Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

The purpose of this unit is to teach students to see the world from another’s point of view and to recognize the importance of respect.

What is the meaning of respect and how do you show respect for others?

This lesson will help students identify a person’s basic needs, realize that many people in the world are lacking these needs and why this may occur, and encourage them to think of ways to help these people.

Students will understand that they have the ability to be philanthropist in their community.  The students will be guided in philanthropic discussions throughout the unit that clearly define philanthropy as the giving of time, talent, and treasure for the common good. Students learn that they can create a beautiful community through cleaning up, helping others, sharing songs, using kind words, creating public art, and much more. 

Through literature and simulation, learners gain an understanding of  the concept of hunger and what they can do about it. Students learn about nutrition and counting money as they define hunger and collect loose change to donate to an organization of their choice. Students create "Stop Hunger Buckets" and initiate a school-wide collection of loose change. The proceeds are donated to a nonprofit organization that feeds hungry people.

What can we do about the issue of hunger in a world of uneven distribution of resources?

The students respond to text and apply the principles of believing in oneself and being kind to others within the community.  The purpose of this unit is to build self esteem, promote responsible citizenship and encourage philanthropic behaviors.

Students will listen and respond to the story of The Little Red Hen. The concepts of community and working together for the betterment of the community will be developed.

The purpose of this unit is to promote the idea of the common good.  The concepts of wants, needs, savings and philanthropy are introduced. Money values are reinforced through hands-on activities.

Learners will illustrate how Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a motivator, both as an athlete and a philanthropist. She demonstrated acts of kindness for the common good through building youth centers across the nation.

The purpose is to recognize fairy tales/legends as literature genre and to identify positive and negative character traits.

Focus questions:

1. What is good character?
2. Why are the lessons in fairy tales found in stories from all different cultures?

Students will become familiar with the definition of philanthropy and see examples of it in the community, especially in connection with the United Way.  

The purpose of this unit is to increase students’ awareness of the differences among us. Through identification of and participation in service activities, the students will gain a better understanding of others’ unique characteristics. Acceptance of individual differences and understanding of developmental differences is the overarching behavior outcome of the unit. The unit strives to instill the concept of tolerance to enhance the common good.

This lesson will introduce learners to opportunities to respond to a natural disaster. The lesson will introduce vocabulary terms spend, save and donate. The students will learn the definition of philanthropy (giving time, talent and treasure, and taking action for the common good) as well as explore reasons why people choose to donate. As a class, they will discuss and sing the song "What is a Philanthropist?"

Focus Question: How can we be most helpful to the victims of a major disaster, such as a hurricane or earthquake?

To access this lesson, please click here.

In this unit students learn about the life and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the name of civil rights. Students define philanthropy and give examples of how Dr. King was a philanthropist. The students experience a simulation of unequal treatment and discuss fairness. Children reflect on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream and personalize a way to act out his dream. Students analyze the importance of physical characteristics and characteristics of character.

• Why is it important to treat all people fairly?
  
  
• In what ways can we carry on MLK’s dream?

The purpose of this lesson is to have students identify the shared gifts in the folktale, "The Drum" and create drums using different recyclable containers and colorful craft supplies. Students visit a local preschool or retirement facility of their choosing to read aloud a book they wrote and illustrated about generous giving. They share a drumming performance and give the drums and books as gifts.

Learners will learn how to become environmental stewards by participating in several service learning activities that help address environmental needs in their school communities. They will gain an understanding of the importance of environmental stewardship and how they can participate. Learners will also understand that they are part of a whole and that they have a responsibility to participate in caring for the Earth.

Focus Questions:
Why does the world need environmental stewards?
What do we have to give for what we have been given?

The learners will appreciate that insects have specific attributes and needs. They will appreciate the concept of life cycles. They will come to realize that the Monarch Butterfly is dependent on the milkweed plant for its survival.  The class will plant nectar-producing flowers, as well as milkweed, in a school garden and/or various locations in order to help preserve the Monarch Butterfly. They will understand that enhancing and caring for the environment is the civic responsibility of all people.

This unit demonstrates to the learners that by enhancing and caring for the environment they are demonstrating acts of philanthropy and that environmental stewardship is the civic responsibility of everyone. Learners will be introduced to the specific attributes, needs and the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly and learn how it is dependent on the milkweed plant for survival.

This unit will help students develop a better understanding of the basic nutritional needs and how those are vital for a person's health. This will give background information leading to the development of the service learning project to raise funds for an organization of their choice. Non profit organizations need funds from many sources to thrive. Students will work cooperatively to organize a fundraiser with the intent of a philanthropic outcome. They will survey the school population and analyze the results of those surveys to determine which snacks will be appropriate to sell as a fundraiser for their school. Students will determine where the proceeds will be donated.

This unit introduces the learners to philanthropy, giving of time, talent, and/or treasure, through the example of Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman). By participating in a variety of lessons, the learners will develop a deeper understanding of how Environmental Stewardship and Philanthropy are related. Included in this study is a science component in which students learn about how the apple tree (and other trees) benefits the environment and people.

• To introduce and instruct Kindergarten students about the skills necessary for interacting together as a group.
• To teach Kindergarten students about responsible personal conduct.
• To teach students that they are members of a community and to understand that all benefit when the community works together for the good of the group.

The learners will understand the importance of giving their time, talent, and treasure to promote our natural resource of trees.  They will participate in a service learning project involving planting new trees and recycling waste paper to make mulch.  The learners will express their understanding and accomplishments in a variety of ways.

How can a learner use his/her time, talent, and treasure to renew our natural resource of trees?

