TCNJ Lesson Plan

Community Helpers Day 4: Police Officers

Student Name: Danielle Hutchinson

School Name: Hopewell Elementary

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Host Teachers Name: Ms. Bradshaw

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

What kinds of workers work in a police office?
What are the different roles of police officers?
How do police officers help our community?
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge
Students understand the definition of community helpers. They have conducted similar
investigations such as with teachers, post office workers, and mail carriers. They have a basic
understanding of what a police officer is but might not be aware of all of their roles. For instance,
the students understand that police officers capture criminals but might not consider that they
direct traffic and investigate crimes.
Standards:
6.1.P.B.1
Develop an awareness of the physical features of the neighborhood/community.

6.1.P.B.2
Identify, discuss, and role-play the duties of a range of community workers

K-2-ETS1-1
Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to
chance to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or
improved object or tool

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives

Assessment

The students will orally describe the roles of

police officers and how they benefit the
community.

Students will share their thoughts during the

creation of the class anchor chart. Teacher will
assess for creative, thoughtful, and accurate
responses.

The students will accurately model and respond

to the responsibilities of traffic cops during a
game of Red Light, Green Light.

Students will play Red Light, Green Light.

Teacher will assess for students modeling the
appropriate role during the game. Teacher will
assess for accurate explanations regarding how
this benefits the community after the game.

The students will create and analyze fingerprint

charts when asked to complete the craft.

Students will create the fingerprint craft and use

tools to compare and contrast their fingerprints
to their peers. Teacher will assess for
thoughtful interpretation during the activity.
Teacher will assess for accurate explanations
regarding how this benefits the community after
the activity.

The students will vividly draw and write about

the roles and importance of police officers
when completing their Community Helpers
Journal.

Students will complete the appropriate page of

their Community Helpers Journal. Teacher will
assess for application of the roles discussed and
practiced, including investigating crimes,
capturing criminals, controlling traffic, etc.

Materials/Resources:
Mr. Bear: a stuffed animal
The community map bulletin board
How a Detective uses fingerprints YouTube Video, from 0:17 to 2:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ohDwGPeqgE
A fingerprinting craft template worksheet, one per student
Stamp ink pads, at least one per student pair
Magnifying glasses, at least one per student pair
A dress-up crossing guard vest
Each students Community Helpers Journal
Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

 The fingerprinting craft worksheet template and ink pads will be handed out as the YouTube

video plays. The magnifying glasses will be handed to students after they finish their craft and
washed their hands.
Lesson Procedure:
1. Lesson beginning:
The lesson will begin with the students seated on the carpet. The
teacher will state that Mr. Bear is ready to take the students on another field trip.
The class will be called to stand in line in front of the door. When they have made
a quiet and straight line, Mr. Bear will lead the way to the map bulletin board.
The students will be asked to sit in the hallway and do a drum
roll using their hands and knees. One student will be chosen using the popsicle
sticks to help Mr. Bear move the school bus icon to the police station.
Students will be asked to walk back to the classroom in a quiet
line, and then drive their police cars back to the rug.
2. The teacher will guide the students in creating an anchor chart that has two columns: who works
at a police station? and what do police officers do? Premade images will be available to attach
to the chart as children come up with their ideas.

Part 1: Students will easily understand that police officers are

people who work at
the police station, however, they will need prompting to
think about who else might
work there. Some possible ideas include secretaries,
guards, fingerprint workers,
and custodians.

Part 2: Student responses might include fight crimes, arrest people,

give tickets.
Teacher might need to prompt students to think about other roles,
such as collecting evidence (being a detective), helping in emergencies, control
traffic, and
collecting fingerprints.

The teacher will ask the students to think about how the people that
work in a police station might help the police officers to do their jobs. Two students
will be asked
to respond after raising their hands.

