Civics Lab puts elementary and middle school students in virtual control of decision-making in their communities to encourage civic participation, critical thinking, and sense of place. In Civics Lab, players will assume positions of power in the community from an urban, suburban or rural perspective and explore how decisions-based on social need and demand, proper planning (as defined by our civic experts), political pressure, and most importantly, their imaginations-might impact the community. Through manipulation of real mapping information and current data sets, students navigate social and political pressures to explore the cause and effect of civic investment and public policy as they attempt to create a sustainable future for their region.
The Proposed Civic Innovation Lab is a path-breaking model that will provide a common ground for Civil Conversation among citizens and decision makers and a highly flexible, interactive, and technology-rich space that will bring people together to seek innovative approaches to our challenges. The Civic Engagement/Innovation centre will be created by transforming existing space at the School from a rarely visited old mess into an innovative, interactive facility that will allow for small-group interaction as well as larger-group deliberations. This will be a unique technology rich space where people will come together to seek solutions of public challenges through: 1) Innovative processes that support emergent, fact -based solutions, 2) Civic networking through social media and gaining technology to capture the energy and enthusiasm of students and other young people, 3) Multimedia tools to aid interaction and instruction, 4) Visualization tools that let people "see" the results of various policy options, 5) Video conferencing to bring people worldwide together in real time. Humphrey would say; "The work of democracy is the unfinished business of humanity"
Benefits for society 1. Participants will acquire a common approach and language to effecting change that transcends barriers and renews civic life. 2. A network of collaborative leaders within your community or region will serve as a powerful force for building bridges across traditional boundaries. 3. People will share responsibility for the social, economic, and environmental well–being of your community in new and powerful ways.
These are the programs which can help us to reach out there 1. Transforming Experience: Outward Bound 2. Skill-Building for Facilitative Leadership 3. Building Community Partnerships and Collaborations 4. Applications for Facilitating Change 5. Designing and Facilitating Community Change 6. The Inner Side of Leadership: The Art of Dialogue * Commitment to Community Applications and the Practice of Facilitative Leadership
At a school level
Children should be engaged in activities that would help them in promoting an understanding about the natural and social environment. Understanding at this level should be based on observation and illustration rather than abstractions. Illustrations need to be drawn from the physical, biological, social and cultural aspects of life. It is important for the child to develop the skill of observation, identification and classification.

Objectives: why children should work within civic lab 1. to understand the society in which they live -to learn how society is structured, managed, and governed, and also about the force seeking to transform and redirect society in various ways. 2. to appreciate the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution such as justice, liberty, equality and fraternity and the unity and integrity of the nation and the building of a socialist, secular and democratic society.
3. to grow up as active, responsible, and reflective members of society.
4. to learn to respect differences of opinion, lifestyle, and cultural practices.
5. to question and examine received ideas, institutions, and practices.

Planning the Curriculum
At the primary stage, the natural and social environment should be taught as an integral part of language and mathematics (with gender sensitivity). Children should be engaged in activities that would help them in promoting an understanding about the natural and social environment. Understanding at this level should be based on observation and illustration rather than abstractions. Illustrations need to be drawn from the physical, biological, social and cultural aspects of life. It is important for the child to develop the skill of observation, identification and classification. For classes III to V, the subject Environment Studies will be introduced. A child may be Initiated to locate and comprehend the relationships between the natural and social environment, and introduced to analogies between natural diversity and socio-cultural diversity. That is to say, social science teaching based on observation and experience can create cognitive capacity within the child. It is this aspect of social science teaching that is so frequently missing in our curriculum.

At the upper primary stage, the subject-area of Social Science drawing its content from history, geography, political science and economics will be introduced. Simultaneously, the child may be introduced to contemporary issues and problems. Contemporary issues may be looked at from multiple perspectives introducing the child to social and economic problems of society.

Emphasis needs to be given to issues like poverty, illiteracy, child and bonded labour, class, caste, gender and environment. Geography and Economics may together help in developing a proper perspective related to the issue concerning environment, resources and development at different levels from local to global. Similarly, Indian history will be taught emphasizing the concepts of plurality and change. The child will be introduced to the formation and functioning of governments at the local, state and central level and the democratic processes of participation.

At the secondary stage, social sciences comprise elements of history, geography, political science and economics. The main focus will be on contemporary India and the learner will be initiated into a deeper understanding of the social and economic challenges facing the nation. In keeping with the epistemic shift proposed, contemporary India will be discussed from the perspectives of the adivasi, dalit and other disenfranchised populations and effort should be to relate the content much as possible to the children’s everyday lives.
India’s freedom struggle and the contributions of various sections/regions shall be studied.

India’s nationalist movement and its developments as an independent nation will be taught in the context of developments in the modern world. Issues relating to geography should be taught keeping in mind the need to inculcate in the child a critical appreciation for conservation and environmental concerns. In political science the focus should be on discussing the philosophical foundations that underlie the value framework of the Indian Constitution, i.e. an in-depth discussion of equality, liberty, justice, fraternity, dignity, plurality and freedom from exploitation. As the disciplinary area of economics is being introduced to the child at this level, it is important that the topics discussed are from the perspective of the masses. For example, poverty and unemployment may be derived from an understanding of the functioning of economic institutions and the inequalities sustained by economic relations.

The higher secondary stage is considered important as it offers diverse choice of streams to the students according to their need, interest and aptitude. For some of the students, this stage may be the end of their formal education leading to the world of work, for others, a foundation for higher education. They may choose either specialized academic courses or job oriented vocational courses depending upon their preferences. The foundation laid at this stage should be able to equip them with basic knowledge, skill and attitude to make meaningful contribution in any field, they choose.

A variety of courses from Social Sciences and Commerce may be offered to students and they may exercise their choice keeping in view their inclinations and preferences. Subjects and courses need not be grouped into separate streams but students may be given the choice of subjects or courses from any group according to their needs, interests and aptitude. At this stage, social sciences may include disciplines like Political Science, Geography, History, Economics, Sociology and Psychology. Commerce may include Business Studies and Accountancy.