The Role of Community

Year 0-1 | 30-minute Religious Education Lesson

Unit: One Family, Many Faces

Lesson 8: The Role of Community

Class Size: 20 students

WALT (We Are Learning To):

Understand what a community is and why it is important to families and individuals.
Recognise ways communities support each other.

Success Criteria:

I can describe what a community is.
I can identify at least two ways communities help families and individuals.
I can share examples of how I belong to a community.

Curriculum Alignment:

Learning Area: Social Sciences (incorporating aspects of Religious Education as per the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh)

Understand the concepts of family and community and how they provide support.
Develop key competencies such as relating to others and participating and contributing.
Foster values of whanaungatanga (relationships, kinship) and manaakitanga (care and support).

(New Zealand Curriculum Refresh outlines early years students thriving in Phase 1 with social understanding rich in literacy and oral language development, connected to their world around them) .

Lesson Outline:

Time	Activity	Description	Resources
0-5 mins	Welcome and Introduction	Gather students in a circle. Introduce the topic: "Today we will learn about communities and how they help families." Use simple clear language and visuals (picture of a community).	Picture cards showing community members, families, neighbours
5-12 mins	Storytime: Community Helpers	Read a short picture book about a community (e.g., friendly neighbours, local helpers). Pause to discuss who helps whom. Ask guiding questions like "Who helps families in the story?"	Picture book about community or prepared story with illustrations
12-18 mins	Interactive Discussion & Sharing	Use a talking stick or a soft ball to encourage turn-taking. Ask students to share if they belong to any community (family, school, church, sports team). Celebrate diversity and connections.	Talking stick or soft ball
18-25 mins	Group Activity: Community Collage	Children work in small groups (4-5) to create a "Community Collage" on a large piece of paper using cut-outs and drawings of people helping each other (e.g., doctor, teacher, family, neighbours). This encourages cooperation and reinforces learning.	Large paper, magazines, glue sticks, crayons, scissors
25-30 mins	Reflection and Closing Circle	Gather students again. Recap: "What did we learn about communities? How do communities help families and people?" Children share one thing they liked. Teach simple M āori greeting or phrase about community (e.g., "Whānau is important.").	None

Teaching Strategies and Considerations:

Use clear, age-appropriate language with lots of repetition and examples.
Include visual supports and concrete examples to support understanding.
Encourage oral language development by allowing sharing and turn-taking.
Foster positive interactions with peers through shared group work.
Acknowledge and respect cultural diversity, including Māori perspectives on community and family (whānau).
Scaffold and support children who may be shy or reluctant to speak.

Assessment:

Formative: Observe students’ participation—are they able to identify community roles? Can they share personal examples?
Anecdotal notes during discussion and group work on understanding of the role of community.
Collect group collages as evidence of their conceptual understanding and ability to communicate ideas visually.
Use student reflections during closing circle to assess success against criteria.

Key Competencies Addressed:

Relating to others: Sharing ideas about community and listening respectfully.
Participating and contributing: Working collaboratively on group activity.
Using language, symbols, and texts: Understanding and expressing ideas about community roles.

Links to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh:

This lesson supports the Phase 1 critical focus of thriving in environments rich in literacy and social understanding. It nurtures students’ awareness of themselves and others in the world around them, fostering key competencies essential at this stage .

Teacher's Reflection Notes:

Did students comfortably talk about their own community membership?
Was the story engaging and accessible?
Did the group collage activity provide opportunities for meaningful collaboration?
How did the integration of Māori terms and values enrich the lesson?

This detailed lesson plan follows the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, ensuring children learn through meaningful social and cultural contexts, helping them grasp the important role that community plays in family life and individual wellbeing.

Teaching Instructions