These lesson plans have been produced in partnership with First News to introduce your class to the important work of the Commonwealth and its values. The lesson plans aim to encourage schools around the world to celebrate the Commonwealth and its inclusive values and principles that unite the 53 member states. You can explore the social similarities and differences between countries through their flags and stories from children. The lesson plans also introduces the Commonwealth Charter, helping to contextualise the work of the Commonwealth across the world to your students.

Nada, 13, and Mina, 12, go to different schools with different head teachers in Keseljac, Bosnia Herzegovina. But the two schools are in the same building. This is known as ‘Two Schools Under One Roof’. After the Bosnian war ended in 1995, this kind of school was set up as the first step to bring people back together. But after so many years, it’s keeping them apart. Most of the Bosnian Muslim pupils here - like Nada - want the two schools to merge. But Croat pupils - like Mina – are concerned that they will lose their identity.

Inspired by a friendship, 12-year-old Oli from Bangladesh is campaigning against child marriage. Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. The issue is a huge problem in the country, with 20% of girls becoming wives before their 15th birthday, even though 18 is the minimum age allowed by law. Oli became fed-up of seeing his friends dropping out of school and decided to do something about it. He and his friends tour the slum where they live, looking for girls at risk and educating their elders.

Oli is a 12-year-old boy from Bangladesh who is campaigning against child marriage. Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 20% of girls become wives before their 15th birthday, even though the law says that they should not get married before the age of 18. Oli became fed-up of seeing his friends dropping out of school and decided to do something about it. He and his friends tour the slum where they live, looking for girls at risk. They try to educate their elders by talking to them about why they shouldn’t marry off their daughters so young.

The Ragdoll Foundation is dedicated to developing the power of imaginative responses in children through the arts.‘What Makes Me Happy’ is a series of short, fun films showing that even where lives are difficult children can still find happiness. The films were produced in-country by working with the children themselves. These are their own stories about what makes them happy and we want to share them with you and as many children as possible around the world. There is so much you can learn about your own happiness and the happiness of others.

The Ragdoll Foundation is dedicated to developing the power of imaginative responses in children through the arts.‘What Makes Me Happy’ is a series of short, fun films showing that even where lives are difficult children can still find happiness. The films were produced in-country by working with the children themselves. These are their own stories about what makes them happy and we want to share them with you and as many children as possible around the world. There is so much you can learn about your own happiness and the happiness of others.

The Ragdoll Foundation is dedicated to developing the power of imaginative responses in children through the arts.‘What Makes Me Happy’ is a series of short, fun films showing that even where lives are difficult children can still find happiness. The films were produced in-country by working with the children themselves. These are their own stories about what makes them happy and we want to share them with you and as many children as possible around the world. There is so much you can learn about your own happiness and the happiness of others.

The Ragdoll Foundation is dedicated to developing the power of imaginative responses in children through the arts.‘What Makes Me Happy’ is a series of short, fun films showing that even where lives are difficult children can still find happiness. The films were produced in-country by working with the children themselves. These are their own stories about what makes them happy and we want to share them with you and as many children as possible around the world. There is so much you can learn about your own happiness and the happiness of others.

The Ragdoll Foundation is dedicated to developing the power of imaginative responses in children through the arts.‘What Makes Me Happy’ is a series of short, fun films showing that even where lives are difficult children can still find happiness. The films were produced in-country by working with the children themselves. These are their own stories about what makes them happy and we want to share them with you and as many children as possible around the world. There is so much you can learn about your own happiness and the happiness of others.

In the run up to the 1945 general election, ‘General Election&’ focuses on the electoral race of one of the 640 local constituencies in Britain - that of Kettering, Northamptonshire.

‘Local Government&’ follows ‘John Blunt’, a farmer, as he seeks to become a councillor in his local borough, and the work of the local council once he is elected.

Nepal is one of the hilliest countries in the world. Most of the population live in very remote areas, so many grow their own food. But growing enough to live on is a real challenge. At Shree Sitaram Primary School in Dalla, western Nepal, many children come to school on an empty stomach. The village is extremely hard to reach from the capital, Kathmandu. There’s no electricity and the nearest shop is a six-hour walk away. The children have four hours of lessons before they get their school lunch. But first, the food has got to reach them!

The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is the second most important festival in the Chinese lunar calendar after Chinese New Year. In 2019 the festival will fall on 13 September. Each education pack contains lesson plans, an assembly plan, activities and supporting materials to introduce Chinese culture to the classroom, keep your young people engaged and look forward to next year when, according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, we enter the Year of the Horse.

Follow disabled schoolboy Alex, as he learns about the Paralympic Games

Follow disabled schoolboy Alex, as he learns about the Paralympic Games.

The Ragdoll Foundation is dedicated to developing the power of imaginative responses in children through the arts.‘What Makes Me Happy’ is a series of short, fun films showing that even where lives are difficult children can still find happiness. The films were produced in-country by working with the children themselves. These are their own stories about what makes them happy and we want to share them with you and as many children as possible around the world. There is so much you can learn about your own happiness and the happiness of others.

This resource is designed to explore the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development. In 1990, one in five people around the world was undernourished. Significant progress has been made, but hunger remains a huge challenge. Although this topic may seem difficult to teach, this resource enables you to focus on progress that has been made and solutions that are proven to work. It supports the development of pupils’ critical thinking by exploring the multiple causes of malnutrition and learning about how to overcome it. It also develops creative collaboration as pupils work in teams to design a mini-project to support better nutrition in their communities. The learning materials can be adapted to the context of each school and the needs of specific pupils. Designed as ten 60 minute lessons for pupils aged 9-13 years, the resource can be used in English, citizenship, geography or other subjects, and can be used with or without an overseas partner school.

Going to school is no guarantee of learning, as it is estimated that 250 million children worldwide are unable to read, write or count well, even if they have been to school. The education Global Goal for Sustainable Development (SDG) focuses on access to education and inclusive quality education. This resource combines knowledge about this global issue with tasks that focus on pupils’ own schools. By understanding the situation in different parts of the world, pupils gain understanding about their own situation. Use the resource to help pupils make proposals and take action within and beyond their schools. The resource can be adapted for each school, the age of the class, and the needs of specific pupils. The ten lessons of 60 minutes are designed for 7-11 year olds and can be adapted for 11-14 year olds.

This resource will support you in developing students’ core skills through the study of solar electricity. It will also help you explore the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 7 which is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030. As the world population rises and many millions continue to move to urban areas, there is a huge increase in the demand for cost effective and reliable modern energy. What are the problems with conventional sources of energy? How could solar energy help to address some of these problems? Using this resource, you will be able to support students to develop their knowledge of renewable energy through cross-curricular activities that span maths, geography, ICT and other subjects. Among the skills that can be acquired through this unit are core skills such as citizenship, critical thinking and problem solving. The resource’s learning materials can be used with or without an international partner school.

It is recognised that there is a need for countries to commit to fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume goods and services. Pupils can explore the multiple issues relating to unsustainable and irresponsible consumption and production and learn about the solutions that exist to overcome it. They can design and implement a mini-project to support more responsible consumption and production in their communities. The learning materials can be adapted to the context of each school and the needs of specific students. Some learning activities can be left out in order to enable deeper learning through other activities. Ten lessons of 60 minutes each designed for pupils nine to 13 years.