Library of Congress
Investigating the Building Blocks of Our Community’s Past, Present, and Future
As Ken Jennings said, "There's just something hypnotic about maps." Certainly, the longer you look at them the more you can learn. In this project-based learning lesson, individuals study both historic and present-day maps of their area...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Placemats: A Community Service Project
Students complete a community service project to brighten the holidays. They work together at a food kitchen or shelter. They reflect on their experiences.
Curated OER
Grow a Musical Instrument
Music, culture, social studies, and plant growth all in one! Kids explore the various type of traditional African instruments that are made out of gourds. They then grow their own gourds and use them to create a wide variety of African...
Curated OER
Community Involvement
Your class may be active in the community, but what about showing appreciation for what others do? Turn the tables with this fun idea as learners celebrate those who have worked to make their campus better. They discuss the ways in which...
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Hometown Heroes
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...
Curated OER
This Ain't No Tea Party!
Create food-safe bowls with your class, then organize a meal for the community using the class's bowls to serve. This instructional activity is based on the Empty Bowels Project, where school kids gain an understanding of global hunger...
Curated OER
Introducing the Idea of "Community"
Students work in groups to define the term "community". They draw on personal experiences and create posters to explain and depict various aspects of community life.
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Ornaments for Nursing Home Tree
Students participate in an activity that will allow them to create a gift for a nursing home patient and give their gift to someone who needs a caring hand. In this community service lesson, students learn compassion, and also understand...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin’s Community Contributions
Students research Benjamin Franklin's community contributions. In this social studies lesson plan, students create a collage showing things they can do to improve their communities.
Curated OER
Special Places in Our Community
Learners compare and contrast cities whether they are large or small, rural or urban. They use digital photography to take pictures of the different types of cities.
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Our community and New York City
Fourth graders research websites to gather information about New York City and the Ridgewood community. In this New York City and Community lesson, 4th graders make a semantic map. Students write short postcards to send to students...
Curated OER
Where Do You Live?
Students explore the make-up of the immediate community. They construct a small model of their community with buildings, lights, street signs, flowers, etc. Students share their community model with the class.
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Community of caring Service Projects
Students identify needs within the community. In this community service lesson, students look around their community for areas that are in need of service/assistance. Students contact the appropriate people and set forth to help their...
Curated OER
Statehouse Time Capsule
Fourth graders create a time capsule that is representative of their community. They explain why the chosen objects are representative of themselves or their community.
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Welcome to My World
Elementary schoolers discuss what a community is, and what their community has to offer them. They create posters, or flyers for the different businesses or places in their community to place around their school. After the learners have...
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Kid City, USA
What a model community would look like? Get your kids talking with an activity that allows them to create their own town. After printing out a "fold out village," groups of young scholars use a variety of resources to help them build an...
Curated OER
Put Your Best Facade Forward-Lesson 1
Students are introduced to the applied arts and focus on the applied art of architecture. They examine how architecture communicates messages about the people in a community who use a building. Students study the facade of their school...
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Fur Trading
Students take on a role such as a farming community, hunting community or a trading post. They decide which products they focus on and then trade with the other groups.
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Making a Living and Leisure Activities
Learners investigate the economic and daily activities in a typical African community. They design and construct a small scale house, play an African board game, create African money, discuss vocabulary, and write an essay.
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Social Studies: Medieval and Contemporary Class Structures
Students discuss and compare contemporary class systems with those of the Middle Ages. They explore Websites on HyperStudio stack and review art and music of the Middle Ages. In groups, students design and draw castles reflecting manor...
Curated OER
Economic Community
Fourth graders assume different jobs of a community and understand the terms goods, services, producer, and consumer. In this community lesson plan, 4th graders answer short answer questions to show their knowledge of the terms.
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Community & Architecture
Young scholars investigate the Bamum people of Cameroon and the use of symbols in African societies. They read a handout, and design a palace using African symbols, presenting and describing their design to the class.
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Citizenship City
Students design labels promoting civic responsibility to distribute to the community. In this civics lesson, students engage in a simulated reunion and discuss their future careers and research various community organizations and...
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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.