Can a young person truly make a difference in our world?

Good literature can do a powerful job of helping young children learn the conventions and appropriate behavior in the community, school, and home. Through eight stories, children will learn to help each other, value others, believe in themselves, treat smaller children with patience, work together, get along, recognize a need and seek a solution, realize that people are more similar than different, and understand that everyone is deserving of respect, without regard to race or physical/mental challenges.

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce children to literature that reinforces the concept of unconditional kindness and demonstrates the idea that a good deed deserves another. Students will begin to understand that one act of kindness can lead to other acts of kindness and that acts of kindness are acts of philanthropy, giving of one's time, talent and/or treasures for the good of others.

Students will define philanthropy and identify ways in which Johnny Appleseed acted as a philanthropist through environmental stewardship. After identifying ways in which they personally act as philanthropists, they will raise awareness of philanthropy in the school and home.

Students will understand the basic definition of philanthropy as the giving of time, talent and treasure for the common good. Students will also understand that everyone, regardless of age, can be a philanthropist. Students will understand that examples of philanthropy can be found in many areas.

The essential questions:

What is philanthropy?

Why do we have philanthropists?

Is every act done for another philanthropic?

Learners explore the important role that rules play at home and school, as well as in the games they play. With a deck of playing cards, the learners play simple games that practice math concepts and cooperative play. This unit serves as a precursor to the more complicated game of Mini Bridge.
Focus Question:
How do rules help us?

United States citizens not only have individual rights as citizens but also responsibilities. It is important for children to learn how local governments balance these individual rights with the common good to solve local community problems. With these skills, students will be able to get along better in their classroom, neighborhood and community if they do their duty as good citizens.

Students will understand the basic definition of philanthropy as the giving of time, talent and treasure for the common good. Students will also understand that everyone, regardless of age, can be a philanthropist. Students will understand that examples of philanthropy can be found in many areas.

Many students are unsure what the term homeless means or how to help those that are homeless. This lesson will help then get a better understanding of the concept through the story Selavi, That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope. The story tells about a group of homeless children who work together to help themselves and then help other children. This lesson will also help develop the students' cooperative learning skills.

In this unit Woody’s legacy continues to inspire and educate about the need for “commons” in our communities. The Woody Guthrie song This Land is Your Land is used to communicate the concepts of philanthropy, private property and “commons.” These concepts will be defined and described. The illustrations in This Land Is Your Land will enable the learner to distinguish “commons” areas. “Commons” areas in the school will also be identified. The need for “commons,” and the responsibility to care for “commons”will become clear.

In this unit Woody’s legacy continues to inspire and educate about the need for “commons” in our communities. The Woody Guthrie song This Land is Your Land is used to communicate the concepts of philanthropy, private property and “commons.” These concepts will be defined and described. The illustrations in This Land Is Your Land will enable the learner to distinguish “commons” areas. “Commons” areas in the school will also be identified. The need for “commons,” and the responsibility to care for “commons”will become clear.

Students realize the importance of meeting the needs of food, water, shelter, clothing, healthcare and school. Students learn about events that prevent people from getting their basic needs met, such as a natural disaster or moving to a new community. They also explore how people and organizations step forward to help others get their basic needs met. Students become sensitive to the needs of others and are motivated to think about ways they can help.

It’s important for learners of all ages to understand that animals are living, feeling beings.  This unit encourages children to think about pets and what they bring to the lives of human beings. They will understand that by providing animals with basic needs and treating animals with kindness and respect, they are demonstrating responsible pet care, Environmental Stewardship and acting as responsible citizens of the community.

Focus Question: 
What is each person’s responsibility for animal welfare?

By exploring the concepts and vocabulary of philanthropy, the students will be able to better understand what it means to help each other and be altruistic.

The purpose of the unit is to introduce the learners to science and philanthropy through the care and sharing of flowers.

The purpose of this unit is to role-play experiences that will give children a better understanding of the lives of the early pilgrims in their travels from Europe to America in search of religious freedom. They will recognize the importance of acting for the common good.

Students will understand that you find poetry everywhere: lyrics to songs, commercials and rap. They will also realize that philanthropic themes are often found in poetry. Students will write poems with philanthropic themes.

This lesson will help students understand why people donate money to organizations and why organizations need money to help others. Learners will solicit funds (pledges) from family member in exchange for a certain number of minutes reading.

Students become actively engaged in the process of improving the world through acts of kindness. They learn to recognize those who are helping others as role models and emulate their actions by being helpful and kind to their classmates, families, and community members.

Throughout the unit, they continuously ask themselves:

What actions are helpful and kind and thereby make this world a better place?

How can I fulfill my responsibility to partake in these activities?

The purpose of this unit is to introduce the learners to the concept of Environmental Stewardship, community and how making an area attractive is an act of philanthropy.  This will be achieved through looking at the Monarch Butterfly and the four stages of its life cycle. Learners will also discover that the Monarch is dependent on the milkweed plant as a source of energy.

Focus Question: How is caring for the environment, by protecting plants and animals, related to civic responsibility?

This lesson introduces the students to concepts about homelessness, hunger and philanthropy. The students will listen to a story about a Chinese boy who chooses to give his precious four dollars (“lucky money”) to a homeless man, setting the tone for initial discussions about selflessness, and ways to address hunger, and poverty.

How do we use our senses to recognize similarities and differences between communities and people?

