# data[].attributes.body
What specific community need(s) do you want to address?

Why are these issues important?

What new things did you learn from your research?

What solution(s) do you propose?

What specific action(s) can you and your peers realistically take to contribute to the solution?

Who are potential partners in this work?

What do you need to act on your idea(s)?

# data[].attributes.body
Organize empathy circles within the classroom. Students pair up, sharing stories with each other, practicing empathetic listening, and then expressing what they've heard through drawings or written summaries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ever since I started teaching in 1990, I have been a student voice advocate. Whether it was as a media/English teacher, student leadership advisor or a site leader. I have always believed that students not only have good ideas, but that they may just have new, unique or even better ones. In an effort to find their own voice and place in the world, they may see things that we don't see or have long been paralyzed to do anything about. In 1999, I saw students address a school's racial divide and cultural issues by creating a school-wide learning experience (see Harmony at Buchanan High School). Ever since then, I have believed that projects with real-world outcomes hold some of the greatest potential for helping students become driven, empathetic and engaged citizens. The outpouring of student voice in the wake of the recent tragedy in Parkland, Florida, is a great example.

When we begin the project design process in PBL, we can start either with a challenging problem or question and then tie it to our standards, or we can start with our standards and connect them to a real-world challenge. This second approach is more foundational to project based learning, for many reasons, including student engagement, student voice, relevance and authenticity. But beyond that, we also do it because this is where jobs are. Jobs are created and grown as we work to address the real problems facing our world and peoples. Our students are ready to tackle the problems facing our world. They have a voice. They have the tools and resources. And they are not afraid to collaborate and form new communities poised for the problem-solving work that needs to be done.

As an educator, parent and advocate for an engaged/empowered citizenry, I could not be prouder of how the students in Parkland, Florida - along with their peers across the nation - have both found their voice, as well as changed the narrative. These students, as well as many others across the nation, are not afraid to collaborate, and use new technologies and form new professional networks in order to address our current and future challenges. Let's be honest, our best hope of improving the status of our planet's many issues truly lie with our youth.

With all of this in mind, there are a number of current and ongoing real-world challenges that we currently face (and probably will for a long time). I don't like the term "problem-solving" in this context, as it implies that we can fix, cure or eradicate a problem or challenge, but by going after our problems with new solutions, we can certainly move progress forward. And in that movement, there is magic. There is innovation. There is change. There is our collective human mission: how can we creatively collaborate, critically think and communicate in ways that make our world a better place to live.

Our students are ready to exercise their collective voices and create calls to action. The following seven ideas are not ranked, but are rather my go to "top seven" that naturally lend themselves to projects that excite student interest, rely on available resources, and maintain relevance and authenticity. Moreover, they are not subject-specific. Indeed, there are many opportunities for English, science, social science, math and others to connect to these project challenges. They are:

1) Climate Change - Climate Change will have a significant impact on our students' lives. Indeed, there may not be one issue that will impact them more comprehensively. Students have seen the data and witnessed the changes, and are listening to the science community. They know that this an urgent issue that will affect almost everything, including, but not limited to, weather, sea levels, food security, water quality, air quality, sustainability and much more. Many organizations - such as NASA, The National Park Service, National Center for Science Education, National Oceanic Atmospheric Association and SOCAN to name a few - are working to bring climate change curriculum and projects to teachers and students.

2) Health Care - Since this has become a prominent topic in the national debate, students are becoming aware of the issues in our country related to rising costs, access, quality and equity. They are beginning to understand the importance both individually and societally. Like the aforementioned topic of climate change, students are also (and unfortunately) learning that we are not necessarily leading the world in this area. They know that this problem is connected to profits, insurance, bureaucracy and more, but they also have a fresher sense of how it could be different, and how we could learn from others around the world. The work on this topic, like many others, is being led by our universities. Institutions such as University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins and Stanford are leading the way.

3) Food Insecurity- as our students become more aware of their surrounding communities, as well as the peers they interact with daily, they begin to see differences. Differences in socioeconomic status, opportunities for growth, housing, security, support services and more. And since 13 million young people live in food-insecure homes, almost all of our students, as well as educators, know someone who is hungry on a daily basis. This may often start with service-based projects, but can also lead to high quality project based learning complete with research, data analysis, diverse solutions and ultimately a variety of calls to action. If you want to see how one teacher and his students transformed not only their school, but entire community related to food insecurity, check out Power Of A Plant author Stephen Ritz and the Green Bronx Machine.

4) Violence - This is a natural given current events taking the nation by storm. However, the related topics and issues here are not new. And yes, they are politically charged, but young people care about these issues. They care about their collective safety and futures, but also know something can be done. In addition to the specifics related to school violence and safety, students can study details of how to advocate, organize, campaign and solicit support, learn that this is a complex problem that has many plausible causes, and, perhaps most importantly, hope for progress. They also know that although they are concerned about attending school in safe environments, our society and culture have violence-related problems and issues that they want to see addressed. Following the recent incident in Florida and the subsequent response from students, the New York Times has compiled a list of resources for educators on this topic.

