Career Day at Greenfield Elementary

Today is Career Day, and the gym is buzzing with excitement. Bright posters line the walls, each displaying a different job: teacher, firefighter, nurse, mail carrier, baker, and more. The school bell rings, and students file in, ready to meet community helpers.

Meeting Helpers

Teacher – Ms. Ramirez

Ms. Ramirez teaches first grade. She plans lessons, reads stories, and helps students learn letters and numbers. She smiles and encourages everyone to ask questions.

Firefighter – Mr. Lee

Mr. Lee wears a heavy coat and helmet. He drives the fire truck to emergencies and helps people stay safe. He shows children how to stop, drop, and roll if clothes catch fire.

Nurse – Nurse Patel

Nurse Patel works in a health clinic. She checks temperatures, bandages cuts, and gives shots to keep people healthy. She reminds students to wash their hands and eat fruits and vegetables.

Mail Carrier – Mrs. Gomez

Mrs. Gomez sorts letters and packages at the post office. She walks or drives through neighborhoods delivering mail. She greets people with a friendly wave and makes sure letters reach every home.

Baker – Mr. Chen

Mr. Chen wakes up before dawn to bake bread and pastries. He measures flour, mixes dough, and bakes treats until they are golden brown. He shares warm cinnamon rolls that smell like sunshine.

Listen for Jobs and Responsibilities

As we read, listen for each helper’s job title and one thing they do to help people. After the story, we will list at least six jobs, describe responsibilities for three, and think about which job you might like to do one day.

Community Map Match and Place Cards

Materials: Printed job cards (Teacher, Custodian, Firefighter, Nurse, Mail Carrier, Baker, Police Officer, Dentist) and a community map.

Instructions:

1. Cut & Prepare Cards: Print and cut out the job cards listed below.
2. Display Map: Place the community map on the board or floor.
3. Group Students: Divide the class into small groups; give each group a full set of job cards.
4. Place & Identify: Groups take turns placing a job card on the map where that helper works. When placing, they say the job title and one thing the helper does.
5. Rotate Sets: After placing all cards, swap sets with another group and repeat.

Job Cards:

• Teacher [#image-job-teacher]
• Custodian [#image-job-custodian]
• Firefighter [#image-job-firefighter]
• Nurse [#image-job-nurse]
• Mail Carrier [#image-job-mail-carrier]
• Baker [#image-job-baker]
• Police Officer [#image-job-police-officer]
• Dentist [#image-job-dentist]

Responsibility Sort and Record Sheet

Part 1: Match the Job to Its Responsibility

Draw a line connecting each job on the left to the correct responsibility on the right.

Jobs: Responsibilities:

1. Teacher a) Drives a fire truck to emergencies
2. Custodian b) Reads stories and teaches letters
3. Firefighter c) Delivers letters and packages
4. Nurse d) Cleans hallways and classrooms
5. Mail Carrier e) Checks temperatures and bandages cuts
6. Baker f) Bakes bread and pastries early in the morning
7. Police Officer g) Helps people follow rules and stay safe
8. Dentist h) Keeps teeth clean and checks for cavities

Part 2: Write One Responsibility for Three Jobs

Choose three jobs from Part 1. For each, write the job title and one responsibility.

1. Job: ____________________________

Responsibility: _______________________________________________________

1. Job: ____________________________

Responsibility: _______________________________________________________

1. Job: ____________________________

Responsibility: _______________________________________________________

Why This Job Matters Circle Share

Purpose

Helping students articulate why different jobs are important, connect roles to real-life needs, and practice respectful discussion skills.

Circle Guidelines

• Sit in a circle so everyone can see each other.
• Use a talking piece (e.g., a beanbag or small toy)—only the person holding it speaks.
• Listen respectfully; raise your hand if you want to speak next.
• Use kind words and build on others’ ideas.

