How can I help? Donate, support, volunteer
People help in many ways. We donate things we do not need, such as books or clothes that are clean and in good condition. We support a friend who feels sad. We participate in a school clean-up. A volunteer helps without being paid. Children can help their community, and grown-ups must always know about it. Three phrases are useful: help out (I help out at home), look after (I look after our plants) and be kind to (be kind to animals). Ask a grown-up first. Children never handle broken glass or sharp tools, never go to a stranger’s home and never go to a hospital alone. Read the talk about the school Community Help project on page 74 and the three children’s ideas with a grown-up. Do not copy them. Here are our own ideas.
| Idea | Who helps | Safety |
|---|---|---|
| Book swap at school | children bring clean books to share | a teacher is there |
| School garden | children water plants | ask a grown-up for tools |
| Animal shelter visit | children bring a donation | go with a parent |
| Reading to a younger child | an older child reads aloud | at school or home |
Can we have a book swap at school, Miss?
That is a kind idea. Who will participate?
All the children can bring clean books and take new ones.
Good. We will ask a grown-up to help us.
My helping plan. The child chooses one way to help in the community (a book swap, a clean-up, helping a neighbour, caring for plants). The child writes who helps, what they do, who the grown-up helper is and one safety rule. Then the child tells the idea aloud.