5) Homelessness - We often hear the expression "think globally, act locally." The topic of homelessness has garnered more attention than ever as more and more communities wrestle with a growing homeless population. In addition to opportunities for our students and schools to partner with local non-profit organizations dealing with homelessness, this topic, like others, is also a great way to elicit empathy in our students. We often hear from educators, employers and others that we want to raise adults that are able to solve problems, improve our communities, and have the ability to see beyond themselves. This topic can provide a number of options for helping students develop those skills. Finally, we also have a growing population of homeless students. So, the relevancy and urgency are all there. Many have laid the groundwork for us to address this within our curriculum. Organizations like Bridge Communities, National Coalition For The Homeless, Homeless Hub and Learning To Give are some of the many leading the way.

6) Sustainability - This is an extremely global issue that affects everything from energy, to food, to resources, economics, health, wellness and more. Students are becoming more and more aware that our very future as a species depends on how we address sustainability challenges. They are aware that this challenge requires new ways of thinking, new priorities, new standards and new ways of doing things. Sustainability is all about future innovation. Students have tremendous opportunities to collaborate, think critically, communicate, and be creative when questioning if a current practice, method, resource or even industry is sustainable without dramatic change and shifts. Students who tackle these challenges will be our leaders - business, political and cultural - of the future. Educators and students can find almost infinite resources and partners. A few of these are Green Education Foundation, Green Schools Initiative, Strategic Energy Innovations, Facing the Future and Teach For America.

7) Education - It seems that each and every day, more and more of us (though maybe still not enough) are moving closer to realizing that our educational systems are seemingly unprepared to make the big shifts needed to truly address the learning needs of 21st-century students. The related challenges are many - new literacies, skills, economic demands, brain research, technology, outcomes and methodologies. It's a good thing that more and more people - both inside and outside of education - are both demanding and implementing change. However, one of the continued ironies within education is that we (and I recognize that this is a generalization) rarely ask the primary customer (students) what they think their education should look, feel and sound like. We have traditionally underestimated their ability to articulate what they need and what would benefit them for their individual and collective futures. One of the many foundational advantages of project based learning is that we consult and consider the student in project design and implementation. Student "voice & choice" creates opportunities for students to have input on and make decisions regarding everything from the final product, to focus area within a topic or challenge, and even whom they may partner with from peers to professionals. It's this choice that not only helps elicit engagement and ownership of learning, but offers opportunities for students to enhance all of the skills that we want in our ideal graduates. As one might guess, there is not a lot of formal curriculum being developed for teachers to lead students through the issue of education reform. This may need to be an organic thing that happens class by class and school by school. It can start as easily as one teacher asking students about what they want out of their education. Some other entry points are The Buck Institute for Education, Edutopia's Five Ways To Give Your Students More Voice & Choice, Barbara Bray's Rethinking Learning and reDesign.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list. However, these seven broad topics present hundreds of relevant challenges that our students can and should have opportunities to address. If they do, they will not only be more prepared for their futures, but also poised to positively impact all of our futures.

For more, see:
Stay in-the-know with all things EdTech and innovations in learning by signing up to receive our weekly newsletter, Smart Update

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Real-World Issues That Can Allow Students To Tackle Big Challenges

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Michael Niehoff - How can we creatively collaborate, critically think and communicate in ways that will make our world a better place to live? Letting our students practice working on these seven big issues can present hundreds of relevant challenges can be a big step toward that future.

# data[].attributes.body
Implement a 'Global Empathy Book Club' where students read stories from different cultures. They later discuss the emotions and situations of characters to foster a deeper understanding of global perspectives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While the world may be increasingly interconnected, human rights violations, inequality and poverty still threaten peace and sustainability.

Global Citizenship Education (GCED) is UNESCO's response to these challenges. It works by empowering learners of all ages to understand that these are global, not local issues and to become active promoters of more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable societies.

GCED is a strategic area of UNESCO's Education Sector programme and builds on the work of Peace and Human Rights Education. It aims to instil in learners the values, attitudes and behaviours that support responsible global citizenship: creativity, innovation, and commitment to peace, human rights and sustainable development.

UNESCO's work in this area is grounded in its own Constitution which aims to 'build peace in the minds of men and women,' the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Education 2030 Agenda and Framework for Action, notably Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Agenda, the Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1974), and the World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005-ongoing).

Under the GCED umbrella, UNESCO has several special themes: Preventing violent extremism through education, Education about the Holocaust and genocide, Languages in education and and the promotion of the rule of law through global citizenship education

UNESCO collaborates with an extensive global network to disseminate GCED including its own Category 1 institutes, other UN agencies and inter-governmental organizations, including regional organizations, most notably: the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development ( MGIEP), the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa ( IICBA), the UNESCO Institute for Statistic ( UIS), the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding ( APCEIU), the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPNet) and UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While the world may be increasingly interconnected, human rights violations, inequality and poverty still threaten peace and sustainability. Global Citizenship Education (GCED) is UNESCO's response to these challenges. It works by empowering learners of all ages to understand that these are global, not local issues and to become active promoters of more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable societies.

