Elementary School Resource

Building Our Community

In this activity, students explore career interests and choices in a “What do I want to be when I grow up?” activity. A social studies unit on communities intertwines career choices with a hands-on project of building a community with job sites. To connect the school-based activity to the real career world, people in the career choice areas are invited to the classroom to be interviewed. A tour of the community, by the students, is open to the school.

• Students brainstorm career choices, choose a career they would like to have as an adult, and draw pictures of themselves engaged in the career, adding descriptive text.
• Students study the different parts of a community, identify the businesses found in the community, and build a model community (3-D interactive), including job sites for their listed careers.
• To gain awareness of their chosen career and the skills necessary to be successful, guest speakers (representing each career) visit the classroom. Students interview and present the information they gained.
• Students conduct “tours” of their community.

Related NY State Academic Standards: W.2.7, W.2.11, SL.2.3, and more!

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