The students will research women’s part in American history and philanthropy. They will then share that information with other learners in their building and submit their new timeline entries to the www.learningtogive.org Web site.

Anticipatory Set:
Review the definition of philanthropy (giving of one’s time, talent or goods for the benefit of others or the common good). Write on the overhead or board, “Who are your personal heroes from American History? Name two people and write at least seven lines about one of them. What did the person do to contribute to the good of others? Did the person take a stand on issues that others did not accept? While students are doing this play “Wind Beneath My Wings” from the “Beaches” soundtrack sung by Bette Midler.

• Discuss the student writing from the Anticipatory Set and the family’s or other adult’s choices from Lesson One of women who helped others in history from yesterday’s lesson.
  
  
• Ask students, “If we looked at a timeline from American history and philanthropy, do you think that we would find more entries about women or men? Why?”
  
  
• Tell students that they are going to use the “Timeline of American History and Philanthropy” from the “Learning to Give” Web site (either by going on-line at www.learningtogive.org or by referring to the printed copies available in the classroom). Ask the learners what they notice about women’s contributions in both areas. Are there more women’s entries in the beginning of the timeline or toward the end? What kinds of work did they do that was listed? Ask them to make any other observations about the timeline that they found interesting.
  
  
• Divide students into small groups and assign a decade or several decades of time to each group for additional research purposes. Make sure that all of the periods of time are assigned to the groups. Using both of the existing double columns in the timeline, the learners should identify women in American history and women in philanthropy. Distribute Women’s Timeline of American History and Philanthropy (Attachment One) to each student. Using the Internet, their American history texts, the encyclopedia or other research materials, the learners should add to the timelines by recording on the worksheet. At times they will be able to make an “American History Entry” and at other times they will be able to make an “American Philanthropy Entry.” They will not normally make both entries for the same year. The learners should add at least two illustrations to their timelines. These timelines will be graded on historical accuracy, neatness and attractiveness.
  
  
• After learners have had sufficient time to collect additions to the list, have students come back together in a whole group. In chronological order, discuss the additional entries the learners found for the timelines. What types of philanthropy did women contribute to the common good (time, talent, money)? Were there time periods where students were unable to find entries? Why? Discuss whether or not there really is a “herstory” to the topic of philanthropy in America. Is it important to know that women have had significant roles in history and in philanthropy?

Make a new timeline which only includes the “Women’s History and Philanthropy Entries” from Attachment One. Display the new timeline in a commons area where the information can be shared with the rest of the students in the building.
Submit the new timeline entries to the www.learningtogive.org Web site.