These Learning Links provide ten quick-and-easy, five-minute mini-lessons to promote student thought and dialogue about service and civic engagement. You may use as many of them as you wish, and in whatever order best meets your needs and the interest of your students. The purpose of these mini-lessons is to provide a deeper understanding of philanthropy (the giving of time, talent, and treasure for the common good) and to reinforce the lesson focus. These Learning Links also promote the development of character traits, civic engagement, and student leadership. As appropriate to your grade level, it is recommended that students play an active leadership role in presenting these mini-lessons to their classmates.

1. Read: There is a popular American saying that goes like this: “One good deed deserves another”. When someone does a good deed for you, that person deserves a good deed from you in return. “Paying it back”, “Balancing the books”, and “Making things right”, are just a few of the different ways that we use to describe the phrase “returning the favor”.
   
   The term serial reciprocity has a similar meaning but with a slight twist. Those who support the idea of serial reciprocity also believe that one good deed deserves another. Instead of returning the favor to the person who first provided it; they pass it along to someone else. The circle of good deeds becomes a line of good deeds. Instead of “paying it back”, they “paying it forward.
   
   Discuss: Why do you think most people feel that “one good deed deserves another”? In what ways might our service event be about “paying it back”? In what ways might our service project be about “paying it forward”? Which do you feel is easier to do? Why? When it comes to doing good deeds is one way better than the other? Why or why not?
   
    
2. Read: Pablo Casals was one of the world’s most famous cellists. He was eleven years old when he first heard the cello played. He decided then that wanted to learn to play this instrument. As he grew older he played and conducted in famous symphonies. He performed for presidents and kings. At 93 years of age he still practiced the cello three hours a day. When asked why he still did this, he replied “I’m beginning to see some improvement.” Pablo died at the age of 96 and was later awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is given to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.
   
   Discuss: Why do you think Pablo Casals continued to practice even though most people thought he was the “best of the best” already? How is our service event an occasion to “practice” our talents? While Pablo “practiced” he still performed in concerts and recordings. While there will always be room for improvement why is it important to do what we can at the present time? How would an attitude of “it has to be perfect before I use my talent” hinder the success of our service project?
   
    
3. Read: Symbols are everywhere! And even more amazing, most people are able to recognize them and what they represent. Take for example the Nike® Swoosh. Did you know that the Swoosh is one of the most recognized symbols in the entire world? Do you know how the Swoosh came to be?
   
   It seems that a man by the name of Phil Knight was supplementing his modest income from his fledgling sports company by teaching an accounting class at Portland State. One night, while leaving his classroom, he met Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student. She was in the hallway on the floor working on a drawing assignment for a class. Mr. Knight stopped and offered to pay her a couple of dollars an hour if she would do some design work for his small company. According to Ms. Davidson, Mr. Knight wanted a design that suggested movement. She let flow the creative juices and came back to him with numerous designs. None captured his imagination. But he was on a deadline so he grabbed her rendering of the Swoosh, telling her, "I don't love it, but maybe it will grow on me."
   
   Out of school with a design degree, needing money and wanting work, Davidson submitted her bill for $35 for the design. The rest is history. Years later, Ms. Davidson got a telephone call inviting her to have lunch with a few of the people she used to work with at Nike, including Mr. Knight. When she arrived, much to her surprise, she was greeted with a catered lunch and presented with a gold Swoosh ring embedded with a diamond. She also received a certificate from Mr. Knight and an envelope containing Nike® stock. Today, Ms. Davidson lives in Portland, Oregon. She retired from graphic design after 29 years. She is now pursuing varied interests and doing the volunteer work that she couldn't do while running her one-woman business and raising her family. One day a week you will find her at one of her favorite places to volunteer- the Ronald McDonald House at Emanuel Hospital.
   
   Discuss: Do you think that Ms. Davidson was surprised by the impact her talent had and continues to have in the world? How did the use of her talent result in her ability to promote the common good? As we use our talents to support our school’s service event, how might someday we be surprised by the far-reaching effects of our own efforts?
   
