Overview
The Make a Difference in a Day resource pack has been created for teachers who want to deliver a drop down day with children focusing on making a difference to a community space that’s important to them.
This free package of resources comprises:
- Set of teachers’ notes;
- PowerPoint slides;
- Pupil workbook;
- Social action activity suggestions;
- Stimulus pictures.
Taken together, the resources lead children through a mini community project focused on an issue identified as a local concern, such as tackling the problem of air pollution caused by traffic, protecting local biodiversity, improving access to community buildings or tackling issues of litter and plastic pollution.
Make a Difference in a Day is designed to be used with either the whole school, a year group, or a single class. It’s primarily pitched at key stage 2 pupils, but can be adapted for younger – or older – pupils.
The production of this resource was made possible through generous funding from the Co-op Community Foundation Community Spaces programme, which encourages and supports young people to identify and improve community spaces near them for the benefit of other young people and the wider community.

Suggested next steps:
- Browse case studies of youth-led action;
- Check out the free online course Social Action in Community Spaces;
- After your drop down experience, progress to the full Make a Difference Challenge.
More Lessons resources
Learning About the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
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Relationships and the Law
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Taking Responsibility (assembly)
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Plastic Pollution (KS2)
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Looking Out For Others
In this lesson pupils will think about kind and unkind behaviour. They will consider how they can help and support each other in order to create a happy class community.…
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Democracy (Part 1): What is a General Election?
This lesson forms the first part of a three-part unit on Democracy. Pupils explore the meaning of ‘democracy’, and the ways in which citizens can participate in democratic life in…
Plastic Pollution (KS2)
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Litter: The Picnic
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How to Search the Internet
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What Happens When Laws are Broken?
During this lesson pupils explore what happens when laws are broken, learn about the different types of sentences that are given and the main purposes of sentencing. Before taking part…
Making a Difference From Home
Our packs support KS2 and KS3 pupils to plan and deliver their very own mini social action project. By...