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

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Piece of Bread (A)
Lesson 2:
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Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework
3rd-5th Grade
Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view
ELA: Seven Spools of Thread; Brainstorming; Character Development; Cultural/Historical Contexts; Group Discussions; Letter Writing; Literary Response; Reflection; Research; Response to Text/Others; Summarizing/Paraphrasing; Technology; Writing Mechanics
PHIL: Caring/Sharing; Family; Giving
SOC: 12 genOn; African American; Analyze/Interpret; Chronology; Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Common Good; Communities; Community Capital; Cultures; Decision Making Model; Democracy; Family; Good Character; Government; Historical Biographies; Inquiry; Kwanzaa; Personal Virtue; Point of View; Research; Timelines

Purpose:

Students will recognize that philanthropy is a vital part of the African American community.

Duration:

Two to Three Forty-Minute Class Periods

Objectives:

The learner will:
  • demonstrate their awareness of how the African American community shares food as part of their giving and sharing tradition.
  • explain how the seven principles of Kwanzaa, as an extension of African American heritage, are an example of philanthropy.
  • research and plan a Kwanzaa celebration and demonstrate how it serves a philanthropic purpose.

Skill Objectives:

Students will chart information.

Service Experience:

Although this lesson contains a service project example, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.

Students will plan and create a Kwanzaa celebration including pictures and/or text for Nguzo Saba.

Materials:

  • Medearis, Angela Shelf. Seven Spools of Thread.
  • Medearis, Angela Shelf. The Seven Days of Kwanzaa - How to Celebrate Them. Scholastic (1994): p112.
  • Student Worksheet "Let's Give and Share a Little" (see Attachment One) and Teacher Answer Sheet for "Let's Give and Share a Little" (see Attachment Two).
  • Teacher's Notes: "Celebration of Kwanzaa" (see Attachment Three).
  • Internet access for research
    http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1996/kwanzaa/ http://members.tripod.com/~Nancy_J/kwanzaa.htm for recipes

Teacher Background Information:

In the African American community, children learn to give through the act of sharing food early in life. It is traditional for families to gather at the home of the oldest family member for holiday celebrations, meals during the summer, etc. Food seems to bring together the family, as well as the African American community, in a number of ways. It is considered a holdover from the days of slavery when food was scarce. Since this is a major emphasis in the community, students will need to develop their own intrinsic definition of philanthropy. Kwanzaa is one example of the African American way of giving and sharing.

Vocabulary:

  1. celebration
  2. Kwanzaa
  3. sharing
  4. Nguzo Saba
  5. tradition
  6. recipe
Handout 1
Let’s Give and Share a Little
Handout 2
Teacher Answer Sheet:
Handout 3
Teacher’s Notes: Celebration Of Kwanzaa
Handout 4
Sample Recipes

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:
Ask the students if they are familiar with the celebration, Kwanzaa. Ask why it is celebrated. Explain that it is a celebration of the harvest, a time when members of family and community come together and share as well as give. Ask students how this celebration could be a philanthropic action among African Americans. How do others benefit from their actions?

  • Read Seven Spools of Thread (see Bibliographic References). In a group setting, discuss how philanthropy was portrayed in the book.
  • Allow students to write reflectively about a time that they had an opportunity to share/give. Include the questions: How did you feel? Would you do the same thing again? Why or why not? How do you think the recipient felt? Do you think it made a difference in the person's life? Explain your answer. Allow students to share with the entire class/group.
  • Distribute "Let's Give and Share a Little" sheets to students (see Attachment One). Ask students to give three examples in each of the three areas of how they share on a daily basis.
  • Divide students into groups of three to discuss their answers and decide ways that they can be more philanthropic.
  • Bring students back together to create a classroom chart of ways they show philanthropy.
  • Ask students to think of other ways in which other individuals in their family provide philanthropic actions. Ask students to cite their examples.
  • Teachers should open the Kwanzaa web site to access information about the holiday.
    http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1996/kwanzaa/
  • In a whole group setting provide information for students on Kwanzaa. (See Attachment Three Teacher's Notes for information if the Internet is not available.) Discuss the purposes of the celebration of Kwanzaa and ask students to decide where philanthropy is in the celebration.
  • Ask students to research with a partner and find two different African American recipes that might be eaten during the celebration (also see Sample Recipes in Attachment Four). Have them convert the recipes to feed twenty persons.
  • Students may write an invitation to someone to attend the Kwanzaa celebration using the appropriate components: date, location, time, and purpose.
  • Prepare a Kwanzaa celebration using recipes students have researched.

Assessment:

  • Student involvement providing oral responses to Introduction/Anticipatory Set.
  • Written reflection about creation of philanthropic actions performed for Kwanzaa.
  • Self-Assessment definition of philanthropic actions.
  • Students converting measurements of one original recipe to feed 20 people (see Sample Recipes in Attachment Four).
  • Student invitation to the Kwanzaa event, using the components of an invitation: date, location, time, and why.
  • Students will write two paragraphs about the creation of Kwanzaa using the name of its creator, why it was started, when it is celebrated, and at least 3 of its principles that have a strong association with philanthropy.
Rubric for Kwanzaa
Score 1 Score 2 Score 3 Score 4
Includes creator name, why it was started, and when it is celebrated. Makes one philanthropic connection to one Kwanzaa principle. Includes creator name, why it was started, when it is celebrated, and at least two principles that illustrate philanthropy. Includes creator name, why it was started, when it is celebrated, and at least three principles that represent philanthropy. Includes creator name, why it was started, when it is celebrated, and at least three principles that are connected to philanthropy and explains why.

