Thank You, Community Workers! Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will identify and show appreciation for workers in their community.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Communities

 

Social-Emotional Learning Focus: 

Concern and appreciation for others

 

CCSS:

SL.1.2 Discuss a video; RI.1.1 Key details; W.1.1 Opinion writing; RI.1.3 Compare/contrast; RI.1.10 Read and discuss first-grade texts, L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing

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  • Before watching That’s My Job!, ask kids to look for jobs they’ve seen people doing around their neighborhood.
  • Afterward, children can turn and talk with a partner about any familiar workers they saw. Now tell children they will read more about what these workers do! (SKILL: SL.1.2 Discuss a video)
  • Read the issue together.
  • Get kids up and moving with the Dance Break video.
  • Then project and discuss the reading checkpoint skill sheet. Later, children can fill in their own copies.

In this fun game, children search a virtual neighborhood to find things they might see in their own community.

  • With this skill sheet, kids can write and draw about a job they might like to do when they’re all grown up! (SKILL: W.1.1 Opinion writing)
  • Connect two issues with this special skill sheet. Use it after children have read Thank You, Community Workers! and Can I Help? They can draw inspiration from the issues to compare and contrast. (SKILL: RI.1.3 Compare/contrast)
Examples of thank you letters

Objective: Children will express thanks for workers through writing and drawing.

Materials: paper (regular, construction, chart, or craft), pencils, markers

  • Give thanks to the community workers in your area! In class, you can write letters as a group on chart paper, one for each community worker you’d like to thank. You can use the issue for ideas on what to write. For example, you might thank sanitation workers for getting rid of trash and thank nurses for caring for people when they are sick.
  • You can also write individual letters, create posters, or thank other community workers kids may know, such as crossing guards or bus drivers.
  • If doing the activity at school, you can send or bring the letters to hospitals, stores, and so on. If you’re doing it at home, hang the posters on your doors or in your windows to show your appreciation! (SKILLS: Showing appreciation for others; L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing)