Summer Break Curriculum: Community

While a lot of students across the country are just kicking off their summer, Monday starts week 4 of our summer vacation!  If you are just now joining our summer quest to never hear the phrase, “I’m bored,” please go back and read Part 1 and Part 2 of our summer learning curriculum and activity schedule.

WEEK 4:  COMMUNITY

This week we are learning all about where we live and the people who keep our community safe and functioning.

Vocabulary:  community, map, doctor, dentist, teacher, police officer, fire fighter, waiter, waitress, chef,  mail person, garbage man/woman, plumber, electrician, cashier, construction worker, librarian (the list is endless)

Role Play/Dramatic Play:

Role play different occupations so your little one can get a better understanding on what roles people play in our communities.Use an old purse as a doctor bag, head phones as a stethescope, ace bandages, bandaids, thermometer, medicine dispenser as a shot, etc.

Use a play tool set to pretend to be construction workers and discuss the different types of things that need to be fixed in a community:  houses, buildings, roads, signs, etc.

Take turns being a chef/waiter/customer, cashier/shopper, teacher/student, doctor/patient, etc.

Here is a great resource for dramatic play as community helpers:  Growing by Grace.

Reading:  LMNO Peas by Keith Baker

My kids absolutely love this book and I love this book because it talks about different community roles with each letter!

Visit your local library and you can find books on each different occupation.

Writing and Field Trip:  Write letters and teach your older child how to address envelopes.  Decorate a box to use as a mailbox to deliver the letters.  Take it a step further and visit your local post office to learn how the post masters deliver mail.

Field Trip:  Schedule a field trip with your local fire station!

Safety:  Help your child memorize your address and phone number and Mommy and Daddy’s first and last name.

Teach your child how to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency (and also teach that we do NOT dial 9-1-1 if it is not an emergency).

Math:  Counting teeth.  Roll the dice and add the correct number of marshmallow teeth.

Subtraction:  “Sally lost 3 teeth.  How many does she have now?”  Use “pliers” to pull the teeth like a dentist.

Social Studies:  Draw a map of your neighborhood/community and give it to your child as you walk around the neighborhood (or since we live out in the country, as we drive around our town).

Reading Craft for Social Studies:  Make a book.  Either draw simple pictures or use your camera (or Google clip art) to take pictures to illustrate your book.  Each page builds on the bigger picture of where you live.

I live in a home.  My home is on  ________ Street.  My street is in a neighborhood.  My neighborhood is in a town/city.  My town/city is in a state.  My state is in country.  My country is on the continent.  My continent is on the planet Earth.

I will be posting our completed crafts and activities soon from the past few weeks, so please stay tuned!!!  I also pinned BEAUCOUP activities and crafts for Community Helpers!  Please visit The Mommy Teacher Pinterest Board for an overwhelming amount of incredible ideas!  Comment below with any other ideas for activities to teach about our communities!