Jobs Around Us Facilitator Guide Jobs Around Us
Facilitator Guide • Grade 1
Time: 45 Minutes
Why This Lesson?
This lesson introduces students to community helpers, helps them understand roles and services that support daily life, and encourages them to reflect on personal interests and career choices.
Objective
Students will identify at least six jobs in their school and community, describe one responsibility for three of those jobs, and choose one job they might want with a reason why.
Materials Needed
School Helpers Photo Hunt
Community Map Slides
Career Day Read-Aloud
Map Match and Place Cards
Responsibility Sort Sheet
Circle Share Prompts
Job-Place Matching Relay
My Job Pick and Why Journal
Exit Ticket
Responsibility Checklist
Preparation (10 Minutes)
Print and cut out all cards from the Map Match and Place Cards set.
Make copies of the Responsibility Sort and Exit Ticket for each student.
Display the community map on chart paper or a digital whiteboard.
Queue up the Community Map Slides and prepare the read-aloud text.
Instructional Steps
5m
Warm-Up: Photo Hunt
Distribute photos from School Helpers Photo Hunt . Students work in pairs to find and name as many school helper roles as they can. Facilitate a brief share-out of roles they recognized.
10m
Read-Aloud: Career Day
Read aloud Career Day (Anne Rockwell) , pausing to point out different jobs. Ask students to listen for job titles and responsibilities mentioned. After reading, list jobs on chart paper.
10m
Investigate: Map Matching
Display the community map. Provide each student group with cards from Map Match and Place Cards . Groups place cards on the map where those professionals work. Distribute Responsibility Sort and Record Sheet for students to match and record responsibilities.
8m
Explain: Circle Share
Gather students in a circle. Use the Why This Job Matters Circle Share prompts: “Why do you think this job helps people?” Check student statements against the Responsibility Checklist .
7m
Apply: Journal Reflection
Ask students to pick one job they might want to do. Distribute My Job Pick and Why Journal . Students draw and write one reason they chose that job.
5m
Cool-Down: Exit Ticket
Hand out Exit Ticket: One Job, One Responsibility . Students write one job and one responsibility. Collect for assessment.
Community Map Slides Video Clips Community Helpers Map
Welcome! Today we’ll explore our community map and discover where different helpers work.
Teacher Note: Welcome the students and explain that we’ll use a big map to learn where helpers work.
Teacher in Action
Video Placeholder
Show a clip of a teacher leading a classroom activity here.
Question:
“Where on our map does a teacher work?”
Invite students to point or say "school" on the community map.
Custodian at Work
Video Placeholder
Show a clip of a custodian cleaning hallways and classrooms.
Question:
“What building on our map needs a custodian?”
Guide students to identify the school building on the map.
Firefighter on Duty
Video Placeholder
Show a clip of firefighters responding to an emergency.
Question:
“Which building is this? Where do firefighters work?”
Point out the fire station on the community map.
Nurse Helping Patients
Video Placeholder
Show a clip of a nurse helping a patient in a clinic.
Question:
“Where on our map do nurses help people?”
Find the clinic or hospital building on the map.
Mail Carrier
Video Placeholder
Show a clip of a mail carrier delivering letters and packages.
Question:
“Where does the mail carrier go? Point to the post office.”
Locate the post office and neighborhood houses on the map.
Your Turn: Map Matching
Use your job cards to place each helper on the map where they work. Then match each job to its responsibility on your sheet.
Work in Groups
Place the Cards
Record Duties
Read-Aloud Career Day Story Read-Aloud Story
Career Day at Greenfield Elementary
Meeting the helpers who keep our community going!
Today is Career Day, and the gym is buzzing with excitement. Bright posters line the walls, each displaying a different job: teacher, firefighter, nurse, mail carrier, baker, and more. The school bell rings, and students file in, ready to meet community helpers.
🍎
Teacher – Ms. Ramirez
Ms. Ramirez teaches first grade. She plans lessons, reads stories, and helps students learn letters and numbers. She smiles and encourages everyone to ask questions.
👨🚒
Firefighter – Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee wears a heavy coat and helmet. He drives the fire truck to emergencies and helps people stay safe. He shows children how to stop, drop, and roll if clothes catch fire.
👩⚕️
Nurse – Nurse Patel
Nurse Patel works in a health clinic. She checks temperatures, bandages cuts, and gives shots to keep people healthy. She reminds students to wash their hands and eat fruits and vegetables.
📫
Mail Carrier – Mrs. Gomez
Mrs. Gomez sorts letters and packages at the post office. She walks or drives through neighborhoods delivering mail. She greets people with a friendly wave and makes sure letters reach every home.
🥐
Baker – Mr. Chen
Mr. Chen wakes up before dawn to bake bread and pastries. He measures flour, mixes dough, and bakes treats until they are golden brown. He shares warm cinnamon rolls that smell like sunshine.
Listen for Jobs and Responsibilities
As we read, listen for each helper’s job title and one thing they do to help people. After the story, we will list at least six jobs, describe responsibilities for three, and think about which job you might like to do one day.
Community Map Match and Place Cards Community Map Match & Place Cards
Print and cut out these cards. Groups take turns placing a card on the community map where that helper works, then say their job title and one responsibility.