This K-2 unit works toward creating connections, sensitivity and friendship between people of different generations. Lessons are based on literature, math, science and social studies. Students listen to stories about different generations and make connections with some senior community members. Students explore everyone’s shared experiences with memory—memories of people, toys, good times, family. They also explore everyone’s responsibility for stewardship of the environment through reuse and recycling: in the past, the present and the future.In this unit, the students explore the shared experiences of people of many different generations and of the future. They will explore the concept of recycling, what it meant in past generations compared to what it means today.

Students will see an example of giving one’s talents (philanthropy) in Native American culture using children’s literature. They will analyze their own special gifts or talents and determine how the community can gain from them.

This unit demonstrates to students the importance of being aware of the needs and opinions of others. It encourages students to think beyond themselves and to treat others with tolerance and respect.

This unit enables students to reflect on the following questions:

• What does it mean to cooperate?
• What does it mean to share?
• What does it mean to be tolerant of others?

Students will recognize the importance of friendship in a person's life and identify organizations that help those without friends.

This lesson will encourage students to think of ways that they can be (or have been) philanthropists. Using a puppet or doll to tell a story about going to a soup kitchen will help get the students excited about providing food for a soup kitchen.

This lesson will introduce learners to the concept of raising resources to help others. The learners will discover reasons why people choose to donate.

In this lesson, students learn about the interconnectedness of nature and the impact of people on the environment. Students are motivated by literature to teach others the importance of trees in our ecosystem. In an optional Extension of the lesson, they design and make posters with a “Save the Trees” message.

This unit emphasizes the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling with a particular focus on the significance of respecting the environment and being good stewards of the Earth.  Using literature and hands-on activities, the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle will be explored.  The culminating project will include students sharing their time and talent to make new paper from used classroom scrap paper.  The learners will act philanthropically by using the hand made, recycled paper to create cards to give to others in the community.

Focus Questions(s):
Is it the responsibility of everyone to reduce, reuse, and recycle?  How does that demonstrate respect for the Earth?
 

Focus Questions:

What is the connection between creation and taking care of the environment?
Why is it important to take care of the environment?
What is my role in caring for the environment?

This unit demonstrates that charity is a fundamental concept of Judaism. It engages students not only in the learning, but through performing acts of charity.

Focus Questions:
What is tzedakah?
Why is tzedakah important for both the person who gives and receives?
Is tzedakah only about giving money?

In a world of us vs. them, how do children develop a sense of community? In this lesson, our children will gain an understanding of community as people who work, learn, play and live together. Through the activities in this lesson, children internalize the value of being a responsible community member.

So many of our students see themselves as individuals and have not made connections to "community." Is there strength in uniting? How do children develop a sense of community? In this unit, students will begin to view their family, friends and school as a community where people live, work and play together for the common good. Students will explore game-playing as an activity to build community. As a culminating activity, host a family "Make-It, Take-It Night" where families make games and then are able to take their games home for continued "community building."

The students experience a simulation demonstrating unequal treatment and discuss justice and fairness. Students will reflect on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of equality and his actions as a philanthropist.

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.

Through four lessons students will understand the concept of Environmental Stewardship. Using a children’s story about a neighborhood working together to improve the appearance of a vacant lot, student will decide how they will participate in a community project to beautify their community and becoming Stewards of the Earth.

Focus Questions: Why do we need plants? Who's responsibility is it to be an Environmental Steward of the natural world?

 Water is essential to all life; however it is not abundant in many areas. In order to preserve our usable water resources, water conservation needs to be a component of everyday life. Conservation can be done in a variety of ways. Through the completion of this unit, learners will develop an understanding of the water cycle, how to measure rainfall (water) and why it is essential to conserve this precious resource. Learners are able to display their ability to be a good citizen and stewards of the Earth by educating those around them about how these things can be done.

For learners to be good stewards of the Earth they need to know how to help take care of the environment. “What’s All the Commotion in the Ocean?” is a unit to enhance children’s learning about ocean animals, pollution and how children can make a difference by being good stewards of the Earth’s water resources. The children will learn about ocean animals, the ocean environment and how to take care of the ocean environment.  They will develop possible answers to the question: What can we do to help the ocean environment? These discussions will lead to a culminating writing activity. The children will write a letter to an organization to find out how to help clean up our oceans.  While learning about taking care of the ocean environment they will learn that they are acting responsibly for the common good.

Focus Question: What can we do to help the ocean environment?

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the learners to the concept that community organizations need resources (money and materials) to help people in need.

This lesson will teach children about volunteers and the difference they make in our world. The children will conclude that even they can volunteer and make a difference in their community.

This unit will introduce the learners to the important mission and needs of animal shelters, both private and municipal. Learners will understand that they can contribute to animal welfare by aiding a shelter(s) and educating others about the work of shelters.
Through research and class discussion, the learners will be introduced to Animal Welfare and Animal Shelters. They will examine the different types of shelters. They will also explore some of the reasons that animals are surrendered to shelters, services that shelters provide, some of the jobs that volunteers and others can do to help in shelters and calculate the cost of running a shelter.  Learners will plan and implement a service project to aid a shelter.  They will demonstrate their knowledge about animal shelters by sharing their knowledge with their peers

Focus Question:
Who is responsible for the humane care and welfare of homeless animals? 
 

The purpose of this unit is to encourage students to examine the way groups work together for the common good and understand how specific factions in communities preserve their culture through the arts. In a fun and creative activity, groups will consider how to be more effective in cooperative learning. Students will learn about the Bahamian Festival, Junkanoo, while making headdresses in groups. They will examine how group dynamics work, especially when minority rights need to be protected.

This lesson will emphasize why a legacy of philanthropy is needed now and for future generations. Learners will discover that individuals and organizations give special kinds of money gifts called endowments to nonprofit organizations and foundations. In this way the work of the organization can continue in perpetuity (forever).

