One Small Act

The Analects of Confucius have provided moral guidelines for generations of Chinese as well as others around the world. Introduce class members to some of the philosopher's ideas with a lesson that asks them to select five of his...

A worksheet produced by the 4-H organization challenges youngsters to consider seven questions regarding caring for others. They must choose five of the questions, then interview one of their peers by asking them the five questions. One...

Develop a world-wide, email chain on which class members can showcase their acts of kindness. After defining the meaning of random acts of kindness through discussion and through a reading of Random Acts of Kindness,...

Life in the great, wide-open spaces of the West! Scholars analyze the reasons behind the vast movement to the Great Plains after the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Homestead Act. Using photographic, document, map, video, and...

How the Kansas-Nebraska Act created Bleeding Kansas is complicated—until scholars research and examine documents from the time. After completing activities that include mapping, photo, document analysis, and discussion, learners...

Start a whole new life in a land known as the Wild Wild West! Learners analyze maps, personal accounts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, songs, and video clips to uncover life under the Homestead Act. Using their new skills, class members role...

"Are we meant to take more than we give, or are we meant to be kind?" UC professor Dacher Keltner believes he has figured out what it's all about and shares the results of scientific studies of the brain in this short video.

A lesson turns young historians into playwrights to understand and speak out against social injustice. Pupils work individually or in groups to write and perform monologues that deliver personal messages on social justice. Writers then...

Spread the word around your school to "Be Kind" to others. The student in this video talks about how her school started a campaign about being kind to others.

Active Citizenship Today (ACT) is a "unique social studies service learning program" that requires students to learn about the public policy associated with community issues they identify in their local community. This web site provides...