Bibliographical References:

Lesson Developed By:

Dorothy Rogers
Detroit Public Schools
Van Zile Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48234

Larry Ray
Detroit Public Schools
Van Zile Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48234

Ramona Purdy
Detroit Public Schools
Van Zile Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48234

Sandra Hughes
Detroit Public Schools
Van Zile Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48234

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Let’s Give and Share a Little

Directions: You have just finished talking about how people can give and share. Now you can think about how you give and share with others in the three different setting/locations on a daily basis. Write your examples in the spaces provided.


At Home At School In and Around My Community
 



  



  



 



  



  



 



  



  




Handout 2Print Handout 2

Teacher Answer Sheet:

Directions: You have just finished talking about how people can give and share. Now you can think about how you give and share with others in the three different setting/locations on a daily basis. Write your examples in the spaces provided. (Accept any student answer- some possible answers)


At Home At School In and Around My Community
Wash Dishes


 Pick up paper


 Water a neighbor's Lawn.


Read a book to my little sister.


 Help a classmate understand the lesson.


 Listen to a story about an older neighbor’s childhood.


Take out the garbage.


 Be a good friend.


 Care about what happens in my community.




Rubric Scoring for Let’s Give and Share a Little Sheet
Score 1 Score 2 Score 3
Two spaces filled Four - Six spaces filled Seven-Nine spaces filled

Handout 3Print Handout 3

Teacher’s Notes: Celebration Of Kwanzaa

Dr. Maulana Karenga, the chair of the Department of Black Studies at California State University in Long Beach, created Kwanzaa. It reaffirms the importance of family, community, and culture. Kwanzaa is based on ancient African harvest celebrations. Kwanzaa means “first fruits”. It is celebrated for seven days, from December 26th through January 1st. Each day one of the principles of Nguzo Saba is celebrated. The reason Kwanzaa takes seven days is to celebrate the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa “Nguzo Saba” (en-GOO-zo SAH-bah):

KWANZAA CHART
Day Principle Pronunciation Meaning Purpose Symbol
Dec. 26 UMOJA oo-MOE-jah Unity To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race Crops
Dec. 27 KUJICHA-GULIA koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-ah Self Determination To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves Mat
Dec. 28 UJIMA oo-JEE-mah Collective Work and Responsibility To build and maintain our community together and to make our Brother’s and Sister’s problems our problems, and to solve them together Candle Holder
Dec. 29 UJAMAA oo-JAH-mah Cooperative Economics To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them Seven Candles
Dec. 30 NIA nee-AH Purpose To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness Ears of Corn
Dec. 31 KUUMBA koo-OOM-bah Creativity To do always as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful than when we inherited it Gifts
Jan.1 IMANI ee-MAH-nee Faith To believe with all our hearts in our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle Unity Cup

Handout 4Print Handout 4

Sample Recipes


African Green Pepper and Spinach


1 medium onion; chopped
1 medium green pepper; chopped
1 tbs. oil
1 medium tomato; chopped
1 lb. fresh spinach; stems removed
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. peanut butter


Cook and stir onion and green pepper in oil in 3-quart saucepan until onion is tender. Add tomato and spinach. Cover and simmer until spinach is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper and peanut butter. Heat just until hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Betty Crocker Regional and International Recipes



African Vegetable Stew


1 onion (very large) chopped
1 Swiss chard bunch
1 can garbanzo beans (known also as chickpeas)

1/2 c raisins
1/2 c rice, raw
2 yams
Several fresh tomatoes (or large can)
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste


Fry onion, garlic and white stems of chard until barely limp. Add chopped greens and fry a bit. Peel the yams or scrub them well with a vegetable brush, then slice them into thick slices. Add garbanzo beans, raisins, yams, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook a couple of minutes.

Make a well in the center of the mixture in the pot. Put the rice in the well and pat it down until it is wet. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 25 minutes. Add Tabasco sauce to taste.

Yield: 4 servings



African Tomato-Avocado-Buttermilk Soup


3 lbs. tomatoes, peeled and seeded
2 tbs. tomato paste
1 c. buttermilk
1 tbs. olive oil
1 avocado, mashed to a puree
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbs. finely minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce
Garnish: 1 cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced), sour cream, plain yogurt, or creme fraiche


Puree tomatoes in a food processor or food mill, then press through a sieve to remove seeds. In a large mixing bowl, beat the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, buttermilk, and oil. Toss pureed avocado with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to hold the color. Add the avocado, remaining lemon juice, and parsley to the tomato mixture; stir to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a generous number of drops of hot pepper sauce. Refrigerate several hours before serving.

At serving time, taste soup for seasonings. Ladle into individual bowl and have guest garnish their portions with cucumber and sour cream. Pass hot pepper sauce around to add more piquancy.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.



Benne Cakes


Oil to grease a cookie sheet
1 cup finely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemo juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted sesame seeds


Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Mix together the brown sugar and butter, and beat until they are creamy. Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and sesame seeds. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are browned. Enjoy!

Benne cakes are a food from West Africa. Benne means sesame seeds. The sesame seeds are eaten for good luck. This treat is still eaten in some parts of the American South.

Recipe by Harper Collins

Philanthropy Framework:

Comments

John Eva, Teacher – Albion, MI10/24/2007 8:28:42 AM

(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) students enjoyed the part about Kwanza and making the African Vegetable Soup. This lesson encourages togetherness.

Tonya, Teacher – Saginaw, MI10/24/2007 8:30:12 AM

(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) a good introduction to Kwaanza and why it originated. The lesson tied in well to philanthropy.

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