This unit is designed to introduce students to the joys of having and caring for a garden. Students will take an active role in Environmental Stewardship by adding beauty to their surroundings. It will help them understand what is needed to create and care for a garden in order for the garden to thrive and the interconnectedness to the environment that a garden provides.  The long-term result will be to create a quiet area for students and others to read or study in a pleasant outdoor environment or location in the community or neighborhood to be shared by all. Once the garden is complete, it will be given to the local community for all to share.

The lessons in this unit will focus on the role of foundations and how they help cultural subgroups within communities. It will also define philanthropy and increase the students' knowledge about how it allows individuals to contribute to their community locally by allowing the students to make some decisions about how they will raise money to be donated to a local organization.

This unit will define philanthropy by providing opportunities for students to examine the prevailing conditions in colonial America that prompted individuals to establish organizations which promoted the common good. They will find examples in literature of the simple act of doing something for the common good. Learners will research how colonial organizations, which developed in the nonprofit/ independent sector, have transformed themselves over time to continue to provide for the common good.

Through a food-waste survey in the lunchroom, research, observation, and discussion, the learners explore what gets thrown in the lunch trash at school and learn about earth-friendly alternatives that reduce waste in landfills, including recycling and composting. Learners discover the benefits of compost and reasons to promote it in the community. They learn that their knowledge can be shared with others through implementing a student generated and planned service project. 

Focus Question: What can we do to promote responsible use of all resources?

Using poetry, this lesson explores the attributes of a hero and the philanthropic acts that are achieved in spite of adversity, for the common good of all humankind.

The purpose of this unit is to increase students’ awareness of the differences among us. Through identification of and participation in service activities, the students will gain a better understanding of others’ unique characteristics. Acceptance of individual differences and understanding of developmental differences is the overarching behavior outcome of the unit. The unit strives to instill the concept of tolerance to enhance the common good.

This lesson introduces learners to opportunities to respond to a natural disaster. The lesson introduces vocabulary terms spend, save, and donate. The students learn the definition of philanthropy (giving time, talent and treasure, and taking action for the common good) as well as explore reasons why people choose to donate. As a class, they will discuss and sing the song "What is a Philanthropist?"

Focus Question: How can we best help people who are victims of a natural disaster?

To access this lesson, please click here.

Students become actively engaged in the process of perfecting the world through acts of kindness. They learn to value endeavors that benefit others and study ancestors who have proven to be particularly adept at helping others.

Throughout the unit, they continuously ask themselves:

What actions will benefit others and thereby make this world a better place?

How can I fulfill my responsibility to take part in these activities?

Students will listen to two stories, and compare and contrast the activities of the main characters. As a final piece, students reflect by writing an answer to some essential questions: What does it mean to be a philanthropist? What does it mean to be an environmentalist? What does it mean to be a good steward of the earth?

The purpose of this unit is for students to expand their awareness of the earth through the study of some traditional Native American beliefs about the concept of “mother earth.” They will discover the need to protect the environment and their responsibility to do that for the common good through action and advocacy. They will learn about pollution through scientific investigation and how to demonstrate environmental stewardship by protecting the environment through reusing, reducing and recycling. They will make a personal commitment to the environment through planning and implementing a service learning project. They will brainstorm strategies to protect the environment and carry out a service learning project to enhance the environment for the common good.

Focus Questions:

• How do humans and the natural world interact?
• What makes a good citizen?
• Can one person make a difference?

The purpose of this unit is to help the learners become aware of endangered species and explore one of the ways in which people can become good stewards of the environment by helping to prevent endangered species from becoming extinct. The learners will also be involved in philanthropy through the philanthropic act of fund-raising in order to "adopt" an endangered species. 

The lessons in this unit are designed to help learners, using the Action Without Borders/Idealist.org Web Site, become more aware of how nonprofit organizations benefit communities, recognize that different job opportunities are available in the nonprofit sector and understand that these jobs may require different abilities and skills.

Students will respond to a literature book about family philanthropy. They will apply/compare their own philanthropic family acts to ideas for volunteering their time and talent to meet needs in the school or greater community.

Students will explore ways in which working together is important in solving community problems.

The purpose of this unit is to learn about the structure of the newspaper and identify acts of philanthropy and kindness in the news. Students will recognize the many acts of philanthropy in the communities to which they belong.

Focus Question: What is the role of philanthropy in my communities?

While this unit introduces the basic vocabulary of the game Bridge, it also uses the language of game playing and Bridge to discuss social skills and teamwork. Learners discuss the importance of rules and etiquette in games, as well as in the "game of life." Students learn game procedures, playing card attributes, math skills, and communication skills while having fun with games. 
Focus Question: How do rules help us do well in games and in life?

No one wants to think about disasters and evacuation. These are frightening issues for adults, and are especially scary for children. Advanced planning, including preparing for the care of animals, can minimize some of the fright and stress of evacuation.  Preparing for a disaster is the first and best step in helping both people and animals in case of an emergency. Animals are part of our families and we want to make sure that they are safe just like we are. (ASPCA®) 

This unit is designed to help learners understand what is needed to be prepared for an emergency.  Through a better understanding of disasters and emergencies, and researching animal welfare needs in the community, the learners will understand the need for emergency preparedness including for animals.  They create a service learning project involving animal welfare and also share their knowledge with their peers. 
Focus Question:
How can I make a difference in the lives of animals and their welfare in our community?
 

This lesson will introduce learners to the concept that nonprofit organizations need monetary resources in order help others. It will help students explore why people, including themselves, might donate money to these organizations.

