize the tools and uniforms associated with different community helpers.

 

K-W-L

It is helpful to determine what students know about the unit, misconnceptions and questions. A KWL chart begins by recording on chart paper what students (K) Know and (W) what they Want to know about community helpers. At the end of the unit- revisit this chart and add what they (L) Learned. 

  

 

Unit Vocabulary

As you explore the unit, pay attention to new vocabulary. Add these new words to a word wall for use in decoding and writing. 

 

Use this stardard core board with Community Helper fringe vocabulary to enhance your unit during stories and activities.

You can also play with these new words for practice. Make a scavenger hunt looking for vocabulary words around the room or in books. 

 

Make it a game! Include simple games in learning centers to play with these new words. 

 

Communicate with emergency workers or school nurses.

Practice using this communication board in the classroom during pretend play to help students learn to use it in real life situations. Provide one to the school nurse.

 

Who are the People In Your Neighborhood? 

Make a list of people who work in your community. 

Check out this Sesame Street playlist singing, "Who are the people in your neighborhood?"

Watch videos about community helpers. 

• Community Helpers
• Different job and professions with Blippi
• All About Community Helpers Guessing Game
• Community Helpers and their Tools

Name different people in our community and describe what they do. Look at different uniforms people wear. Can you tell what their job is? 

  

Describe what different jos do. 

  

 

Storytime

Find general stories that teach about the jobs that people do and the community where they live. 

• Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling
• Helpers in Your Neighborhood by Shira Evans
• I Know My Community Helpers by Ms. LoLo Smith

Check out these stories with more Lessonpix visuals and activites related to cokmmunity helpers. 

• Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird
• Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington (Excellent community concepts!)
• Dot the Fire Dog by Lisa Desimini
• I Believe I Can by Grace Byers
• Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
• Pete's a Pizza by William Steig

Create class books to teach about different community helpers. 

     

Make a class book with coloring pages. 

 

Play games that practice naming community helpers. 

          

Play memory matching using community helpers. 

 

Places in my Community 

Places in the community. Take a field trip to a grocery store, firehouse, or post office. Go on a field trip a strip mall and walk along each store noticing what they sell and uniformas they wear. What are some places in your community? 

 

Plan a trip to a restaurant. Practice prior on how to read a menu, order a meal, use restaurant manners, and pay for the meal. 

 

Association - match the worker and where they work. 

    

 

Alphabet Knowledge and Reading Skills

Tie unit concepts to other curriculum areas. 

  

 

Writing

Write about your favorite community helpers. 

 

What are some things you may see in your community? 

Can you write the names of these jobs? 

 

Fine Motor

Practice cutting with community themed cutting pages. 

 

Make lacing cards using unit vocabulary. Laminate and punch holes around the picture. 

 

Math

Embed unit vocabulary and concepts in math lessons. 

  

Teach concepts of money and practice ways to use money. 

 

 

Social Studies

List or sort items that belong in each job. 

How can we help our own community?

  

 

Assessments

Answer questions about community helpers

   

Have fun playing and learning together!