Community Care

Overview

In this additional lesson, students practise how to be a kind, safe community helper by using simple routines, sharing, and respectful choices. They reflect on what “responsibility” looks like in everyday situations.

Learning intentions

We Are Learning To (WALT):

• recognise friendly behaviour as part of helping our community
• understand that rules keep people safe and help everyone
• practise simple actions for turn-taking, sharing, and asking for help
• explain how our choices can affect others

Success criteria

• I can name one kind thing I can do for others in my community.
• I can follow a class rule and show what safe behaviour looks like.
• I can take turns and share ideas or resources.
• I can say how my choice helps or might hurt someone.

Curriculum links

• Personal wellbeing: relationships and how to treat others kindly
• Safety: understanding basic safety rules and safe behaviours
• Citizenship in school: belonging to a community and following shared expectations
• Emotional health: noticing feelings and using simple strategies to manage them

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes | Welcome and lesson focus

• Teacher shares the WALT and explains: “Today we will practise community care and responsibility.”
• Quick feelings check using pictures or emotion cards (happy, okay, worried).

2. 5–12 minutes | Story talk (guided discussion)

• Read a short, age-appropriate story about a community helper (e.g., school caretaker, parent volunteer, library helper).
• Pause for questions: “What did they do to help?” “Was it safe?” “How did others feel?”

3. 12–20 minutes | Rules that help (mini lesson)

• Show 3–4 simple community rules on visual cards, such as:
• “We are kind.”
• “We wait our turn.”
• “We keep hands and feet safe.”
• “We ask for help.”
• Students repeat each rule with a gesture (dyslexia-friendly: reduced text, lots of visuals).

4. 20–30 minutes | Role-play stations (practise skills)

• Set up 3 stations with clear picture prompts:
• Station A: Turn-taking (use a timer and “my turn/your turn” cards)
• Station B: Sharing materials (request politely: “Can I please…?”)
• Station C: Asking for help safely (use a “help symbol” and practise a short script)
• Rotate every 3–4 minutes. Teacher models first, then students practise.

5. 30–42 minutes | Community connection task (group activity)

• For 10 students, do a “community care wall” on paper or a large display.
• Each student adds one contribution card:
• “I can help by…” with pictures (e.g., holding a door, tidying, giving a compliment).
• Teacher asks each student to complete the sentence verbally or with a sentence stem.

6. 42–50 minutes | Feelings and choices (choice/impact sorting)

• Use two columns: “Kind and safe” and “Not kind / unsafe.”
• Students place picture scenarios (e.g., pushing, sharing, listening, grabbing) into the correct column.
• Teacher highlights: “Some choices help people feel safe and included.”

7. 50–58 minutes | Reflection and quick exit ticket

• Whole-class: “One community responsibility I will do today is…”
• Students answer using a picture-based exit ticket or 1–2 word response.

8. 58–60 minutes | Close

• Teacher thanks students and previews: “Next time we will build on these community habits.”

Resources

• Picture cards for WALT and key rules (minimal text)
• Storybook or teacher-read scenario sheets (clear, short sentences)
• Emotion cards (happy/okay/worried)
• Role-play prompt cards (“my turn/your turn,” “can I please,” “help symbol”)
• Timer (visual timer if available)
• Scenario sorting cards (kind/safe vs not kind/unsafe) with pictures
• Community care wall template and contribution picture cards
• Sentence stems (visual): “I can help by…” and “I will…”
• Exit tickets with pictures or cut-and-stick responses
• Seating arrangement for small-group station rotations

Assessment

• Observe role-play performance: turn-taking, safe body use, and help-seeking script.
• Check understanding through sorting activity: students place scenarios into correct categories.
• Use exit tickets to assess whether each student can name a responsibility action.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Use visual timetables, gesture prompts, and sentence stems with picture support.
• Provide a “choice board” so students can respond without needing full verbal sentences.
• Break instructions into short steps and model before each station.
• Additional support for Autism/ADHD:
• Clear boundaries for each station (start/stop cues, consistent roles).
• Provide predictable rotation times and a calm “reset corner” with sensory tools if needed.
• EAL:
• Rely on pictures, gestures, and repeat key phrases (“my turn,” “help please,” “kind and safe”).
• Allow responses with pointing or single words at first.
• Extension (advanced learners):
• Ask students to add a “because…” explanation: “We wait our turn because it helps everyone.”
• Include a more complex scenario: “What should we do if someone forgets the rule?” and practise a kind reminder script.

Dyslexia-friendly reading options

• Teacher reads all text; students use pictures and short phrases only.
• Provide large-print cards with high-contrast colours and minimal words.
• Offer audio recording of the story/scenarios if available.
• Allow responses orally, with pointing, or with cut-and-stick picture cards instead of writing.