    
4. Read: Somewhereville Middle School publishes its own school newspaper. Each week this newspaper tells of all the important events for the upcoming week. It gives all the school’s teams sports scores of the prior week. It provides space for ads of things to buy, sell, or trade. It also carries an “Advice Column”. Anyone who has a question can get advice from a panel of students by dropping their question in a box located in the principal’s office. In a week or two the question along with the panel’s advice is published in the school’s newspaper. One student, seeking advice, posed this question, “I like to draw and paint, so I was really excited when our school announce our service project. I know that I’m not the world’s best artist or painter, but it really bothers me when others make fun of what I do. I really want to be involved in our project but I’m not sure how to handle it when kids tease me. How can I get past this?
   
   Discuss:  Why do you think some kids would choose to make fun of someone wanting to participate in a service project? If you were a member of Somewhereville’s student panel, what advice could you offer this student? How can we all help ensure that everyone, whether they choose to be involved in our service project or not, is respected?
   
    
5. Read: A common sight along our roads and highways, particularly during the summer months are orange cones. They are used to alert drivers of possible construction along the highway; construction that could require them to slow their speed and proceed with caution. Why orange cones and not red, or green, or blue cones? The color orange has long been associated with “calm alert”. Orange is a bit less intense than red; calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow. If orange could talk it would say something like, “Be safe and have a good day!” Scientists who study the effects of color on humans have determined that the color orange increases oxygen supply to the brain. It also produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity and alertness.
   
   Discuss: Our service project is like an “orange” cone in that we are sharing with people a “Be safe and have a good day!” greeting. In what ways might our greeting help to invigorate our recipients? What are some cautions we need to consider as we construct our greetings? What role might the use of color play in the making our cards, etc.?
   
    
6. Read: Kids have talent, as proven by three northern middle schools. A local businessperson heard that many school teachers were spending their own money to buy art supplies for their classrooms. Her business decided to do a fundraiser so teachers would not have to spend their own money for supplies. Each of the three schools was asked to contribute three paintings that their students had created. These paintings were to be posted in a local restaurant and later sold to the highest bidder. A total of $550 was raised and divided among the three participating schools. One of the teachers explained that she held a drawing contest to determine what designs would go on the three canvases. The winning artist and other volunteers completed the paintings in their spare time over the next three months. “It was just kids donating their time during their free period,” she said. When interviewed, the students expressed surprise about the amount raised. “I didn’t think that they were that good,” admitted one student.
   
   Discuss: Why do you think kids from these three schools were willing to give up their free periods to volunteer their own time to take part in this fundraiser? We are being asked to participate in our service project and to use our talents, too. How might we encourage everyone to participate, even those who think that they’re not that good? The artistic talents of the students in these three schools resulted in money being raised to buy art supplies. What are we hoping will be the results of our service event?
   
    
7. Read: Did you know that to have musical ability is a tremendous asset for professional bike builders? I’m not sure that I believed this either until I read about it. “So what’s the catch?” There really is no catch. If professional bike builders have an ear for musical pitch they can truly build a better bike. All professional bike builders know that correct spoke tension is essential in order for a wheel to be strong and durable. There are a couple of ways that spoke tension can be tested. Unless the bike builder is musically tone-deaf, the instrument which does the job faster and easier is a musical pitch pipe. Like the strings of a guitar or harp, bicycle spokes ring when plucked. Knowing the length and thickness of the spokes being plucked identifies the exact pitch that is required for proper spoke tension. For a bike to operate most effectively and efficiently, proper spoke tension is a priority.
   
   Discuss:  Building bicycles requires talents. Not all these talents may be found in one professional bike builder. To build a bike that operates most effectively and efficiently may require the makers of the bike to pool their talents. As we look to our service event what combined talents might we need in order to produce a product we are proud of and meets our objectives? If we do not have all of these talents ourselves, how could we utilize the talents of our peers to help us?  Why is it not only important but essential that we work together to make our service event a success?
   