# data[].attributes.body
Conduct a 'Walk a Mile' project where students interview members of the community or family about challenges they have faced. Young learners then share the stories through art projects, showcasing understanding and respect for others' experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tara brings passion and a deep understanding of service learning, rooted in years of experience, to her training. Her training builds bridges from theory to implementation while generously sharing her resources and knowledge to ensure our success. Tara works with the whole school (administration, teachers, students, and SL leaders) to build a sustainable program that is embedded in the curriculum and tied to the mission. She energized a faculty on a Friday afternoon, no easy feat, leaving them with a desire to learn more about SL and to become more involved. I cannot recommend Tara highly enough.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 creative service learning projects to inspire your students - Serve Learn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tara brings passion and a deep understanding of service learning, rooted in years of experience, to her training. Her training builds bridges from theory to implementation while generously sharing her resources and knowledge to ensure our success.

# data[].attributes.body
Initiate a 'Community Problem Solvers' campaign, encouraging students to identify local issues and brainstorm feasible solutions as a team, using both creative and analytical thinking approaches.

# data[].attributes.body
Hold a 'Design Thinking Workshop' where students tackle a given challenge by empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing solutions, harnessing both creative and critical thinking skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Organize a 'Cross-Cultural Communication Quest' where students work in teams to learn and present about a chosen culture's communication styles, fostering both collaboration and communication skills.

# data[].attributes.headline
Classroom Debates on Global Issues: Think of how you could make a project based on this.... change something. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Classroom Debates on Global Issues: Think of how you could make a project based on this.... change something. 

# data[].attributes.body
Arrange classroom debates on global issues, emphasizing respectful argumentation and the importance of listening to differing viewpoints. This activity enhances students' communication and teamwork abilities.

# data[].attributes.body
Implement 'The Challenge Zone' where students set personal learning goals and track their progress over time, celebrating improvements and learning from outcomes, fostering a growth mindset.

# data[].attributes.body
Create a 'Reflections Wall' where students post regularly about mistakes they overcame and what they learned, promoting the idea that challenges lead to growth.

# data[].attributes.body
Start a 'Model United Nations' activity, where students represent different countries and discuss solutions to global problems, enhancing global awareness and citizenship.

# data[].attributes.body
Conduct a virtual cultural exchange with a classroom in another country, allowing students to share and learn about different cultures, broadening their global perspective.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Community action project experiences are student and personal favorites all times of year, but spring time is an especially great time for them.

Spring is here, the weather is warming, and students are getting antsy. The school year is wrapping up. Teachers want to end the year with a bang, but are also exhausted and don't know how much more they have left in them to give! It's testing season, graduation season, grade report season. Ah! Spring is bonkers in the world of education.

So what better way to cruise through the rest of the year and go out with a bang than with a community action project (CAPs)?

Community action projects are self-directed project-based service-learning experiences. In summary, s tudents choose a local or global issue of interest and/or personal relevance, design an action plan, and take action.

Community action projects are interesting, multidisciplinary, and student-directed, which means there is little to no preparation involved on your part. You guide and facilitate. If you're not sure how to facilitate these experiences, go back to last week's post - How to Facilitate Community Action Projects in Four Easy Steps.

​AND, check out my portfolio of CAP resources to save yourself an enormous amount of planning time in this crazy season.

Before getting into this post, I want to offer you some free experiential learning activity tools, including a free community action projects implementation spreadsheet . This spreadsheet is designed to help you manage projects in your classroom or homeschool, checking off completion of community action project-specific checkpoints.

The following is a list of some options for community action projects that are perfect for the end of the school year. The ideas listed here could be applied to most issues or project topics. Students can refer to this list when designing their action plans or you could choose an idea from the list to assign to the class.

Students design a campaign that would educate the public on the issue of interest. They could create posters, t-shirts, a video promotion, etc. They can get super creative with this one, and the options are endless, especially with social media and other technologies having come onto the scene as of late.​

The idea behind this one is that students design and make something that raises awareness and provides a tangible outcome. The product should be usable or sellable to raise money for the cause.

An example is taking an invasive species, such as buckthorn here in MN, and using it as material for a product to sell such as a bracelet or wastebasket. This action plan mitigates the buckthorn problem and brings in money (selling the product at a school function, in boutiques, or on Etsy) to use toward a permanent, long-term solution (ex: donating the funds to a local conservation organization). This is a great option for the makers of the world!

Imagine a student is interested in the issue of teen pregnancy. One way to raise awareness would be to create a brochure with some info and stats on the issue and pass it around town. Okay. That is technically raising awareness, but it's not a head-turner.

One of my students did her community action project on teen pregnancy, a topic of choice. She created a website with information about teen pregnancy, assembled HUNDREDS of fortune-tellers (paper origami game), and added a link to her website with instructions on how to enter a drawing. The purpose was to share information in an interesting and meaningful way, and she did just that.

4. Organize a School Club or Community Organization: ​

I have had several students start and organize clubs for their community action projects. One group started an environmental science club. They created objectives and goals and organized club events related to their community action projects. They put together a community-wide clean-up day where they walked the school neighborhood picking up trash. The club organizers invited speakers to come in and educate students on local environmental issues.

This is a great option for students as they head into the summer break. Summer is a great time to get involved in the community, and if they are older students, build their resumes.

I have a ﻿ PBL bundle of resume builders﻿ , one of which includes the templates and organizational materials to start a club. Check that out!

One way to take action on an issue of importance is by giving time to a cause. That often takes the shape of volunteering. Students find an organization relevant to the issue they've chosen for their project and give their time to that organization.

