TK - 5th Resources
Grades TK-K: Small Discoveries. Big Possibilities.
Start with play, familiar faces, and the many ways people help.
A Job for Me
A playful introduction to the different jobs that make up a community.
Ask together “Which job would you like to pretend to do?”
Meet the Helpers
Short videos introduce real community helpers, from teachers to lineworkers and ASL interpreters.
Classroom Helpers
Help out in Daniel’s kindergarten classroom, then connect classroom roles to helping others.
Activity: Draw a helper. Tell their story.
You’ll need: paper and crayons, or just your imagination.
- Choose a helper from your neighborhood, family, school, or one of the videos.
- Draw, act out, or describe how that person helps. Name one tool they might use.
- Ask: “What might this helper need to learn?” Explain that people keep learning as they grow, including at colleges and training programs.
A suggested activity from this resource hub. Children can speak, point, draw, or use their preferred way to communicate.
Grades 1-2: Discover What Sparks an Interest.
Connect favorite activities and growing skills to the world beyond school.
What’s My Job?
An elementary matching activity that connects workers with the tools and clothing used in their jobs.
- Try together: Match each worker to their tools. Talk about what the tools help them do.
NASA Kids’ Club
Space-themed games and learning activities for children in pre-K through grade 4.
- Make a connectionTalk about how scientists and engineers use curiosity and problem-solving.
A College Close to Home
Explore Gavilan’s official website together to introduce a local college and the things people can learn there.
- Ask together “What would you be curious to learn at a college?”
Activity: My interests, my possibilities.
You’ll need: paper and something to write or draw with.
- Make three spaces: “I enjoy,” “I’m learning,” and “I’m curious about.” Add a picture or a few words to each.
- Connect one interest to two different jobs. Someone who enjoys animals might explore veterinary care, farming, or wildlife science.
- Imagine a class you would love to take someday. Draw your learning space and explain what you would practice there.
A suggested activity from this resource hub. Scribe for your learner or invite a spoken response.
Grades 3-5: Imagine the Paths Ahead.
Explore new careers, try a challenge, and get to know college.
Guess My Occupation
Match workers to job descriptions and discover the different tasks people do in their careers.
- Take it further: Choose one job and name a school subject that could help someone do it.
21st Century Explorer
Space and science lessons designed for grades 3–5, with activities such as designing a crew vehicle. Spanish modules are available.
- Make a connection: Discuss how testing and improving ideas is part of an engineer’s work.
Step Inside a University
Use the virtual tour options on UC Santa Cruz’s tours page for an adult-guided look at university life.
- Go on a scavenger hunt: Look for places to learn, create, and spend time with other students.
One Interest. More Than One Future.
You’ll need: paper, a pencil, and a grown-up to explore with.
- Pick an interest and brainstorm three connected jobs. Building things could connect to carpentry, engineering, or architecture.
- Choose one job. Write one question about what the worker does and one about what they need to learn.
- With an adult, explore a college website or ask a trusted worker about their learning journey. People may learn through college, career training, apprenticeships, and practice on the job.
- Finish this sentence: “One skill I can practice now is.” Keep your page and revisit it when a new interest appears.
A suggested activity from this resource hub. Interests can change, and every learner can explore more than one path.