How Does My Community Provide What I Need?
Be sure to save a copy to your own Google Drive so you may manipulate the slides. All information and links to activities are included in the slide presentation.
Purpose
Students will learn how their Kentucky communities provide their basic needs, and how and where we acquire those needs with a strong focus on food. This is a great way to begin the Kentucky Farms Feed Me Virtual Field Trip Series.
Students may also want to learn about agriculture in their home county.
Grade Level & Standards
Kindergarten Social Studies
K.E.MI.1 Describe why people purchase goods and services.
K.E.MA.1 Identify places in communities that provide goods and services.
K.E.ST.1 Demonstrate ways trade can be used to obtain goods and services.
K.E.IC.1 Differentiate between needs and wants.
K.E.KE.1 Explain how various jobs affect communities.
K.G.MM.1 Identify why and how people and goods move to and within communities.
K.G.HE.1 Identify ways humans interact with their environment.
K.G.KGE.1 Identify physical and environmental characteristics of communities.
K.H.KH.1 Compare life in the past to life today in communities.
Primary Career Studies
C.P.1 - Identify the reasons why people need to work (e.g., chores, jobs, employment) to meet basic needs and personal goals (e.g., food, clothing, shelter).
C.P.2 - Describe and expose students to different job opportunities that are available in the community (e.g., career day, field trips, virtual field trips, guest speakers).
F.P.1 - Recognize that people need to work to meet basic needs.
F.P.3 - Identify the difference between wants (e.g., skateboard, video games) and needs (e.g., food, clothing and shelter) and the relationship to consumer decisions.
F.P.8 - Identify things people buy (e.g., goods, services (i.e., tasks performed by others), leisure activities, etc.).
Background Information
The availability of natural resources, climate, and physical land characteristics determined where humans settled, and where civilizations and communities grew. It also determined and will continue to help determine where businesses locate. An abundance of resources, whether natural, human, or capital, impacts the economic success of a business and communities.
Kentucky has an abundance of natural resources (energy, land, water, and minerals), a moderate climate, and varying topography, which affects the availability of agricultural products across the commonwealth. With much focus on local agriculture, the goal is to help students understand that there may be opportunities as well as limitations on what can be produced in each area.
Most of Kentucky’s land is considered farmland or forest, which allows farmers and landowners to provide many needed resources. In early Kentucky history (post colonization), most land owners farmed to provide for their own needs. As towns grew and businesses specialized, some farms grew to produce food they could sell. Only 5% of Kentucky’s households are involved in farming today, yet agriculture is still a significant contributor to our economy.