Students will identify some community and school needs.  They will respond to literature about being a good person and making a difference. Working as a group, the students select a philanthropic project, formulate a plan, and execute that plan to address the need.

Our Great Lakes Basin provides a wealth of material to develop the five themes of geography and instill the virtues of philanthropy and environmental stewardship. Learners will read and explore how our waterways became polluted. They will participate in meaningful activities to test water using the scientific method. Learners will discover individual and collective responsibility to maintaining the health of the Great Lakes Basin. They  will demonstrate knowledge and awareness of the importance of the Great Lakes, their respective ecosystems, and citizen responsibility to protect the waterways. Learners will understand the interrelationships of all stakeholders: individuals, businesses, industry, government and the third sector as stewards of the Great Lakes Basin.

To review the idea of philanthropy and community through a Native American legend in which people take action in response to a community need.

Using Biblical texts as their basis, students will explore a Jewish perspective on the relationship between humans and their environment. They will begin by studying and modeling Adam’s role of caretaker in the Garden of Eden. They will then focus more specifically on man’s relationships with animals and various natural resources. This unit demonstrates to students that environmental concern is inherent to the Jewish value system. It encourages students to play an active role in protecting their environment from harm.

Focus Questions:
What is the relationship between man and all other living things?
What is a person’s responsibility toward the environment?
How can a person take an active role in protecting and improving the environment?
 

The unit demonstrates that  tzedakah (charity) is a fundamental concept in Judaism.  Students are engaged in acts of tzedakah (charity) for the good of the communities to which they belong.

Focus Questions:
What is tzedakah?
Why is tzedakah important for the giver and the receiver?
How can I be involved in tzedakah?

The students will define the terms profit and non profit organizations.  They will identify the nonprofit organizations that exist within their community and create an information cube to share with their families to increase awareness of philanthropy within their own communities.

Students will see the possibilities for philanthropy in the many communities that they belong to from local to national.  They will investigate some nationally recognized philanthropists and their contributions of time, talent, or treasure. 

Students will act as philanthropists, using their time and effort to answer a call for help to protect the environment for the common good. Their activities will build an appreciation for Michigan's fragile dune habitats as one of our natural resources and raise an awareness of the need to preserve and protect these resources. They will call others to action as philanthropists in their persuasive essays. Students will develop a better appreciation that this is a philanthropic event that will benefit the human and wildlife community by cleaning up the beach. This project includes many cross-curriculum subjects, including reading, writing, math, science, social studies, as well as putting life skills into practice.

This unit will define philanthropy as it appears in the private and public sectors and investigate how individuals work in concert through business, government, and foundations. It will increase students' awareness that their voluntary contributions are essential to the wellbeing of society whether done through the family, school, or neighborhood.

Students research and respond in a variety of interactive situations to uncover the actions that produce and encourage participation in the greater society.

Focus Question: What past philanthropic actions by individuals and organizations influence youth to be part of the community?

Students will study philanthropists and environmentalists through literature and research on environmental issues. Students choose one environmental issue to research such as recycling, landfills, rainforests, acid rain, global warming, water pollution, air pollution and energy. Students’ research and responses to the issues are presented in a culminating puppet play. They will conduct research, write scripts, make puppets from recycled materials and perform plays for others in their community. By performing these puppet shows, students will become environmentalists and philanthropists themselves as they educate and motivate others on these issues. They will be asked to think about the link between philanthropy, their environment and active citizenship.

Focus Questions:

• Do people have a responsibility to care for the environment?
• Are you an environmentalist?
• Are you a philanthropist?
• How is being an environmentalist an act of philanthropy?

The purpose of this lesson is to show that artists are a valuable part of a community and to explore how they contribute to the public good.

This cross-disciplinary unit will help learners discover how our waterways are polluted and how necessary it is to keep our waterways and rivers clean. The instructor will use a thematic approach to this lesson through literature, history, math, science and social studies. Learners have the opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills acquired through meaningful voluntary service for the common good. Philanthropy combined with strong content in Social Studies, Language Arts, Math and Science leads learners to conclude that keeping their water supply clean is everyone's responsibility for the common good . Learners practice core democratic values through their service-learning activity.

The Language Arts portion will introduce the literature through the book, A River Ran Wild. Social Studies will pursue the progression of the pollution and cleansing of the Nashua River. Math lesson will focus on the concept of one million and the simulation of the effects of one million gallons of sewage on a river. Through science, the water cycle will be explored with the underlying question of what would happen if pollution were injected at different intervals of the cycle. Learners will explore the Core Democratic Values and the relationship to the Common Good through a mock trial, produced to engage other students in learning about the issue of water pollution and keeping their water supply healthy.

Students will learn basic terms and vocabulary related to the Great Depression. After listening to A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck, students will understand how small acts of philanthropy were possible, even during these difficult times. They will learn about government philanthropy through the work of the C.C.C. and the W.P.A. during the Great Depression. As a final project, the students will plant some tree seedlings in their community.

This unit focuses upon the volunteer efforts and revitalization of our country, which surfaced during the Great Depression under the leadership of Franklin D. Roosevelt, entitled the Civilian Conservation Corps.

This lesson explores the heroic actions of one American woman--Rosa Parks. Students will learn about her refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus and the resulting bus boycott that ended segregation on the Montgomery, Alabama city buses in 1956. Rosa Parks’ acts of philanthropy brought a community of people together for the common good and resulted in major social change in her community and in the nation. Students will identify the relationship of individual rights, justice, equality and community responsibility.

