Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
Civil War Trust
Genealogy
The Civil War is undoubtedly a part of America's history, but could it be part of your pupils' history as well? Middle schoolers conduct research to discover a connection between their ancestors and the American Civil War. Whether...
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...
Curated OER
Community Helpers in our School and Town
Students create a PowerPoint presentation. In this community helpers lesson, students discuss community helpers and create a t-chart to list what each community helper does. Students watch a PowerPoint presentation, walk through the...
Facing History and Ourselves
What is Community?
Sixth graders contrast communities with groups. In this community lesson, 6th graders read "What is Community?" and discuss attributes of communities that distinguish them from groups.
Curated OER
Inform the Community
Students gain an understanding of the U.S. Census. In this social studies civics lesson plan, students explore understand the link between the census and the availability of community services.
Curated OER
Homeless in our Community
Third graders explore homelessness in their local community. In this service project/social studies lessons, children research local areas where homeless people reside, discuss global acceptance and unity, and visit a local food bank.
Facing History and Ourselves
What Makes Memphis a Community?
Sixth graders explore the community identity of Memphis, Tennessee. After examining primary and secondary sources, class members describe the city and its attributes that make it a unique community.
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
Flying High in Arkansas: A Study of the State Flag
An outstanding lesson on the Arkansas State Flag is here for you. In it, elementary schoolers learn about the symbolism of the flag, and create a replica of the flag as a final activity. They also memorize the Arkansas State Pledge, and...
iCivics
Step Nine: Action Campaign
It's time to take action! Learners strategize their action campaigns by using the resource and past brainstorming activities from the series that help them pinpoint problems in their communities. They use included templates to get the...
Curated OER
Geography, Climate, and Community in the Dominican Republic
Learners examine primary source materials on the Dominican Republic in an exploration of how environment influences lifestyles. They compare and contrast life in the Dominican Republic with life in the United States.
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 lesson is based on the Empty Bowels Project, where school kids gain an understanding of global hunger through community...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Fly Your Kite
Encourage scholars to become a productive community member with a kite-themed lesson. Following a review and discussion, learners complete a Venn diagram that displays the connection between character traits needed to make a home and...
Missouri Department of Elementary
What Color is Your Apple?
Build your classroom community with an activity that uses apples to examine oneself and their classmates. Participants draw four large apples on blank paper then exchange them within a small group. Group members write a character trait...
Curated OER
Citizenship
Young students view this presentation which goes over the concepts of being a good citizen, what volunteers do, what our basic rights are, and what types of organizations in our society are considered to be led by volunteers. The last...
New York City Department of Education
The Game of Life
Academics use their research skills to create a financial guidebook for young adults. They also learn about the skills needed to be successful as an adult, including how to use credit cards and how to buy a car. Hands-on activities and...
Discovery Education
Is Our Community Influenced by the Opioid Epidemic?
Opioid abuse is becoming a national crisis, but combating the influence of opioids requires examining the ways it affects individual communities. A thorough teacher guide provides step-by-step instructions about implementing an...
Advocates for Human Rights
A Teaching Guide on Local and Global Transitional Justice
The Road to Peace introduces learners to the concept of transitional justice, a process where nations examine the causes of conflict, identify abuses, and use this information to develop a plan to transition to a society that upholds...
Curated OER
Becoming Part of the Community
High schoolers read narratives by Peace Corps volunteers and examine how they succeeded in adapting to living in a new cultural environment. They identify attitudes and actions that promote having a positive experience in a foreign country.
Curated OER
Map Your Community
Students study their community's assets and needs to create a service project that would meet the needs. In this community project instructional activity, students research their community and look for the strengths and weaknesses of the...
Curated OER
Community Helpers
In this community workers worksheet, students read a one page text that has information about 8 community helpers and their jobs. Students then answer 8 matching questions and draw a mini poster that tells why community helpers are...
Curated OER
The Six Step Process Toward Social Action Projects
Students plan and implement a change in their neighborhood, school or nation. In this social action lesson, students share concerns about their neighborhood, school or nation and brainstorm ways to solve the problem. Students select a...
Curated OER
Educating Myself Benefits Others
Most upper graders don't realize that when they choose to attend college, they're benefiting the whole community. Invite them to explore how they, as educated individuals, can contribute to their family, community, and global society....