Annenberg Foundation
Student Voices
Whether it's an election year or not, a unit on voting patterns and political campaigns will awaken the civic pride in your high school citizens. Divided into six parts, the curriculum covers various facets of an election, including...
BBC
Community Action
Upper graders and middle schoolers engage in a activity on community. A class discussion kicks off the activity. Pupils share things that they do as community service after school or on weekends. They imagine an ideal community they...
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...
US Department of Commerce
Featured Activity: How the Census Impacts My Community
Individuals have $50,000 to spend on a program at their schools—what will they do with the money? After looking at the Constitutional mandate, learners use a census simulation activity to consider the question. After conducting their own...
US Institute of Peace
Simulation on Northern Ireland: One Step at a Time - The Derry March and Prospects for Peace
Where does tradition fit in a divided community with violence on both sides? Scholars learn about the marches in Northern Ireland and the many issues surrounding them. They take on roles in the community and try to convince others of...
Curated OER
One Plus One Makes You and Me - Respect
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...
City University of New York
Electoral College
A presidential election is a lot like the 2004 World Series, and it's also a lot like choosing an orange in a paper bag. Apply the process of the electoral college to these two analogies with a set of lessons about government...
Carolina K-12
Public Christmas Displays and Lynch v. Donnelly
Does a Christmas display on government property violate the Constitution? Learners study the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and learn about the landmark Supreme Court case Lynch v. Donnelly through watching a documentary and...
Curated OER
Community Problem Solving
Students use community problem solving to solve a littering problem in the community of San Carlos. Students use a Role Play Description to learn this process.
Curated OER
Fur Trading
Learners 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.
Curated OER
Islamic Society: A Lesson in Surrender
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...
US Institute of Peace
Governance, Corruption and Conflict Simulation on Nepal
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...
Curated OER
Homeless Shelter Service Project
Pupils research ways to help a homeless shelter and design a service project to meet the needs. In this service project instructional activity, students identify and develop a list of ways to meet a homeless shelter's needs. Pupils then...
Curated OER
Showing Your Community to the World
Students 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.
Curated OER
Our Community Helpers
Students explore community helpers in order to explain how they fit into their community and the world.
Curated OER
Community Helpers
Students examine the roles of community helpers. They design stick puppets to match community helpers in order to show how they make one's community a better place to live.
Curated OER
The Great Kapok Tree: A Social Studies Lesson
Students examine how plants, animals and people need each other in order to survive. They simulate an ecosystem in a food web and role play certain animals or plants. They answer questions about their simulation to finish the lesson.
Curated OER
My Building, My Community
Students become familiar with the concepts of community and neighborhood and what buildings are associated with these. In this neighborhood lesson, students tour the neighborhood as a class, observing and taking photos of the local...
Curated OER
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...
iCivics
County Government: High School
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...
Curated OER
I'm A Star!
Fourth graders answer questions about being responsible community member. They listen and brainstorm ideas of why it important to be responsible community members. Students are given a copy of "I'm A Star Community Member" game...
Curated OER
Pornography Debate
Present your seniors with a controversial topic while studying the first amendment: pornography. This multi-layer resource has scholars writing a pros and cons research paper. They also attend a city council meeting to prepare for an...
Curated OER
The Kindness Company
Middle schoolers organize themselves into a simulated company complete with applications, interviews and training. They identify a community need they can fulfill related to cooking or sewing and work to make and deliver the designated...
Curated OER
A Sense of Community
Students brainstorm characteristics they associate with a community. In groups, they discover the role of a town square and create their own model. They also identify the various roles in keeping the community going and role play their...