30 cards

Community Helpers Flash Cards: Who Am I?

Read the clue, guess the helper, then turn the card for the job, a tool and a place.

I examine pets and farm animals and treat them. Who am I?

Tap or click the card to see the answer.

Type the helper, such as teacher

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How to practise

Next step Give out classroom jobs with a jobs chart Next: career bingo for older students

All 30 cards

Keeping us safe 9

I answer 911 calls and send help. Who am I? 911 dispatcher: tools of the job are a telephone and a radio. Works in a 911 call center.
I check that new buildings are built safely. Who am I? building inspector: a tool of the job is a tape measure. Works at building sites.
I drive students to school and back home. Who am I? school bus driver: the tool of the job is a school bus. Stops at each bus stop on the route.
I hold a sign and walk children across the road. Who am I? crossing guard: a tool of the job is a stop sign on a stick. Works at a crossing near a school.
I lead nature walks and explain the park rules. Who am I? park ranger: a tool of the job is a camera. Works at a park and its visitor center.
I patch holes in the road and plow the snow. Who am I? road worker: tools of the job are signs and cones. Works on streets and highways.
I patrol the neighborhood and direct traffic. Who am I? police officer: a tool of the job is a two-way radio. Works on foot or from a car.
I sit up high and keep watch while people swim. Who am I? lifeguard: a tool of the job is a whistle. Works at a pool or a beach, often from a tower.
I spray water on fires and climb tall ladders. Who am I? firefighter: a tool of the job is the fire hose. Works from a fire station.

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Keeping us well 10

I care for patients and give them their medicine. Who am I? nurse: a tool of the job is a thermometer. Works in a hospital or a school.
I check teeth and fix the ones that need care. Who am I? dentist: tools of the job are small dental instruments. Works in a dental office.
I clean teeth and teach how to care for them. Who am I? dental hygienist: a tool of the job is an x-ray picture of the teeth. Works beside the dentist.
I examine patients and help them get well. Who am I? doctor: a tool of the job is a stethoscope, for listening to the heart. Works with nurses.
I fill prescriptions and explain the medicine. Who am I? pharmacist: a tool of the job is the label on each medicine. Works in a pharmacy.
I plan healthy meals for schools and hospitals. Who am I? dietitian: a tool of the job is a menu. Works with the cooks who make the meals.
I ride in an ambulance and give first aid. Who am I? paramedic: a tool of the job is a stretcher. Works in an ambulance.
I take x-ray pictures for the doctor to read. Who am I? x-ray technician: the tool of the job is an x-ray machine. Works in a hospital or clinic.
I teach exercises that help people move well. Who am I? physical therapist: tools of the job are exercises and warm packs. Works in a clinic or a home.
I test how well people see and fit glasses. Who am I? eye doctor: tools of the job are lenses to look through. Works in an eye clinic.

Helping us every day 11

I carry the mail to every house on my route. Who am I? mail carrier: a tool of the job is a mailbag. Works from the post office.
I check books in and out and help you find one. Who am I? librarian: a tool of the job is the catalog, a list of every book. Works in a library.
I empty trash and recycling bins into a truck. Who am I? garbage collector: the tool of the job is a garbage truck. Works along the streets on a route.
I examine pets and farm animals and treat them. Who am I? veterinarian: a tool of the job is an x-ray machine. Works in an animal hospital or clinic.
I mend broken pipes and open clogged sinks. Who am I? plumber: a tool of the job is a wrench. Works wherever a sink or a toilet is.
I mix dough and bake bread, rolls and cakes. Who am I? baker: a tool of the job is an oven. Works in a bakery.
I plant and harvest crops and raise animals. Who am I? farmer: a tool of the job is a tractor. Works on a farm or a ranch.
I put in the wires that bring power to the lights. Who am I? electrician: tools of the job are hand tools and a ladder. Works in buildings old and new.
I scan what you buy and count your change. Who am I? cashier: a tool of the job is a cash register. Works at the front of a store.
I sweep and mop the floors of a building. Who am I? custodian: a tool of the job is a mop. Works in a school or another big building.
I teach a class and read books aloud. Who am I? teacher: a tool of the job is a book to read to the class. Works in a classroom.

How this list was compiled: Own work: clues in the helper's own voice, written for this deck. What each helper does, and the tool and place on each card, were checked on the job's summary page at O*NET OnLine, the occupation database of the US Department of Labor (https://www.onetonline.org/, pages such as https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-2011.00 for firefighters). Six tools and places that O*NET does not name were checked in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stethoscope, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vital_signs (the thermometer), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeguard (the whistle), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_guard (the stop sign), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramedic (the ambulance) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_hygienist (the dental office and teaching tooth care). Checked 2026-09-30. Licence: own work

How it works

Community helpers flash cards with a clue in the helper's own voice: I carry the mail to every house on my route. Who am I? The back names the helper, a tool of the job and where the work is done.

Read the full guide

Three sets of helpers

Keeping us safe has the firefighter, the crossing guard and the lifeguard. Keeping us well runs from the doctor and the dentist to the pharmacist. Helping us every day has the teacher, the mail carrier, the farmer and the baker. Turn one card, then show one set under Show only, or open More options to type the answers; other names count too, so mailman is marked right for mail carrier.

Print and play Who am I?

Turn a card, then press the print button under it for cards with the clue on one side and the helper on the other. Print double-sided, flipped on the long edge, then cut. One child reads a clue aloud and the group names the helper.

After each card, ask where the children have seen this helper at work.

Questions and answers

What are community helpers?

People whose jobs serve everyone who lives nearby: they keep people safe, keep them well, teach, and bring the things a town needs. Firefighters, nurses, teachers, mail carriers and farmers are all community helpers.

Which community helpers are on the cards?

Jobs in three sets, among them firefighter, police officer, crossing guard, lifeguard, doctor, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, paramedic, teacher, librarian, mail carrier, garbage collector, farmer, baker, plumber and electrician. The full list is under the cards.

What age are these cards for?

Kindergarten to second grade. The clues are short sentences in plain words, written to be read aloud. Children who can spell the job titles can type the answers.

Where do the job facts come from?

What each helper does, and most tools and workplaces, were checked on the job's page at O*NET OnLine, the occupation database of the US Department of Labor. Six tools and places were checked in Wikipedia.