Teachers' notes

My Communty

Aims:

  • To discuss what is meant by ‘my community’.
  • To create a simulation of the children’s community or an ideal community.
  • To write about their community and the people in their community in a structured way.

Age group 9–11

  • England and Wales
    Year 5/Year 6
  • Scotland
    Year P5/Year P7
  • Northern Ireland
    Year 6/Year 7

Literacy skills:

  • Follow up others’ points and show whether they agree or disagree in whole class discussion
  • Use layout, format graphics and illustrations for different purposes.

Curriculum links:

  • PSHE and Citizenship – England and Wales
  • Social wellbeing – Scotland
  • Personal Development and Mutual Understanding – Northern Ireland

Content:

  • Interactive whiteboard: Talk about the sorts of things that make up a community. The children could work in small groups and then report back to the whole class with their group findings. Develop a simulation of a real or ideal community and write about your ideas.
  • Activity sheet: Complete five faces belonging to important people and imagine what those people might say about you. Complete a writing frame about a special person.
  • Extension: Make a community web by adding names or photographs of friends and family and writing about how they link together and to you along the threads. Sketch out an example to show pupils with them at the centre.

Suggestions for questions:

  • Activate prior knowledge: Which people would you say make up your community? Which places are important to your community? Do any of you celebrate special festivals that you enjoy?
  • Reflect on learning: Is your community as you would like it to be? What improvements would you make if you could? Is there anything you can do to play a more active part in your community?
  • Stimulate further research: Talk to older relatives or local community groups for older people about how your community has changed over the years. Try to draw a map ‘before and after’ based on what they have told you.

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