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
Create a Local Council Budget
Students critically consider the needs of a fictitious town and how to spend it’s £250 million budget wisely. Working in teams, students evaluate the local needs and priorities of the…
Discrimination
In this lesson pupils will develop their understanding of the term ‘discrimination’. Pupils will consider what makes them unique and learn which characteristics are protected under the Equality Act. Pupils…
You Decide! (KS3)
This resource will allow students to critically consider what reasons and ways the government can take to support different industries and the impact this would have on the economy and…
More Community resources
Migration of People
To help you engage your students in the topic of migration Young Citizens have developed a flexible teaching resource for delivery during curricular or extra-curricular sessions. This resource: explores the…
The Golden Statue
In this lesson pupils will read an adapted version of a Buddhist legend that encourages them to reflect on how the generosity with which a gift is given is more…
My Community
During this lesson pupils consider what we mean by the word community and are challenged to think about all the different community groups they belong to and how it feels…
More Social Action/Active Citizenship resources
Protecting Local Habitats (KS2)
In this lesson pupils will learn about the importance of habitats and explore endangered British species and the threats to their habitat. Pupils will be guided through ways in which…
Martin Luther King: Sacrificing All for the Dream
This lesson looks at discrimination against African Americans in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement and how Martin Luther King achieved change through peaceful…
How to Make a Persuasive Presentation
Do you care passionately about helping a certain charity or supporting a particular cause but think if more people got involved you could make an even bigger difference? How can…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Inspirational People – Nelson Mandela
This assembly is an introduction to the life and work of Nelson Mandela. You may like to run it in conjunction with the lesson ‘Inspirational People.’ To access this content,…
Conflict: Part 2 – Mediation
In this lesson pupils will discuss the principles of simple mediation strategies and apply these in role play scenarios to explore how people can voice and resolve their differences. The…
Where do you stand?
Over a series of short sessions, pupils will have the opportunity to consider topical issues related to their school life. Pupils will consider the strength of arguments for and against…