Involving Communities and Schools

Second Grade Week Long Unit

Ashley Holmes

Amy Strietenberger

Table of contents• Objective• History Activities• People in Society Activities• Geography Activities• Economics Activities• Government Activities• Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Activities• Social Studies Skills and Methods Activities• Student Websites• Teacher Websites• Media Resources

Objective

• Students will be able to determine who is a community helper.

• Students will know why community helpers are important in society.

Activities - History

• Activity 1– Discuss what is a community helper and their roles in

the community they live and work in

• Activity 2 – Research and discuss community helpers of past and

present and how their roles are the same and different

• Activity 3– Students will read a biography of a person who was a

community helper and determine why and how they helped in the community

Activities- People in Society

• Activity 4– Have a police officer visit the classroom and

talk to the children about how their job helps the community

• Activity 5 – Have the students write a thank you letter to

the police officer that visited and thank them for the important things they do for the community

Activities- Geography

• Activity 6

• Students will look at different types of maps and locate Ohio on the maps

• Activity 7

• Make a map of the community and have the students label the places where community helpers work

Activities- Economics

• Activity 8

• Have a banker come in and discuss their job and how it effects the community

• Activity 9

• Have a school food drive for Thanksgiving to help the community

Activities- Government

• Activity 10• Have a class wide election to determine

positions to be represented by students allowing them the opportunity to experience a visible form of government.Materials:Ballots Ballot boxPencil

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Activities

• Activity 11:Visit local post office to explore the way in which mail is processed and shipped. Mail their letter to a local community leader.  Question and answer session with postmaster on the responsibilities of a postal worker.

Social Studies Skills and Methods Activities

• Activity 12:Have students write a letter of choice to their community helpers asking questions detailing their job and how they got to where they are.  When children’s letters receive responses the student will read them aloud. Materials:Addresses of community helpersStamps, Paper, Envelopes, Pencils

Assessment

Community Helpers Quiz • 1.      I take care of the sick. My

patients have 4 legs. Who am I?  (5 points) 

• 2.      I drive a car. I keep you safe. Who am I?  (5 points)

Assessment

•  • 3.      I work at a hospital. I give you

medicine. Who am I?  (5 points)•  • 4.      I take your temperature. I help the

doctor. Who am I?  (5 points)•  • 5.      I drive a red truck. The truck has a

ladder on top of it. Who am I?  (5 points)

Assessment

• Name three community helpers and what they do to help the community.

• 1.• 2.• 3.• Name three ways you can help your community.• 1.• 2.• 3.

Student Websites

• The Banking Kids Page• http://www.bankingkids.com/index_m.html• Show me Economics• http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/showmeeconomics/• Lemonaid Stand• http://www.lemonadegame.com/• Coffee Shop• http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-coffee-shop/index.html• Grocery Store• http://www.springboardmagazine.com/math/

grocerystore.htm

Student Websites

• Kids Next Door: http://www.hud.gov/kids/

Kid City Post Office: http://www.child.net/kcpo.htm Are you a Good Citizen:  http://www.goodcharacter.com/ISOC/Citizenship.html Mock Trials:  http://www.classbrain.com/artteensm/publish/article_66.shtml

Kids Court Finding Justice in Fairy Tales: http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/chavez/fairy/

Teacher Websites

• http://www.theteacherscorner.net/lesson-plans/socialstudies/helpers.htm

• http://www.apples4theteacher.com/word-finds/community-helpers.html

• http://www.ohiohistoryteachers.org/06/s.shtml• http://www.geography.about.com/library/maps/blusoh.htm

• http://www.kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip27.html

Media Resources

• 1.The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves  by gail gibbons2.Community Helpers from A to Z by Bobbie Kalman and Niki Walker3.On the Town: A Community Adventure by Judith Caseley4.A Day In The Life of a Fire Fighter by Heather Adamson5.Whose Tools are These? A Look At Tools Workers Use by Sharon Kate and Amy Baily6.A Day in the Life of a Nurse by Connie Fluent7.Creating Community by Andy Stanley8.Serving your Community by Christian Ditchfield