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
Tackling Discrimination (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson asks students to explore whether or not we have a moral or legal obligation to tackle discrimination when we see it. It can be delivered as a stand-alone…
What is Debt?
Students will explore issues around money, personal and sovereign debt and consider the impact government borrowing has on future...
Climate Change
Learners explore what climate change is and what is causing it. They consider who is responsible for climate change: individuals, politicians, businesses? They are then challenged to think of a…
More Community resources
Crime and its Impact (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the impact of crime on those surrounding the victim and the perpetrator and consider the financial, physical and emotional ripples that crime can have on a community. Please…
All at Sea: a story about fairness and the rule of law
During this lesson pupils use the story ‘All at Sea’ to explore how a group of citizens should organise a new society under a challenging set of circumstances. Each chapter…
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
Voting and the General Election
This resource pack is the second of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to 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...
Make a Difference in a Day
The Make a Difference in a Day resource pack has been created for teachers who want to deliver a...
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
The G7 (Lesson Plan)
During this two lesson resource pupils learn about the G7 and take part in a mock G7 Summit meeting. During the first lesson pupils explore the history and function…
What Are Human Rights?
In this lesson pupils will explore what human rights are. They will examine individual human rights and discuss why they are of primary importance to all people and society. Pupils…
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…