Teacher
Works at the School
Custodian
Works at the School
Firefighter
Works at the Fire Station
Nurse
Works at the Clinic/Hospital
Mail Carrier
Works at the Post Office
Baker
Works at the Bakery
Police Officer
Works at the Police Station
Dentist
Works at the Dentist Office
Responsibility Sort and Record Sheet Responsibility Sort & Record
How do these helpers care for our community?
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Match the Job
Draw a line connecting each job on the left to its responsibility on the right.
1. Teacher
2. Custodian
3. Firefighter
4. Nurse
5. Mail Carrier
6. Baker
7. Police Officer
8. Dentist
a) Drives a fire truck to emergencies
b) Reads stories and teaches letters
c) Delivers letters and packages
d) Cleans hallways and classrooms
e) Checks temperatures and bandages cuts
f) Bakes bread and pastries early in the morning
g) Helps people follow rules and stay safe
h) Keeps teeth clean and checks for cavities
Part 2: Write One Responsibility for Three Jobs
Choose three jobs from Part 1. Write the job title and its main responsibility.
Job:
Responsibility:
Job:
Responsibility:
Job:
Responsibility:
Why This Job Matters Discussion Guide Discussion Facilitation
Why This Job Matters
Circle Share Discussion Guide
Purpose
Helping students articulate why different jobs are important, connect roles to real-life needs, and practice respectful discussion skills.
Circle Guidelines
Sit in a circle so everyone can see each other.
Use a "talking piece" (beanbag or small toy).
Listen respectfully without interrupting.
Use kind words and build on others' ideas.
Discussion Prompts
1
Name & Role
"Name the job you placed on the map and say one thing that person does."
2
Why It Matters
"Why do you think this job helps people in our school or community?"
Sentence Frame:
"I think a _________ is important because ___________________."
3
Real-World Connection
"Have you ever seen someone doing this job? What were they doing, and how did they help people?"
4
Imagine Without It
"What would happen if we did not have this job in our community?"
Follow-Up Questions
"Can you give another example of when this helper makes a difference?"
"How does this job make people feel (safe, healthy, happy)?"
"What questions would you ask someone who does this job?"
Invite 2-3 students to restate a favorite idea. Reinforce that every helper’s work is valuable!
Job-Place Matching Relay Game Classroom Game
Job-Place Relay
Race to match the helpers to their workplaces!
Objective
Review where different helpers work by matching job cards to locations on the community map in a fun, active relay.
Materials
Community Map (floor or wall)
Two sets of Job Cards
Masking tape or velcro
Stopwatch or timer
How to Play
1
Team Up: Divide the class into two teams and line them up behind the "relay zone" line.
2
On Your Marks: On "Go," the first student runs to the map with their team's job cards.
3
Match & Say: Select one card, place it on the map, and say the job and responsibility out loud!
4
Tag Out: Run back and tag the next teammate. The first team to correctly place all cards wins!
Rules
Stay behind the line until tagged.
If it's wrong, you must fix it!
Speak loudly and clearly.
Reflection
"Name one job you placed and tell us where it works."
"Describe one responsibility for that job."
My Job Pick and Why Journal Reflection My Future Job
Thinking about what I want to be!
Name:
1. My Job Choice
Write the name of the job you want to do one day:
2. Draw a Picture
Draw yourself doing this job!
3. Why I Chose This Job
Tell us why you picked this job.
I want to be a
because
School Helpers Photo Hunt Warm-Up School Helpers Photo Hunt
Who helps us in our school building?
Partner Name:
Instructions
Look at the photo cards with your partner.
Name each helper and talk about where they work.
Choose three helpers to write about below.
Record What You Found
1
Helper:
Location:
2
Helper:
Location:
3
Helper:
Location:
Teacher Note: Provide photos of school staff such as the Teacher, Principal, Librarian, Custodian, Nurse, Cafeteria Worker, Coach, or Security Guard.
Exit Ticket One Job Responsibility Exit Ticket
One Job, One Responsibility
Show what you learned today!
Name:
Date:
1. Write one job from today's lesson:
2. Write one responsibility for that job:
Thank you for sharing your learning!
Exit Ticket
One Job, One Responsibility
Show what you learned today!
Name:
Date:
1. Write one job from today's lesson:
2. Write one responsibility for that job:
Thank you for sharing your learning!
Checklist Responsibility Statements Accuracy Responsibility Accuracy Checklist
Assessment Rubric for 1st Grade Community Helpers Lesson
Teacher Resource
Use this rubric to assess the students’ written responsibility statements on the Responsibility Sort and Record Sheet and the Exit Ticket . This helps track progress in identifying community roles and writing descriptive sentences.
Criteria 3 – Meets Expectations 2 – Approaching 1 – Needs Support Job Title Accuracy All three job titles are written correctly and match jobs introduced in class. Two job titles are correct; one is missing or incorrect. Fewer than two job titles are correct or missing entirely. Responsibility Accuracy All three statements accurately describe a main task or duty for each job. Two statements accurately describe a responsibility; one is inaccurate. One or no statements accurately describe the job’s responsibility. Sentence Structure Each responsibility is a complete sentence with a capital letter and period. Two statements are complete sentences; one may lack punctuation. Statements are fragments or lack clear sentence structure.
Instructional Next Steps
For Students at "Approaching":
Review specific job duties using the Map Match Cards in a small group.
Practice oral sentence building using the frames from the Circle Share.
For Students "Needing Support":
Provide a word bank of job titles and responsibility verbs.
Use the School Helpers photos to anchor the abstract community roles.
Classroom Observations / Student Notes:
