Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Unit Purpose:
This unit allows learners to investigate and expand their understanding of caring and to identify things or people they care about. They will determine different ways that they can show caring; relate enlightened self-interest to caring by discussing a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville about the American tradition of democracy; and they will reflect on how philanthropy, enlightened self-interest and caring are related.
Focus Questions:
What role does caring play in relationships and life success? How can developing caring equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?
Unit Duration:
Five 20 minute lessons
Unit Objectives:
The learner will:
- read about Giraffe Heroes who are their age.
- identify those students' motivations and attributes.
- name projects that touch his or her heart.
- define caring and ways that people demonstrate caring.
- relate altruism, empathy and selflessness to caring.
- list five things or people he or she cares about.
- determine how he or she cares about things and people important to him or her.
- discuss similar interests and feelings about issues.
- define enlightened self-interest.
- discuss a quotation by Alexis de Tocqueville in relationship to enlightened self-interest and caring.
- recall or learn the definition of philanthropy and relate it to caring.
- reflect on a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. about caring.
Service Experience:
This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills. For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to The League.
School/Home Connection:
Lesson One: Ask the learners to discuss five things or people that they care about with friends and family.
Notes for Teaching:
It is recommended that learners keep a journal to record their learning and reflections about the character traits studied.
State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:
See individual lessons for benchmark detail.
Lessons Developed By:
Barbara Dillbeck
Director
Learning to Give
Betsy Flikkema
Associate Director
Learning to Give
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
