Service Learning with Place

Students and their communities both benefit from the combination of classroom instruction, experiential learning, civic engagement, and reflection that service learning provides. To promote the benefits of service learning, Teaching with Historic Places offers resources that enrich and reinforce collective learning experiences and promote civic responsibility. Many of the program’s resources include service learning components. Learners can engage in experiential learning, allowing them to build into and support their communities. Explore the lesson plans to discover service-oriented activities, and find examples of case studies below.

Service-Learning Lesson Plans (Example)

The Teaching with Historic Places lesson plan about the National Historic Preservation Act (1966) is an example of the program’s effort to include service-learning activities to create more civically engaged learners. The lesson emphasizes the interconnectedness among local history and identity, historic preservation, community involvement, and service learning. By discovering, investigating, and working with local properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, students can experience a tangible piece of their shared history and contribute to the well-being of their communities.

Case Studies in Service Learning

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  Of the Student, By the Student

  Students offer their interpretation of American history by creating documentaries about sites in the Journey Through Hallowed Ground NHA.

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  A Forest in Every Classroom

  The program helps educators develop skills to create curriculum that fosters students' participation in the conservation of public lands.

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  A Trail to Every Classroom

  The program helps educators use place-based teaching in the classroom and foster students' understanding of the Appalachian Trail.

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  Good Neighbors Program

  This program engages third grade students to learn about thoughtfully designed parks and how those parks strengthen communities.