This unit is designed to enhance the learners’ knowledge of philanthropy through stewardship of the environment.  They will be introduced to the concept of stewardship and how that relates to taking care of the environment locally Learners will study desert regions around the world by using mapping and research skills to identify those deserts. They will also identify native plant and animal species of deserts. They will explore why it is important to be good stewards of the land both world wide and locally. The learners will demonstrate acts of philanthropy and environmental stewardship by cleaning or beautifying a public or common area around their school or in their community. 
Focus question:  Is it the civic responsibility of everyone to take care of public lands?
 

In preparation for viewing “Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure,” learners will be introduced to the climate and geography of the continent of Antarctica. They will examine the sacrifices made by individuals for the good of the others and the common good, and explore motivations.

Students will gain an understanding of habitats, the coexistence of humans and wildlife, and the changes that have evolved over time. They will differentiate between various types of wildlife and explain the importance of protecting and nurturing the environment. They will select a service learning project in which they care for the animals around them.

Essential Questions:

• Can humans and animals coexist in the same habitat?
• If so, are there dangers that exist? For whom?
• What is a community?
• What do humans and wildlife share?
• What is Common Good? Does it include wildlife?

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the concept of serial reciprocity and to explore the contributions artists make to the common good.

This lesson will expose learners to philanthropy in three different genres of literature: a play, a fable, and a parable. Through the genres the students will learn about community, helping others by addressing a need and philanthropic acts.

This unit demonstrates to students the importance of being aware of the needs and opinions of others. It encourages students to think beyond themselves and to treat others with tolerance and respect.

This unit enables students to reflect on the following questions:

What does it mean to compromise?

What does it mean to be a good friend?

What does it mean to be tolerant of others?

Through the use of creative dramatics and the Internet, students will learn about global warming, its causes, effects, and possible solutions.  In the process they will conduct a “green audit” of their households and complete a project designed to teach others about global warming.

Focus Question:
What is a person’s responsibility for preserving and protecting the global environment?

This unit is designed to guide students in learning about the importance of reading, and to help them to plan and execute a book drive to help others gain access to books.  The students will reflect on the book drive after it is completed.

Everyone has special talents and abilities. We must seek to develop our own talents and use them to make a difference in our life and the lives of others. This unit will help students recognize talents and think of ways to use them to help others. They will also learn about homelessness from a homeless person ’s point of view.

Through literature this lesson will explore diverse communities united in working for the common good. It will demonstrate the importance of civic virtue and encourage students to think about the value of working together to solve community problems.

Watershed S.O.S. concerns gaining knowledge and discovering ways to protect the watershed. This unit includes lessons about the water cycle, how the watershed works, pollutants of the watershed, uses of water and water as a nonrenewable resource. The unit is interdisciplinary with science, English, social studies and philanthropic components.  Scientific experiments and demonstrations are included in the lessons. The unit lends itself to advocacy. Students would educate, take action through the political process by contacting local governmental agencies (DNR, contact state or U.S. Representatives, or write letters to the editor of a local newspaper concerning protecting their watershed. In order to be a good citizen, one must protect their environment and advocate for the protection of their watershed. This unit includes lessons about the importance of water, the watershed, water as a nonrenewable resource and ways that learners can be advocates and protectors of their watershed. The unit is interdisciplinary and has many hands on activities as well as experiments included in the lessons.

The purpose of the lesson is to recognize that the community has changed over time and elderly people have seen some of these changes and can provide different perspectives.

Focus Questions: How has my community changed over time? What have the elderly people seen and done in my community? What great things are the babies of my community going to see and do?

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the concept of serial reciprocity and to explore the contributions artists make for the common good.

This unit introduce students to the term philanthropy through stories and role-playing.  Students will experience philanthropy by packing and distributing goods at their community food pantry or donation center.  Is philanthropy a good thing for all?  

This unit helps the learners understand that animals often work as a team with humans.  The students will learn about some extraordinary working animals and understand each individual’s responsibility to treat animals in a humane way. The students research a specific working animal and create an informational presentation about their findings. Learners will discover the impact that these animals have on the greater good.  The learners will consider the “payment” of humane treatment and respect and kindness due to animals. Students will learn that all animals deserve humane treatment and will determine their responsibility is to assist and support animal welfare.

Through a variety of science activities and experiences with the arts, the students explore the concept that each person is unique and valuable. The students will work cooperatively and deliberately respect others and listen and accept the contributions of the others. Students use a decision-making model to come to a group consensus and perform a service for an audience. Students evaluate their service projects.

Students will recognize that even important people in the world do not have unlimited power. Constitutionally, the President of the United States is limited by the “advise and consent” rule, among others. The learners will look at the importance of limiting government and analyze the importance of citizen participation in their communities. How the common good benefits when citizens and students participate in their communities and schools will be identified. The role of nonprofits and foundations will be analyzed. Students will research the local community foundation, raise funds, learn parliamentary procedure, and form a Youth Advisory Committee which will complete grant applications and make recommendations to a Board of Directors for dispensing of the funds.

Learners will research events in American history that led to the development of philanthropy in the United States, analyze the importance of allowing all citizens the opportunity to contribute to the common good, identify needs and resources to set up and maintain a service learning project.

This unit shows learners how electricity is created, used, measured, and conserved. Learners explore energy conservation and energy efficiency using a lab activity about lightbulbs and a research assignment about alternative energy resources. Students plan and carry out a project to advocate for conserving energy and using green technology. They demonstrate to members of the school or local community their learning about renewable resources that promote conservation. The purpose of this unit is to empower learners to advocate for responsible use of energy resources. While this unit is written specifically to address the "greening of New Jersey," it is adaptable to any community.  

