The learner will:

• identify and define the concept of “community.”
  
• evaluate and explain why their classroom, school, or neighborhood is a community.
  
• cite examples of other types of communities.
  
• use the vocabulary describing community characteristics.

Anticipatory Set:

Ask students the name of the continent we live on? (North America)  In what country do we live? (United States of America) What State do we live in?  (____) What city?(_____________).  Ask students if they can identify a community (of which they are a part) that is smaller than a city. (Look for answers such as “classroom,” “family,” “faith-based organization,” “sports team,” etc.)  Tell them they are part of many other communities which will be discovered in today’s lesson.

 

• Display a poster or large piece of chart paper with the definition of community (a group of people with common interests and likes) written at the top.
  
  
• Create 10 cards with the following words and definitions on them.  Put one word or definition on each card, one word or one definition per card.  Hand the cards out randomly to ten different students.  Ask each of the students to read their word or definition card.  Ask the class to decide who has the word and definition that belong together.  As students make suggestions, ask the two students holding the cards to stand next to each other.  After all the words and definitions are paired together, ask the students to again read their cards.  Have the class to make adjustments until they are sure they have the matches correct.  Display the matching word and definition cards on the community poster.
  
  
  • sharing - dividing or distributing portions
  • caring - showing interest or concern
  • trust - confidence or faith in a person or thing
  • interdependence - depending on one another; mutual dependence
  • common resources - resources that are not owned, but left open
    for free use by all
    
    
• Arrange students into six cooperative groups of four to six students.  Give each group a picture of one of the following: children in the classroom, spectators at a football game, a Boy Scout troop, a beach full of people, a sports team, and a family at the dinner table.  (Pictures may be photographs or cut from books, popular magazines, or the newspaper.)  Each group will be given five minutes to decide whether or not their picture shows an example of a community and use the words from the previous activity to defend their decisions.  Each group must present its findings by choosing one person to speak for the group.  The teacher should facilitate, correcting misconceptions that may occur.

• On the writing paper, the student should write one complete paragraph to explain his or her picture.  The topic sentence will be provided by the teacher:  “This picture shows a community of...........”  Students should complete the paragraph by adding supporting details.  Details will need to include the definition of community and at least two of the terms that describe a community (as well as support for the choice of that term).
  
  
• If desired, a bulletin board may be developed.  Students could bring in pictures that illustrate various communities.  The definition and the terms that identify a community could also be added.