Unit Plan 29 (PreK Social Studies): Jobs and Workers
People in our community have jobs, use tools, help others, and earn money to meet their needs—introducing helpers children see at school and in their neighborhood.
Focus: Help children explore jobs and workers in the classroom, school, and community, and begin to notice the tools workers use and how their work helps people get what they need. Through pictures, stories, matching games, and role-play, children learn that people have jobs, use special tools, and work to help others and earn money.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Social Studies (Economics)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 15–20 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, children discover that there are many jobs around them—at school, at home, and in the community—and that each worker helps in an important way. They learn to name workers, talk about what they do, and match tools to workers (e.g., a broom to a custodian, a stethoscope to a doctor).
Children also begin to understand that people work to get what they need, like food, clothes, and a place to live, and that jobs help families earn money and help others. Through dramatic play and a “Job Match” activity, they see jobs as a way of helping and taking care of the community.
Essential Questions
- What is a job? Who has a job at our school and in our community?
- How do workers help us?
- What tools do workers use to do their jobs?
- Why do people work? How does working help them get what they need?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Name at least two familiar workers at school or in the community (e.g., teacher, custodian, doctor, mail carrier).
- Match at least one tool (picture or prop) to a worker who uses it.
- Describe in simple language how a worker helps others (“The custodian cleans our school.”).
- Begin to explain that people work to earn money and to get things they need.
- Participate in a “My Job” drawing or dictation, showing a worker and their tool or job activity.
Standards Alignment — PreK (C3-based custom)
- PK.C3.Econ.2 — Recognize jobs and workers in the community. Names familiar workers and the tools they use.
- Example: “A builder uses a hammer.”
- PK.C3.Econ.3 — Understand that people work to get what they need. Learns that people have jobs to earn money and help others.
- Example: “My mom works at the store.”
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name a worker at school or in my neighborhood.
- I can match a tool (like a broom or stethoscope) to a worker.
- I can say how a worker helps people.
- I can tell that people work to get things they need.