Who are some of the people who have made contributions to and bridged gaps in social justice, diversity, tolerance, civil rights and equality? Learners will write about and discuss people who historically have made a difference in the lives of others.

The learner will:

• define and use the terms social justice, diversity, tolerance, civil rights and equality.
• describe how the contributions of one individual were an act of philanthropy and contributed to the common good.

Anticipatory Set:

On the chalkboard write the terms: social justice, diversity, tolerance, civil rights and equality. Ask the learners what these terms have in common (they refer to proper treatment of all people which leads to strengthening the community and improving the common good).

• Using a classroom dictionary, look up the following terms: social justice, diversity, tolerance, civil rights and equality. Define the terms and have the learners give examples from history or every day life.
  
  
• Add the terms common good and philanthropy to the list already on the chalkboard. Define them as:
  
  
  • common good: involves individual citizens having the commitment and motivation to promote the welfare of the community (even if they must sacrifice their own time, personal preferences or money) to work together with other members for the greater benefit of all.
    
    
  • philanthropy: the giving of one’s time, talent or treasure for the sake of another, or for the common good.

Ask the learners for examples in their every day life when both of these can occur. How are social justice, diversity, tolerance, civil rights, equality, common good and philanthropy connected?

Teacher Note: A graphic organizer might help the learners to see/make connections.

• Ask the learners if they know anything about Sojourner Truth and elicit their statements. Read an autobiography about Sojourner Truth (see Bibliographical References) out loud to give learners an idea of someone who has made a difference in the life of others. Discuss whether her contributions to others could be considered philanthropy. Were her contributions connected to time, talent or treasure?
  
  
• Distribute Report Rubrics (Attachment One). Using available resources, assign learners to research, write about and report to the class about one person who has made a difference. This person could be from the local community or the world, and may be "famous" or not. The teacher can make suggestions for report topics that correspond to the school’s particular curriculum. Reports should be no more than two pages in length and take no more than four minutes to share. To facilitate sharing, report information could be put onto large paper or poster board and displayed in the classroom for the students to observe by doing a "walk about" followed by a class discussion.

Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
Learners are to describe to a parent(s) a person who they felt made a contribution in history. Learners will bring in a list of people whom they discussed with their parent.