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Community of Interests
Students evaluate various aspects of community through local and national news. They explore the different sections of a newspaper and how each relates to a different aspect of a community.
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The Care and Feeding of a Gingerbread Man
Students read about the gingerbread man and have community members come to their class saying where they have seen him. In this community lesson plan, students listen to different community members about how the gingerbread man has been...
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Our Town
Students discover what makes a community run smoothly by reading signs and visiting various places in their community. In this social studies instructional activity, small groups of students take photographs of community signs and places...
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Capital for Cookies
Students explore how land, labor, capital, and enterprise relate to the Food and Fiber System. They write a story about a company they would open in the community, create a company to make an agricultural product and discuss the various...
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Outsourcing City Hall
Students examine how some city halls around the country are using private companies to run them. After watching a video, they write a reaction paper to some part of it. They write an article for their school newspaper discussing whether...
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Carbon Usage and Offsets on Putnam City Campuses and Area Businesses
Students examine carbon output. In this climate change lesson, students plan and complete an assessment of local businesses and schools based on the carbon output of their electrical usage.
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Celebrating the Community
Students work to improve the community by generating funds to address a community need. In this community service project, students sponsor a event for the community. Students write letters to local representatives and invitations to the...
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Rebuild Your Community
Students explore the Gulf Coast disaster and what it took to rebuild the community surrounding it. In this economic development lesson, students watch a video from the Nightly Business Report and explore what all it takes to make up a...
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Community Helpers
Students brainstorm jobs that are a part of their community and decide whether or not the jobs are "for profit" or "not-for-profit." They draw a person doing his/her job and include the correct uniform, tools, etc. that the person would...
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La Influencia Latina en Nuestra Comunidad (The Latino Influence in our Community)
Pupils visit a grocery store to create a list of Latino products. They take photographs of areas in their community that demonstrate the latino population. Students research community services available to the Latino population. They...
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Economy's Stuck, but Business is Booming at Therapists' Offices
Students explore the concept of the economy and mental health. In this economy and mental health lesson plan, students read an article about how the mental health community is booming due to the poor economy. Students discuss ways to...
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Community Bus Tour
Second graders take a bus tour to discover different businesses, schools, and other buildings located in the community. They then learn about the different types of technology that is used in the community.
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Sunset Hills: A True Community Discovered!
Students interview community members who have lived there for a long time. Using the internet, they research the city of Sunset Hills and share their information with the class. In groups, they decide on a mural theme and design their...
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Owning Your Own Business
Fifth graders consider the type of business they might like to own. They design an advertisement for this business. They prepare questions that they could ask each other, as owners of various businesses. Guest speakers could be utilized.
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Dot-Commerce
Students analyze the impact that e-commerce has in their community, as well as in small traditional communities that one might not expect to be part of the dot-com marketplace. They develop business plans for imagined businesses.
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Battle of the Pole Holes
Students consider the relationship between business and government. In this rural electrification lesson plan, students read "Battle of the Pole Holes," and then write editorials that address the way that business and government...
Facing History and Ourselves
How Do Communities Define We and They?
Learners consider the categorization of people. For this community identity instructional activity, 6th graders examine community membership definitions and consider how those outside of the group view themselves. Learners analyze The...
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The Great Cookie Company
Fourth graders implement real life application of money, problem solving, economics, and consumer awareness. In this three week economics unit, 4th graders operate a business, write checks, balance accounts, and market their product.
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Castle/Fort Unit
Students compare and contrast castles and forts. They observe buildings in their community and consider how castles and forts are similar. They design their own castle or fort and brainstorm materials to build with, discuss how the...
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Changes in the Community
Third graders examine and describe a series of primary sources (mostly photographs) to observe and analyze changes over time. The focus is on the local community. The local community might be a city, township, county or surrounding area.
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Cameras and Crime: A community keeps a lookout
Using a variety of linked sites, students find out what has happened in Collinwood (surveillance cameras installed to help eliminate crime). Students discuss when surveillance cameras could be appropriate, and when they would not be....
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Pop Shop 4 - Shopkeeping
Learners create a store where they sell pictures, tee shirts, and prints. In this store lesson plan, students learn about sales, marketing, and how to run a business.
Pulitzer Center
The Paradise Papers: A Lesson in Investigative Journalism
The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...
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Who Is My Competitor?
Students brainstorm businesses in their community and which businesses compete for the same business. They view the Yellow Pages as a resource to identify business who compete against one another and offer similar products. They...