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Picture talk
Community Helpers
Who Works in the City?
Look at a city scene and imagine the work of a firefighter, mail carrier, police officer, baker, and doctor. Talk about what each person does and what might happen next.
- Age 6
- 20 min
- Medium
- Any group size
- Picture talk
Learning areas
Skills practised
About this activity
Children look at a city scene and pictures of community helpers. Together with an adult, they talk about each person's work and imagine what might happen next.
This activity builds vocabulary and encourages children to explain their ideas and tell short stories.
Learning objectives
- Name the five community helpers shown.
- Describe one possible task for at least three of the helpers.
- Imagine and tell what might happen next in a made-up situation.
The printable
Print
What you need
- Printed activity sheet
Safety notes
When discussing emergencies, remind children to find an adult and never try to fight a fire themselves.
How to do it
- Print the sheet and place it where everyone can see it.
- Invite the child to look at the city scene and the community helpers.
- Model how to imagine a scene: “The firefighter might be getting ready to help someone.”
- Ask the child to choose a helper and describe what that person might be doing in the city.
- Use the questions to talk about the other helpers and imagine what happens next.
- Finish by inviting the child to tell a short story about one of the characters.
Teaching suggestions
- Give the child time to think, and welcome different answers that make sense in the story.
- If the child needs support, point to a picture and offer an idea to get started.
- Talk about community helpers the child has seen in the neighborhood or in books.
- In a group, give each child a chance to choose a character and share an idea.
Variations
Easier
Choose two helpers at a time and give clues about their work.
Harder
Ask the child to make up a story with three helpers and tell its beginning, middle, and end.
Extension
Invite the child to draw a city and add other people who work there.
Talk about it
- What might a firefighter do to help people? What could happen next?
- What might a mail carrier bring someone? What might that person do next?
- How might a police officer help people in the city?
- What might a baker make? What happens after it is ready?
- How might a doctor care for someone? What might that person do afterward?
What to look for
- Notice whether the child names all five helpers, with or without support.
- Notice whether the child describes a possible task for at least three helpers.
- Listen for the child to explain what might happen next in their story.
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