Songs

 

1. Firefighter (sung to: I’m a little teapot)

I'm a little firefighter on the go,

Here is my helmet, here is my hose (point to head and put hands together like a hose)

When I see a fire (pretend to look),

Hear me SHOUT! (shout loud).

I turn the water on (pretend to turn water on),

And put the fire out (pretend to sweep hose back and forth).

SHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

2. I am a Police Officer (sung to: I'm A Little Teapot)

I'm a police officer

With my star,

I help people

Near and far.

If you have a problem,

Get the phone

And I'll be there

Dial 9-1-1

3. I'm a Helpful Doctor (Sung to: I'm a little teapot)

I'm a helpful doctor, dressed in white,

I help people feel better, Day and night.

When you get hurt or sick,

Come see me.

I'll get you all fixed up, Just as quick as can be.

4. I’m a Letter Carrier (Sung to: I'm a little teapot)

I’m a letter carrier on my way

Here is my suit, its blue and grey

When I come to your house every day

I leave the mail, but I can’t stay

5. The People in Your Neighborhood (A song from Sesame Street)

Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood

In your neighborhood

In your neighborhood.

Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood?

The people that you meet each day.

Oh, the firefighter is a person in your neighborhood,

In your neighborhood, in your neighborhood.

The Firefighter is a person in your neighborhood,

A person that you meet each day.

Add verses with other people in the neighborhood; Police officer, Mail carrier, Librarian etc.

 

 

Circle Activities

 

1. Firefighter Finger Play

Five brave firefighters, Sleeping so,

(hold up a hand with fingers flat across palm)

The fire bell rings, Down the pole they go,

(open the hand and make a downward motion)

Jump in the fire truck, Hurry down the street. Climb up the ladder,

(make the fingers climb)

Feel the fire's heat.

(wipe sweat from your brow)

Five brave firefighters,

(hold up five fingers)

Put the fire out.

(make a wiping motion)

Hip! Hip! Hooray! All the people shout!

(shout)

2. What is My Job? (Tune: "Are You Sleeping?")

What is my job?

What is my job?

Can you guess?

Can you guess?

I help people get well.

I help people get well.

Who am I?

Who am I?

*Other verses:

I can fix the water pipes.

I deliver letters.

I make tasty meals for you.

I keep your pets healthy.

I can teach you new things.

I can help if you get lost

3. Who am I?

Have pictures of different community helpers and help the children to identify each one and what they do in our community.

4. Stop, Drop and Roll

Teach the children about stop, drop and roll if they are caught on fire.

5. Do as I Do

Pretend you are working at an occupation such as a police officer. Chant this tune as you introduce community helpers. I am a police officer and I help you. Continue playing game, chanting tune and doing actions while introducing new community helpers.

6. Miss Polly Had A Dolly

Miss Polly Had a Dolly who was sick, sick, sick

(rock dolly)

So she called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick,

(pretend to call doctor on telephone)

The doctor came with his bag and his hat,

(pretend to hold bag with one hand, take off hat with other)

And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat tat.

(knock on floor)

The doctor looked at dolly and he shook his head.

And he told Miss Polly, 'Put her straight to bed.'

He wrote out a paper for a pill, pill, pill.

'I'll be back in the morning with my bill, bill, bill'.

(for above, shake head, write pill, hand out bill)

7. Any Mail For Me?

Five little letters lying on a tray. (Hold up five fingers.)

Mommy came in and took the first away. (Take away a finger.)

Then Daddy said, "This big one is for me." (Take away another finger.)

I counted them twice; now there were three. (Count fingers.)

Brother Bill asked, "Did I get any mail?"

He found one and cried, "A letter from Gale!" (Take away a finger.)

My sister Jane took the next to the last. And ran upstairs to open it fast. (Take away a finger.)

As I can't read, I'm not able to see Whom the last one's for, but I hope it's for me! (Remove thumb.)

8. Hats

First you need to make a variety of hats or use dress up hats to represent the various community helpers (i.e.. firefighter, baker, postal worker, etc.). These hats can be made out of poster board, laminated and glued onto paint stir sticks. As you sing/chant the verse, hold up a hat and the children love to call out who wears the hat!

"What, what can I be when I wear a hat like that? I can be a _________ when I wear a hat like that!"

9. If I Were

If I were a baker (pretend to put on a hat and apron)

What would I do?

Bake lots of cookies (make a circle with thumb and forefinger)

For me and you. (point to self and a friend)

If I were a secretary, (pretend to type and write on a notepad)

What would I do?

Answer the phone, (hold pretend phone to ear)

"How do you do?"

 If I were a veterinarian, (pretend to put a stethoscope in ears)

What would I do?

Care for your pet (pretend to examine a cat or dog)

It's special to you.

 If I were a dentist, (look in mouth of friend)

What would I do?

Check those teeth (pretend to drill or x-ray friend's teeth)

That's good for you!

 

10. Tooth brushing

Pretend to be brushing your teeth and explain to the children how important it is.

