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
Conflict: Part 1 – Reacting to Conflict
In this lesson pupils will take part in discussions relating to situations of conflict. Pupils will consider actions which provoke conflict and actions which can help to calm conflict. They…
Magna Carta
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today. Pupils consider what ‘fairness’…
The Economy Quiz
In this short, 15 minute activity students use all they have learnt from earlier lessons to complete a quiz all about the economy. Before delivering this activity, students will need…
More Community resources
Taking Responsibility (assembly)
During this assembly pupils consider what the word responsibility means. You can find the ‘Taking responsibility’ lesson plan on the KS1 lesson page. The PowerPoint for the lesson is the…
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the concept of democracy. Each pack can be delivered independently of each…
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.…
More Social Action/Active Citizenship resources
Representation
Pupils consider the importance of equal representation through learning from the example of Marley Dias and her campaign for better representation of black girls in literature. To access this content,…
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what is causing its loss. They examine who has responsibility for minimising…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…
Talking About Values in the Classroom
What’s included? A consideration of what it means to nurture children’s moral development A suggested methodology through which to...