The teacher will ask the students to turn and talk about how the
police officers roles help people in the community.
3. The teacher will announce that they will be switching between two centers. They will be divided
up by counting off by twos.
Center 1, Led by Jackie: Red Light, Green Light: The students will be asked to
step into the hallway to play this game. The teacher will use the Popsicle
sticks to
choose one student to be the first police officer. This student will
be instructed to
stand by the tables across the room with his or her back to
the class. The student
will be given the crossing guard dress up outfit to wear.
The rest of the group
will be instructed to walk closer to the officer when she
says green light, but they
must freeze when she says red light. When she says red
light, any students still
moving will be asked to move back to the beginning
of the line. Whichever student
reaches the officer first will win and be the next
police officer. After a few rounds,
the teacher will ask the students to raise their hands
and share how police officers
help the community by directing traffic.
Why do you think I asked you to pretend
to be traffic cops?
Center 2, Led by Danielle: The students will be asked to sit at their desks and
watch
the How a Detective uses fingerprints YouTube Video, from 0:17 to 2:16. As

this

4.
i.
ii.
i.
ii.

is done, the fingerprinting template worksheet and a stamp ink pad will be passed
to each student. After the video plays, the studnets will be asked to share
what they
learned. They will be asked to discuss why fingerprinting is one of the
important
roles of police officers. After this, using the document camera, the
teacher will
model putting her finger in the stamp pad and placing her finger in
the correct spot
of the template. Students will be asked to do the same. The
students will be
reminded not to touch anything with their inky hands,
and to wash their hands
once they are done. Students will be given
magnifying glasses and asked to examine
their tablemates fingerprints. They will be
asked to talk about the similarities and
differences
between
their
fingerprints.
Lessing ending:
Long closure:
The students be instructed to complete the police officers page of their Community Helpers
journal.
The teacher will ask a few students to share what they learned about how police officers help the
community.
Short closure:
The teacher will ask a few students to share what they learned about how police officers help the
community.
The teacher will state that students should work on the police officers page in their Community
Helpers journal during DEAR time or snack time.
Key Questions:

Who works in a police station?

How do the other people working in a police station help the police officer to do his job?
What questions would you ask a police officer in an interview?
Why is it important for police officers to help control traffic? How does that help our
community?
How does fingerprinting help our community?
What do you notice about your fingerprints?
Compare and contrast your fingerprints to your classmates.

Logistics:
Timing:
The lesson will last approximately forty minutes in total. Approximately five minutes will
be allotted for the field trip to the hallway. Ten minutes will be used for the creation of the police
officers anchor chart. Five minutes will be spent playing Red Light, Green Light. Two minutes
will be spent on the YouTube video. Eight minutes will be spent completing the fingerprint craft.
Five minutes will be spent examining the fingerprints with magnifying glasses. The remaining
time will be used for students to work on their Community Helpers journal.

Transitions:
To transition from the classroom to the field trip to the bulletin board, students will be
asked to make a silent and straight line by the door. To move back into the classroom, students
will be asked to make a straight line before they can walk back in. To transition from the carpet
to the centers, students will be counted off by twos and those who are chosen to play Red Light,
Green Light will be asked to stand in line by the door. To transition between centers, students
will be asked to line up, point to where they are going next, and will be allowed to move when
the teacher says go.
Classroom Management:
The teacher will be sure to make expectations explicit and clear from the beginning of the
lesson. The teacher will remind students to continue showing respect to their peers, to the
materials, and to me for the entirety of the lesson. To call the students attention, the teacher will
yell, 1,2,3, eyes on me! To ensure that students do not make a lot of noise in the hallway, they
will be asked to make a straight and quiet line as they leave the classroom. As well, they will be
reminded not to speak unless they are called on. When playing Red light, Green light, students
will be told to walk and not run. If a student acts out or shows bad sportsmanship, they will be
asked to sit at their table seat. Students will not have access to the craft materials until after the
directions have been explained.

Differentiation
Students assigned carpet seats are arranged so that those who are disruptive are
separated. Certain students, such as PM and NB, might be asked to sit on a chair in order to stay
focused. FM will be asked to sit close to the teacher so that she is not distracted by the objects on
the back shelves. Students who are losing focus will be called on to answer questions throughout
the lesson. Students with a lot of energy, such as ST and CC, will be allowed to participate as
walkers in the Red light, Green light game. Competitive students, such as MB and PM, might
be given the chance to act as a police officer so that they are not tempted to be a bad sport. LD
will be given the role as police officer first in order to promote her involvement and confidence.
Students will sit at tables with students that will not be distracting to them. For instance, LW and
PH will be seated apart. Students who have difficulty using the magnifying glass will be
instructed to ask a peer for assistance.