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

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Helping Others to Feed Themselves
Unit of 4 lessons
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Kindergarten-2nd Grade
Subjects:

Health and PE, Language Arts, Library / Technology, Math, Philanthropy, Science and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view
Lesson 1 : ELA: Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food; Literary Response; Response to Text/Others
 PHIL: 11 genOn; 5 genOn; Health
 SCI: Ecosystems; Nutrition
 SOC: 12 genOn; 4 genOn; Consumers; Cooperative Groups; Family; Opportunity Costs
Lesson 2 : ELA: Analyze/Interpret
 PHIL: 11 genOn; 5 genOn; Health
 SCI: Nutrition
 SOC: 12 genOn; 4 genOn; Consumers; Research
Lesson 3 : ART: Visual Arts: Create/Communicate
 ELA: Compare/Contrast; Listening; Response to Text/Others
 PHIL: 11 genOn; 5 genOn; Benefits; Caring/Sharing; Family; Giving; Health; Need; Philanthropic Literature; Philanthropic Organization
 SCI: Environment; Nature; Nutrition
 SOC: 12 genOn; 4 genOn; Communities; Consumers; Environment; Family; Opportunity Costs; Production/Producer; Resources; Scarcity
Lesson 4 : ELA: Letter Writing; Reading
 MAT: Counting; Money
 PHIL: 11 genOn; 5 genOn; Act of Kindness; Benefits; Fundraising; Health; Hunger; Philanthropic Act; Reflection; Stewardship
 SCI: Animals; Nature
 SOC: 12 genOn; 4 genOn; Communities; Currency; Decision Making Model; Diversity; Environment; Family; Natural Resources; Opportunity Cost; Scarcity

Unit Overview:

In conjunction with a unit on nutrition, the students learn what they can do to help people who are living in poverty to be able to provide the necessary nutrition to their own families. (You could do this unit during October for World Hunger Day or in March for March is Reading Month. You might also do it in April in conjunction with Earth Day.)
Teacher Notes: You will need to order in advance a free leader’s guide from Heifer International. The guide arrives in 7-10 days and includes a book, video and complete instructions and materials for the “Read-to-Feed” program. Call 1-800-422-0474 or go to Heifer International’s Website <www.readtofeed.org>. “Read to Feed” is a reading activity in which children solicit pledges for each book they read. Through pledges from friends and family, readers earn money to “purchase” food-producing animals and training for hungry families who lack necessary resources.
Be sensitive to the socio/economic and ethnic effects on the perception of a balanced meal or good diet.

Unit Purpose:

Students study the USDA food pyramid and understand the need to have a nutritiously balanced diet. They discover that all over the world there are people who are not able to provide this to their families. The class participates in the Heifer International’s Read-to-Feed Program. Children solicit pledges for each book they read. Through pledges from friends and family, readers earn money to purchase food-producing animals and training for hungry families who lack necessary resources.

Unit Objectives:

The learners will:
  • respond to The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food.

  • discuss prior knowledge about good nutrition.

  • identify food groups of the USDA Food Pyramid.

  • work cooperatively with the class to assemble a food pyramid puzzle.

  • identify foods from the different categories of the food pyramid.

  • plan a menu for one day that follows the recommendations of the food pyramid. The menu should include three meals and snacks.

  • respond to Beatrice’s Goat.

  • compare and contrast characters.

  • list ways they can conserve resources (make choices) in the face of scarcity.

  • create a poster advertising the benefits of Heifer International’s project.

  • set a reading goal and gather pledges to raise money for the Read-to-Feed Project.

  • come to a consensus on an animal to “purchase” from the Read-to-Feed catalog.

  • read and keep track of books read or time spent reading.

  • write a letter to the family who will receive the animal.

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.

The students will raise money through pledges in order to purchase an animal for a needy family. Each student makes a commitment to read a certain number of books and gathers pledges from family and friends. When the students have read the books and collected the money, they will purchase the animal through the Read-to-Feed catalog. The gift will help the family be more self-sufficient. The students summarize the experience and respond by writing a letter to the family that received the animal.

Unit Assessment:

  • In Lesson One: What is the Food Pyramid? observe student participation in the food group game and in the building (and discussion) of the food pyramid puzzle.

  • In Lesson Two: What is a Balanced Menu? observe the balanced paper-plate meal to assess their understanding of the food groups before sending home the homework.

  • In Lesson Three: World Hunger, students work in groups to create an advertisement that shows the benefits of the Heifer Project. Grade the poster project according to rubric chart below.
4 Two pictures that illustrate and demonstrate an understanding of the nutritional and environmental benefits and two sentences or phrases that demonstrate an understanding of the nutritional and environmental benefits that the Heifer Project provides.
3 Two pictures and one sentence or phrase; or two sentences/phrases and one picture
2 Two pictures and no sentences; or two sentences and no picture
1 One picture or one sentence
0 Pictures and/or sentences were not connected with the terms. Student cannot complete the task independently or shows little understanding of the concepts or skills
  • Through the letter in Lesson Four: Read-to-Feed, the teacher will know if each child understood that the gift will help the family be able to provide a better diet and improve their self-sufficiency. Use the rubric below to grade the letters.
4

The letter must mention all of the following:

  1. The gift will help provide for a better diet.
  2. Two of the specific benefits their animal provides. (For example, a goat provides milk, fertilizer and income from the sale of the offspring.)
  3. The recipient will receive training.
3

The letter must mention 3 of the following:

  1. The gift will help provide for a better diet.
  2. Two of the specific benefits their animal provides. (For example, a goat provides milk, fertilizer and income from the sale of the offspring.)
  3. The recipient will receive training.
2

The letter must mention 2 of the following:

  1. The gift will help provide for a better diet.
  2. Two of the specific benefits their animal provides. (For example, a goat provides milk, fertilizer and income from the sale of the offspring.)
  3. The recipient will receive training.
1

The letter must mention 1 of the following:

  1. The gift will help provide for a better diet.
  2. Two of the specific benefits their animal provides. (For example, a goat provides milk, fertilizer and income from the sale of the offspring.)
  3. The recipient will receive training.
0

The letter does not mention any of the following:

  1. The gift will help provide for a better diet.
  2. Two of the specific benefits their animal provides. (For example, a goat provides milk, fertilizer and income from the sale of the offspring.)
  3. The recipient will receive training.

School/Home Connection:

  • Cut-and Paste Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
    We are tying our study of nutrition to a lesson in philanthropy (the giving or sharing of time, talent or treasure for the common good). Students will learn about healthy eating and its benefits to the body. They will also participate in the Heifer International Read-to-Feed Project. This project motivates children to read so they can earn money to give to hungry families. Through pledges from friends and family, readers earn money that provides food-producing animals and training for hungry families who lack necessary resources for improving their lives. Look for materials coming home soon that explain the project.
  • Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
    Parents supervise the gathering of pledges for the Read-to-Feed project. Students read at home and parents read to students in order to fulfill the students’ pledges for a reading goal.

Notes for Teaching:

This unit can be taught in conjunction with the Michigan Health Model: Grade 1, Phase V lesson.

State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:

See individual lessons for benchmark detail.

Lessons Developed By:

Mary Petro
Albion Public Schools
Harrington Elementary
Albion, Michigan

Comments

Marilyn, Educator – Newark, NJ5/6/2010 11:11:08 AM

This lesson reinforced the concept of building healthy eating habits among my students. They realized that selecting a serving from each section of the food pyramid will offer better health conditions. They will therefore be avoiding "junk food".

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