Upper graders and middle schoolers engage in a lesson on community. A class discussion kicks off the lesson. Pupils share things that they do as community service after school or on weekends. They imagine an ideal community they would...

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...

Balancing a budget—the bane of many people's existence! Yet, its' something that must be done, especially in government systems. The resource, fourth in a seven-part series exploring local government, focuses on various exercises that...

Can your class help the people of Nepal? Scholars take an in-depth look into the social injustices and struggling economy of a country in turmoil during a multi-day role-playing exercise. After reviewing information on the problems...

Turn the class into the next episode of Law & Order! Scholars work together to create a mock trial over the course of several weeks before going before a judge for the case performance. They take on different roles, go through...

Students research ways to help a homeless shelter and design a service project to meet the needs. In this service project lesson, students identify and develop a list of ways to meet a homeless shelter's needs. Students then conduct a...

Learners explore services in their community. In this community services lesson, students discuss community services and work in teams to list the jobs within the service. Learners may also shadow a worker from that community service area.

Students explore America's racial wealth divide. In this Teaching Tolerance lesson plan, students play a "rigger" version of the game Monopoly and reflect on the game and economic injustice in the United States.

Young pupils should benefit from this wonderful series of activities designed to teach them how to get along with, and respect each other. Learners recognize how to demonstrate both respectful and disrespectful behavior, and take part in...

How many animals can live in a climate as cold as Mount Everest's? Find out with a science instructional activity all about biodiversity. Activities include research, presentations, group work, coloring maps, and a simulation of a food web.

Encourage pupils to design an election plan for the entire school. They participate in a Board of Elections, create polling rules, discuss election controversies, write questions about the issues, run the election through an online...

Students become familiar with the concepts of community and neighborhood and what buildings are associated with these. In this neighborhood lesson plan, students tour the neighborhood as a class, observing and taking photos of the local...

Learners research why government community workers are important to us. They work in teams to identify and illustrate the jobs and services provided by these community workers. Assessment comes from their Student Concept Maps.

Students examine themselves, discover their strong, positive attributes, and recognize areas in need of improvement (since each individual possesses strengths but all people have some weaknesses). They develop self-acceptance, trust in...

Here is an impressive series of lessons that has learners work together to create a sustainable community transportation plan that could be implemented where they live. This is an ambitious project for your pupils to take on, and will...

From stagecoach to railroad tracks, your class will discover how advancements in travel in the United States during the nineteenth century played an integral role in the industrialization and development of American society. The main...

High schoolers examine the third pillar of Islam. They discover the influence of Islamic ideas and practices on other cultures, Explore the various meanings of social group and the ways that each group functions. Then, they research the...

This interesting role-playing activity helps your class understand some of the qualities of totalitarianism by assigning each one as a spy or comrade citizen for a duration of five days. Young scholars should find this highly engaging...

Your class may not be able to vote yet, but that doesn't mean they can't feel like they're part of the presidential election! The resource creates a symposium where pupils debate about a selected topic in current events during an...

Students complete Perseverance, Courage, and Caring lessons from Get into the Game: Beyond Winning to properly prepare students for cooperative group learning and create a class climate conducive for a successful unit. They create a...

Students prepare and conduct In-Class Hearing. They comprehend what it means to be an informed voter. Pupils answer the following questions at the classroom hearing: "I learned that being an informed voter means _____., and Vital issues...

Young scholars view and analyze one example of student activism in the 1960's and then apply their learning to their own situations. They work cooperatively to develop and implement their own "activist" or community service learning plan.

Students explore and take postions on the concept of mandatory community service. They then debate the issue in class as a learning model.

Middle schoolers investigate the environmental and human implications to local communities of hosting a major exposition or fair in their region. They study current site conditions and develop a comprehensive plan.