Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE
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Unit Overview:
This unit focuses on philanthropy in current events. Students analyze the format of newspaper and news articles, focusing mainly on articles related to philanthropic acts. They rewrite events from literature into news stories about acts of kindness. They look to their own communities for examples of philanthropy and write a newsletter that teaches others about philanthropy.
Unit Purpose:
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?
Unit Objectives:
The learner will:
- define news and current events.
- illustrate the concept of past, present and future.
- recognize that "news" is a service that helps people understand the world and prepare for the day.
- place events on a timeline.
- create and maintain a current events journal to be used throughout the year.
- observe and create illustrations for events throughout the year.
- distinguish between fact and opinion.
- recognize that people see things from different perspectives.
- identify philanthropic acts in literature.
- write a news article about a kind deed using the informational format.
- define philanthropy as sharing or giving time, talent or treasure for the common good.
- define the communities to which he/she belongs and recognize community is based on people coming together for the common good.
- seek out acts of philanthropy.
- write news stories about the acts of philanthropy he/she observes or performs.
- publish the stories in a newsletter that will be distributed to all the classrooms.
Service Experience:
Students publish a newsletter and distribute it to the entire school in print form or by e-mail. The goal of the newsletter is to teach other students about the role of philanthropy in building and strengthening communities. The students write articles about acts of philanthropy observed in the school and local community. Other articles may include definitions of philanthropy, the importance of philanthropy and idea sharing.
Unit Assessment:
Assess student participation and teamwork though observation.
Lesson One: What’s the News? - Rubric for student news reports has six possible points:
- Report includes illustrations that clearly show what the event is.
- The illustrations include labels.
- There is an illustration of an event from the past.
- There is an illustration of an event in the present.
- There is an illustration of an event in the future.
- The events are significant to others.
Lesson Two: Turning Literature into News - Rubric for student writing has six possible points:
- Includes a topic sentence.
- Written as an informational article.
- Includes the five Ws.
- Information is accurate.
- Article is about a philanthropic act/person.
- Spelling, grammar and punctuation are grade-appropriate.
School/Home Connection:
"Copy-and-Paste" Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
Our class is beginning a unit called News and Philanthropy. We are making current events a regular part of our weekly routine. In addition, we are learning about philanthropy, which is the voluntary action of giving of your time, talent and treasure for the common good. We think that helping others is an important part of our world. This is something we hope to find in the news. Students will focus on finding (and performing) acts of philanthropy in the school and local community. They will write newspaper-style articles about the acts of philanthropy that they observe or perform. They will compile a newsletter that highlights good things going on in the community and—when distributed to the entire school—teaches others about philanthropy.
Interactive Parent/Student Homework:
Send a letter home asking families to look for kid-friendly current events articles. Encourage families to look particularly for articles about people helping others. See Lesson One, Attachment Two: Current Events Articles.
Send a letter home asking families to look for kid-friendly current events articles. Encourage families to look particularly for articles about people helping others. See .
Notes for Teaching:
The first lesson uses an accumulation of articles that should be placed on a timeline. It may be helpful to add this to your calendar routine.
Copies of the current event journal should be made and stapled together. This also is an accumulation of illustrations and writing. This is found in Lesson One, Attachment One.
State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:
See individual lessons for benchmark detail.
Lessons Developed and Piloted By:
Kimberly Fox
Albion Public Schools
Albion Open School
401 E Michigan Ave
Albion, MI 49224
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