Fifth graders decide how one uses resources within a particular bioregion.  For this decision making lesson, 5th graders consider the biodiversity and complexity of the ecosystem.  Students select a resource (water, paper,...

Students build a friendly environment for future students by creating a PowerPoint presentation.  In this middle school introduction instructional activity, students utilize a camera to record important moments throughout the school...

High schoolers identify how various cultures are similiar. As a class, they read an essay of a Peace Corps volunteer being integrated into their new community. In groups, they take the elements from the story and put them into different...

Students examine the different cultures and disabilities people face in their community. They discuss how they can become better citizens. They answer discussion questions to finish the lesson plan.

Students investigate the importance of community service by creating their own project ideas.  In this volunteering lesson, students research stories of Peace Corps Volunteers and how they were able to have a positive effect in...

Explore nutrition and healthy eating habits with a study on youth obesity. Learners watch a PBS documentary on the obesity epidemic which discusses government programs aimed at healthier choices, as well as more localized efforts. Kids...

Scholars investigate an issue associated with food systems and design their own solutions. Working collaboratively, they follow each step in the design process to complete the 10th lesson of the 13-part Our Hungry Planet series.

Young scholars comprehend what makes up the physical community. Read and construct scale drawings and models. Explore the history of infrastructures and how the contributions of science, math and industry have led to the development of...

Second graders, after spending several weeks developing skills necessary to become a "Community Development Team," create and build their vision of a community. Consideration is given for needs and wants, food, shelter, safety concerns,...

Young scholars brainstorm a list of jobs that exist in their own school and its surrounding environment. In this instructional activity on careers, students create a map of the school and locate on the map where each job takes place....

Young scholars learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students learn the importance of recycling as they explore how things can be reused or recycled again and again.

Transform studying about veterans in a textbook to personal interviews with veterans in the community. Four varying lesson plans make up an entire unit or individualized learning based on your class's needs. Exercises include researching...

Fourth graders examine how to deal with the amount of trash in their community. They discover alternate ways of managing waste. They develop their own solutions to the problem.

First graders analyze politics by participating in a class rules lesson. In this democracy lesson, 1st graders identify several class and school rules they dislike and conduct discussions to examine if they should be changed or not....

Students study the HIV virus and how it has impacted the hispanic community.  For this infectious disease lesson students discover how HIV/Aids is found all over the world, what misconceptions are out there and what kinds of...

First graders investigate the use of energy resources in the community. Using the tools of research and surveys in order to gather information about home and business energy usage they analyze the information in order to come up with...

If the world were 100 people...17 would not have access to safe drinking water, 18 would not be able to read or write, and 52 would not have a primary education. Using the theme of "100 people," this resource explores other major issues...

Students explore how communities participate in census counting. In this census lesson, students recognize the absolute and relative location of a state and understand ideas about civic life and government.

Build a bridge to learning in a STEM-aligned unit about urban infrastructure. Young engineers explore the many aspects of civil planning and design in a five-day unit. Content includes the challenging aspects of balancing building with...

Where does our garbage go? What is the difference between a recyclable and non-recyclable item? Pose these important, but often overlooked, questions to your class and invite them to consider the lasting and damaging effects of the...

Ninth graders explore environmental concerns of the community and identify the basic needs of people, wildlife and domestic animals. Working both individually and in groups, they also define natural resources and compare and contrast...

The German youth faced an onslaught of propaganda when they went to school, thanks to the Nazi regime led by Hitler during World War II. Pupils relate their education experiences to German youth by analyzing primary source readings,...

Credit cards are tempting to use right out of high school. Teach your upperclassmen the benefits and challenges of credit and how it can affect their future. The lesson covers credit scores and ways to strengthen credit if...

Students were required to interview local community service volunteers. In groups, they present the information they gathered from the interview and determine if these people have made a difference in the community as a whole. They end...