TEACHING
GUIDE
TEACHING
Communities
1st Grade Reading Level
ISBN 978-0-8225-9208-2 Green
2
TEACHING
COMMUNITIES
Standards
Geography
• Understands the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools
and technologies.
• Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment.
• Understands the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of Earth’s surface.
• Understands the physical and human characteristics of place.
• Understands the patterns of human settlement and their causes.
• Understands how geography is used to interpret the past.
Language Arts— • Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions.
Writing
Language Arts— • Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process.
Reading
• Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading a variety of
informational texts.
Visual Arts
• Understands the characteristics and merits of one’s own artwork and the artwork of
others.
Multiple Intelligences Utilized
• Spatial, linguistic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, naturalistic, and intrapersonal
Copyright © 2008 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 — IG — 13 12 11 10 09 08
Books in the Communities series:
Living in Rural Communities
Living in Suburban Communities
Living in Urban Communities
TEACHING
Lesson 1
What Is a
Community?
Purpose: Students will learn the definition of
community and will map their own community.
Materials
• Communities books
• chart paper or
chalkboard
• markers or chalk
• map of community
surrounding the
school
• Community Map
p. 10
• overhead of
Community Map
p. 10
• colored pencils or
crayons
• pencils
Objectives
• Write a list of things found in the community.
• Explain the meaning of community.
• Discover the natural and human-made features of
communities.
• Depict the features of a community on a map.
• Explain features drawn on Community Map p. 10.
• Compare and contrast features seen in different
communities.
• Summarize Community Map p. 10.
Activity Procedures
Prepare
(teacher)
• Read the Communities books.
• Copy Community Map p. 10 for each student.
• Make an overhead of Community Map p. 10.
• Find a map of the community surrounding the
school.
COMMUNITIES
Pretest
(teacher, class)
• What do you see on your way to school?
• List student responses on the board or chart paper.
• What is a community?
• Write a definition for community as a class.
Read
(teacher)
• Read a Communities book.
Model
(teacher)
• Tell students that they go to school in a community.
• Display the map of your school’s community.
• Point out natural and human-made features of the
community.
• Explain that students will be making a map of the
area in which they live.
• Ask students to close their eyes and imagine taking a
walk through their neighborhood. What buildings do
they see? What streets are nearby? Who do they
see?
• Put up an overhead of Community Map p. 10.
• Explain and model how to complete Community
Map p. 10.
Practice
(students)
• Each student will complete Community Map p. 10.
Discuss
(teacher, students)
• Allow a few students to share and explain their work
on Community Map p. 10.
• Discuss the natural and human-made features the
students included on Community Map p. 10.
• Compare and contrast the different communities
represented in the students’ work.
Evaluate
(teacher)
• Collect Community Map p. 10 from each student
and assess for understanding.
• Display Community Maps in the classroom or hallway.
3
4
TEACHING
COMMUNITIES
Lesson 2
Communities Are
Alike and Different
Purpose: Students will learn that communities have
similarities and differences in terms of land use,
housing, building size and placement, and availability
of resources.
Materials
• Communities books
• chart paper or
chalkboard
• markers or chalk
• My Community
p. 11
• overhead of My
Community p. 11
• pencils
• photo of urban
community
• photo of suburban
community
• photo of rural
community
Objectives
• Identify things all communities have in common.
• Discuss features that distinguish communities.
• Explore the features of the students’ community.
• Differentiate between types of communities.
• Compare and contrast types of communities.
• Evaluate communities.
Activity Procedures
Prepare
(teacher)
• Find three photos that are good examples of an
urban, a suburban, and a rural community.
• Copy My Community p. 11 for each student.
• Make an overhead of My Community p. 11.
• Draw a T-chart on your chart paper or chalkboard.
• Label one side of the chart “All communities
have . . .” and the other side “Some communities
have . . .”
Pretest
(teacher, students)
• Remind students of the community maps created in
Lesson 1.
• What did you include on your community map?
• Do all the maps look the same?
• What is different about each community?
Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Communities books.
Model
(teacher)
• Ask students to sit on the floor in front of the chart
or chalkboard.
• Review the class’s definition of community.
• Explain that most people live in communities and
that communities are alike and different.
• Show students the three photos of communities.
• Ask students what they think all of the communities
have in common. List their responses (e.g. houses,
people, land, roads, etc.).
• Ask students to identify features that only some
communities have. List their responses (e.g. tall
buildings, cows, stadiums, malls, etc.).
• Put up the overhead of My Community p. 11.
• Explain and model how to complete My Community
p. 11.
Practice
(students)
• Complete My Community p. 11.
Discuss
(teacher, students)
• Allow students to share and explain the choices they
made on My Community p. 11.
• Discuss the type of community the students live in.
• Ask students if they would like living in a community
different from their own. Why or why not?
Evaluate
(teacher)
• Collect My Community p. 11 from students and
assess for comprehension.
TEACHING
Lesson 3
Rural Mural
Purpose: Students will learn about the natural and
human-made features of rural communities.
