Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement

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This I Can Do!

Unit of 5 lessons

3rd-5th Grade

Subjects:

Arts, Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy, Science and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

Lesson 1 :	ELA:	Presentations; Vocabulary
	PHIL:	Christianity; Motivation for Giving; Time/Talent/Treasure
	SOC:	Parochial
Lesson 2 :	ELA:	Great Kapok Tree (The); Expository Writing; Non-Fiction Literature; Reading; Understanding/Interpretation
	PHIL:	Christianity; Common Good; Stewardship
	SCI:	Environment; Nature
	SOC:	4 genOn; Geography; Parochial
Lesson 3 :	ELA:	Fly Away Home; Sam and the Lucky Money; Expository Writing; Reading; Understanding/Interpretation
	PHIL:	Christianity; Homelessness; Need; Neighborhood
	SOC:	11 genOn; 12 genOn; Parochial
Lesson 4 :	ART:	Visual Arts
	ELA:	Chicken Soup for Little Souls; Expository Writing; Reading; Story Elements; Understanding/Interpretation
	PHIL:	Christianity; Needs Assessment; Volunteer
	SOC:	10 genOn; Core Democratic Values; Economics; Nonprofit; Parochial; Scarcity
Lesson 5 :	ELA:	Helping Out Is Cool; Constructing Meaning; Non-Fiction Literature; Reading; Research
	PHIL:	Christianity; Common Good; Community; Need; Service Project; Volunteer
	SOC:	Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Parochial

Unit Overview:

Sometimes people think they have no special talents but that is only because they haven’t thought about it. Young students often have energy and talent but do not realize the extent of giving that could already be part of their lives. This unit will take a step-by-step approach in helping young students look at the world around them, analyze what needs to be done, what their talents are, and what they can do to solve a problem. Although written for a Catholic Elementary School, this unit may be easily adapted for public school use.

Unit Purpose:

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.

Unit Objectives:

The learner will:

assess his or her own talents.
explain the need for stewardship of the environment.
look for a need in the community and offer solutions.
evaluate the value of volunteering.

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 the first lesson, students will assess their own talents and choose one to demonstrate to the class. Teacher will challenge the students to share their talent in some way outside the class. In Lesson Four: Why Volunteer? the students will explore and choose ways to volunteer in the community.

Unit Assessment:

Student demonstrations in Lesson One: Talent will exhibit an example of a talent, using organization, a visual aid, and the ability to speak clearly and loudly. Students will define and give examples of stewardship in Lesson Two: Stewardship and the Rainforest. In Lesson Three: A Day in the Life of a Homeless Person, students will write essays on the needs of homeless people in the community and their responsibility. In Lesson Four: Why Volunteer? students will conduct research to find different volunteer opportunities and nonprofit organizations. They will also write an acrostic poem about the value of volunteering. In Lesson Five: Create a Volunteer Spirit, students will write about the value and impact of volunteers.

School/Home Connection:

“Copy-and-Paste” Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
We all have talents and skills that can be used for the common good. Sometimes it is not easy to recognize our own talents. In this unit on philanthropy, the students will explore their own talents. They will also learn how they can use their talents as they relate to the core democratic values. Students will write about their own personal responsibility for helping people in need. They will be seeking your help when they look to the community to find what volunteer opportunities are available and make a class scrapbook of volunteering.
Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
In Lesson One: Talent, students may take home a video of the class presentations demonstrating individual talents. In Lesson Four: Why Volunteer?, the students get parent help to find ways that people volunteer. They should look in the newspaper and cut out articles and advertisements. They may also write about personal or family experiences related to volunteering. When they bring in their research, the class will make a collective scrapbook of volunteer experiences. (See Attachment Two: How Can We Help? in Lesson Four: Why Volunteer?)