Hands On Network
Passion into Action
Find your passion. Find service opportunities. Decide how to serve. An instructional packet offers step-by-step directions for getting involved in community service. The practical suggestions and helpful worksheets make what may seem to...
Smithsonian Institution
Borders and Community: Early 20th Century Chicago Neighborhoods and Ethnic Enclaves
Chicago is one city, four neighborhoods, and countless nationalities. The lesson explores the ethnic division of Chicago in the early twentieth century. Academics read primary sources, analyze maps, and tour an online exhibit to...
Curated OER
Dangerous Roads in Your Community
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...
Curated OER
The Many Roles I Play in My Community
Second graders are asked: "What roles do people have in the community?" They view a large web on chart paper. Students discuss the roles that they play in their community. They are told that just as the principal or teacher has many...
Curated OER
Honor Your School and Community Heroes
Students honor local heroes. In this community heroes lesson plan, students create an award or plan an event honoring a local hero. Students are encouraged to be creative!
Curated OER
All About Groups, Community
Second graders explore different kind of communities and groups and discuss how to effectively participate in them. They share recent changes in their lives. This lesson opens up with the book, Alexander Who's Not Going to Move!
Curated OER
Service Project
Students participate in a service project. In this community service lesson, students use their special talents to help others. Students draw or write about the service they've provided. The class turns this into a class book.
Curated OER
Opening Lesson: Community
Middle schoolers participate in a community service project and present an art project. In this instructional activity on community service, students read Rainbow Fish and discuss its meaning for them as it relates to community. Middle...
Curated OER
Good for Goodness Sake?
After discussing their opinions of performing community service, young learners read an article about different benefits of serving the community. They participate in a debate about whether their school should require pupils to perform...
Curated OER
A Walk on the West Side
Learners 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 their...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Rights of Migrants in the United States Lesson Plan: Fleeing for Your Life
A role-playing scenario has middle-schoolers imagining that they are refugees forced to flee their community and integrate into a new one. Then, some play the roles of members of the new community and the class brainstorms ideas about...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
The Junto Meets Again
Out of the classroom and into the streets! With Ben Franklin’s Junto society as inspiration, learners develop their ideas for improving their communities and put them into action. After analyzing meeting notes to discover what the Junto...
Giraffe Heroes Project
It’s Up to Us
The Giraffe Heroes Program is designed for teens willing to stick their necks out to make a difference, and to create community service projects that tackle real world problems. The resource guides teens to choose an issue, design a...
Facing History and Ourselves
What's In a Name?
Rumpelstiltskin understood the power of names. The second lesson in the First Days of School series focuses on building community by recognizing the importance of the relationships among names, identities, and cultures. Learners engage...
Michigan State University
4-H Teen Leadership
Take your 4-H teens to the next level! Help them learn how to be an active part of their communities with a teen leadership development unit. Individuals, together with school and community partners, create and execute a service-driven...
Overcoming Obstacles
Introduction to Service Learning
Introduce scholars to Service Learning with a lesson plan that distinguishes between Service Learning and Community Service. After reading about others involved in Service Learning, class members generate a list of issues in their...
Health Smart Virginia
Making Partners
Partnering with someone new may be daunting. Here a instructional activity encourages young peers to work collaboratively in physical activity settings. Following a whole-class discussion, scholars participate in several cooperative...
Judicial Branch of California
Where We Fit In: The Judicial Branch
An interesting resource addresses the role of youth in civic participation and community events. It also explains the role of the justice system in creating boundaries and how citizens play a part in the judicial process. Pupils listen...
US Department of Agriculture
Serving Up My Plate
Within three nutrition-themed, inquiry-based learning opportunities, pupils take notice of their eating habits; delve deep into the five food groups, gain experience in planning meals, participate in a taste test, and explore ads from...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Why Don’t More People in the U.S. Vote?
To vote or not to vote, that is the question. Secondary scholars explore voter turnout in the United States. The resource uses informational text, group discussion, and a worksheet to help academics understand hindrances to voting and...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Building
Scholars become architects in an engaging unit on building structures. The Reading Adventure Pack features Roberto: The Insect Architect by Nina Laden and Construction Zone with photographs by Richard Sobol and text by Cheryl Willis...
Curated OER
Preparing and Planting the Garden
Students prepare to build and plant a garden. In this service learning instructional activity, students take all the necessary steps to prepare a community garden for planting and reflect on the experience.
Curated OER
Providing Service for a Nonprofit
Students participate in a non-profit organization. In this citizenship lesson plan, students volunteer at a non-profit organization and apply the concept of philanthropy. Students reflect upon their experience.
Curated OER
Lesson 2: Mapping Our Home
Students recognize the importance of community participation in the census. In this U. S. Census lesson plan, students use map-reading skills to find answers and learn the difference between senators and members of Congress.