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
Cultural Diversity in the UK
In this lesson pupils will be learning about cultural diversity in the UK and some of the historical factors that have contributed to the diversity of the UK population. Pupils…
Making a Difference From Home
Our packs support KS2 and KS3 pupils to plan and deliver their very own mini social action project. By...
Cancer – Early Detection and Prevention
This lesson has been designed in response to the Big Vote, where children voted on what issues they most cared about. The vote was to mark the ten year anniversary…
More Community resources
How Can I Make a Difference?
In this lesson pupils will think about how they can plan a social action project. They will be led through key steps by following the example of the Go-Givers. …
Who Can Help?
In this lesson pupils will learn about the ‘special’ people who help in their community. They will consider who can help them in different situations and how they can ask…
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
More Social Action/Active Citizenship resources
Raising Awareness
During this assembly pupils reflect on how social media can be an important platform for raising awareness of issues that are important to pupils through the example of Martha Payne’s school…
How Can I Make a Difference?
In this lesson pupils will think about how they can plan a social action project. They will be led through key steps by following the example of the Go-Givers. …
Children’s Rights
In this lesson pupils will learn that there are specific rights for children which are set out in the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Pupils will…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Democracy (Part 2): Local and Central Government
This lesson forms the second part of a three-part unit on democracy. Pupils learn about the function of central and local government and the difference between MPs and councillors. Pupils explore…
How to Search the Internet
Do you keep getting the wrong websites coming up when you search for information on the internet? How can you make your searches more accurate so you quickly find what…
The Big Legal Lesson 2026 (ages 5-11)
Join the UK's biggest legal education campaign during February 2025.