One of my students did her project on human trafficking. She connected with a shelter that took in trafficking survivors to help them get back on their feet. She organized a food and clothing drive for women in the shelter. She coordinated and executed a speaker event where some of the women from the shelter came to speak to the community.

This student not only gave her time to cause that she was passionate about, but she was able to raise awareness about the issue at the same time. On top of that, she discovered her true passion in life and built essential 21st-century skills such as organization, collaboration, communication, planning, and more.

If your students are juniors and seniors, consider getting them started with community action projects that are around their career interests. Check out my senior community action project and career exploration and portfolio bundle . Combining these resources makes for a powerful exit for seniors.

Raising money is a great way to take action. The outcome makes a direct and tangible impact.

Several of my students organized a holiday pie fundraiser at the time when the Syrian refugee crisis was front and center. They not only learned about the Syrian conflict but also how to organize an effective fundraiser. They had to learn which organizations were reputable and would get the money into the right hands. They learned how to make homemade pies and how to market their fundraiser. They had to figure out how to make a profit, not lose money, and more!

This experience resulted in the development of content knowledge in addition to 21st-century skills such as collaboration, global awareness, financial literacy, and more.

Advocating for legislation is a really powerful learning experience, not only because students make an impact on their community at the time, but they also develop the skills to continue to do so long after they've graduated. It's important for students to know their rights and how to advocate for themselves and their communities over the course of their lives.

I had a student that was frustrated with the lack of job prospects for ex-convicts. She wrote letters to her local legislators expressing her interest in the issue and invited them to come to the school to meet with her and talk about possible solutions. One of her legislators came to the school to meet with her where they brainstormed solutions at the legislative level. ​

This is another way to raise awareness about a local issue. This idea here is that students develop some kind of production such as a skit, play, documentary, music concert, etc. that raises awareness in an interesting way. They then bring the production to relevant audiences around the community or host an event.

For example, a group of students doing a project on the issue of bike accidents might create a skit that demonstrates bike safety and perform that skit at local elementary schools or community clubs in the area.

This is when students organize a walk or demonstration to raise awareness about an issue personally important to each student.

Our students have participated in the Science March, March for Immigration, and Women's March. They create original signage for the events. They document the experience by creating a documentary, a photo journal, vlogging, or blogging about the experience.

I have also had students organize their own walks. Some of my students read a book for their book club called "Am I Blue?", which inspired them to organize a walk. They recruited participants from the school and the community.

I want to clarify before moving on that community action projects are self-directed, meaning students choose to examine issues of personal importance or meaning and design their own projects.

In other words, I do not tell any student what to do nor how to feel about any community issue. That's important always, but I think it is especially important when the experience, such as a demonstration, requires students to take a stance on an issue. Students spend a significant amount of time gathering credible information and analyzing a variety of perspectives so as to take a stance or form an opinion that is all their own.

The idea is to get students looking at issues from different angles and help them develop the skills to effectively act on the things that matter to them personally or those community issues that impact their lives.

This is a fun one but takes some effort on your part. I have had students organize screenings of documentaries that are only available to educators. One specific example is the documentary "Sold", which is a movie version of the book "Sold", which I read with students for a women's studies seminar. I have also had students host environmental science fairs, fundraisers (carnivals, cook-offs, car washes, etc.), heritage fairs, speaker series, and more.

Community action projects are great for wrapping up not just the school year but entire high school careers. My students do a senior year focused community action projects , designing and leading their own community action projects based on their postsecondary path or career of interest.

Each student identifies a community issue that is related to a personal career of interest. They then examine that issue, brainstorm solutions, develop a plan of action, and take action.

This is an amazing way for exiting seniors to further bolster their resumes and prepare for what is to come.

I implement senior-year community action projects as part of a bigger and more robust senior experience . Click on the link to learn more.

Community action projects are really powerful, inspiring, and a great way to end the year, especially if you host an exhibition or presentation night to show off their final products.

There are many more options for action plans than those that I listed here. I highly recommend checking out my Facebook group - Experiential Learning for K-12 Teachers - to get more ideas from educators who have been there. I am consistently blown away by the experiential learning community. There are so many amazing ideas out there from such inspirational group of people! ​

I would love to hear of student projects and outcomes. Feel free to send me photos or comments to experientiallearningdepot@gmail.com. I'd love to feature them on the blog!

Relevant Blog Posts:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Community Action Project Ideas to Wrap Up the School Year

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Community action project experiences are student and personal favorites all times of year, but spring time is an especially great time for them. Spring is here, the weather is warming, and students are getting antsy. The school year is wrapping up.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Have you ever tasted an Arab taco?

When was the Arab taco invented?

What is shawarma?

Find it out

How are currency exchange rates determined?

What was the gold standard?

Which type of currency exchange rate system does the U.S. use?

Find it out
Which of the following is usually NOT a factor in determining currency exchange rates?

Test your knowledge

How can I use Wonderopolis?

What are the parts of a Wonder?

How do writers make a Wonder?

Find it out
Based on information from the Wonder, what was Lou Castro known for when he was alive?

Test your knowledge

What is an okapi?

Where do okapis live?

What do okapis eat?