Materials
• Living in Rural
Communities
• large butcher paper
or chart paper
• Rural Art p. 12
• overhead of Rural
Art p. 12
• markers or crayons
• pencils
• scissors
• paste
Objectives
• Define rural.
• Discuss things seen on a farm or in a rural area.
• Discover the features of a rural community.
• Diagram a rural community.
• Create a rural mural.
• Explain additional features added to the rural mural.
Activity Procedures
Prepare
(teacher)
• Put up four to six large pieces of chart paper or
butcher paper in your room.
• Split students into four to six groups.
• Copy Rural Art p. 12 for each student.
• Make an overhead of Rural Art p. 12
Pretest
(teacher, students)
• What kinds of things would you see on a farm?
• What would you see in the countryside?
Read
(small groups)
• Read Living in Rural Communities.
COMMUNITIES
Model
(teacher)
• Put up an overhead of Rural Art p. 12
• Explain the features of rural communities.
• Model how to color and cut out each item on Rural
Art p. 12.
• Place items in appropriate spots on the chart or
butcher paper.
• Explain that you are creating a rural community and
that each group will create their own community.
• Encourage students to add other features to their
communities, including ponds, rivers, people,
animals, stores, bridges, etc.
• Model adding some features to your chart paper.
• Explain that students should leave open spaces on
the chart paper because rural communities have a lot
of open land.
• Pass out Rural Art p. 12 to each student.
Practice
(students)
• Color and cut out items from Rural Art p. 12.
• Paste them on the chart paper.
• Draw and color additional features of a rural
community.
Discuss
(teacher, students)
• How did you decide what the community would be
like?
• What extra features did you draw on your community
mural?
• Why did you add those features?
• Are the neighbors close together or far apart?
• What would people do for fun in this community?
Evaluate
(teacher)
• Listen to group explanations concerning the creation
of their rural community.
• Determine whether students understood “rural”
concepts.
5
6
TEACHING
COMMUNITIES
Lesson 4
Urban Development
Purpose: Students will learn how a city develops and
will add urban features to their rural mural.
Materials
• Living in Urban
Communities
• rural murals from
Lesson 3
• Urban Art p. 13
• overhead of Urban
Art p. 13
• markers
• crayons
• colored pencils
• scissors
• paste
Objectives
• Define urban.
• Discuss things seen in a city.
• Discover the features of an urban area.
• Compare and contrast rural and urban communities.
• Add an urban community to the rural mural.
• Predict what will happen to the communities.
Activity Procedures
Prepare
(teacher)
• Copy Urban Art p. 13 for each student.
• Make an overhead of Urban Art p. 13.
Pretest
(teacher, students)
• What is a city?
• What kinds of things do you see in a city?
Read
(small groups)
• Read Living in Urban Communities.
Model
(teacher)
• Put up an overhead of Urban Art p. 13.
• Explain the features of an urban community.
• Model how to color and cut out the items on Urban
Art p. 13.
• Place the items in an open area on the rural mural.
• Explain how a city may develop, using your mural as
an example.
• Pass out Urban Art p. 13 to each student.
Practice
(students)
• Color and cut out items from Urban Art p. 13.
• Paste them on the mural.
• Draw additional urban features on the mural.
Discuss
(teacher, groups)
• Each group should explain their mural.
• Where did they place the city? Why?
• What are some differences between urban and rural
areas?
• What do they think will happen as their city grows?
Evaluate
(teacher)
• Listen to students’ explanations and assess for
understanding.
TEACHING
Lesson 5
The Growth of
Suburbs
Purpose: Students will learn the term suburban and
about urban expansion and the growth of suburbia.
Materials
• Living in Suburban
Communities
• rural murals from
Lesson 3
• Suburban Art p. 14
• overhead of
Suburban Art p. 14
• markers
• crayons
• pencils
• scissors
• paste
• Comparing
Communities p. 15
Objectives
• Define suburban.
• Discuss things seen in the suburbs.
• Discover the features of a suburban area.
• Compare and contrast the three kinds of
communities.
• Add a suburban community to the rural mural.
• Explain the growth of each kind of community.
Activity Procedures
Prepare
(teacher)
• Put up rural murals around the room.
• Copy Suburban Art p. 14 for each student.
• Make an overhead of Suburban Art p. 14.
• Copy Comparing Communities p. 15 for each
student.
Pretest
(teacher, students)
• What is a suburb?
• What kinds of things would you see in a suburb?
COMMUNITIES
Read
(small groups)
• Read Living in Suburban Communities.
Model
(teacher)
• Put up an overhead of Suburban Art p. 14.
• Explain the features of a suburban community.
• Explain how a suburb develops.
• Model how to color and cut out each item on
Suburban Art p. 14.
• Place items on the rural mural around the edges of
the city.
• Pass out Suburban Art p. 14 to each student.
Practice
(small groups)
• Color and cut out items on Suburban Art p. 14.
