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Big Question Overview and Resources

Overview

What is a community? Is it the people who live near you? Is it the people who share the same interests as you? It's actually both. You can be a part of many communities at once. Every day you connect with people for different reasons. You spend time with your friends in your school community. You may take a class on Saturday mornings at the community center. You might even be a part of an online community where you discuss a shared interest with people all over the world.

Communities often change. People move into and out of your neighborhood. Shops and businesses may move in near your home. New buildings may be built on your street. Historical documents can be used to track these changes. These documents tell about life in a community at a specific time in history. Books, journals, newspapers, and other written documents can describe what life was like in a community throughout its history.

Web Resources

City Planning
www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity
Have you ever wondered how your town or city was built? This website can help you understand what it's like to be a city planner. There are activities and stories for you to enjoy as you learn how communities are created.

Get Involved
www.idealist.org/kt
Would you like to change the world? This website can help you find volunteer opportunities in your community. You can read about organizations started by kids and learn how to start your own.

World Wise Schools
www.peacecorps.gov/wws/
World Wise Schools is a program of the United States Peace Corps. Through this program, Peace Corps volunteers send letters and pictures to classrooms in America while living in developing nations. At this site you can learn about the program and read stories from some of the volunteers.

Everyone Counts!
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/kids/kids.html
The U.S. Census is taken every four years. It is a count of how many people live in all the households in all the communities in America . These numbers help the government see what communities need improvements, like new schools and parks. The Census is a valuable tool for recording how communities and the country change over time. Learn more about the U.S. Census at this website.

Kids Care!
www.kidscare.org
Learn about Kids Care Club and the work kids are doing around the country and the world to improve their communities.

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