Objective:

Students will improve their vocabulary by sorting words related to community helpers into categories based on their roles and responsibilities. This activity will also introduce students to the concepts of classification and logical grouping, which are foundational to computational thinking.

Materials Needed:

• Picture cards or word cards representing various community helpers (e.g., firefighter, teacher, doctor, police officer)

• Large chart paper or a whiteboard

• Markers

• Pre-drawn category headings on chart paper (e.g., "Helps Us Stay Safe," "Teaches Us," "Cares for Our Health")

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by discussing different community helpers with the class. Show pictures or word cards representing each helper and briefly explain their roles.

• Word Sorting Activity:

  • Present the category headings on chart paper or the whiteboard.

  • Have students work together to place each community helper word or picture card under the appropriate category. For example, the word "firefighter" might go under "Helps Us Stay Safe."

  • Encourage students to explain why they think each word belongs in a particular category, helping them to articulate their reasoning.

• Discussion:

  • Review the completed chart with the class, discussing the different roles and responsibilities of each community helper.

  • Relate the activity to computer science by discussing how computers sort information into categories, much like how the students sorted the community helpers.

Equity and Access: 

Offer visual aids or additional explanations for students who may need support understanding the roles of community helpers. Provide sentence starters or guided questions to help students articulate their reasoning for placing a word in a particular category. Allow for group work so students can support one another in making decisions.

Real-World Application: 

Connect the activity to real life by explaining how understanding community helpers' roles helps us recognize the people who make our communities function. Relate the sorting activity to everyday tasks like organizing toys, school supplies, or even grocery items, showing how categorizing helps us and computers manage and understand information more effectively. 

CS Practices:

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify the problem of categorizing community helpers and solve it by logically grouping related words.

Content Standards:

• CA CCSS ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5, L.K.6

Objective:

Students will deepen their understanding of community helper roles by creating and animating digital scenes in ScratchJr that depict the daily tasks of various community helpers. They will practice utilizing vocabulary related to this topic. This activity will also build problem-solving skills within the context of computer science.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets with ScratchJr installed (one per small group)

• Vocabulary list of community helpers (e.g., firefighter, teacher, doctor, police officer)

• Printable character cutouts (optional, for planning before digital creation)

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin with a discussion about the different community helpers and their roles in the community. Introduce the vocabulary words and talk about what each helper does daily.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different community helper (e.g., one group might focus on a firefighter).

  • In ScratchJr, students will create a digital scene that shows their assigned community helper performing a specific task (e.g., the firefighter putting out a fire).

  • Guide students to sequence the actions correctly in ScratchJr, such as having the firefighter move towards the fire, spray water, and then the fire disappearing.

• Creating and Coding:

  • Demonstrate how to use ScratchJr’s blocks to create the sequence of actions needed for their community helper's task. Encourage creativity by allowing students to add relevant backgrounds and objects (e.g., a firetruck).

  • As students work, prompt them to think about the order of actions and how each step leads to the next, reinforcing the concept of sequencing.

• Presentation:

  • Each group presents their animated scene to the class, explaining the task their community helper is performing and the sequence of actions involved.

  • Discuss how sequencing in ScratchJr is similar to how these community helpers follow steps in their real-life jobs.

Equity and Access: 

Provide step-by-step instructions and peer support for students who may need extra help with ScratchJr, ensuring all students can engage in the activity. Offer printable character cutouts for planning to help students visualize their scenes before using the digital tool, allowing those who may struggle with technology to participate meaningfully.

Real-World Application: 

Connect the lesson to real life by explaining how community helpers, like firefighters or doctors, follow specific sequences in their jobs, just like students are doing in ScratchJr. This shows how sequencing is used in real-world problem-solving, such as following procedures to put out a fire or treat a patient.

CS Practices:

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students create digital representations of community helpers using sequencing to depict their daily tasks.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test their animations and refine the sequences to accurately represent the tasks of their assigned community helper.

Content Standards:

• CA CCSS ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5, L.K.6

• CA CS K-2.AP.12