Unit Plan 3 (Grade K Social Studies): Helpers in Our School
Meet the helpers who keep school running—kids learn what each adult does, explore goods vs. services, and create a class book celebrating their school community.
Focus: Help children recognize key helpers and authority figures in the school and describe what they do. Students explore how different adults provide services that keep the school safe, clean, and fun. They use observations, simple stories, and a short school walk or guest visits to learn about jobs like principal, nurse, librarian, custodian, and cafeteria worker. The week ends with a “Helpers in Our School” class book or poster showing who helps and how.
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • Economics • Community)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This unit helps children see that a school is a community where many adults are helpers. Students learn that helpers have special jobs and responsibilities that make school a safe and happy place. They practice naming different helpers, matching them to their workplaces and tools, and talking about how those helpers serve students. They also begin to notice goods (things we can touch, like food or books) and services (helping or doing jobs for others) inside the school.
Essential Questions
- Who are the helpers in our school?
- What do these helpers do for us every day?
- How do helpers’ jobs keep our school safe, clean, and fun?
- What is a service, and how do school helpers provide services?
- How can we thank and respect the people who help us?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Name at least three school helpers (e.g., principal, nurse, custodian, librarian, cafeteria worker).
- Describe in simple terms what each helper does to support students and the school.
- Begin to distinguish goods (things we use) from services (things people do to help us) in the school setting.
- Match helpers to their workplaces (office, library, cafeteria, hallway) and sometimes to their tools.
- Help create a “Helpers in Our School” class book or poster that shows who helps us and how.
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (C3-based custom)
- K.C3.Civ.2 — Identify authority figures and community helpers; describe what they do.
- K.C3.Econ.2 — Identify goods and services and who provides them.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can say the name of at least three helpers in our school.
- I can tell one thing each helper does to help us.
- I can tell the difference between a thing we use (good) and a job someone does (service).
- I can match helpers to where they work in the school.
- I can help make a page or picture for our “Helpers in Our School” book or poster.