Sharon A. Lewis
Social Studies (Community Helpers) and Technology
Pre-K
Atlantic Elementary School 
1/25/01
slewis@aes.carteret.k12.nc.us
 

Brief Description:   Students are never to young to investigate possible jobs they would like to do in the future. This unit will take a look at Community Helpers and the jobs they perform in order to help children understand the responsibilities the job entails. The student will recognize the community helpers, describe the jobs each performs and how technology is used. Students will be able to use technology skills to help them sort objects and draw a picture of the career person they would possibly like to become in the future.  (This Pre-K class has 12 students and 4 computers in the classroom).

Curriculum Areas:

Computer/Technology Skills

• Introduce the computer as a machine that helps people work.
• Students will learn to place the cursor at a specified location.
• Introduce the physical components of a computer system.
• Demonstrate correct care and use of computers.
• Identify and group items by different attributes using manipulatives and software.

Social Studies:
The student will recognize the community helpers and describe the jobs each perform.

Approximate Time Required:
    60 minutes during the day for 5 days

Teacher's Lesson Goals/Objectives:
Students will investigate to see how technology helps the Community Helpers.  Students will learn the parts of the computer and how to take proper care of the machine. Students will be introduced to spreadsheet concept of identifying and grouping items by different attributes using manipulatives and software.   They will also learn to use the tools of a draw/paint program to create a picture of one of the career persons they studied. 

Materials/Resources Needed:

• Sacks with career tools, 
• Books on careers, 
• AppleWorks/ClairsWorks Paint program 
• Kid Pix, Kidspiration, 
• SuperPrint ,
• Computer, 
• Presentation system,
• Printer, 
• Paper, 
• Crayons. 

 

1. Students review the physical components of a computer system.
2. Identify by brainstorming ways the computer is used to helps people work and play. 
3. Students will be shown the AppleWorks/ClarisWorks drawing tools and how they work.
4. Students will also be shown the Kid Pix program and how the stamps work .
5. Students will review sorting objects.

Activities:

1. Students brainstorm different careers and the jobs each performs as the teacher enter the information into Kidspiration. 
2. Several students will be given career hats. They will put them on one by one and ask children to tell what their job is and where the person works.
3. Students will go to the different centers to discover and role play the jobs their person has. (Have several sacks with pictures of workers pasted on the front.  Have students sort ìtoolsî and items into proper sacks:  (letters/boxes- mail carrier),  (badges, hats, clothes, toy fire truck, water hose - fireman),  (badges, hats, clothes, toy police car)
4. Computer Centers: 1. Students choose a career and use Kid Pix stamps to find all the tools they will need for their chosen job.  2. Students can draw a picture of themselves when they are grown up, performing their dream job.  3.  Students will click on the SuperPrint icon of their career person and print their very own color sheet. use the Teachers will help students type in their name and print their picture to display their work. 
5. Invited career persons will come to the classroom to describe their job and what kind of technology they use to perform their jobs.

Closure:
The culminating activity will be a trip to the fire department, police station and/or post office.

Assessment: 
Student's work will be observed to see they have can match jobs with tools.

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