How do grassroots campaigns operate?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how people start grassroots campaigns and give examples of how these campaigns have made a positive difference in communities.
Key learning points
- Grassroots campaigns are started by ordinary people, not powerful leaders.
- Grassroots campaigns often focus on local issues that affect communities directly.
- Campaigners use simple methods like petitions and protests.
- Working together helps grassroots developments stronger and more effective.
- Even small actions can lead to real change when many people get involved.
Keywords
Grassroots development - when a group of people come together to pursue a common goal, largely on a volunteer and non-profit basis, to serve a local need in their community; often called a community-led project
Advocate - a person or group that defends or maintains a cause or proposal
Common misconception
Grassroots campaigns cannot make a big difference because they are local, small-scale, and led by people without influence or national recognition.
Grassroots campaigns often start small, but grow as more people join. Their local focus makes them powerful, and many have led to national policy changes or raised public awareness.
Teacher tip
Share case studies where local, grassroots efforts in your community were successful. You may have examples of grassroots campaigns that led to national impact. Emphasise the power of collective action from the ground up.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does speaking truth to power mean?
Q2.Match the options with the correct answer.
make and change laws
appeals to logic
helps us to know how change can happen
appeals to emotions
when something is not fair or right
can influence how people live through policies
Q3.Choose three key points that need to be considered when writing a speech.
Q4."As a young person," is an example of what?
Q5.Nelson Mandela spoke truth to power what issue?
Q6.Zyahna Bryant spoke to truth to power about what issue?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A grassroots campaign aims to tackle issues at what level?
Q2.What does the term 'advocate' mean?
Q3.Choose two advantages of grassroots campaigns.
Q4.What grassroots campaign promotes community, health, and wellbeing?
Q5.Which grassroots campaign resulted in the High Court overturning the Government's decision in 2013?
Q6.Who can start a grassroots campaign?
To help you plan your 10 citizenship lesson on: How do grassroots campaigns operate?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 citizenship lesson on: How do grassroots campaigns operate?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 citizenship lessons from the What tools can we use to challenge injustice in our communities? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.