Community Helpers

Overview

This is the first lesson in the unit Exploring Our Community: Maryhill. Through enquiry and creativity, Year 2 pupils will investigate the variety of roles played by community helpers in Maryhill. The lesson supports pupils in recognising their local environment and people who contribute to its wellbeing, fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility.

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Curriculum for Excellence Alignment

Experiences and Outcomes (Es & Os)

• SOC 1-02a: I can recognise and explore features of my local area, discovering the jobs people do and how these help to shape the community.
• SOC 1-03a: I enjoy exploring outdoor spaces and can share my observations and findings.
• LIT 1-20a: I can write simple sentences and short texts to express ideas and information using my knowledge of sounds and spelling patterns.
• EXA 1-04a: I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through different kinds of play, drama, dance and art.

Key Capacities

• Successful Learners: Developing enquiry skills through observation and investigation.
• Confident Individuals: Expressing ideas through drama and writing.
• Responsible Citizens: Building awareness of local community and workforce roles.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Identify a range of jobs and roles that community helpers perform in Maryhill.
• Describe the importance of these roles in helping the community.
• Write simple observational sentences about community helpers.
• Create and wear simple costumes to represent community helpers.

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Success Criteria

Pupils can:

• Name at least four different community helper roles.
• Verbally explain the role of one community helper.
• Write 2-3 simple sentences about a community helper.
• Participate actively in dressing up and role-play activities.

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Resources

• Large pictures/photos of local community helpers (e.g. postman, nurse, firefighter, shopkeeper) — ideally Maryhill-specific or Scottish context
• Cardboard, fabric scraps, paper, crayons, glue, scissors for costume making
• Whiteboards and markers or exercise books
• ‘Community Helpers’ word bank on display with key vocabulary
• Storybook or short video about community helpers (optional)
• Name tags for roles

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Lesson Outline (60 min)

1. Starter - Community Helper Brainstorm (10 mins)

• Gather pupils seated in a circle. Display pictures of community helpers.
• Ask: “Who are the people that help us in Maryhill? What jobs do they do?”
• Encourage pupils to name helpers and briefly share what they know. Record responses on a large poster.
• Introduce vocabulary: postman, nurse, firefighter, shopkeeper, teacher, etc. Use clear Scottish English pronunciations.

Teacher Notes: Use guided questioning to prompt deeper thinking, e.g. “How does a nurse help us?”

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2. Main Activity Part 1 – Observation & Writing (15 mins)

• Show photos of community helpers and ask pupils to choose one they find interesting.
• Pupils discuss in pairs what they think the helper does.
• Pupils write 2-3 simple sentences about their chosen helper's role in their exercise books or on mini whiteboards, e.g. “A firefighter puts out fires.” / “The postman delivers letters.”
• Support pupils with spelling using the word bank.

Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or word banks to pupils requiring additional support. More advanced pupils can write additional sentences about why the role is important.

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3. Main Activity Part 2 – Costume Creation and Role Play (25 mins)

• Organise pupils into small groups (4–5 pupils). Assign or let them choose one community helper role per group.
• Provide materials for simple costume-making: hats for firefighters, badges for police, envelopes for postmen, aprons for shopkeepers.
• Pupils create their costumes collaboratively with teacher support.
• After the costumes are ready, have a brief role-play session where each group demonstrates what their community helper does. Encourage use of phrases and vocabulary learned earlier.

Teacher Tips: Focus on cooperative learning and encourage pupils to use Scots-English phraseology where appropriate for engagement.

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4. Plenary - Sharing and Reflection (10 mins)

• Each group performs their role play for the class.
• Ask reflective questions: “Why do we need community helpers? What would happen if these jobs didn’t exist?”
• Praise positive contributions highlighting respect and understanding of community helpers.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during discussions and role plays.
• Review pupils’ written sentences for understanding and use of vocabulary.
• Use checklist aligned with success criteria for informal teacher notes.

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Extension Ideas

• Arrange a walk around Maryhill to spot real community helpers in action (e.g., postal workers, shopkeepers).
• Invite a community helper as a guest speaker.
• Create a class “Thank You” poster for community helpers to be displayed in the school.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Did pupils show curiosity and respect toward the community helpers?
• Was the writing activity scaffolded enough for all abilities?
• How effective was the costume activity in reinforcing roles and vocabulary?
• Plan how to build on this lesson’s learning for the next activities in the unit.

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Additional Notes

• Ensure health and safety during costume making (safe scissors, non-toxic materials).
• Celebrate Scottish identity by including local community helpers and related vocabulary.
• Encourage parental involvement by suggesting pupils ask family about their roles or interactions with community helpers.

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This lesson plan provides a rich, interactive, and curriculum-linked approach to introducing young pupils to their community helpers, embedding literacy alongside geography and social learning in an engaging, developmentally appropriate way.