Find it out

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease | Wonderopolis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Community service projects are a great way to encourage students to think about the world around them. Finding a project that children and their parents can get behind and support over the course of a few months or the entire school year is the key. If you are considering adding a service project to next year's class, take a look at the ideas that follow. They are perfect for students in grades K through 12 and vary in their levels of involvement and preparation throughout the year.

Community Service Projects for Kids

1. Book Drive

Collect books throughout the year to donate to local homeless shelters, children's hospitals, and more. Allyson W.'s kindergarten class did something a bit different with their book drive though. "This year our kindergarten class sponsored a used book drive. We collected used books and then resold them for under $1...most were 25 cents. We then Paid it Forward to our 5th grade class so they could go on their field trip to Washington, DC," she says.

2. Cards for Soldiers

Writing cards to servicemen and women overseas during the holidays (and throughout the year) is a great way to support our troops while also giving you an opening for talking about history, social studies, geography, and more.

3. Penny Drive

Find a penny pick it up, all year long you'll save enough! Host a penny drive throughout the year using large water cooler jugs to hold the pennies. At the end of the year, donate the money to a charity that your students agree on. You might also want to check out the Penny Harvest website for some ideas about what to do with those pennies.

4. For the Dogs (and Cats!)

Local animal shelters and rescue groups are always in need of newspapers, old towels and blankets, and pet food donations. Make your classroom a collection hub for such things and deliver them to the shelter once a month (or week!) depending on the amount of donations.

5. Host a Walk

If you want a more involved project, start early in the fall and work with your older students to coordinate a charity walk at the local high school's track. Not only does it encourage students to support a cause, it also gives them a great opportunity to learn while managing the many details of such an event.

6. "Birthday Boxes"

Kimberly L. says, "We have done what we call 'Birthday Boxes.' We put cake mix, frosting, candles, as well as, a few toys [in a box]. Then we donate them to a local food pantry for those families in need of a birthday cake We use plain white boxes (ask a bakery [if] they could donate some). We let the kids decorate them with coloring, stickers, or even the fronts of old cards. It makes them feel good to give back for a child's birthday."

7. Recycle for a Cause

Recycling is not only good for the environment, it is also good for the soul. Teacher Robbin H. says, "My class collects aluminum cans throughout the year. I take the cans to a recycling place where they give me money for them, and I donate the money in my class's name to the Humane Society of my county. The students love helping the animals, and I teach them that they are also helping the planet. My students go home and teach, and remind, their parents to recycle. We recycle everything we can, but the aluminum in the one thing we can get money for."

8. Spend Time with Seniors

Many seniors love spending time with children and children love spending time with them. Pilar R.'s class has the full experience. "Singing, playing recorder, playing BINGO, dancing, writing letters, doing any sort of art with seniors at a nursing home [is what we do]. The seniors love them, and my students love the seniors!"

9. Draw a Picture

Servicemen and women overseas are not the only ones who need to be remembered. Kiersten S. has her students focus on the ones at home. "We write/draw pictures for the veterans at the VA hospital," she says.

10. Random Acts of Kindness

"We did Random Acts of Kindness," explains Tiffany S. "I teach kindergarten and they LOVED it. We read books about it, and there is an AWESOME video on YouTube. It helped explain it to my kids totally. We talked about keeping it a secret from the other kids and the other teachers. We got the parents in on it and it took off from there. We took bags of pencils, kisses, suckers, crayons and more to the classrooms and we hung them on the door with a sticker on it. The kids said that we were, "Super Sneaky Secret Spies." We started the "missions" in March and we have been doing them sporadically since then. They are still asking to go on them! I also took little treats and left them in the teachers' lounge...we had a blast with it. We will do it again next year!"

11. Adopt an Animal

Micca W.'s class adopted an animal with their collected funds. "My class collected pennies and change during a science unit about animals and habitats. Then we adopted a polar bear from [the World Wildlife Foundation] they sent us a stuffed bear and each kid took turns taking him home-dressing him-and writing about his adventures with them at their house! It was a project that ended up lasting [for] awhile but it was fun!"

12. Comfort Animals

"During fire prevention week, we collected gently used or new stuffed animals for the fire department to distribute to scared kids when fire or first responders went on a call to the kids home," Bambi D. says.

What service projects do you do with your class? Share your ideas in the comments below or on the Really Good Teacher forums!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Community service projects are a great way to encourage students to think about the world around them. Finding a project that children and their parents can get behind and support over the course of a few months or the entire school year is the key.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This semester, fifth graders at The Museum School tackled a variety of community improvement projects. Working with guidelines from the Roots and Shoots program, students met every Monday during Unit to observe and map their community of Avondale Estates, identify projects, and brainstorm solutions.