Prompts

1. Name & Role: "Name the job you placed on the map and say one thing that person does."
2. Why It Matters: "Why do you think this job helps people in our school or community?"
   • Sentence frame: _"I think a ___ is important because ____."
3. Real-World Connection: "Have you ever seen someone doing this job? What were they doing, and how did they help people?"
4. Imagine Without It: "What would happen if we did not have this job in our community?"

Follow-Up Questions

• "Can you give another example of when this helper makes a difference?"
• "How does this job make people feel (safe, healthy, happy)?"
• "What questions would you ask someone who does this job?"

Closure

• Invite two or three students to restate a favorite idea they heard.
• Reinforce that every helper’s work is valuable and that we all benefit from their services.
• Transition by saying, “Next, we’ll think about which job you might want to do and why!”

(Continue to Facilitator Guide: Jobs Around Us for pacing and connections to other activities.)

Job-Place Matching Relay

Objective

Students will review and reinforce their understanding of where different helpers work by matching job cards to locations on the community map in a fun, active relay.

Materials

• Community Map on the floor or chart paper
• Two identical sets of job cards from Community Map Match and Place Cards
• Masking tape or velcro to secure cards on the map
• Stopwatch or timer (optional)

Setup

1. Place the community map on the floor or a low table at one end of the room.
2. Divide the class into two teams and have them line up at the other end of the room.
3. Give each team a shuffled stack of job cards.
4. Mark a “relay zone” line where students will start and tag the next player.

How to Play

1. On “Go,” the first student from each team runs to the map with their team’s job cards.
2. They select one card, place it on the correct location on the map, and say the job title and one responsibility aloud.
3. They tag the next teammate in line, who then takes a new card and repeats the process.
4. Continue until all cards are placed on the map.
5. The first team to finish placing all their cards correctly wins!

Rules

• Students must wait behind the start line until tagged.
• If a card is placed incorrectly, the student must pick it up and try again.
• Encourage clear, loud speaking of the job title and responsibility.

Follow-Up Reflection

After the relay, gather students and ask:

1. “Name one job you placed and tell us where it works.”
   
   
   
2. “Describe one responsibility for that job.”
   
   
   

(Continue to Facilitator Guide: Jobs Around Us for pacing and connections to other activities.)

My Job Pick and Why

Today we explored many helpers and their jobs. Now it’s your turn to pick one job you might want to do and tell why!

1. My Job Choice

Write the name of the job you want to do:

2. Draw a Picture

Draw yourself doing this job. Use the space below for your picture:

3. Why I Chose This Job

Write one sentence telling why you picked this job.

Sentence starter: I want to be a ______ because ______________.

School Helpers Photo Hunt

Time: 5 minutes
Materials: Sets of photo cards showing school helpers (Teacher, Principal, Librarian, Custodian, Nurse, Cafeteria Worker, Coach, Office Staff, Security Guard)

Instructions:

• Partner Up: Students work in pairs and each pair gets a set of photo cards.
• Identify & Discuss: For each photo, name the helper shown and talk with your partner about where that person works in the school (e.g., “The custodian works in the hallways and classrooms.”).
• Record Three Helpers: Choose three photos and write the helper’s name and where they work on the lines below.
• Share Out: Be ready to share one helper and their workplace with the class when time is up.

Record What You Found

1. Helper: ________________ Location: ________________
   
   
   
2. Helper: ________________ Location: ________________
   
   
   
3. Helper: ________________ Location: ________________
   
   
   

Exit Ticket: One Job, One Responsibility

Today you’ll show what you learned about helpers and their jobs.

1. Write one job from today’s lesson:
______________________________

2. Write one responsibility for that job:
____________________________________________________________________

Thank you for sharing your learning!

Checklist: Responsibility Statements Accuracy

Use this rubric to assess the students’ written responsibility statements on the Responsibility Sort sheet and Exit Ticket.

Teacher Notes:

• Circle or highlight any inaccurate matches for reteaching.
  
• Provide one written or verbal prompt to students needing support.
  
• Use this checklist to guide small-group instruction on sentence writing and content accuracy.