Hands-On Justice Project 

Justice-Oriented Maker Projects and Argumentation in K–2 Social Studies Using Library of Congress Resources 

The Hands-On Justice Project gives K–2 students hands-on social studies experiences that link classroom learning with real-world action. Developed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, it helps young learners see how power and advocacy shape daily life by using discussion, hands-on making, and Library of Congress primary sources. 

The project started as a partnership with elementary teachers who wanted to help students see how people advocate for change, not just talk about fairness. We design lessons and maker projects that help young learners notice injustice, ask questions, and imagine solutions. These projects create space for students to explore justice through dialogue and collaborative use of evidence. 

Research and Impact 

Through classroom partnerships, the project examines how inquiry and making foster early argumentation and awareness of (in)justice. The research explores how children use primary source evidence, listen to peers, and test ideas through hands-on design. 

This work shows that students build stronger argumentation skills, deeper awareness of justice as collective action, and greater confidence connecting classroom learning to social action. These findings have shaped professional learning for teachers, university courses, and conference presentations, illustrating how design-based approaches make justice-oriented teaching more accessible in early grades. 

By documenting and sharing classroom examples, the project demonstrates that early elementary social studies can help students articulate ideas about justice, recognize systemic inequities, and take steps to make communities more equitable. These outcomes contribute to ongoing conversations about effective justice-oriented practices for young learners.