Project Guidelines
Project idea starters and examples of service projects for grades K-5
Project idea starters and examples of service projects for grades K-5
Kindergarten and First Grade Students:
- Completing arts and craft projects and giving them to seniors in the community can provide an educational experience for children, while uplifting the spirits of seniors. Proper reflection can broaden children's perspectives and teach them lessons in human relations.
- Students participate in Arbor Day events, develop a basic understanding of the need for such a day and what community is all about.
- Working in local parks to clean up litter; children can benefit from working in pairs, being outside, using their energy to help the environment, and learning about responsibility. After the clean up sitting in a circle and counting the amount of trash can help teach counting skills and provide an opportunity for reflection.
- Collect stuffed animals to donate to children in a homeless shelter.
- Make bird houses for a nursing home or shelter.
Second Graders:
- Visit the nursing home as a group, making presentations that could include singing, story telling by seniors or by students, games, and like activities.
- Begin a "Stay in School" campaign, start by making posters explaining why is school good for you.
- Adopt a zoo animal.
- Hold a food drive for the homeless.
- Organize a litter patrol during lunch and recess.
Third and Fourth Graders:
- Students adopt an elder: write letters, share projects, visit, assist with utility bills through fundraisers.
- Sponsor aluminum can drive to raise money to plant trees in a park.
- Adopt-a- ____ projects, for example adopting sections of rivers, highways, beach, or park trail to offer an on-going service opportunity. Consider partnering with other organizations such as Volunteer Centers or schools and involve adults.
- Fund raise for zoo and raise awareness of endangered animals.
- Collect clothes, toys, and shoes for needy countries.
- Start a community garden.
Fifth Graders:
- Assist the Kindergartners and first graders in making their cards for seniors, explaining who the cards are going to and helping personalize them.
- Plant gardens with low-income families.
- Have a read-a-thon project; offer older children the opportunity to pair up with and read to younger children. This activity helps encourage children's creativity and gets parents to use the library. Older and younger children can also do activities related to the books they've read, have the older child plan them.
- Hold a health fair to raise awareness about diet, disease, and exercise.
- Research the problem of air pollution, and start a "Carpool" campaign.
- Lead workshops on bike safety.
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Quick Jump
Getting Started
How to Help Select a Project
Trouble-shooting Tips for Popular Types of Volunteer Projects for Young People
Designing Age-Appropriate Projects
Project idea starters and examples of service projects for grades K-5
What is and is not age appropriate service for K-5 students?
Project idea starters and examples of service projects for grades 6-8
What is and is not age appropriate service for grades 6-8?
Project idea starters and examples of service projects for high school students
What is and is not age appropriate service for high school students?