Grades 1–2 Daily Reading Activities: Community Helpers

Serving the community is about giving back through acts of kindness, volunteering, and supporting those in need. When we work together, we build a stronger and more compassionate society. Here are five days of reading lessons that explore how we can be helpers in our communities.

Day 1 activity

Let’s watch: Come to the Fair! Watch the video Come to the Fair! to learn more about family and community cooperation.

Discuss the video

How did the neighbors help each other at the county fair? What are ways that you work with your family or community?

Day 2 activity

Let’s reread: Helping Each Other Michelle and her dog help each other. Find out how. Download Helping Each Other

Take it further

Choose an activity to extend the fun.

Vocabulary & language: Use Help and Give

• Work with a partner to ask for help. What will your partner give to you? How can your partner help?
• Ask a partner questions to give you something or to help you.

Hands-on activity: “Trust” your partner

• Work with a partner. Pick one person to close his or her eyes.
• Carefully lead your partner around a small area of the room. Then switch roles.
• Discuss the concept of trust.

Family support Use this learning guide to walk your child through the lesson. Explore additional review & extend activities together.

Day 3 activity

Let’s read: Many Ways to Work   People do many kinds of jobs. Some people make goods and others provide services. Learn what some of these jobs are. Download Many Ways to Work

Quiz How much do you know about Many Ways to Work? Take the quiz. Then, check your answers to the quiz. How did you do?

Family support Use this learning guide to walk your child through the lesson. Explore additional review & extend activities together.

Day 4 activity

Let’s reread: Many Ways to Work   People do many kinds of jobs. Some people make goods and others provide services. Learn what some of these jobs are. Download Many Ways to Work

Take it further

Choose an activity to extend the fun.

Project: Make a job poster

• Draw different kinds of jobs. Use crayons, markers, colored chalk, or paints.
• Write a short caption under each job using facts you read in the book.
• Make a colorful title for your poster.

Response writing: Write a log

• Imagine you are one of the workers shown in the text. What is your job? Do you provide a good or a service? What is it?
• Write a log that records one day doing your job. Explain what you did, what you provided, and how you felt doing your job.
• Share your writing.

Family support Use this learning guide to walk your child through the lesson. Explore additional review & extend activities together.

Day 5 activity

Let's review

This week you've learned about the work people do and how we are helpers in our communities. Today you’ll read a story about friends helping each other.

Let’s read: Bill and Roz Get Help When two friends get stuck on their way to a big game, who can help them? Download Bill and Roz Get Help

Take it further

Extend the fun with an activity.

Reading response: Cause and effect

• Think about the events in the story. Explain what happens and why.
• What happens at the end? What do you think will happen next? Draw a picture of what happens and write why.

Family support Play a game of charades. Have children act out silently a job they read about this week. Encourage them to think about any special equipment they would use or clothing they would wear. Guess which job they are doing.

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Find more language arts activities for Grades 1-2. 

This blog, originally published in 2020, has been updated for 2025.