Social studies should prepare children to participate in society. Teachers can help children study their local neighborhoods and communities on foot, with maps and books, and on websites. Studying the community can reveal a wealth of issues and ideas that matter to students and their families, while students also learn important things about the larger world. "The Oxford English Dictionary" offers four definitions of community: (1) a group of people in one place; (2) a group of people who share a common religion, race, or profession; (3) the condition of sharing certain attitudes or interests; and (4) a group of interdependent plants and/or animals growing or living together. In this article, the author will use these definitions to frame suggestions for teaching big ideas about communities that are embedded in child-friendly and family-friendly activities. (Contains 16 notes.)