"I'm really excited to be able to do something to improve our community."
- Sophia Sanchez (student)

Early in the semester, students embarked on a walking expedition of the City of Avondale Estates. Clipboards in hand, fifth graders took notes on ways they could improve their community. Identified projects include:

Sidewalk Improvement near the school

Free Little Pantry, helping those in need

Community Beautification and Pollinator Rehabilitation

Community Recycling Centers with Recycling and Trash Reclamation Services

Community Dog Park and support for LifeLine Animal Rescue

Community Skate Park / Recreation Center

Recycled Soda Bottle Greenhouse

"Sometimes people and animals just need help. I want to do the things they need to help them."
- Noah Ramsey (student)

Classroom work included:

Brainstorming ideas for community improvement

Students observe and map their community

Identify community and non-profit collaborators

Students develop and present project proposals to community collaborators and officials

Students implement campaign plans

Measure project impact on community

"The best part of this Roots to Shoots campaign, is watching the students become engaged about their community and get excited as they become the positive changes they want to see in their world!"
- Brian Abernathy (teacher)

To culminate the semester-long service learning project, 5th Grade hosted a Roots and Shoots Community Festival at The Museum School. Students were able to present their projects to the community, get petitions signed, and raise money for their causes.

"I appreciate the Roots and Shoots framework for guiding students through the process of recognizing the deficits in their community, and giving them the concrete tools they need to address them." - Catie Eisel-Elder (teacher)

Free Little Pantry

Community Recycling Center

During the community festival, the Trash and Recycling team raised $26, which will cover an additional trash can which kids will paint to keep TMS beautiful outside!

Sidewalk Improvement

Through a bake sale, the Sidewalk Improvement team raised over $250 to pay for labor and supplies to fix the sidewalks in their community. Through research, students learned that they will need approval from DeKalb County, and created a petition to prove support for the project.

Avondale Skate Park

This high-energy group wanted to build a skate park in Avondale Estates (lovingly dubbed "Avondale Eskates")! We worked through the process of thinking through a business plan, reached out to potential community partners and investors, and drafted a sample skate park layout. We are continuing to gather signatures for a petition to the City to advocate for the need for youth recreation in and near Avondale Estates. At our community event, students hosted scooter races and obstacle course contests, blasted tunes, and informed people about their desire for a skate recreation area, as well as began collecting signatures for the petition to the City.

Pollinator Garden

Avondale Dog Park

The Dog-a-Thon group wanted to provide an opportunity for people to get together and have fun with their dogs! The students included a doggie obstacle course, a photo-booth, doggie treat bake sale, soda floats for humans, and a doggie costume contest. Proceeds will benefit LifeLine. Students also distributed information about pet adoption and the importance of spay and neutering and had people complete a survey to research interest in an Avondale dog park.

Community Garden

Recycled Bottle Greenhouse

Send in your empty 2 liter bottles! 5th grade will be collecting materials and begin greenhouse construction this summer.

"Roots and Shoots is cool because it lets us help Avondale become better and prettier and all that kind of stuff." - Kai Solivan (student)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5th Grade Takes on Community Improvement Projects with Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots Program

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This semester, fifth graders at The Museum School tackled a variety of community improvement projects. Working with guidelines from the Roots and Shoots program, students met every Monday during Unit to observe and map their community of Avondale Estates, identify projects, and brainstorm solutions. "I'm really excited to be able to do something to improve our...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Service learning projects have become an important part of school culture, and for good reason. These activities get kids involved in their communities, developing empathy and a sense of generosity. We've got project ideas that are ideal for kids of all ages, whether they're working on their own, as a class, or with their families. Take a look and get inspired!

New to service learning projects? Start here.

Discover volunteer opportunities

Volunteering lies at the heart of many service learning projects, and the activities are pretty much endless. Check out our whole list of 50 volunteer opportunities for kids here. These are some of our favorites:

Guide Dogs for the Blind: Train or foster guide dogs or help with administrative tasks. Puppy raisers can be any age, whether you're 9 or 90. No prior experience is necessary!

Habitat for Humanity: The Habitat Youth Programs instill a love of volunteering from an early age by providing a variety of volunteer opportunities for those as young as 5.

Project Linus: Make security blankets for children in hospitals. Perfect for crafty kids!

Take the 30 Days of Service Challenge

This challenge not only brings service learning to the forefront of every day, it also exposes kids to a variety of service activities. After they complete the challenge, encourage them to try adding one or more of these activities to their schedule on a regular basis going forward. Learn about the 30 Days of Service Challenge here.

Support a park

Start by taking a field trip to a nearby local, state, or national park. Explore what it has to offer, but also consider what it needs to be even better. More picnic tables? Better interpretive signs? Inclusive playground equipment? A general litter cleanup? Students can propose these ideas to park officials and come up with ways to make them happen!

Run a food drive

Food insecurity remains a major issue in our country, and organizing a food drive is a classic service learning project. Visit Feeding America to find organizations that need your help.

Serve at a food pantry

Many kids can't imagine what it's like not knowing where your next meal will come from. Help develop their sense of empathy by volunteering at food pantries or soup kitchens. Make it a regular activity so they can form bonds with the local community members. FoodPantries.org has a list of places that welcome volunteers.

Start a school recycling program

Source: PepsiCo Recycle Rally

Go green! Get all the resources you need to set up and run a stellar school recycling program here. Already have one? Encourage students to find ways to make it even more effective.

Create a school or community garden

Even when food insecurity isn't an issue, healthy eating often is. Junk food is often cheaper than healthy food, and many people don't have ready access to a place to grow their own fruits and veggies. A school or community garden lets kids dig their hands into the soil and help provide some much-needed fresh produce for others. The USDA has some tips here to help you get started.

