Overview
Drop down day for primary schools
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 social action activities suggested can be completed inside the school gates (or in small bubbles outside them) – and take into account COVID restrictions.
At a time when children’s mental health is being talked about constantly, group projects which enable them to be part of something bigger than themselves are proven to help reduce anxiety as children look beyond themselves and their immediate needs. The activities in this resource remind children that they CAN take control, and that they can make a difference to the world around them, meaning that their contribution to communities, however small, will be felt even now during this turbulent period of our history.
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
The Two Brothers
In this lesson pupils will read a tale adapted from Egyptian legend which tells of the love and care which two brothers showed for each other. In discussion, pupils will…
Brexit: Part 2 – Negotiations
Through the example of Brexit talks, this lesson introduces pupils to the concept of negotiation and the skills required to succeed in negotiations. Activities are designed to give pupils the…
Saving Energy
In this lesson pupils will learn what is meant by the term energy source. They will consider how they use energy in their lives and be introduced to the basic…
More Community resources
Homelessness
In this lesson pupils will think about what home means to them through writing a poem inspired by the line ‘Home is where the heart is’. They will consider the…
Who Keeps us Healthy?
In this lesson pupils consider what being healthy means and who plays a role in keeping the population healthy. The coronavirus pandemic is given as an example of populations taking…
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
Protecting Local Habitats
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…
Plastic Pollution
During this lesson children explore the environmental effects of plastic pollution by carrying out a number of experiments. They then go on to consider how they can take action against…
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…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Archived Lessons
We are constantly reviewing and updating the content of the Go-Givers website to ensure it is accurate and engaging for our schools. As part of this review process a number…
Why Do We Have Rules?
During this lesson pupils will explore why we need laws and how they are made. They will learn about the different roles of parliament, government and the justice system and consider…
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…
