Roles in the Community by Ghada Hammad

Lesson Goal: Students will discuss different social roles and professions and the impact they have on our communities. Without these jobs, what would happen? Students will understand the significance that a single role can have.

Artists have depicted a variety of social roles and professions since the beginning of art making and it continues to be a popular subject to this day. Choose a work of art, such as the Janitor by Duane Hanson, or have students find a work of art that depicts a social role or profession.

Look: Take a close look at this life-like sculpture and notice as many things as you can for one minute.

Wonder: Use paper and pencil to jot down ideas and thoughts that come to mind as you look at the artwork. Turn and talk with a partner to share observations.

As a whole group, discuss the role that this Janitor plays in his community. Why is this role important to the community? Make a list of different types of workers in your community.

Investigate: Divide students into groups or allow them to choose a role from the list that was created. Work together to answer the following questions: What challenges might someone in this role experience? Why is this role important to the community? What would happen if no one did this job? How does this role support the community and influence quality of life?

Report: Students will present their findings to each other and reflect on the importance of recognizing and appreciating all the roles that help a community to thrive. Use an exit ticket or write a journal entry to record a key take-away from this lesson. A possible prompt is “I used to think…” and “Now I think…”. Or use the sentence starter “I appreciate the role of _______ because _________.”

Standard: SS.Hist2.c.i: Analyze individuals, groups, and events to understand why their contributions are important to historical change or continuity.