Focus Question: What is an individual's responsibility for the environment?

The learners will assess the role of animals in sports and entertainment. The learners will differentiate between animal cruelty and the humane treatment of animals. They explore attitudes/beliefs about the role of animals specifically in sports and entertainment. The learners will then identify advocacy as a way to promote the humane treatment of all animals.

Focus Question: 
How should animals be treated and who speaks for their welfare?

Using the themes and content of geography, learners examine and demonstrate knowledge of cultural elements and traditions of selected nations of the world and how they affect philanthropy and stewardship in world regions. Learners will use the five themes of geography to explore the political, geographic, economic and social aspects of continents and identified specific nations. Our learners will also discover newly emerging democracies' struggle with developing non-governmental institutions and organizations. They will gain an appreciation for the worldwide relief efforts as well as grassroots movements. As a service learning project they will develop a visual aid for younger learners for celebrating African-American History Month.

Students are asked to evaluate the use of their time, talent and treasure by choosing activities to fill a typical non-school day. They will be expected to take a look at the benefits and opportunity costs involved in sacrificing personal time for the common good of their community.

In this lesson, students analyze and define the concept of community. The students identify benefits and sacrifices involved in actions for the common good in their role as citizens.

Students will understand philanthropy. They will analyze acts of kindness to determine how they contribute to the common good. Learners will investigate their own resources of time, talent and treasure they have and brainstorm how these can be used to address community needs/issues or problems in their school, neighborhood and larger community. They will investigate nonprofit organizations that contribute to the common good by addressing these needs.

Learners recognize that famous philanthropists started with small acts of kindness before they performed the influential acts that we remember them for. Learners define caring through discussion of examples and create an acrostic using the word CARING. Learners get inspiration from the work and words of Mother Teresa about performing small acts of kindness. The unit is culminated with the learners selecting a project and making a plan for carrying out a small act of kindness with a group or individually. After reflecting on their experience with performing an act of kindness, they will compare their experience to the message in a folktale, and write about the impact of a single small act of caring.

Focus Questions:

What role does caring play in relationships and life success?  How can developing caring equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Learners discover how celebrities demonstrate their caring by giving their time, talent and treasure and taking action for specific causes. It gives the learners an opportunity to begin to think of what they care about. Learners will discuss a quote about gratitude and consider the relationship between caring and gratitude. After discussing causes and social issues they care about, they will write one idea for an action they can take to "make a difference to that one."

Focus Questions:

What role does caring play in relationships and life success?  How can developing caring equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

This unit allows learners to investigate and expand their understanding of caring and to determine those things or people that they care about. They will determine different ways that they can show caring; relate enlightened self-interest to caring by discussing a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville about the American tradition of democracy; and they will reflect on how philanthropy, enlightened self-interest and caring are related.

Focus Questions:

What role does caring play in relationships and life success?  How can developing caring equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

In this unit the learners will define courage and relate courage to the the concept of a "hero."  They will learn about a hero, Nelson Mandela, whose actions changed the course of history and using their knowledge of courage, the learners determine a person of courage who is a hero and share that by creating a commemorative "postage stamp."  

Focus Questions:

What role does courage play in relationships and life success?  How can developing courage equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

By identifying examples of courage from the actions of Jackie Robinson, learners discover that it takes courage to do the right thing in the face of peer pressure. They will be asked to brainstorm issues that require courage to address. They will define what a hero is and reflect on what causes they feel passionate enough about to face with courage.

Focus Questions:

What role does courage play in relationships and life success?  How can developing courage equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

This unit asks learners to choose their favorite heroes from the "Star Wars" movies and identify acts of courage. Using charts created in lesson one, learners find hero traits related to courage and facing daunting challenges. After highlighting the key words explaining the classic hero myth, learners look for  these traits in themselves, the Founding Fathers, and our current leaders. The learners will then reflect on the relationship between courage and fear, and identify the different character attributes that guide us when facing a challenge.

Focus Questions:

What role does courage play in relationships and life success?  How can developing courage equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Students define honesty as fairness and straightforward conduct. They look for examples in a story and expand on the definition. They brainstorm examples of honesty and communicate its value and benefits to the community, family, friends, and self. Students use journaling or role-play to reflect on the benefits to the community of truthfulness and straightforward actions. They analyze traits and actions of someone who has built a "good reputation."

Focus Questions:

What role does honesty play in relationships and life success?  How can developing honesty equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Students explore the meaning of honesty and how it involves playing by the rules and making choices that support the common good.  They will discuss and illustrate how people could respond honestly or dishonestly to the same situation. They learn vocabulary related to honesty. Students role play using  familiar scenarios in ways that follow the rules and support straightforward communication, and also ways that do not support the rules. They will discuss the value of rules for supporting the common good and reflect in writing on the role of common good and honesty when rules are not clearly stated.

Focus Questions:

What role does honesty play in relationships and life success?  How can developing honesty equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Discussing different types of lies and rating them in their severity and damage to others will help the students understand about communicating honestly. They will explore different ways communication can be changed through interpretation and intentionally misleading. The students will explore how people can be dishonest with themselves and they will reflect on how they can be honest with themselves about community and world issues and take personal responsibility.

Focus Questions:

What role does honesty play in relationships and life success?  How can developing honesty equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Students analyze and define the word perseverance as it applies to Martin Luther King, Jr. They relate perseverance to setting and reaching goals. Through a discussion of impulse spending and opportunity cost, students learn about the value of perseverance as it relates to setting goals and sticking with them. They brainstorm a variety of short-term and long-term goals as an activity leading to each student developing plans for a single goal. Each student sets an individual goal using a goal-setting strategy. The class reflects on perseverance and how to persevere when the plan gets difficult to carry out.

