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Volume 2 Issue 9
October 2004
Community Helpers
WELCOME! to Education World's Early Childhood Newsletter. Each month, I'll share some ideas
on a familiar teaching theme. Hopefully you will find a new activity idea or two -- or a new twist
on one of your old favorites! Since I know you are very busy, I'll be short and sweet -- like most
of activities I suggest.
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Let’s focus on those people in our community whose jobs help citizens in their everyday lives.
Appreciation for these workers -- and volunteers, too -- should not be given all at once but throughout
the year. Fall is often filled with good weather -- and outdoor adventures can form a large part
of young children’s experiences. If possible, take long walks to visit some of these community
helpers where they work. And remember that this topic can be revisited throughout the year.
Anne Guignon
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY HELPER, ANYWAY?
Encourage children to work on a definition of “community helper.” This will be a work
in progress, constantly changing as children meet or learn about community helpers. Check each community
helper against the definition. (As the number of community helpers examined increases, the definition
will become more generalized.)
WHO ARE COMMUNITY HELPERS?
Children are often introduced to community helpers with firefighters, police officers, mail carriers,
doctors, and so on. That list expands with experience and with language. Finer distinctions are
made and whole new areas open up. Encourage children to share their meetings and interactions with
community helpers and add their jobs to the list. Don’t forget to include: librarians, EMTs,
paramedics, teachers, bus drivers, snow “plowers,” crossing guards, bakers, grocers,
plumbers, volunteers in all areas… The list may never end.
* Just a note: make certain to use non-sexist terms when introducing people and their jobs. Even
very young children remember and adopt the language they hear.
READ ABOUT COMMUNITY HELPERS
The collection of community helper books is huge. Here are just a few.
Community Helpers from A to Z (Alphabasics) by Bobbie Kalman, Niki Walker
Yes, it’s an alphabet book. Use it as a model for a book written by your own students!
Career Day, by Anne Rockwell
Use this book to introduce a variety of professions in a child-friendly manner.
Garbage Collectors (In My Neighborhood), by Paulette Bourgeois, P. Bourgeois,
Kim LaFave
An often overlooked but very important community helper. Use this book to open up discussion of
“What if…” Connect to recycling and proper disposal of trash.
COMMUNITY HELPERS IN THE NEWS
Cut out and share articles about community helpers that appear in the local newspaper -- especially
when they are about someone students have met. You may find that students begin bringing in similar
pictures and articles to share. Keep a scrapbook.
WALKS AND MAPS
Visit the workplaces of as many community helpers as you can. Encourage students to help you plan
each visit before leaving the classroom: elicit a list of questions to ask, and make a picture map
showing the route you will take there and back. Upon returning, use the map to review the trip and
add pictures of what was seen along the way -- and where it was seen. Always take a camera along
to record the trip. Labeling photos is a great language activity and acts as a no-pain review.
Check out the following Web sites for more
background and activities about community helpers.
ChildFun Family Website. Fire Fighter Activities http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?
name=News&file=article&sid=122
This site includes poems, songs, and fingerplays.
EconEdLink. Community Helpers Are at Your Service http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM454
This lesson by the National Council on Economic Education introduces community helpers in terms
of goods and services. The site provides good background for teachers and older children.
A Community Helpers WebQuest
http://ci.coe.uni.edu/uniquest/webquest/lewisl09/
This WebQuest for first graders includes police officers, firefighters, letter carriers, and doctors.
Community Helpers Theme: Preschool Activities
http://www.first-school.ws/theme/commhelpers.htm
Activity sheets, stories, crafts, and more for a Community Helpers theme.
Everything Preschool
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/
themes/helpers/games.htm
Community helper crafts, activities.
Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/neighborhood/
Community helpers in the library, school, post office, police station, and fire station.
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