Introduction

This lesson will introduce first grade students to community helpers. They will visit web sights to learn about many different community helpers and the places they work. The students will help a make-believe mayor plan some community helpers for a new community. The students will also write a sentence describing a community helper.

Learners

This lesson is designed for first grade students. It could easily be adapted for students in grades K-2.

This lesson would primarily be used as a Social Studies lesson. The students will also use their previous knowledge on sentence structure to write a simple sentence.

Curriculum Standards

This lesson will address the following Illinois State Learning Standards:

Social Science

Goal 16D.1 - As a result of their schooling students will be able to understand Illinois, United States and world social history.

Goal 18B.1 - As a result of their schooling students will be able to understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.

Language Arts

Goal 3C.1 - As a result of their schooling students will be able to communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.

Process

The students will work with a partner to complete the following directions:

• Work with an adult helper to visit several community helpers and the places they work.
• Discuss the following questions with the adult helper.  

• Work with an adult helper to take a community helper quiz.
• Print out the Mayor's map of Fort Love.
• Work with your partner to choose five community helpers that you feel would benefit Fort Love.
• Draw a picture of each helper on the map and the place they work.
• Choose one of your helpers and write a sentence telling about that helpers job. Write your sentence on the back of your map.
• Click on one of the following helpers to print out a coloring sheet to color.

1. doctor
2. firefighter
3. mail carrier
4. police officer
5. teacher

As an extension to this lesson, invite community helpers to visit your classroom. Students' parents and school helpers could be excellent resources. Students could also take a field trip to visit some important places in the community such as the fire station, post office or hospital.

Resources Needed

The following materials will be needed to complete this lesson:

• Books about Community Helpers (See the student page for some examples)
• Copies of the Map of Fort Love
• Pencil and crayons for each student
• An adult helper to help guide the students through the webquest. This helper could be a classroom aide or a parent volunteer.