Focus Questions:

What role does perseverance play in relationships and life success?  How can developing perseverance equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Students look for examples of personal best in a movie about perseverance and discuss the value of working toward personal best even when it is difficult. They analyze the meaning of personal best and recognize the value of persistence in doing their best. Students choose two causes or issues that they feel most concerned about. With those in mind, they explore how perseverance and doing their personal best are the most effective ways to address needs.

Focus Questions:

What role does perseverance play in relationships and life success?  How can developing perseverance equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Perseverance involves staying with a task even if it is difficult. Students identify obstacles and barriers they must overcome in order to reach a goal. They brainstorm universal obstacles to completing goals in difficult situations and then they write creative one-liners to help them face obstacles with determination and humor. As a reflection, students illustrate a conversation about perseverance between Lyndon B. Johnson and an imaginary opponent.

 Focus Questions:

What role does perseverance play in relationships and life success?  How can developing perseverance equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

Learners will define respect, and will explore the meaning of self-respect and respect for others. They will explore the relationship of "respect" to definitions and examples of prejudice, bias, racism, and stereotype. Students recognize prejudice and examine how they perceive others. Learners will discover how prejudices are learned and will reflect on how to be more respectful of others. The learners will be challenged to enhance respect in their personal relationships as well as to define actions they can take to enhance respect in their school and community.

Focus Questions:

What role does respect play in relationships and life success?  How can developing respect equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

In this unit the learners will define respect and relate it to the core values and beliefs of a constitutional democracy. Using the historical biography of Cynthia Ann Parker, they will site examples of respect/disrespect. The students will investigate their perceptions about bullying and its relationship to respect. They will brainstorm ways to promote respect of self and others as individuals and as a class/school. The learners discuss a quote from Congresswoman Barbara Jordan and and reflect on the meaning of respect for themselves as individuals. They will commit their support to a plan for promoting respect in their school.

Focus Questions:
What role does respect play in relationships and life success?  How can developing respect equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

In this unit, learners will investigate the meaning of respect, especially as it relates to respecting members of diverse groups. Students will analyze the dynamics of group formation and describe how inclusion and exclusion from groups can result in conflict and disrespect. They will discover the basic right of all people to be respected and determine ways of showing respect for others by examining and reflecting on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Focus Question:

What role does respect play in relationships and life success?  How can developing respect equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?

To introduce learners to philanthropy and to have them apply this knowledge to assist them in the identification  of some of the various organizations in their community and the services they provide. Utilizing observation and surveys they will become more familiar with the nonprofit organizations in their community and provide volunteer service to one of these organizations intended to address a community need. Learners will use their knowledge of philanthropy and combine it with community information to learn about their community and its needs. Utilizing this knowledge, the learners will participate in a service project directly related to their findings.

Focus Question:

What would happen to your community if no one was willing to give time/talent/treasure?

In this lesson, the learners will identify and demonstrate their understanding of what is meant by the term the common good and identify how community (nonprofit) organizations help community members to promote the welfare of their community for the greater benefit of all. The learners will also identify specific needs in their community to which they can apply their time, talents, and treasure to help (nonprofit) organizations in their community meet these needs.

This unit will show students how acts of philanthropy were demonstrated in the field of medicine despite racial discrimination.  Vivien Thomas shared his time and talent to assist Dr. Alfred Blalock in pioneering a surgical clamp.  He worked in the era of segregation in the United States.  Hamilton Naki assisted Dr. Christian Barnard in heart transplantation in South Africa.  They worked within the system of apartheid.  These techniques would not have been implemented without Thomas and Naki.  Both men worked for unequal pay and without recognition, yet continued to work for the common good rather than personal gain.

Focus Questions:

1) How are people able to persevere and display courage in the face of racism, prejudice and discrimination?

2) What causes people to put the needs of society or humanity ahead of their own personal needs?

3) How does society benefit when all people are given equal opportunities to succeed academically and economically? 

The purpose of this lesson is to examine how individuals persevere in the face of discrimination and continue on to impact the course of history for the common good.

These lessons will expose students to a Newberry Award winning novel about the life and trials of an African-American, land-owning family in Mississippi in 1933. The book explores several instances of bigotry, community capital, and the importance of family. Written from the viewpoint of nine-year-old Cassie Logan, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a powerful novel affecting all who read it. It will allow students to read, listen to, perform and respond to a quality, cross-cultural novel. Students will look at the roots of the southern “caste” system and recognize the importance of hearing all voices in the community.

To have learners examine their lives and ambitions, and explore how philanthropy is a daily activity. Through this lesson, the learners will be able to better recognize acts of “everyday philanthropy” and come to better understand their personal traits, and the impact that these might have on their personal philanthropic involvement.

Learners research problems caused by a natural disaster and cite examples of aid provided in an effort to help those devastated populations. They will investigate the role of the four economic sectors in responding to the needs. They will participate in a collection campaign and learn about organizations to which they can contribute their philanthropy.

Focus Question: Whose responsibility is it to help victims of a natural disaster?

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The purpose of this unit is to assist the learner in developing a deeper understanding of what it means to be an environmental steward and to apply this knowledge, by means of conservation and recycling, to identify environmental misuse of natural resources as found in his/her home, school, and community.

Focus Question: How can I become a steward of our Earth’s natural resources and effect positive change in my home, school, and community?”