    
8. Read: A recent newspaper article carried the story of Jordan Pearce, aged 18 from Provo, Utah. It seems that Jordan was awaiting confirmation that she had just broken the old “hugging record” of 612 hugs in an hour. She had just hugged 765 people in that same time span.
   
   Unlike Jordan Pearce’s one hour hugging escapade, Juan Mann uses a pseudonym meaning one man because he wants what he does to be about others and not about  him. He is someone whose sole life’s mission seems to be to continually reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives. He tells how it all started. Coming home alone from London, England to Sydney, Australia, he carried only a bag full of clothes and a world of troubles. There was no one at the airport to welcome him back. As he put it, “I felt like he a tourist in my own hometown.” As he witnessed others coming home to hugs and kisses, laughter and tears, he got some cardboard and a marker and made a sign. Finding the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city he held up the sign. On both sides he wrote the words "Free Hugs". Hesitantly but eventually people began to stop to take advantage of his offer. Some would even tell Juan why they needed a hug: loss, illness, death, loneliness, celebration, birthday, etc. Juan admits, “Everyone has problems and for sure mine haven't compared, but to see someone who was once frowning, smile even for a moment, is worth every bit of my time.” Although controversial and in some instances banned by public ordinance, the Free Hug Organization lives on reaching out to one person at a time.
   
   Discuss: In what ways were what Jordan and Juan did the same? How was it different? Juan admitted that while life wasn’t all that good for him, many people had it worse than he did. Rather than complain about his life Juan did something about it. What do you think motivated Juan to look for people who needed a hug? In what ways might our service event be a way of “hugging” people in need? Why might seeing someone who was sad suddenly feel much happier be a good reason to reach out to them? How can we continue to reach out to people in this way even after this event is over?
   
    
9. Read: One greeting card company, trying to boost sales, conducted a survey. They wanted to know why people don’t send more cards. They found that even though most people want to build positive relationships and express appreciation, there are three primary reasons why most people don’t send cards. The reasons are:
   
   Many people feel it is too inconvenient and time consuming to shop for a card that says just the right thing.
   Many people feel that greeting cards are getting too expensive.
   Having to purchase a stamp to send them in the mail just adds more to the cost. Many people just forget important dates and occasions.
   
   Discuss: As our service event approaches, in what ways might we be planning to build positive relationships? What are some of the excuses you think students will use to not participate in this event? Sometimes people won’t do something unless it is required. Do you think requiring students to be involved in our service project is a good thing? Why or why not?
   
    
10. Read: For many different reasons, people join the AMFPA. It is the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World. Roberto Almeida joined the artist association after robbers boarded his bus and ordered him to hand the vehicle over to them. When he refused, he was shot by one of the robbers. Because of where the bullet lodged, he lost the use of his arms and legs.
    
    Luciano Nascimento joined the association at the age of 15. One day he went to a beach with a few friends and decided to jump into the sea. Miscalculating his jump, he struck his head against a stone breaking his fourth cervical vertebra. As a result, all of his limbs are paralyzed. He is also unable either to speak or to breathe without the aid of machines.
    
    Alani Akiode joined the association ten years after her car accident. It resulted in the paralysis of both her arms and legs.
    
    Nalu Daum joined the association at the age of eight. She was born as a thalidomide victim (her hands grew directly from her body).
    
    For over 50 years, over 700 people from 70 different countries have joined this association. Despite their limiting circumstances, they have trained themselves to use their feet or mouth to paint pictures, cards, calendars, murals and so much more. In this way many are able support themselves while sharing their art and their heart with the world.
    
    Discuss: What do you think might motivate someone to go through what seems like a lot of work to learn how to paint and draw under these circumstances? How might the art produced by these individuals inspire those who purchase or receive their art work? How might we use the stories of these four people to inspire those who feel that they lack the ability to participate in our service project?
    
    Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists: www.amfpa.com

Reflection plays a very important role in promoting student learning. The following suggested activities are ways to help students reflect on their learning after they have participated in a service event.  Choose one or more of the activities most appropriate to the service event and your students.

ACTIVITY ONE: Give each student four sticky notes. On one of the sticky notes have the students write their response, using one or two words, to the question, “How did you feel about participating in the event prior to actually being involved?” On the second sticky note have the students write their response to the question, “How did you feel while being involved in this event?” On the third sticky note, have the students respond to this question, “How did you feel after the event was over?” And on the fourth sticky note have the students respond to the question, “What could I do differently in the future?” 
Place the following headings on the display board: Before, During, After, Future. Have students come and place their sticky notes under the appropriate heading on the display board.  Allow time for them to walk around to view and read the comments of others. Encourage them to note similarities and differences.  Involve the class in a discussion using the prompt,”What did you learn from reading everyone’s comments?”

ACTIVITY TWO: Give each student three sheets of multi-colored construction paper, one sheet of white construction paper, a pair of scissors, and a black marker (assorted colored pens are optional).  Using one of the sheets of multi-colored construction paper for each shape, ask each student to draw and cut out the following shapes: 1) a head, with a “light bulb” drawn in it; 2) a body, with a “heart” drawn in it, and; 3) limbs-two arms and two legs.  Ask the students to think about what the “light bulb” and “heart” might represent. (NOTE: The ‘light bulb” is an icon often identified with “ideas”. The “heart” as an icon is often identified with “feelings.”) Ask the students what they think the “arms and legs” might represent. (NOTE: Arms and legs are often associated with going places and doing things.) Now have the students use their sheet of white construction paper to cut out three “word bubbles.” (See Example) Have them write words or phrases that represent how their head (mind), their body (heart) and their arms and legs were involved in the event.

Said another way, one ‘bubble’ for the head (what they thought about the event),
one “bubble” for the body (how they felt about the event), and one ‘bubble’ for the limbs (what they did for the event).  When completed, call the first student to the bulletin board-type display area entitled  “Join the Crowd” (or some similarly appropriate title).Have each student, in turn, pen his/her designed cutout head along with its “bubble” on the display board. Share some of the responses. Now have each student come and pen his/her cutout body beneath their head along with its bubble. Share some of the responses. Finally, have each student pen his/her designed cutout arms and legs on their body along with the “bubble.” Share some of the responses. Have students walk past the ‘crowd’ and read the “bubble”. Discuss findings, comparisons, and final thoughts.

ACTIVITY THREE: Assign the students to one of four groups and distribute a white sheet of square paper, preferably 21.5” x 21.5” (the official size of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd base in Major League Baseball), a pair of scissors for each student, a glue stick/paste and a variety of magazines and newspapers.  Tell them that they are to go look through these magazines and newspapers to cut out pictures and /or words that could be used to describe their involvement in the recent service project. Once they have cut out as many pictures or words as they can, in the allotted time, as a group they are to decide which pictures and/or words will be included on their group base. Tell them to glue the pictures and/or words to their base.  When completed they are to offer their base for display in the area marked “Let’s Play Ball” or “Covering All the Bases,” etc (Note: You may wish to display the base in the traditional diamond shape to add more realism and invite interested students to complete the ballpark design. If time allows, ask the students how participating in this service projecct is like playing baseball/participating in sports.)

ACTIVITY FOUR: Using the name of the service project, have students brainstorm words or short phrases, the letters of which when properly placed, form some sort of crossword puzzle-like creation.  These words should ‘describe’ the activity, the feelings, and/or the impact of the event for the individual student involved.   

When the students have each completed their own crossword puzzle, instruct them to draw an outline of the pattern around their words (See above), have them shade-in the interior of the form with a light color pencil or crayon, so as not to cover up the words, and then cut out the form along the outline. Display these crossword puzzles forms in an area entitled, “The Shape of Our Service” or “We’re in Great Shape”, “Join the Crowd” or etc.