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

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Service Project (Citizen Involvement)
Lesson 9:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework
Kindergarten-2nd Grade
Subjects:

Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view
PHIL: 9/11genOn; Caring/Sharing; Community; Contribute; Need; Service Project
SOC: 10 genOn; Brainstorming; Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Goods and Services; Interdependence; Resources; Scarcity; Voting; Wants/Needs

Overview:

This lesson is most appropriately taught around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas when baskets of food can be given to community members.

Purpose:

The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to understand that there are families in their community that may need their help and that they can decide ways to help as a class.

Duration:

Thirty minutes

Objectives:

The learner will:

  • learn to brainstorm ideas for a service project.
  • cooperatively plan a service project.
  • implement and complete a service project.

Materials:

  • Chart
  • Markers
  • Container for collected materials (a clean garbage can usually works well).

Instructional Procedure(s):

  • Tell students that the class will be involved in a service project to help members of our community. Ask them for suggestions concerning how they could help people who may not have enough money to serve Thanksgiving dinner.

  • Ask students for their ideas on how they may help. Accept all reasonable suggestions and write them on a chart.

  • Discuss the various projects with the children narrowing the list to those choices that can be accomplished.

  • Allow each student to vote by giving each student a self sticking note and have him or her stick their note by the project they choose.

  • Tally the responses.

  • Usually the students will decide that the best way that they can help community members who do not have enough food for the holiday is to collect food.

  • Discuss what foods would be inappropriate to collect (perishable items).

  • Discuss which foods would be easiest to store in the classroom (canned goods and dry foods such as rice and pasta will work best).

  • Decide on a deadline.

  • Tell students to make drawings and pictures about the project to be placed in the halls.

  • Inform the entire student body about the project.

  • Collect food daily from parents and other students in the school. Make this a school-wide project.

  • Have students keep a tally of food collected.

  • Box food for delivery to community members.

  • Take photographs of all the food collected and post in room.

  • Have students reflect on the project by discussing orally and drawing in journals.

Assessment:

Teacher and student observation.
Were the students able to brainstorm ideas identifying a need in the community?
Were the students able to develop a plan of action addressing the need?
Were the students able to successfully carry out the plan?
Where did we succeed?

Curriculum Connection:

Language Arts: Students will draw pictures in their journals about the activity. As they explain their drawings to the teacher, write words related to the activity and encourage students to copy the words.

Math: Children will employ math skills by counting the votes on the project. Also, tally and count the food items.

Cross-Curriculum Extensions:

Some other projects that Kindergarten students could implement would be making Valentines for a target group (such as a Senior Citizen complex) or making holiday cards for a targeted group.

Lesson Developed By:

Janice Peterson
Detroit Public Schools
Woodward Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48208

Handouts:

Philanthropy Framework:

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