Communities: Unit Overview

The Communities unit is one that seems to be taught everywhere.  There is a wealth of material available to complement and build on work that teachers are doing in the classroom.  In these library integration lessons, I’ve used a language-rich, classic piece of literature from Mary Ann Hoberman for the “tuning-in” lesson.  Following on that lesson, I’ve written lessons that focus on people, places, and celebrations in communities.  Also, I’ve added a lesson using Jeannie Baker’s Home to work on the concept of urban renewal and taking responsibility for the health of one’s community.  The literature is rich and abundant and the topic timeless, making the Communities Unit of Inquiry one of the year’s best!

Many thanks to the International School of Stuttgart (ISS) Kindergarten teachers, Mr. Alexander Whitaker, ISS PYP Coordinator, and especially Marky the Librarian for delighting us with how wonderful the Communities Unit of Inquiry can be.   In this short video, Marky shares his understanding of librarians as helpers in the school community.