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Volunteering as Good Work

Unit of 5 lessons

Kindergarten-2nd Grade

Subjects:

Arts, Language Arts, Library / Technology and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

Lesson 1 :	ART-VA:	Visual Arts: Create/Communicate
	ELA:	Expository Writing
	PHIL:	Common Good; Community; Respect; School Climate
	SOC:	Common Good; Goods and Services; School Community
Lesson 2 :	ART-VA:	Visual Arts: Create/Communicate
	ELA:	Vocabulary; Writing Process
	PHIL:	Common Good; Motivation for Giving; Time/Talent/Treasure; Volunteer
	SOC:	School Community; Volunteerism
Lesson 3 :	ART:	Visual Arts
	ELA:	Brainstorming; Cause/Effect; Interview; Letter Writing; Summarizing/Paraphrasing
	PHIL:	Character; Common Good; Motivation for Giving; Opportunity Costs; Volunteer
	SOC:	School Community; Volunteerism
Lesson 4 :	ART:	Visual Arts
	ELA:	Letter Writing
	PHIL:	Common Good; Motivation for Giving; Volunteer
	SOC:	School Community; Volunteerism
Lesson 5 :	ART-VA:	Music: Perform; Visual Arts: Create/Communicate
	ELA:	Brainstorming; Summarizing/Paraphrasing
	PHIL:	Caring/Sharing; Common Good; School Climate; Volunteer
	SOC:	Common Good; School Community; Volunteerism

Unit Overview:

This unit teaches the students the concept of volunteerism by looking at the many different jobs involved in running the school. A comparison is made between jobs that are paid and those that are unpaid. The students will interview volunteers to learn about the motivation and rewards of volunteering. Each student decides how to be a volunteer in school, at home or in the community. This unit may be coordinated with a Learning to Give music unit for a service learning project.

Unit Purpose:

The students will learn about the volunteers who help in the school. They will decide a way to show their appreciation to those volunteers and be encouraged to find ways that they can be a volunteer to help others.

Unit Duration:

The unit consists of two one-hour class periods, three forty-five minute class periods, two thirty-minute class periods and a week of time in which they carry out a volunteer action.

Unit Objectives:

The learner will:

identify at least six different jobs found in the school.

recognize that each job is required for the smooth operation of the school.

recognize the importance of treating these workers with respect.

design and illustrate a book about the workers in the school.

define volunteer as someone who shares time and talent without payment.

identify volunteers in the classroom and school setting.

illustrate and describe in writing the concepts of volunteer and paid worker.

generate questions to ask volunteers to understand why people volunteer to help.

conduct interviews of volunteers to determine motivation for giving.

explain that people give freely of their time and talents to help at school. write letters to thank volunteers.

brainstorm ways to show appreciation for volunteer workers at his/her school.

create a card, picture, poem, letter, note, artwork, etc. to give in appreciation to a volunteer worker.

determine needs in his/her school, home or neighborhood.

evaluate personal time, talents and treasures that can be shared for the common good.

implement a volunteer plan.

create a class handbook with ideas for volunteer opportunities.

Service Experience:

Although lessons in this unit contain service project examples, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.

In Lesson One: School Worker Guessing Game, students may create a bulletin board by displaying the pictures they make of the school workers. They propose several messages to display that declare appreciation for the employees and encourage others to recognize the efforts of the varied school personnel.
In Lesson Five: What Can I Do? the students choose their own ways to serve as volunteers (or philanthropists) at home, at school or in the neighborhood.

Note: This lesson can be tied with another Learning to Give unit: See “Phil’ Up on the Arts” (K-2) at <www.learningtogive.org> In music class, the students learn that they can give through singing. They develop a music video or audio tape to be given to a local hospital (or daycare center).

Unit Assessment:

Throughout the unit students will be illustrating and writing to show their understanding of the concept of volunteerism. Lesson One, Two and Five provide rubrics for assessing student performance on writing and illustrations (see Assessment).

School/Home Connection:

“Copy-and-Paste” Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:

Volunteers are an important part of any community. Our school volunteers make many things possible that couldn’t happen without their help. Our students are going to catch the volunteering “bug” as they recognize the value and motivations of school volunteers. Through interviews, art activities and songs the students will learn about volunteerism, then pursue their own interests as they find personal ways to share their time and talent for the common good.

Interactive Parent/Student Homework:

Lesson Two: Yea for Volunteers! - Encourage students to talk about volunteering at home. Send home Lesson Two, Attachment One: Volunteering Homework as a discussion guideline.

Lesson Five: What Can I Do? - Send home the family letter (see Lesson Five, Attachment One: Catch Them Caring). Parents are watching out for ways that the students are volunteering and helping others over the week. The goal is that students make helping others a habit.

Notes for Teaching:

This unit coordinates nicely with a Music unit that may be implemented by your school’s music teacher. See “Phil’ Up on The Arts” under K – 2 lessons on the website www.learningtogive.org.