Beautify your school

Does your school have a graffiti, trash, or vandalism problem? Even if it doesn't, we bet your hallways and grounds could be a little brighter and more welcoming. Give students a sense of ownership by having them paint murals, decorate the hallways, or spruce up the bathrooms.

Collaborate on community art

Take a look around your neighborhood and find a place that could use an injection of creativity. Then plan a project where students work with members of the community to make something beautiful! Check out our collection of fun collaborative art projects here.

Participate in citizen science

Citizen science projects are terrific service learning ideas! Plant a milkweed monarch waystation, start a pollinator garden to help bees, or help track the progress of migrating species. You'll find even more citizen science projects for kids here.

Host a St. Jude Trike-a-Thon

Source: St. Jude

Preschool and day-care children will learn about trike and riding-toy safety and the importance of helping others, all while having fun and earning prizes. Launched in 1983, St. Jude Trike-a-Thon fundraisers provide educators with a weeklong curriculum that includes a series of interactive lessons with two charming characters, Bikewell Bear and Pedals the Bunny. Educational materials-storybooks, videos, and coloring books-that support learning are also provided. All of this adds an educational bent to your big trike event and your efforts for St. Jude! Click here to find out more.

Walk for Water

Open students' eyes to what it means to live without easy access to clean water with a 5K like no other. Participants complete the race carrying a gallon of water, like so many people around the world must do multiple times each day. Learn about this incredible service learning project from H2O for Life here.

Take part in the St. Jude Math-a-Thon

The St. Jude Math-a-Thon is designed to work with your school's existing curriculum. Students raise money from friends and family and solve math problems in grade-specific Funbooks, developed by Scholastic. Students also learn how math plays an important role in the lifesaving work happening every day at St. Jude.

Hold a hygiene drive

Food isn't the only necessity that some people struggle to provide for their families. They also need soap, toothpaste, deodorant, period products, and other hygiene supplies. Work with local shelters to find out what they need, and hold a drive to collect those items. Or order a Soap Saves Lives Box and assemble kits to be distributed at local food pantries or other locations.

Socialize with senior citizens

Source: Star Tribune

Getting older can sometimes be lonely, especially for those in nursing homes and other senior facilities. There are lots of ways for kids to help, from sending letters and cards to spending time reading with or to a senior buddy. Find more ways for kids to volunteer with seniors here.

Knit for charity

Knitting helps kids build their manual dexterity and improves hand-eye coordination. Combine those benefits with charitable giving to create a fun, creative service learning project. Organizations like Hats 4 the Homeless and Warm Up America take your knitted goods and get them to those who need them. Find a whole list of knitting charities here.

Organize a book drive

Reading Is Fundamental believes that every kid deserves to learn how to read and to have books to enjoy. Team up with the organization to run a local book drive, and check out some of their other volunteer opportunities too. Books for Africa is another terrific organization that needs your book donations.

Provide translation services

Chances are, your school produces its communications in English alone. But it's likely that not everyone in your community speaks English fluently. Reach out to all members of your community by translating your school materials into other languages spoken locally. Kids in foreign language classes can do some of the work themselves, or they can seek out neighbors and friends who might be able to help.

Tutor or set up peer mentoring programs

Older kids helping younger kids-what a great way to build a sense of community! Pair students to create a buddy system, or organize a tutoring program run entirely by kids. Learn more about peer mentoring programs here.

Help a local animal shelter

Source: Animal Humane Society

Animal-loving kids will be thrilled to help local pets in need. Some shelters have minimum age requirements for volunteers, but they often desperately need supplies and toys that kids can help collect. Plus, their animals are always looking for good homes! Challenge your kids to come up with creative ways to match homeless pets with their forever families. Contact your local shelter, or visit the ASPCA's website for ideas.

Build Busy Boxes for hospitals

Sick kids who spend lots of time in the hospital welcome new ways to keep busy. That's where Busy Boxes come in! Run a drive to collect small toys, games, puzzles, and more. Then package them up (for even more fun, decorate the boxes!) and donate them to children's hospitals and other facilities that help sick kids. ( via That After School Life)

Start Meatless Mondays

Meatless Mondays aren't about promoting vegetarianism or veganism. They're simply a way to encourage us all to consider the impact eating meat has on the planet (it might surprise you!). Kids can try Meatless Mondays at home, plus work with their school cafeteria to offer meals without meat that day too. Learn about the Meatless Monday campaign here.

Welcome a refugee family

Thousands of people flee their homelands and seek asylum in the United States every year. Getting here is just one part of a long and often difficult journey. Communities can help refugees settle in and feel at home by working with Refugee Council USA. This is a wonderful project for students and parents to work on together.

Start an awareness campaign

Once kids find an issue near and dear to their hearts, they'll jump wholeheartedly into spreading the word. The great thing about awareness campaigns is that the topic can be just about anything: anti-bullying, healthy lifestyles, environmental issues, and on and on. Kids really get a chance to be creative with these campaigns, with something to build on everyone's strengths. Learn how to plan an awareness campaign here.

What are your go-to service learning projects? Come share your experiences and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
25+ Meaningful Service Learning Projects for Kids and Teens

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inspire students to help their community when you make service learning projects part of the curriculum. Get lots of ideas here!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This activity is to accompany the Teaching Tolerance article " From Awareness to Action."

