Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE
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Better Place
Purpose:
Students will explore a number of "Peer-Proposed Plans" to "make the world a better place." They will explore and evaluate these plans based on their feasibility, practicality, and do-ability by students their own age. The students will discover how even the smallest of kind acts have the potential of having a big impact. Students will then be introduced to the Giving Game and encouraged to participate in this Game as one way "to make the world a better place."
Duration:
One Forty-Five Minute Class Period
Objectives:
The learner will:
explore and evaluate three "Peer-Proposed Plans" to "make the world a better place."
determine the feasibility, practicality, and do-ability of each of the three plans by students their own age.
understand the concept of "passing on" an act of kindness.
explore the Giving Game Web site (www.givinggame.org) and be encouraged to participate in the Giving Game as one way to "make the world a better place."
Service Experience:
Having decided to participate, students will be encouraged to perform at least one kind act, leaving the Giving Game Card with the recipient of the kind act, and recording their kind act on the Web site at www.givinggame.org. Additional Giving Game Cards can be obtained and utilized to continue student involvement.
Materials:
- "Somewhereville Middle School Plans—Peer-Proposed Plans to "make the world a better place." (Attachment One)
- A Giving Game Card for each learner
- Personal Planning Guide (Attachment Two)
- Parent /Guardian Letter (Attachment Three)
Teacher Preparation:
Teacher Note: Before teaching this lesson, read and understand the Giving Game by accessing the information on the Giving Game Web site: www.givinggame.org. Share this site with your learners as appropriate.
Also, prior to distributing the Giving Game Cards to your students, record the student’s name along with his/her particular Giving Game Card ID in order to maintain a record of who receives which card. Recording the Card ID numbers will also allow you to periodically go back and track where the cards have traveled and the acts of kindness that have been done. To assist you in entering Internet data, consider asking a classroom volunteer to help with this recording process. For those students who do not have Internet access at home, suggest that they log their Giving Game Card act and/or story via a classroom or Computer Lab computer.
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Tell the students that they will be looking at three ideas taken from a Somewhereville Middle School Social Studies class that had been divided into three groups, and given the assignment to develop a workable plan that could " make the world a better place." Each of these groups presented their plan and the class was instructed to listen carefully to each plan and make a determination if the plan represented something do-able for their class and whether or not it might be a most effective way for them to "make the world a better place" given their age and abilities. Tell the learners that they are going to read the three plans that the Somewhereville Middle School Social Studies class proposed to see if they would agree with the action plan that these Some-whereville students ultimately decided to implement because it made the most sense and seemed the most do-able for young people their age.
- Assign students to groups of three or four.
- Distribute the three Somewhereville Middle School Plans (Attachment One) to each group.
- Instruct them to read the plans, looking for similarities and differences. Have them discuss the pros and cons of each plan and then develop a rationale for which of the three plans they think will work the best based on "do-ability / practicality" to accomplish the goal to " make the world a better place."
- Have each of the groups announce their decision and the reason why they chose the plan that they did.
(Teacher Note: Be sure to hold students accountable for the "do-ability/practicality" of their decision. Ask the question, "Is what you are suggesting, something middle school
students can realistically do?")- After each group has shared their decision and rationale, have the class vote for the best plan.
- Once the voting has taken place, it is anticipated that the students would select Plan Three as the better plan. If they do, their selection will seamlessly lead into an introduction of the Giving Game. If however they do not select Plan Three as being the "best plan," tell the class that the Somewhereville Middle School Social Studies class selected Plan Three and have the learners reflect on why these students might have chosen this plan over the one that they just selected.
- Distribute the Giving Game Cards, read the back of the card and explain how the Giving Game works. If possible, show the Giving Game Web site, www.givinggame.org. Discuss how it might help a class accomplish their role to "make the world a better place." Brainstorm some ideas for kind acts they might do. Once the learners seem to understand the idea, they can use the Personal Planning Guide (Attachment Three).
Teacher Note: This Personal Planning Guide is a personal plan of action and should not be collected from the learner nor should the sharing of ones plans with other classmates be required.- Tell the learners that they will receive a letter to take home to their family that will explain the Giving Game Card and concept.
Assessment:
Teacher observation of the learners’ participation and depth of thought in the assessment of the three proposed plans.
Extension:
Periodically during the school year, provide a time that gives learners a chance to reflect on the kind acts that they performed and how they are feeling about the game. A display board of artwork depicting 'kind acts' or reflective journal writing pieces can be created as a way to recognize and share what learners are doing and feeling.
Bibliographical References:
- Giving Game Web site: www.givinggame.org
- Learning to Give Web site: www.learningtogive.org
Lesson Developed and Piloted by:
Dennis VanHaitsmaCurriculum Consultant
Learning to Give
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Somewhereville Middle School Plans
PLAN ONE
In order for our class to "make the world a better place," we need to develop a campaign designed to solicit funds from major corporations. We need to go on television and make an appeal to people to get involved in worthwhile projects, as well as write letters to our congressmen and congresswomen to encourage them to support efforts that are designed to help. We need to attend town meetings in order to get the word out, and perhaps even take our campaign to the streets using signs and demonstrations. Said another way, we just need to appeal to those people who have the money and the political power and then things will change for the better.
PLAN TWO
In order for our class to "make the world a better place," we need to de-emphasize competition in our school and society. For example, we need to demand that our Principal and Student Council work to do away with competitive sports and designer clothes, making everyone more equal. We need to campaign for uniforms in the school. We need to campaign for metal detectors and surveillance devices in all public buildings, not just our school. We need to encourage our government to monitor our nation's borders. We need to reduce taxes and enhance security, and require all businesses and the jobs they offer to be within our own nation's borders. Said another way we need to make sure everyone is safe, secure, and employed.
PLAN THREE
In order for our class to "make the world a better place," we each need to do some kind act(s) right where we are. Perhaps the kind act(s) that we do might serve as an example and encourage others to do a kind act of their own. They in turn might then encourage others and before long it is possible that more and more people will be doing more and more things to "make our world a better place." Said another way, we have to each do whatever we can do, wherever we find ourselves, to make the world a better place and then perhaps others will eventually decide that they can do
something, too.
Handout 2Print Handout 2
Personal Planning Guide
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How/Where I would leave My Giving Game Card |
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Handout 3Print Handout 3
Parent/Guardian Letter
Dear Family,
Today, we talked about ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ in our classroom and we decided that no one really feels good about losing (unless of course they are on a diet). We all decided that winning is more fun. We also talked about how there typically are winners and losers in the games that we play, but today we discovered a new game. One in which everyone is a winner!!! The name of this game is the Giving Game and this is how it is played (see www.givinggame.org)
First – Perform a kind act for someone else, such as paying for a cup of coffee or soda for the person behind you in line. The act of kindness can be done secretly or known to the person. Second – Leave a game card with your kind act. Each game card has a unique ID number. Cards have instructions on the back for the person receiving the kind act to know how to play the Giving Game. Third – The web site can track the card(s). Since each game card had a unique ID number, you can register you cards(s) at the site that allows you to record your kind act stories and read the stories of others. As your card travels from one kind person to another, you can see what’s happening, who’s involved and which cities and countries it reaches.! As a family member, your role will be to
We so hope that you will help your child play this game in which there are only winners!
Respectfully,
Unit Contents:
Overview:Giving Game--Planning to Make The World a
Better Place Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Giving Game--Planning to Make The World a
Better Place
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