Unit Plan 21 (PreK Social Studies): Important People and Heroes
Meet community helpers and heroes through stories and play, learning how they keep us safe, help others, and make our world fairer.
Focus: Help children learn about leaders, helpers, and heroes in the community and in simple historical stories, noticing how they help others, keep people safe, and stand up for fairness.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • History)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 15–20 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, children explore important people and heroes—both in their everyday world (firefighters, nurses, teachers, crossing guards) and in simple historical stories (someone who helped people be fair or safe). They learn that heroes and helpers care about others, solve problems, and sometimes are honored with special days or celebrations.
Through read-alouds, role-play, and art, children identify what helpers do, name a few leaders or heroes, and talk about why we remember them. By the end of the week, each child creates an “Important Person to Me” page that shows one helper or hero and how that person helps.
Essential Questions
- Who are the helpers and leaders in our school and community?
- What makes someone a hero?
- Why do we have special days or celebrations for some important people?
- How can we help others like the heroes and helpers we learn about?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Name at least one community helper or leader (e.g., firefighter, doctor, principal) and tell what they do.
- Identify at least one important person or hero from a story and say how they helped others.
- Recognize that some heroes and important people are remembered with special days or celebrations.
- Draw or talk about one important person to them and how that person helps them or others.
Standards Alignment — PreK (C3-based custom)
- PK.C3.Hist.3 — Identify important people and celebrations. Recognizes helpers, leaders, and special holidays.
- Example: “We celebrate Dr. King because he helped people be fair.”
- PK.C3.Civ.2 — Identify classroom and community helpers. Names people who help others and tells what they do.
- Example: “Firefighters put out fires.”
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name a helper or leader and say how they help.
- I can tell something about an important person or hero from a story.
- I know that some heroes have a special day or celebration.
- I can make a picture of an important person and tell how they help me or others.