What better way to learn about civic responsibility's importance than to experience it? From the opportunity to volunteer in an elected official's office and participate in a political campaign to observations of school board and city...

Seventh graders write a five paragraph persuasive essay on a contemporary civic-life issue.

An interesting middle school lesson focuses on the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Academics choose a civic project to complete, such as an oral history or photo essay. They then conduct interviews with members of the community...

Students research an event or a person from a decade in American history when the civil rights movement was an important focus. They create a multimedia project based on the research.

Students are provided with a six-step process for empowering students to plan and implement civic participation projects in the community. They look into solutions to community problems and seek ideas for actions project in response to...

Students research a topic relevant to the late 20th century. They create a project while following the conditions explained in the rubric.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world!" The 15th and final lesson in a peacebuilding series uses this quote from Gandhi to prepare pupils for their own action projects. Individuals research a global issue, then brainstorm a method...

How have groups struggled to have their unalienable rights recognized in the United States? Acting as a research team for the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, your young historians will break into groups to research...

Parades are a great way to celebrate. Get young historians into the festivities by asking them to create an informational float for a Freedom Parade. Picking a topic from the provided list or suggesting one of their own, class members...

Students practice using a new language to plan a community event.  In this civics lesson, students practice writing a proposal for a community project using their target language.  Students brainstorm in small groups what their...

Students explore the humane treatment of animals. In this character development and civic responsibility lesson, students define "hero" and brainstorm related attributes. Students complete an action plan using the "rational approach"...

Learners examine the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court cases in order to broaden their understanding of the US Judicial System. They research a variety of textual and Internet resources to create a tri-fold brochure,...

Middle schoolers investigate the life of Martin Luther King and conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a project that highlights the major accomplishments of Martin Luther King. They...

The Secret Life of Bees provides high schoolers an opportunity to connect the events in the novel to events in America’s history. After choosing a topic from a provided list, individuals research how the event affected the Civil Rights...

By digitally organizing research, your class leaves a legacy for future students on the life and times of Mark Twain. Before reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, scholars conduct group research projects on one of six (listed)...

Active Citizenship Today (ACT) is a "unique social studies service learning program" that requires students to learn about the public policy associated with community issues they identify in their local community. This web site...

High schoolers analyze racial issues related to the Human Genome Project. They participate in a mock symposium and write a reflection/position paper based on specific ethical principals.

We take a steady shower stream and clean drinking water for granted, but in many countries around the world, the lack of water or a clean water supply is responsible for higher sickness and death rates. Taking a closer look at the water...

A debate continues regarding same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. This lesson requires learners to define marriage then formulate an argument that reconstructs the national debate perspectives. Many standards are addressed but a...

Tenth graders study the American Civil War. As part of a service learning project, they volunteer to help preserve or promote a local Civil War site. They conduct research and write letters or lobby legislatures on behalf of historic...

The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...

Students view video clips to define service learning. In this civics lesson, students read quotes, take a survey, and define altruism. Students view video clips and evaluate the motivation and impact of those who perform community...

Students investigate city management and government by creating a fictional city in groups.  In this civics lesson, students create rules and a mascot for their fictitious city which they create from poster board cubes....

Students interview police and city officials, find out what makes these places dangerous. Students develop a plan to get the city or county or state +++ whichever is in charge of these spots to make changes that would make them safer for...