Community & Public Services Course Plan (Grades K–5)

Course Overview

Theme: Community & Public Services
Mentor Text: Civic Square: The Grand Opening
Duration: 4 Weeks
Total Lessons: 20 Lessons

Course Objectives

By the end of the month, students will have applied reading, writing, grammar, and math skills to role-play as civic helpers and community investigators, completing service-based projects and documenting real-world events. Evidence of learning will consist of weekly writing journals, completed task checklists, learning guides, and a final presentation such as a community safety expo, case investigation, or civic simulation.

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Weekly Breakdown

Week 1: Postal Workers

Lesson 1: Introduction to Postal Services

• Objective: Understand what postal workers do and the importance of mail in a community.
• Activity: Read a chapter from Civic Square, discuss, and create a list of postal services.
• GSE Standards: RL.K.1, RL.1.1, RL.2.1
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Draw a picture of a letter being delivered.
  • 3–5: Write a short paragraph on the role of postal workers.

Lesson 2: Writing Letters

• Objective: Learn how to write a friendly letter.
• Activity: Write a letter to a family member or friend, addressing it properly.
• GSE Standards: W.K.5, W.1.5, W.2.5
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Fill in a letter template.
  • 3–5: Create a letter with at least three paragraphs.

Lesson 3: Math with Mail

• Objective: Understand how to calculate postage.
• Activity: Create a postage-calculating activity using mock envelopes.
• GSE Standards: 1.OA.6, 2.NBT.5
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Count stamps and totals.
  • 3–5: Calculate postage with different weight scenarios.

Lesson 4: Design a Post Office

• Objective: Integrate math and creativity in architectural design.
• Activity: Begin Minecraft challenge: design a post office.
• GSE Standards: 3.D.1, 4.G.2
• Differentiation:
  • K–2 with simple designs.
  • 3–5 with functional post office services included.

Lesson 5: Reviewing Community Services

• Objective: Reflect on what roles community services play.
• Activity: Discuss how community changes with these services; write in journals.
• GSE Standards: SL.K.1, SL.1.1, SL.2.1
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Draw their favorite postal service.
  • 3–5: Write a journal entry about a personal experience with postal services.

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Week 2: Fire Careers

Lesson 6: Introduction to Fire Services

• Objective: Understand the role of firefighters in the community.
• Activity: Read a chapter from Civic Square, discuss, and create a firefighter role chart.
• GSE Standards: RL.K.1, RL.1.1, RL.2.1
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Color a firefighter image.
  • 3–5: Write a summary of a firefighter's daily duties.

Lesson 7: Fire Safety

• Objective: Learn fire safety practices.
• Activity: Create a fire safety poster.
• GSE Standards: W.K.3, W.1.3, W.2.3
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Draw a picture showing safety.
  • 3–5: Write a paragraph on how to stay safe during a fire.

Lesson 8: Math with Fire Safety

• Objective: Understand and calculate evacuation times.
• Activity: Map a simple escape route and use basic math for timing tasks.
• GSE Standards: 1.OA.6, 2.NBT.5
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Count the number of steps to safety.
  • 3–5: Calculate how long it takes to escape based on different scenarios.

Lesson 9: Build a Fire Station

• Objective: Create a safe and functional fire station.
• Activity: Begin Minecraft challenge: build a fire station.
• GSE Standards: 3.D.1, 4.G.2
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Focus on critical features like the pole and truck bays.
  • 3–5: Include safety equipment rooms and community outreach areas.

Lesson 10: Community Fire Drill

• Objective: Apply fire safety practices in a drill.
• Activity: Simulate a fire drill in class.
• GSE Standards: SL.K.1a, SL.1.1a, SL.2.1a
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Follow teachers and practice following exit signs.
  • 3–5: Lead a role-play scenario for younger students.

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Week 3: Law Enforcement

Lesson 11: Introduction to Law Enforcement

• Objective: Learn the functions and duties of police officers.
• Activity: Read the relevant chapter from Civic Square, discuss, and create a law enforcement vocabulary list.
• GSE Standards: RL.K.1, RL.1.1, RL.2.1
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Create a matching game with law enforcement terms.
  • 3–5: Write a detailed explanation of police roles.

Lesson 12: Writing a Report

• Objective: Understand how police officers document incidents.
• Activity: Write a mock police report based on a community safety incident.
• GSE Standards: W.K.2, W.1.2, W.2.2
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Fill out a simplified report form.
  • 3–5: Write a complete police report.

Lesson 13: Math with Law

• Objective: Use math to explore community crime statistics.
• Activity: Analyze sample data on neighborhood safety.
• GSE Standards: 1.OA.1, 2.NBT.9
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Count simple occurrences (e.g., how many incidents).
  • 3–5: Calculate percentages of crime data from a graph.

Lesson 14: Create a Police Station

• Objective: Build a functional design for law enforcement.
• Activity: Begin Minecraft challenge: design a police station.
• GSE Standards: 3.D.1, 4.G.2
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Simple footprint of the station.
  • 3–5: Include holding cells, offices, and community rooms.

Lesson 15: Community Law Enforcement Day

• Objective: Explore citizen engagement with local law enforcement.
• Activity: Create and act out a community meeting scenario.
• GSE Standards: SL.K.1b, SL.1.2, SL.2.1
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Act out simple questions for officers.
  • 3–5: Prepare a list of questions for a mock police visit.

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Week 4: Forensic Science

Lesson 16: Introduction to Forensic Science

• Objective: Learn how forensic science contributes to law enforcement.
• Activity: Discuss the role of forensic scientists in crime-solving.
• GSE Standards: RL.K.1, RL.1.1, RL.2.1
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Identify forensic tools with images.
  • 3–5: Write a description of a forensic scientist’s job.

Lesson 17: Forensic Evidence

• Objective: Understand different kinds of evidence used in investigations.
• Activity: Participate in a simulation analyzing fingerprints.
• GSE Standards: W.K.3, W.1.2, W.2.3
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Match fingerprint patterns.
  • 3–5: Write a summary of how fingerprints are used as evidence.

Lesson 18: Math in Forensics

• Objective: Learn to calculate timeframes in investigations.
• Activity: Solve problems related to the timing of crime scenes.
• GSE Standards: 1.OA.6, 2.NBT.5
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Simple addition/subtraction problems from scenarios.
  • 3–5: Timed math challenges related to forensic cases.

Lesson 19: Construct a Forensic Science Lab

• Objective: Use engineering and creativity to design a lab.
• Activity: Begin Minecraft challenge: construct a forensic science lab.
• GSE Standards: 3.D.1, 4.G.2
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Basic layout of the lab.
  • 3–5: Include specific rooms for evidence analysis and experiments.

Lesson 20: Community Investigation Expo

• Objective: Present learning and investigations to the community.
• Activity: Prepare displays or presentations based on each week’s theme.
• GSE Standards: SL.K.5, SL.1.4, SL.2.5
• Differentiation:
  • K–2: Simple posters of learning.
  • 3–5: Detailed presentations or skits about community services.

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Monthly Conclusion Wrap-Up

Students reflect on problem-solving, responsibility, and teamwork, understanding how communities function. They'll present their learning in the form of a community safety expo, case investigation, or civic simulation, showcasing their applied skills and knowledge acquired throughout the month.

Assessment Methods

• Weekly writing journals
• Completed task checklists
• Learning guides
• Final presentations as community events (safety expo, case investigation, civic simulation)

This structured plan integrates academic skills with real-life applications in civic service roles while engaging students in creative and practical activities that reinforce their learning and understanding of community functions.