Brush your teeth (chchchh, chchchchchhh)-- those are brushing sounds

When you wake up in the morning and its quarter to 2, everyone's asleep and there's nothing else to do...you brush you teeth (chchchh, chchchchchhh)

When you wake up in the morning it's a quarter to one, and you want to have a little fun....you brush your teeth (chchchch, chchchchchch)

When you wake up in the morning it's a quarter to two, and you're lookin around for something to do....you brush your teeth (brushing sound)

When you wake up in the morning it's a quarter to three, and your mind is humming twiddledeedee....you brush your teeth (brushing sound)

When you wake up in the morning it's a quarter to four, and you think you hear a knock at your door....you brush your teeth (brushing sound)

When you wake up in the morning it's a quarter to five, and you just can't wait to come alive .....you brush your teeth (brushing sound)....you brush your teeth (brushing sound) ....your brush your teeth (getting progressively quieter, until brush your teeth comes out in a whisper)

 

 

Crafts

 

1. Doctor

Make headbands for doctors white strips then a circle for the center that the children cover with pieces of tin foil for the light (mirror).

2. Doctor's Bag 

Make the doctor bag (just cut a dr. shaped bag -use black construction paper)-complete with handle. Glue on a Q-tip, a cotton ball, a Band-Aid, a craft stick, piece of gauze, and whatever else you can think of.

3. Fire Engine

Precut circular and rectangular shapes from construction paper. Have the children glue the precut shapes on to a piece of construction paper to resemble a fire truck. They may add yarn or string for the fire hose and use straws to make a ladder.

4. At the Dentist

Cut a tooth shape out of yellow paper and paint them using white paint and toothbrushes.

5. Mail Bag

Use a large grocery bag cut in half. Use the top part to make a strap. Attach the strap to the bottom with staples. Let the children decorate however they want.

6. Sending Mail

Have the children make a picture. Explain to the children that they are going to mail their pictures to their house.  Give each child an envelope and have them put on a stamp. Write everyone’s address on their envelope. Have the children bring their picture to the mailbox.

7. Police Star Badges

Precut a star and have children paint blue and then sprinkle with sparkles.

8.  Fire Painting 

Using colors associated with fire (red, orange) squirt or draw thick lines on the paper and add a few drops of black paint here and there. Press clear plastic wrap onto the paper and squeegee the paint around. Pull plastic off of the paper using a strong vertical pulling action. (This will cause the paint to look like fire.) When paint is dry have the children glue a black cutout of a house (windows cut out) and a red cutout of a fire truck.

9. Shape Mail Truck

Use circles for wheels, long thin strips to connect the wheels, large rectangle for back of truck, square for cab of truck (use red, white and blue)

10. Fingerprints

Rub a pencil point several times on paper. Rub the child's finger in the graphite and stick a piece of transparent tape over it. Then stick the tape onto paper. After doing several of one child's fingers, observe that each print is the same. But everyone's prints are different.

 

 

Stories

 

1.   Emergency by Gail Gibbons

2. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman

The children at Napville Elementary School always ignore Officer Buckle's safety tips, until a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he gives his safety speeches.

3.  I'm Going to Be a Police Officer by Edith I. Kunardt

A young girl describes some of the things that her father and other police officers do each day on the job.

4.  Community Helpers from A to Z by Bobbie D. Kalman

5.  Jobs People Do by Christopher Maynard

Text and photographs of real people at work as well as authentic detailed costumes present the key aspects of over fifty occupations.

6.  Career Day by Anne F. Rockwell

Each child in Mrs. Madoff's class brings a visitor who tells the group about his or her job.

7.  Walter the Baker by Eric Carle

By order of the Duke, Walter the baker must invent a tasty roll through which the rising sun can shine three times.

8.  To the Post Office with Mama by Sue Farrell

9.  Open wide! : My first Trip to the Dentist by Jen Green

10.  What the Mailman Brought by Carolyn Craven

While William is sick and unable to go to school, a mysterious mailman brings him unusual packages every day. 

11.  Fluffy and the Firefighters by Kate McMullan

After fire fighters visit Ms. Day's classroom, Fluffy gets a chance to see what they do firsthand.

12.  Fire Fighters by

 

 

 

 

 General Activities

 

1.  People in Our Neighborhood

Songs about nurses, doctors, computer programmers, astronauts, construction workers, politicians, teachers, football players, and more. Woven throughout are safety reminders and opportunities for movement activities.

2. Post Office

Set up a post office making a mailbox out of a box. Supply stamps and envelopes. Children can mail letters with their mailbags they make for craft.

3. Hats

Set out different types of hats. (police, fire, construction, farmer, chef, clown)

4. Doctor’s Office

Set out doctor’s kit and doctor’s headband the children make for craft.

5. Bakery Shop

Give the children a large batch of play dough that you could scent with cinnamon, and cookie cutters. Let them have fun making bread, cookies and cakes.

6. The Fix-It Shop

Materials: 'broken' items, tools (pliers, screwdrivers, etc.)

Find something broken - an old appliance, a chair, or a vehicle (wagon, tricycle, bike, etc.). Let the children fix it with pliers, screwdrivers. Let each child work on a different broken item. When they're finished, they'll charge you for 'parts and labor,' so be ready to pay plenty.

7. Mats/Trucks

Set out fire truck, school bus, dump truck, ambulance, police helicopter, car and motorcycle. Set out community mat that has police station, fire station.

8. Community Helpers

Visit your local police station, fire department, library, grocery store, pet shop, dentist, hospital, post office and anywhere else you can think of.