Tips for Teachers
Looking for ways to get your students involved in activist causes? Here are some ideas, several of which were supplied by Tracy Beck, advisor to the Awareness and Activism Association at White Oaks Secondary School in Oakville, Ontario.

1. Expose students to a variety of causes.
You never know what may inspire them. Alec Loorz knew little about global warming before seeingAn Inconvenient Truth.

2. Put a face on global issues.
For instance, you could engage students in Amnesty International's annual Write for Rights campaign. Celebrate International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10 by writing letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders who are at risk around the world. For more information, visitwww.amnestyusa.org/writeathon.

3. Consider issues both near and far.
Some students may be especially interested in a project that allows them to support people in distant countries. Others may want to help members of their own community.

4. Look at "awareness days and months" for ideas.
For instance, if you are interested in global education issues, International Literacy Day is observed each year on Sept. 8.

5. Let students generate ideas.
Sometimes clubs or projects will form spontaneously because of student interest.

6. Keep the focus on raising awareness about a particular issue.
It's sometimes easy to get so caught up in the project or activity that the underlying issue gets marginalized.

7. Explore the power of partnering.
When two or more groups work together to support a cause, the effects are multiplied.

Start an Activist Club*
Starting a club or group at your school can be a great way to address race and gender issues in the school as well as in the community in which you live. Forming an antiracist, unity or a multicultural club can be a great way to spur dialogue between students, students and faculty members, and among faculty and administrators. This type of dialogue is important in creating an environment in which everyone feels comfortable.

In a setting such as a high school or middle school, it is important to determine a faculty member or group that will help guide the students. A supportive teacher should help to bridge the gap between both generations and bureaucratic tape and help get other teachers and community members involved. The key is fostering a forum for youth to create change; adults should nurture not lead.

Once you have decided who the faculty liaison will be, students should:

Call a meeting. Many times groups will get together for a first meeting and find themselves staring into each other's faces with nothing to talk about. The first meeting should be very casual and consist of planning among founding members. This type of meeting will precede the first general meeting, to which you will invite anyone who wants to attend and get involved.

Think of ways to expand the group. How can you creatively launch the new group to the rest of the school?

Plan to make the initial meetings something more than a mundane after-school event. Plan a mixer with refreshments, music and films. Make it interesting.

Plan activities to help people get to know one another. Start to think of ideas for breaking the ice at this meeting. Remember, if people don't have fun and feel comfortable, they will not come to the next meeting. What will you talk about at the first open meeting?

Think simple. Provide a clear impression of what types of issues the group plans to address. Keep things light.

Plan a game that gets everyone acquainted; introduce yourselves to each other and share why you felt it was important to get involved.

Set goals for the group. Once your group is rolling and has a few core participants attending its meetings, the group should set goals.

These goals should tackle everything from funding to attracting new members. Be creative and realistic. Additionally, your group should look at ways to use its influence as a school-sanctioned entity.

Think about sponsoring events and speakers. Identify key issues not only in your school, but also in your community. Think outside the norm.

If you set a goal to have a great speaker come to talk to the whole school about an issue like race, history, gender or culture, ask the person to address interested members of the community that evening, too. Use the school or a local events center to host the event.

Try to include self-education into your group's meetings. Strive to keep learning about new issues.

Schedule events that are fun. Plan events that entice people to come, not because they are necessarily interested in the cause, but because the event sounds fun.

Consider events like concerts, dances and presentations. Imagine an after-school event in which the local high school punk band plays with the local hip-hop act, and that local DJ kid hosts the whole thing. That would be cool, right?

Introduce the groups' goals and ideas at the event. Use informational tables and flyers or an art display created by students and inspired by recent events, a historic event or even a single word-"bigot," for example.

Remember that we, as people interested in activism and justice, can forget that not everyone is as assertive with their ideas. Many people who are "on our side," or could be on our side, may be uncomfortable about activism or standing up for a cause.

Be creative, understanding and gentle in your approach, and be sure to include celebration and socialization as part of the group's activism and organizing.

Changing the world isn't just about changing people's ideas about race, prejudice and gender. It is about changing the way we approach the problems and how we educate ourselves and others in those regards.
*Adapted from "Starting an Activist Club at School"
Resources
Books
It's Your World-If You Don't Like It, Change It: Activism for Teenagers by Mikki Halpin (Simon Pulse, 2004)
The Teen Guide to Global Action: How to Connect with Others (Near & Far) to Create Social Change by Barbara A. Lewis (Free Spirit Publishing, 2007)
Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World by Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger (Fireside, 2008)

Organizations/Websites
Amnesty International USA
Do Something
Kids vs. Global Warming
Students Today Leaders Forever
Taking It Global

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Portfolio Activity for "From Awareness to Action"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Young people make great political activists. How can you get them involved in fighting for issues that matter?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Letters For A Cause: Activism Through the Post

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sending a letter to elected officials can be a powerful and personal way to ensure the public's voice is represented in politics. But just how do you get in contact with your representatives? Using...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do Something performance tasks ask students to demonstrate their anti-bias awareness and civic competency by applying their literacy and social justice knowledge in an authentic real-world context.