Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

The LEAGUE

Miracles of the Heart
Lesson 1:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework
6th-8th Grade
Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy, Science and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view
ELA: Reflection
PHIL: African American; Blalock, Dr. Alfred; Courage; Discrimination; Diversity; Friendship; Heroes; Justice; LEAGUE Wildcard Lesson: Health; Respect; Sacrifice; Stereotypes; Stewardship; Thomas, Vivien; Time/Talent/Treasure; Tolerance; Traditions
SCI: Health
SOC: Civil Rights; Common Good; Community; Minorities; Racism

Purpose:

Students will recognize that people can give their time, treasure, and talents to benefit others. The learners will reflect on the importance of contributions of diverse cultures.

Duration:

Two Fifty-Minute Class Periods

Objectives:

The learner will:

  • research African-Americans inventors.
  • identify specific health issues.
  • express in written or verbal form their feelings about the importance of overcoming adversity.
  • identify the significance of collaboration and perseverance for the common good in their school and community.

Service Experience:

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

Teacher can contact local hospitals/health agencies to investigate ways in which students can help in a healthy heart initiative.

Teacher can contact the AHA for additional lesson plans and activities. www.americanheart.org/presenter and www.edu.cybergpg.com.

Students can participate in a health walk/run to raise money for heart research.

Students can participate in a "Jump for Health" activity. (See web site above.) 

Materials:

  • Individual student copies of "A World without Black People" found on-line at http://www.african-american-inventors.com 
  • TV/VCR/DVD
  • Video -"Partners of the Heart " (PBS Home Video) or "Something the Lord Made" (HBO Films)
  • Human heart model or individual copies of a human heart outline www.lsa.colorado.edu/essence/texts/heart.html.
  • Science texts resources (science textbooks, library resources, encyclopedias, science magazines, etc.)
  • Individual copies of the KWL Worksheet (Attachment One)
  • Student journals
Handout 1
KWL Worksheet

Instructional Procedure(s):

Before Viewing the Movie

Anticipatory Set:

Read aloud A World Without Black People as students follow along with their own copies.  Lead a discussion about the poem.

  • Put the words segregation and blue baby on the board. Ask students if they know what these words mean. Have them write the following definitions that are applicable to the movie:
    segregation: the policy or practice of separating people of different races, classes, or ethnic groups, as in schools, housing, and public or commercial facilities, especially as a form of discrimination.
    blue baby: an infant baby born with cyanosis as a result of a congenital cardiac or pulmonary defect that causes inadequate oxygenation of the blood
  • Place the word philanthropy on the board and ask students to help define it from what they might have learned in past lessons or from past experiences.
    philanthropy: the giving time, talent, and/or treasure, or taking action, for the common good.
  • Show students a model of the heart or a picture of a heart. www.lsa.colorado.edu/essence/texts/heart.html .Construct a KWL chart on the board, while the students do their own worksheet (Attachment One) matching the information shared and discussed
  • What they already know about a heart
  • What they want to learn about a heart
  • What they learned about a heart.
  • Have the students go through the various science text(s)and other resourses at their disposal to validate what they already know about the heart, and find answers to what they want to know about the heart, then have them complete the KWL Worksheet (Attachment One)
  • Encourage students to discuss how one might say that a heart and philanthropy might in some way be connected.

During the Movie

(Either watch the entire movie as a group activity for the grade level, cluster, building or divide the movie into segments with questions for each segment. Be sure to set the purpose for viewing.)

After the Movie

(One class period of 50 minutes with additional time for reflection and reporting.)
After viewing the movie, have students reflect, using their journal, on the following questions:

  • What is the primary message of the video?
  • How did the video impact your feelings regarding segregation?
  • What did you learn from the video?
  • How did each main character show examples of philanthropy?
  • In what ways were Blalock and Thomas heroes.

Assessment:

  • Have students complete their reflections on their KWL chart and compare the before and after learning outcomes.
  • Journal prompt: Imagine that you have a very special talent that could save the lives of many people. However, because of laws and traditions you are not able to share these talents/skills with others. Discuss your feelings in your journal about this issue. After a few minutes, allow students to share their entries. Then discuss the challenges that many African-Americans faced in the 1930's especially in the fields of medicine and health care.
  • Have students write interview questions for Thomas and Blalock. Be sure that they include questions regarding the theme.

School/Home Connection:

Students will ask parents/guardians or relatives how they may have been impacted by the segregated practices of the past.

Students may also inquire about "heart disease"  in the family. Students may check for hereditary patterns.

Extension:

Art-Have students collaborate and make a heart healthy menu guide for young people. Have students collect/copy menus from various restaurants to assist them.

Physical Education-Students may want to collect jump ropes and give to local homeless shelters for use.

Civics-Students may want to have their local governing body declare a "Healthy Heart Day".

Music-Have students research songs that use the word heart as its theme or chorus.

Economics-Research and write the economic cost of caring for a blue baby.

Bibliographical References:

Lesson Developed and Piloted by:

Sylvia Greene
Detroit Public Schools
Heilman Middle
Detroit, MI 48205

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

KWL Worksheet

K

What I KNOW

W

What I WANT to Know

L

What I LEARNED
     
K
W
L

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

After reading material, go back to the "K" column and see if any of your prior knowledge was inaccurate. Check any of them that were inaccurate, according to the what you now know to be true and rewrite any of your statements so they are now correct.

Then go to the "W" column and check any of your questions that the material did not answer. Be prepared to bring these unanswered questions to a class discussion, and share how you plan to find answers to them and where you will look to get the answers.

Philanthropy Framework:

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Unit Contents:

Overview:Courage of the Heart Summary

Lessons:

1.
Miracles of the Heart
2.
African American Inventors Study
3.
Questions of Courage

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