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Community helpers are those people that perform a specific service that some how benefits the community as a whole. These people get paid to do this service for the community. Some well recognized occupations are doctors, teachers, firemen, postmen, and police officers. These and many other community helpers play a vital role in our neighborhoods. That is why it is so important that children learn to recognize these people from a young age. As you discuss the various occupations children will learn to realize how many people serve them everyday. Learning about these citizens will not only expand your student’s knowledge or spark interest, but also expand their appreciation for them. You may want to discuss what might occur if these jobs were not performed. What would our neighborhoods be like? All of these questions are important for students to think about now. This pathfinder lists a sampling of the best resources that we have to offer on the subject of community helpers. It will not only save you preparation time, but aid in bringing fresh new ideas into the classroom. |
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Curr/Ref ActBks W812th 1992 pg. 74-77 |
Theme Units Kids Adore: from Ants to Zoos This section is filled with great activities, such as people posters- where the children use outlines of their own body to make life-size pictures of various community workers, finger puppets, and much more. |
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| Curr/Ref ActBks E93w 1997 pg. 44, 98,123 |
Everything for Winter This book gives great ideas for studying some specific occupations such as the post man and doctor. Students will have fun designing their own mailbox to receive mail from other children, or playing doctor by giving medical help to a friend. |
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| Curr/Ref ActBks W743 1992 pg. 27, 179-184 |
Everyday Circle Times Start off your community helper unit with a fun “Who am I ?” game and finish it off with other great games, art activities, snacks, and song ideas found in this book. |
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| Curr/Ref ActBks B344 1992 pg. 32, 64, 76, 84 |
Alternatives to Worksheets This can be used for all occasions. Each page is filled with various ways to give an assignment. The pages listed are ideas that could be used while studying our community helpers. |
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| Clip Art Books pg.108-124 |
Clip Art Collection II This book is filled with great ready made graphics, including a large section on community helpers. |
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| Curr/Ref ActBks G434 1993 Pg.92, 207-209 |
The GIANT encyclopedia of theme activities for children 2 to
5 This book offers hands-on activities that will expand your students knowledge on some specific occupations, while having a lot of fun too. |
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Curriculum Elementary |
Periodicals |
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| Curr/El SocStu A244 1997 Gr.1: te pg.73A-77A |
My World- Adventures in Time and Place This book is a great resource on ideas for class discussion about various jobs. It also includes some great activity ideas, like having a workers costume party where the children march around the room to the song “Whistle While You Work”. |
“Jobs Around the Neighborhood”, Teacher’s Helper Grade 1- Nov/Dec/Jan
1998-1999, pg. 41-51. Give your students the chance to learn about various
community helpers while making a student-made booklet. “Community Helpers”, Challenge- Jan/Feb 1996, pg. 3-11. Includes a great plan for each day of the week, including a fun activity where the children must investigate and gather clues. “It’s In The Mail!”, The Mailbox Kindergarten Feb/March 1999, pg. 4-11. While studying the postman, teach the children how to send a letter and what happens to their mail once they send it. |
| Curr/El SocStu K64 1981 Gr.3:tx pg.130-131, 152, 182-183 |
Our Communities Use this text to help children better understand that their community operates based upon the exchange of services among its citizens. |
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| Curr/TA LangArts 123 |
Reading Rainbow- Hail to Mail Includes a video, a full-sized mailbox, a curriculum package and even a free story which will add some fun to your study of the postman. |
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| Curr/TA Science 14 |
Stethoscope Let the kids get some hands-on experience with a tool used by a doctor. |
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| Curr/TA SocStu 2 |
Traffic Signs Miniature traffic signs will add some fun to your discussion about police officers and traffic controllers who help in keeping the community safe. |
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| Curr/TA SocStu 24 |
Community Helpers Lotto A great game to help children become familiar with their community helpers and what they do. |
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| Curr/TA SocStu 4, 5, 6 |
Looking Out the Window A series of cassette tapes to aid students in exploring many different occupations. |
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Children Folio Easy R234o |
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann This entertaining book will help your students understand the importance of police officers and safety, not only on the streets, but in school. |
| Children Folio Easy S631m |
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph
Slate This ABC picture book will give your students a new perspective on what teachers do to get ready for school. |
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| Children 383 J67p |
Postal Workers A to Z by Jean Johnson This informative book will be a great tool in your study of this very important community helper. |
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| Children Easy R456 cgo |
Curious George Goes to the Hospital by Margret &
H.A. Rey Children will enjoy reading about the trouble that Curious George gets himself into at the hospital. |
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| Children Easy P639p |
The Paper Boy by Dav Pilkey Your students will learn that some of our community helpers perform their jobs before the sun comes up and that even kids can be a community helper. |
| http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst78.txt This site has great ideas for getting the parents involved in a learning activity on community helpers. Children will have fun either bringing their parents into the class, or bringing a “tool” that describes what their parents do to help the community. |
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| http://www.ncpc.org/10act10.htm Have your kids check out this fun website to see if they can figure out the hidden message in this community helpers word scramble. |
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| http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/jmccrthy/ci335/ social_studies/community.htm This unit on community will help your students more fully understand the meaning of the terms citizen and community. |
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| http://faldo.atmos.uiuc.edu/CLA/LESSONS/460.html This site will aid you in creating various hands-on activities with your students . The kids will enjoy making their own mailbags while studying the postman, or making and learning about traffic lights as they study about traffic controllers. |
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Curr/TA Posters LangArts 99 |
These worker figurines will come in handy for making a bulletin board to incorporate the theme of community helpers in the classroom setting. |
Created by Amy Smith
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