A guide for using our resources

Children will examine different jobs that veterans do.

Vocabulary: veteran, armed forces, pilots, medics, rescue swimmers, mechanics

Social Studies Focus: Veterans Day

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RL.1.1 key details; RF.1.3 decode words; RI.1.2 main idea and details; RI.1.10 read fi rst-grade texts; SL.1.2 ask and answer questions

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• Extend your lesson on veteran jobs with these books that compare military service to superhero actions. The illustrations lend themselves to interesting discussions about the diff erent jobs within the military, and the text will hit home for students who have family members who are veterans.

• Have students practice making the short o sound. Tell them to fi nd two words in the headline of the article that have the short o sound and circle them.
• Then ask students to revisit each box in the article and circle the words with the short o sound. How many are there?

Skills: social awareness

Materials: Good Job, Helper! template, pencils, crayons, scissors

• Students will identify and compliment classmates who are helping others.
• Give each student a Good Job, Helper! template. Read the words in each shape. Have students write their name in each shape after the words are read. Then they can cut out and color each one.
• As students are working, model identifying and calling out helpful behavior. Notice when a student passes another student a crayon, or picks up a dropped pencil. Be sure to say, “Thanks for helping our class!” so everyone can hear!
• When students are done decorating, allow them to cut out their shapes. Have them hold on to their shapes, or keep them at their desk, during a free playtime. Encourage students to be on the lookout for helpful behavior and give their “Good Job, Helper!” compliment cards to their helpful classmates.
• Keep extra compliment cards handy to pass out to students as well.
• After free play or at the end of the day, review as a class: Who did you give your helpful compliment card to? How were they helpful? Why did you get a helpful compliment card?