• Paste items onto the mural.
• Add other suburban features to the mural.
Discuss
(teacher, small groups)
• What can you tell us about your mural?
• Why are suburbs built on the outer edges of cities?
• What do you think would happen if more people
decided to build houses in this suburb?
Evaluate
(teacher, students)
• Hand out and explain Comparing Communities p.
15.
• Once students have completed Comparing
Communities p. 15, collect and assess for
understanding.
7
8
TEACHING
COMMUNITIES
Lesson 6
My Community Grows
and Changes
Purpose: Students will learn how their community has
developed.
Materials
• Communities books
• My Community Over
Time p. 16
• overhead of My
Community Over
Time p. 16
• chart paper or
chalkboard
• markers or chalk
• pencils
• photos of the
community at various
times in the past
century
• a map of the
community in the
past
• a current map of the
community
Pretest
(teacher, students)
• What do you think has changed in our community
over time?
• Why do you think it changed?
• Will it keep changing?
Model
(teacher)
• Point out the current map of the community.
• Review the features of the community.
• Put up the map of the community from the past.
• Compare and contrast the current map and the map
from the past.
• On the chart paper, make a list of differences noted.
• Show students the photographs of the community
starting with the oldest and ending with the most
current.
• Put up the overhead of My Community Over Time
p. 16.
• Model how to complete My Community Over Time
p. 16.
Practice
(students)
• Complete My Community Over Time p. 16.
Objectives
• List things that have changed in the students’
community.
• Discuss why those changes occurred.
• Examine maps and photographs of the community in
the past.
• Compare and contrast photographs of the
community over time.
• Depict the community at a time in the past.
• Predict changes that will occur in the future.
Activity Procedures
Prepare
(teacher)
• Copy My Community Over Time p. 16 for each
student.
• Make an overhead of My Community Over Time
p. 16.
• Display the current map of the community.
• Visit the local library, historical society, or high school
for photographs and maps of the community at
various times over the past century.
Discuss
(teacher, students)
• How did the community change?
• Why did it change?
• Do you think the community will keep changing?
Why or why not?
• What changes would you like to see in the
community?
• How can you change the community for the better?
Evaluate
(teacher)
• Collect My Community Over Time p. 16 and assess
for understanding and effort.
TEACHING
Additional Resources
BOOKS
Caseley, Judith. On the Town: A Community
Adventure. New York: Greenwillow Books,
2002.
Join a little boy and his mother as they go on an
adventure to meet people and explore places in
their community.
Collier, Bryan. Uptown. New York: Henry Holt, 2000.
A little boy takes readers on a tour of his
neighborhood in Harlem. He points out the
things that make him feel at home, such as
chicken and waffles, basketball games, and jazz.
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne. City Green. New York:
Harper Collins, 1994.
This is a story about a young girl who pulls a
neighborhood together by creating a community
garden.
Kalman, Bobbie. What Is a Community? From A-Z.
New York: Crabtree Publishing, 1999.
Explore what makes communities alike and
different in this comprehensive alphabet book.
Mitchell, Melanie. Teachers. Minneapolis: Lerner
Publishing Group, 2005.
Learn about the jobs people do in communities
with the Community Helpers series.
Steele, Philip. A City through Time. New York: DK
Children, 2004.
Watch a fictional Greek city grow and develop
over 2,500 years through amazingly detailed
artwork.
COMMUNITIES
WEBSITES
4-H Virtual Farm
http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/
virtualfarm/main.html
Go on guided tours of different kinds of farms at
this child-friendly site.
BrainPOP Jr.—Social Studies Notebook—Communities
Unit
http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/
communities/
This site provides educational animated movies
for students. It also provides lessons about rural,
suburban, and urban communities. You must
subscribe to BrainPOP Jr. in order to view the
movies.
Kids and Community
http://www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity/
Learn about how a city is planned and post your
own artwork or writing samples on this website.
Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
http://pbskids.org/rogers/R_house/build.htm
Children can use clip art and fun sounds to
create their own communities.
9
10
Name
Community Map
Key
Teaching Communities
11
Name
My Community
Circle the pictures that look the most like your community.
My community has . . .
1. lots of open land
2. some open land
3. little open land
1. few people
2. lots of people
3. some people
1. lots of buildings
2. few buildings
3. some buildings
1. some cars
2. lots of cars
3. few cars
1. few animals
2. some animals
3. many animals
Teaching Communities
12
Rural Art
Teaching Communities
13
Urban Art
Teaching Communities
14
Suburban Art
Teaching Communities
15
Name
Comparing Communities
Circle the things you might see in a rural community:
cow
tractor
tall buildings
farm
Circle the things you might see in an urban community:
businessperson
barn
skyscraper
bus
Circle the things you might see in a suburban community:
houses
Teaching Communities
tall buildings
store
car
16
Name
My Community Over Time
Draw a picture of your community in the past and your
community now.
Past
What changes did you notice?
Teaching Communities
Now